Profile

Lou is a litigator with substantial employee benefits litigation experience. He has represented employers, insurers, plans, third-party administrators and fiduciaries in numerous cases concerning parties’ rights and responsibilities under ERISA.

Lou has defended clients facing benefits-related class action lawsuits under ERISA and the ADEA, including stock drop and cash balance plan conversion cases.

The Second Circuit recently affirmed summary judgment on all counts for one of Lou’s clients, a large employer with operations across New York State, in a case brought by a group of employees asserting claims of contractual vesting, promissory estoppel, breach of fiduciary duties, anti-inurement violations and prohibited transactions allegedly arising out of an amendment to the company’s retiree welfare benefits platform.

  • Listed in:
    • The Best Lawyers in America®, Commercial Litigation; Litigation - ERISA, 2012-2024 (listed for more than 10 years)
    • New York Super Lawyers®, Business Litigation, 2023
  • New York State Bar Association
  • Massachusetts Bar Association
  • Onondaga County Bar Association
  • District of Columbia Bar Association
  • Federal Practice Committee, NDNY Federal Court Bar Association
  • Order of the Coif
  • Mediator, ADR Mandatory Mediation Program, Northern District of New York

  • "Don’t Overlook CPLR § 901(b): New York’s Protection Against Class Actions for Statutory Penalties," Bond Complex Litigation Quarterly, Spring 2015

  • Board of Trustees, Cazenovia Public Library
  • Campaign Cabinet, Jewish Federation of Central New York, 2019 & 2020
  • Past Member, Board of Education, Cazenovia Central School District
  • Past Member, Board of Trustees, Temple Society of Concord
  • Past Vice Chair, Town of Cazenovia Zoning Board of Appeals
  • Past Executive Board Member, Syracuse Jewish Federation
  • Past Board Member, Cazenovia Lake Association
  • Past Board Member, Hiscock Legal Aid Society
  • Past Board Member, Menorah Park
  • Past Board Member, WJPZ, Inc.
  • 2008 Syracuse 40 Under 40 Honoree