With an emphasis on litigation, Sara Hauptfuehrer’s practice focuses on Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). She also handles employment discrimination litigation and counsels on a number of employee benefits-related issues.
REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE
- Defended the acquiring company in litigation alleging various violations of ERISA in connection with a multi-million dollar business combination
- Summary judgment involving a multi-employer pension trust in litigation seeking additional pension benefits
- Opposed class certification in employment discrimination litigation and successfully defended the denial of class certification before the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals
- Summary judgment in numerous actions involving challenges to denial of benefits under ERISA plans
- Summary judgment involving a claim of disability discrimination
- Tax court litigation involving the IRS’s disallowance of deductions to individual defined benefit plans
AREAS OF CONCENTRATION
- Employee benefits litigation
- Employment litigation
- Class actions
- Appellate practice
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2001 Steptoe & Johnson PLLC
1989 Steptoe & Johnson LLP
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
- Defense Research Institute
- International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans
- American Bar Association
INDUSTRY / CIVIC MEMBERSHIPS
- Harrison County Chamber of Commerce
- President, Board, Job Squad, Inc.
- Bethany College Alumni Council
AWARDS / HONORS
- The Best Lawyers in America®
- Super Lawyers®
- Associate Editor, George Mason University Law Review
PUBLICATIONS / SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
- “A Primer on ERISA’s Civil Enforcement Scheme for the Non-ERISA Lawyer,” 12 Inside Litigation No. 4, at 7 (Apr. 1998)
- “Removal Jurisdiction in ERISA Cases: The Doctrine of Complete Preemption,” 4 ERISA Litigation Reporter No. 5, at 4 (Dec. 1995) (with Paul J. Ondrasik, Jr.)