Warren von Schleicher

Warren von Schleicher represents financial institutions, employers, and fiduciaries in ERISA pension and welfare benefit litigation, ERISA class action litigation, and governmental group pension and benefits litigation nationwide.
He concentrates his practice on:

• ERISA Welfare & Pension Plan Litigation
  • Disability, life, health, accidental death
  • Pension benefits, 409A litigation
  • Breach of fiduciary duties; co-fiduciary liability
  • Plan termination litigation
• Group Benefits Litigation
  • Government plans
  • Church plans
• Individual Insurance Coverage Litigation
  • Disability, life, accident
  • Annuities
  • Bad Faith

Warren is an inventive strategist, skilled negotiator, and inspired writer. He brings clarity to complex problems and persuades with eloquent, compelling arguments.

Before joining Hinshaw, Warren was the managing partner of Smith | von Schleicher + Associates. Previously he served as an officer in the U.S. Navy Judge Advocate General's Corps from 1987 to 2000.

• Defense Research Institute (DRI)
  • Health, Life and Disability/ERISA Committee
  • Appellate Advocacy Committee

• Recipient of the 2023 Excellence in Pro Bono and Public Interest Award for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois

ERISA Pension and Welfare Benefit Litigation

• Obtained over 200 favorable district court and appellate rulings in ERISA and insurance benefits litigation in federal courts nationwide.
• Negotiated settlement of complex multimillion-dollar claims by pension plan sponsor against pension plan advisor during an intense thirteen-hour, multi-party negotiation in Kentucky.

ERISA Class Action Litigation

• Obtained a favorable judgment in a class action in California, finding ERISA plan benefit limitation for mental health disabilities does not violate the Mental Health Parity Act (MHPA).
• Obtained summary judgment in Colorado district and appellate court dismissing a class action under the State's public retirement association.

Insurance Coverage Litigation

• Obtained summary judgment, upheld on appeal, for plaintiff-insurer on claims for fraud, conspiracy, and to void multiple multimillion-dollar life policies procured through a stranger-owned life insurance (STOLI) scheme, including an award of attorneys' fees.
• Obtained judgment on the pleadings on Plaintiff’s claims for fraud, consumer fraud, and negligence arising from the marketing and sale of a whole life insurance policy.

• Panelist, "Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Best Practices," The Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut, October 6, 2022

Warren writes extensively on ERISA and the philosophical and moral tension between federal judicial, legislative, and plan administrators' discretionary powers.

Warren, as an LGBTQ military veteran, advocates for LGBTQ+ rights, equality, and inclusion.