Best Lawyers in California, United States for Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
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Stephen Harris is a partner in the Tax Department of Paul Hastings, and co-chair of the firm’s Global Compensation, Benefits, and ERISA practice. Steve is a recognized leader in compensation, benefits, and ERISA law. He has been ranked by Chambers USA as one of the top employee benefits and executive compensation lawyers in California and Chambers has noted that he “maintains an impressively broad practice that includes IRS, HIPAA and COBRA compliance.” He is also recognized...
Colleen Hart is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law. Colleen, who practices law in Los Angeles, California, has been recognized since 2014. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Colleen is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Louis Mezzullo’s principal areas of practice are Taxation, Estate and Business Succession Planning, and Employee Benefits. He was on the faculty of the University of Miami School of Law Graduate Program in Estate Planning from 2004 to 2007 and on the faculty of the University of San Diego School of Law in 2009. He was an adjunct professor of law at the University of Richmond Law School from 1978 until 2006. He is listed in Who's Who in American Law, Who's Who in Emerging Leaders and Who...
Brad has been practicing in the employee benefits field for over forty years, and his practice is primarily in the areas of ERISA litigation, fiduciary responsibility matters, qualified pension and profit sharing plans and Department of Labor investigations. Brad serves as a private mediator in ERISA litigation matters and has been appointed as an Alternative Dispute Resolution Neutral in over sixty ERISA cases by the United States District Court, Northern District of California. Brad has als...
Donald P. Sullivan is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law and Employment Law - Management. Donald P., who practices law in San Francisco, California, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Donald P. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Joseph C. Faucher is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law and Litigation - ERISA. Joseph C., who practices law in Los Angeles, California, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Joseph C. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Catherine L. Reagan is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law. Catherine L., who practices law in San Francisco, California, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Catherine L. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Victor O'Connell is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation, Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law and Intellectual Property Law. Victor, who practices law in Cerritos, California, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Victor is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
James Oh is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law. James, who practices law in Santa Monica, California, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which James is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Sarah K. Bowen is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law. Sarah K., who practices law in San Francisco, California, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Sarah K. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
John Stokes is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation and Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law. John, who practices law in Cerritos, California, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which John is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Stephanie D. Ahmad is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law and Tax Law. Stephanie D., who practices law in East Palo Alto, California, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Stephanie D. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.