People: Ian H. Morrison, Partner

Ian H. Morrison

Partner

Chicago
Direct: (312) 460-5830
Fax: (312) 460-7830
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Biography

Mr. Morrison is a partner with the Chicago office of Seyfarth Shaw LLP where he practices labor and employment law. He represents employers in cases brought under various laws affecting employment, with a focus on defense of claims under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). Mr. Morrison co-chairs the firm's ERISA Litigation Practice Group.  He has represented employers in numerous federal courts, at all court levels and all stages of proceedings, including significant trial and appellate work.

In addition to extensive federal employment litigation experience, Mr. Morrison represents employers in cases before state courts and administrative agencies, and in mediation. Mr. Morrison has also handled numerous arbitration cases, including labor arbitrations, court-sponsored arbitrations, and private arbitration proceedings before the American Arbitration Association and the National Association of Securities Dealers.

Mr. Morrison devotes a significant part of his practice to ERISA and employee benefits litigation and litigation of class-action and multi-plaintiff employment claims.  He has represented employers, employee benefit plans, and fiduciaries in court litigation and arbitration, including trials and appeals.  His ERISA and employee benefits litigation experience includes defense of claims for benefits, breach of fiduciary duty claims, reporting and disclosure claims, severance pay and stock option claims, and ERISA Section 510 employment discrimination claims.  Mr. Morrison also has significant experience litigating claims regarding commissions, bonuses, and other forms of executive compensation.  Outside of the litigation context, Mr. Morrison has advised clients on employee benefits matters including the termination and modification of retiree medical benefits, outsourcing issues, and governmental investigations regarding alleged ERISA violations.

Before joining Seyfarth Shaw, Mr. Morrison was a Judicial Law Clerk for The Honorable Richard Mills of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois.

Mr. Morrison is a partner with the Chicago office of Seyfarth Shaw LLP where he practices labor and employment law. He represents employers in cases brought under various laws affecting employment, with a focus on defense of claims under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). Mr. Morrison co-chairs the firm's ERISA Litigation Practice Group.  He has represented employers in numerous federal courts, at all court levels and all stages of proceedings, including significant trial and appellate work.

In addition to extensive federal employment litigation experience, Mr. Morrison represents employers in cases before state courts and administrative agencies, and in mediation. Mr. Morrison has also handled numerous arbitration cases, including labor arbitrations, court-sponsored arbitrations, and private arbitration proceedings before the American Arbitration Association and the National Association of Securities Dealers.

Mr. Morrison devotes a significant part of his practice to ERISA and employee benefits litigation and litigation of class-action and multi-plaintiff employment claims.  He has represented employers, employee benefit plans, and fiduciaries in court litigation and arbitration, including trials and appeals.  His ERISA and employee benefits litigation experience includes defense of claims for benefits, breach of fiduciary duty claims, reporting and disclosure claims, severance pay and stock option claims, and ERISA Section 510 employment discrimination claims.  Mr. Morrison also has significant experience litigating claims regarding commissions, bonuses, and other forms of executive compensation.  Outside of the litigation context, Mr. Morrison has advised clients on employee benefits matters including the termination and modification of retiree medical benefits, outsourcing issues, and governmental investigations regarding alleged ERISA violations.

Before joining Seyfarth Shaw, Mr. Morrison was a Judicial Law Clerk for The Honorable Richard Mills of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois.

Education

  • J.D., Washington University in St. Louis (1995)
    Order of the Coif
  • B.A,, University of Chicago (1992)
    with honors

Admissions

  • Illinois
  • Missouri

Courts

  • United States Supreme Court
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth, Sixth, Seventh and Eighth Circuits
  • U.S. District Court for the Central and Northern Districts of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan

Affiliations

  • American Bar Association
  • Employee Benefits Committee of the ABA Section of Labor and Employment Law (Co-Chair of the Subcommittee on Employment Discrimination and Employee Benefits)

Presentations

  • "Employment Discrimination and Employee Benefits," American Bar Association’s ERISA Litigation National Institute (November 2009 and November 2010)
  • "ERISA Litigation:  What Your Committee Needs To Know," Pension & Investments 12th Annual West Coast Defined Contribution Conference (November 2, 2009)
  • "Employment Discrimination and Employee Benefits," American Bar Association’s ERISA Basics National Institute (2008-2011)
  • "Fiduciary Breach Litigation," American Bar Association’s ERISA Litigation National Institute (November 7, 2008)
  • Presenter at the American Bar Association’s Employee Benefits Committee Mid-Winter Meeting (February 2007-2011)
  • “New 5500 Reporting and Disclosure Obligations and Liability for Failure to Comply,” presented at the 1st Annual National ERISA Fiduciary Executive Summit, New York, NY (November 2008)
  • Faculty at the American Bar Association’s ERISA Litigation National Institute (2008-2010)

Publications

  • Contributin Editor, "Employee Benefits Law," BNA (2006-2009 Supplements)
  • “A Primer on ERISA Remedies In Private Party Litigation,” in 2007 Employment Law Update, Henry H. Perritt, Jr., ed.
  • “Should the Securities Exchange Act be the Sole Federal Remedy for an ERISA Fiduciary Misrepresentation of the Value of Public Employer Stock,” to be published in the The John Marshall Law Review, Vol. 39 (2006) (with Mark A. Casciari)
  • “Corporate Reorganizations and ERISA Section 510 – A Clear and Present Class Action Danger,” 15 Benefits Law J. 49 (Spring 2002) (with Mark A. Casciari)