United States Third Circuit

In a putative class-action suit relating to the termination of a pensioner death benefit, dismissal for failure to state a claim is affirmed where the death benefit was an unvested welfare benefit that the employer could terminate without violating ERISA or unilateral contract principles.

Appellate Information

• Argued 04/16/2008
• Decided 08/28/2008
• Published 08/28/2008

Judges

• Before:  AMBRO, FISHER, and MICHEL, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Third Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• James R. Malone, Jr., Esquire (Argued), Kimberly L. Kimmel, Esquire, Chimicles & Tikellis, Haverford, PA, Counsel for Appellants, Edward Foss and Sarah Conder., Alan M. Sandals, Esquire, Scott M. Lempert, Esquire, Sandals & Associates, Philadelphia, PA, Victoria Quesada, Esquire (Argued), Quesada & Moore, West Hempstead, NY, Counsel for Appellant, Helen P. Lucas., Curtis L. Kennedy, Esquire, Denver, CO, Counsel for Amicus-Appellant.


• For Appellees:
  
• Joseph D. Guarino, Esquire, Epstein, Becker & Green, Newark, NJ, John Houston Pope, Esquire (Argued), Epstein, Becker & Green, New York, NY, Frank C. Morris, Jr., Esquire, Epstein, Becker & Green, Washington, DC, Counsel for Appellee.