Practice Areas
Admissions
- Missouri
Education
J.D., University of Missouri–Kansas City School of Law, 1977, Missouri Law Review
A.B., University of Missouri - Columbia, 1974, Phi Beta Kappa
Profile
Dan Schwartz advises clients on all facets of employee benefits. He has significant experience drafting and implementing defined benefit plans, defined contribution plans, deferred compensation plans, ESOPs, health and welfare programs and executive compensation programs. He has also served as primary counsel in a number of ERISA lawsuits. In 2017, he represented Advocate Health Care Network in a landmark ERISA case before the U.S. Supreme Court.
He has written and lectured on topics in the benefits field including ESOPs, the exclusive benefit rule and employee welfare benefit plans and church plans. He is the author of the BNA Tax Management Portfolio Employee Benefits for Tax-Exempt Organizations which has been in continuous print for over 20 years. Dan also authored a chapter in Fundamentals of Health Law, Fourth Edition, published by the American Health Lawyers Association.
Dan is a former member of the U.S. Department of Treasury’s IRS Advisory Committee on Tax Exempt and Government Entities. The committee includes stakeholders in the areas of tax-exempt organizations, employee retirement plans, tax-exempt bonds and federal, state, local and Indian tribal governments.
A former member of the firm’s Board of Directors and Executive Committee, Dan has practiced primarily in the employee benefits area since 1977.
Professional Affiliations
- American Bar Association, Section of Labor & Employment Law, Employee Benefits; Section of Taxation, Employee Benefits Committee
- Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, Employee Benefits Section
- The Missouri Bar, Tax Law Committee
Community/Civic Activities
- Congregation Temple Israel
Honors & Awards
Honors & Awards
- The Best Lawyers in America, Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, 2007-2024; Litigation - ERISA, 2011-2024; St. Louis area Litigation - ERISA Lawyer of the Year, 2016, 2019 and 2021; St. Louis area Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law Lawyer of the Year, 2013 and 2024
- Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyer, Employee Benefits/ERISA, 2008-2017
- American College of Employee Benefits Counsel, charter fellow
Experience
Representative Matters
- Represented Advocate Health Care Network before the U.S. Supreme Court in Advocate Health Care Network et al. v. Stapleton et al., a high-profile case involving the interpretation of ERISA’s “church plan” definition. The case resulted in a unanimous June 5, 2017, decision in favor of Advocate and two other religiously affiliated hospitals.
- Designed and implemented ESOP transactions for major national construction companies.
- Designed and implemented deferred compensation for a large health care entity.
- Designed and implemented defined benefit plan for major publicly traded company.
- Geissal v. Moore Medical, et al. 158 F.Supp.2d 976, 2001 WL 930017, 25 EBC 2584 (E.D. Mo. 2001) Case claiming relief under COBRA
- Geissal v. Moore Medical, et al. 192 FRD 620, 2000 WL 430172 (E.D. Mo. 2000) Case claiming attorney/client privilege
- Geissal v. Moore Medical, et al. 2000 WL 374604 (E.D. Mo. 2000) Disqualification claim
- Maniace v. Juvenile Shoe 40 F.3d 264, 1994 WL 613151, 18 EBC 2585 (8th Cir. 1994) Breach of fiduciary duty under ERISA
- Alberici v. Davis, 2005 U.S. District Lexis 31275, 2005 WL 3307299,(E.D. Mo. 2005). Case disqualifying QDRO.
- Geissal v. Moore Medical, et al. 338 F.3rd 926, 30 EBC 2692 (8th Cir. 2003). Case claiming relief under COBRA.
- Alberici vs. Davis, 2006 U.S. App. Lexis 17082, 2006 WL 1841210 (8th Cir. 2006). Eighth Circuit affirms district court order disqualifying QDRO.
News & Insights
News
- August 17, 2023
- August 18, 2022
- August 19, 2021
- August 20, 2020
- August 15, 2019
- August 2018
- July 2018
- June 5, 2017
- August 17, 2015
- Congratulations to Tim Thornton and Dan Schwartz on being selected for The Best Lawyers in America 2013September 12, 2012
Publications
Articles & Books
- "The Source of Payment: The State and Federal Regulation of Private Health Care Plans"Fundamentals of Health Law, Seventh Edition, American Health Lawyers Association
- Taxation of Exempts, March/April 2018
- "The Source of Payment: The State and Federal Regulation of Private Health Plans"Fundamentals of Health Law, Sixth Edition, American Health Lawyers Association
- "The Source of Payment: The State and Federal Regulation of Private Healthcare Plans"Fundamentals of Health Law, Fifth Edition, American Health Lawyers Association
- "Church Welfare Plans and IRC Section 410(d)"Benefits Law Journal, Spring 2008
- "May Non-Competes Still be Used in §457(f) Plans After §409A?"BNA Tax Management
- Tax Management Portfolio, Income Tax Series No. 373, Fourth Edition, and Estates, Gifts and Trusts Series No. 487, First Edition, 2006
- "State and Federal Regulation of Health Insurance"Fundamentals of Health Law, Third and Fourth Edition, American Health Lawyers Association
- Contributing author and chapter editor, "Employee Benefits Law"Bureau of National Affairs, 2nd Edition, 2000
- Contributing author, "Employee Benefits Law"American Bar Association Treatise, January 1, 1991
Blog Posts
- Plans, Perks & Pay | Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Blog, July 10, 2018
- Plans, Perks & Pay | Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Blog, July 10, 2017
- Plans, Perks & Pay | Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Blog, July 21, 2016