Carol Connor Cohen

Washington, DC

As a new lawyer in 1976, Carol began her career rewriting all of the retirement plans of her firm's clients to comply with ERISA. After a few years (and a dalliance as an employment lawyer), when the new law had been around long enough to begin generating litigation, she became an ERISA litigator, and continues in that area today, defending employers and fiduciaries in class action litigation under ERISA. During the intervening years, Carol spent eight years at the PBGC, the last six as General Counsel, where she successfully argued two ERISA cases in the Supreme Court: PBGC v. LTV Corp. and Concrete Pipe & Products of Cal. v. Construction Laborers Pension Trust (the latter on behalf of PBGC as amicus curiae). Currently, Carol chairs the ERISA Litigation Group at Arent Fox LLP, where she also serves as a member of the firm's Executive Committee, Compensation Committee, and Technology Committee. As a nationally recognized expert on employee benefits issues in bankruptcy, she was an editor of the American Bankruptcy Institute's Pension Manual, and she is a contributing author on employee benefits issues for Norton Bankruptcy Law & Practice. Carol is a Charter Fellow of the College, and is recognized by Chambers USA, Best Lawyers in America and DC Super Lawyers. She is married to Fellow Jeffrey B. Cohen.

Multiemployer Plans

PBGC Issues

Fiduciary/Other Title I Issues

DB Plans