Jackson Lewis P.C.

Co-leader of the ERISA Litigation practice group

René E. Thorne is co-leader of the firm's ERISA Complex Litigation group, and is a principal in the New Orleans, Louisiana, office of Jackson Lewis P.C. René started the New Orleans office and was the managing principal for ten years.

Her national practice covers the full range of complex benefit litigation matters, including representation of employers, plans, plan fiduciaries, third party administrators, and trustees. In that regard, she has handled numerous ERISA class actions alleging breach of fiduciary duty; breach of the duty of loyalty; prohibited transactions; 401(k) plan asset performance, fees, and expense issues; defined benefit plan asset issues, accrual issues, and cut-back issues; cash balance plan issues; ESOP litigation; fiduciary misrepresentation claims; sophisticated preemption issues; executive compensation litigation, both pension and welfare claims; retiree rights litigation; severance plan claims; Section 510 cases; and complex benefit claim cases.

During the course of her national practice, she has been admitted pro hac vice in courts across the country, including Alabama, the District of Columbia, California, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin.

René also has been retained in complex ERISA breach of fiduciary duty, prohibited transaction, and cash balance cases. René has been qualified and testified on ERISA matters in federal court.

René is active on the Employee Benefits Subcommittee of the Labor and Employment Section of the American Bar Association, and was a management co-chair of the Employee Benefits Subcommittee Newsletter. She is a past instructor for the National Institute for Trial Advocacy, and a former barrister in the Thomas More Inn of Court.