Katelyn Harrell
Katelyn Harrell
Katelyn Harrell
Biography
Katelyn is a member of the firm’s Class Action and Mass Torts and ERISA and ESOP Class Action Teams. Katelyn’s practice focuses on defending employers, plan sponsors, plan administrators, individual fiduciaries, and independent trust companies against fiduciary claims in ESOP cases. Katelyn has represented ESOP clients in Department of Labor investigations and litigation, as well as class action litigation brought by private plaintiffs. Recently, Katelyn served as second chair in an ESOP class action trial.
In addition to litigating ERISA-based claims, Katelyn also handles general employment litigation and counseling on preventative strategies in employment matters, and defense of management in labor arbitrations. She has represented employers in Family and Medical Leave Act cases, discrimination claims relative to age, sex, disability, race, religion and sexual harassment, and handling EEOC and NLRB charges and other administrative complaints through the administrative and judicial process.
Katelyn has argued in front of the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals as well as federal and state district courts. As second chair, Katelyn has tried three bench trials in state court as well as a federal court jury trial and a federal court class action trial.
Areas of Focus
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ERISA & ESOP
Civic Involvement & Honors
Advisory Committee on Fiduciary Issues, The ESOP Association, 2024-2025
The Best Lawyers in America©: Ones to Watch, 2024
Junior League of New Orleans
Professional Affiliations
National Center for Employee Ownership
Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel
Mississippi Defense Lawyers Association
The ESOP Association
Admissions
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Georgia, 2023
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Mississippi, 2014
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Louisiana, 2013
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United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
United States District Courts for the Eastern, Middle, and Western Districts of Louisiana
United States District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of Mississippi
United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
United States District Court for the District of Colorado
Education
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The University of Mississippi, J.D., 2013
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The University of Mississippi, B.A., 2009
Related Practice Areas
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Class Actions & Mass Torts
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ERISA & ESOP
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ESOP Team
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Employment & Labor
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Cross-border Employment Issues
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Investigations
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Regulation, Compliance & Advisory
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Business & Commercial Disputes
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Litigation & Dispute Resolution
Resources
Publications
- Contributor, ERISA Fiduciary Answer Book (Wolters Kluwer 13th ed. 2024)
- Contributor, ERISA Fiduciary Answer Book. (Wolters Kluwer 12th ed. 2023)
- Robert Rachal, Jennie G. Arnold, Kirsten Scott & Katelyn Harrell. An Update on the Ever- Changing Civil Procedure Jurisprudence in ERISA Cases. 36 ABA Journal Lab. & Emp. Law 387, 495-515 (Fall 2022)
- Contributor, ERISA Fiduciary Answer Book. (Wolters Kluwer 11th ed. 2022)
- Robert Rachal and Katelyn Harrell. The ESOP Association ESOP Report. “Fortune May Favor the Bold, but Courts Favor the Cautious: Recent Developments Affecting ESOP Claims.” (October 2021)
Related Insights
Aug 17, 2023