R Joseph Barton, a Partner at the Firm, is the Chair of the Firm’s Employee Benefits Group and the Firm’s Veterans/Servicemember Rights Group. Mr. Barton has more than 16 years experience handling a diverse array of complex and class litigation.
Over the last 16 years, Mr. Barton has handled a wide variety of employee benefit (i.e. ERISA) cases. He has been trial counsel in four ERISA cases. He was lead trial counsel in a case challenging a complex transaction involving the Trachte ESOP and the Alliance ESOP on behalf of a class of employees of Trachte, Chesemore v. Alliance Holdings, Inc., No. 3:09-cv-00413 (W.D. Wis.).
In that case, Mr. Barton obtained favorable trial decisions on a liability and remedies of more than $17 million (plus prejudgment interest) for the Class which was affirmed by the Seventh Circuit. In Severstal Wheeling Inc. Ret. Comm. v. WPN Corporation, No. 10-cv-954 (S.D.N.Y.), Mr. Barton was lead trial counsel representing the fiduciaries of two pension plans suing their former investment manager for improper investments and obtained a judgment for plaintiffs of over $15 million which was affirmed by the Second Circuit.
After graduating law school, Mr. Barton served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Lenore C. Nesbitt, United States District Judge for Southern District of Florida. Mr. Barton considers pro bono representation an important part of his practice and has represented clients in actions concerning their employer’s failure to pay wages and/or overtime.
EDUCATION:
- College of William & Mary, Marshall-Wythe School of Law (J.D. 2000), Order of the Coif
- Lawrence W. I’Anson Award for outstanding student scholarship, character and leadership
- William B. Sprong Award for professionalism and ethics
- Robert R. Kaplan Award for excellence in legal writing
- Staff member of the William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal
- Member of the William & Mary National Trial Team
- College of William & Mary (B.A. 1991), History and minor in Classical Studies
Cost
Rate : $$$