Ryan T. Jenny is of counsel in Steptoe's Washington office, where he is a member of the Litigation Department. He practices primarily in the area of complex employee benefits litigation, representing benefit plans and their sponsors, fiduciaries, and service providers in actions brought under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).

Mr. Jenny has litigated a broad range of ERISA class and individual actions at both the trial and appellate levels, with a particular focus on the fiduciary responsibility area. His recent fiduciary litigation includes defending against “excessive fee” claims (which allege fiduciary breaches relating to the fees charged to plans and participants) and “employer stock drop” actions (which allege that employer stock was improperly offered as a plan investment option). Other representative ERISA cases have focused on issues such as Section 510 discrimination and unlawful termination, misrepresentation and nondisclosure, termination of retiree health benefits, prohibited transactions, claims for benefits, and preemption of state statutory and common law. Mr. Jenny also has represented multiemployer plan trustees in actions arising under the Labor Management Relations Act (LMRA).

Before focusing his practice on ERISA litigation, Mr. Jenny’s practice encompassed labor and employment matters. He has represented employers in employment discrimination litigation (Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, ADEA, ADA, and state law), wage and hour actions (FLSA), and labor relations matters (NLRA).

Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Jenny worked as an associate at a prominent New York law firm and served as a law clerk for the American Psychological Association’s Legal and Regulatory Affairs Department in Washington, DC, where he focused on professional licensure and legislative issues.