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Case Center

SBC Communications

  • Issue: ERISA
  • Result: $10 million settlement
  • 2002

Gottlieb v. SBC Communications

With co-counsel, Lieff Cabraser represented current and former employees of SBC and Pacific Telesis Group (PTG) who participated in AirTouch Stock Funds, which were at one time part of PTG's salaried and non-salaried savings plans. After acquiring PTG, SBC sold AirTouch, which PTG had owned, and caused the AirTouch Stock Funds that were included in the PTG employees' savings plans to be liquidated.

Plaintiffs alleged that in eliminating the AirTouch Stock Funds, and in allegedly failing to adequately communicate with employees about the liquidation, SBC breached its duties to 401k plan participants under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. In 2002, the Court granted final approval to a $10 million settlement.