Best Lawyers in America®, Litigation - ERISA, Seattle, Washington, 2025 (Recognized since 2024)

Selected to Super Lawyers list in Super Lawyers – Washington, 2023-2024

Selected to Rising Stars list in Super Lawyers – Washington, 2009

Selected to Super Lawyers list in Super Lawyers - Washington, 2024

American College of Employee Benefits Counsel, Fellow

Wisconsin State Bar Association, Member

King County Bar Association, Member

Washington State Bar Association, Member

Civil Procedure Sub-Committee for the ABA Employee Benefits Committee, Plaintiffs’ Co-Chair, 2012 – 2016

Employee Benefits Law (Bloomberg-BNA), Chapter Editor, 2012 – 2016

Employee Benefits Law (Bloomberg-BNA), Senior Editor, 2016 - 2018

Employee Benefits Law (Bloomberg-BNA), Co-Chair, Board of Senior Editors, 2018 – present

Washington State Supreme Court, Pro Bono Publico Honor Roll, 2014 – present

Panelist, ERISA Preemption, ABA Joint Committee on Employee Benefits ERISA Basics Virtual Program (November 19, 2024).

Panelist, 2023 Employee Benefits Highlights, ABA Section of Labor and Employment Law Employees Benefits Committee 2024 Midwinter meeting, San Diego, California (2024).

Panel Moderator, Did Hughes Move the Needle? 401(k) Fee Litigation Update, ABA Section of Labor and Employment Law Employee Benefits Committee 2023 Midwinter meeting, New Orleans, Louisiana (2023).

Quoted, Benefits Practice Group of the Year: Keller Rohrback, Law360 (February 22, 2022).

Panelist, Current Developments in Defined Contribution Investment Litigation, ABA Live Webinar (March 23, 2022).

Panelist, ERISA Class Actions: Plaintiff and Defense Perspectives, Western Alliance Bank ERISA Webinar (September 22, 2021).

Quoted, Benefits Practice Group of the Year: Keller Rohrback, Law360 (December 7, 2020).

Panelist, Defined Contribution Investment Litigation Update, ABA Section of Labor and Employment Law, Employee Benefits Committee – Mid-Winter Meeting, Rancho Mirage, California (2020).

Brief for Law Professors as Amici Curiae in Support of the Petitioners, Thole v. U.S. Bank, No. 17-1712 (U.S. 2019).

Panelist, Arbitration: Is There Anything Different About ERISA, ABA Live Webinar (June 18, 2019).

Speaker, Litigation Update: Two Perspectives, Western Pension & Benefits Council – Spring Seminar, Seattle, WA (2019).

Panelist, Arbitration: What’s Different About ERISA?, ABA Section of Labor and Employment Law, Employee Benefits Committee – Mid-Winter Meeting, Nashville, Tennessee (2019).

Panelist, How to Get the Class Action Settlement Your Client Needs, ABA Section of Labor and Employment Law, Employee Benefits Committee – Mid-Winter Meeting, Austin, TX (2017).

Quoted in Jacklyn Wille, Ninth Circuit Adopts Pro-Worker Pension Framework, Pension & Benefits Daily, Bloomberg BNA (Aprril 22, 2016). 

Amgen Inc. v. Harris: What is the Status of ERISA Company Stock Cases Post-Amgen, ABA Employee Benefits Committee Newsletter (Spring 2016).

Speaker, Supreme Court Roundup, ACI ERISA Litigation, Chicago, IL (2016).

Panelist, Mock Mediation, ABA Section of Labor and Employment Law, Employee Benefits Committee – Mid-Winter Meeting, Las Vegas, NV (2016).

Quoted in Andrea L. Ben-Yosef, Class Action Suits on Plan Fees Steam Ahead, Pension & Benefits Blog, Bloomberg BNA (February 10, 2016).

Br. of Amicus Curiae of Pension Rights Center in Supp. of Petition, Pundt v. Verizon Communications, No. 15-785 (2016).

Br. of Amicus Curiae AARP and National Employment Lawyers Association in Supp. of Pls.-Appellees, Whitley v. BP, P.L.C., No. 15-20282 (5th Cir. October 28, 2015).

Br. of The Pension Rights Center as Amicus Curiae in Supp. of Resp’t, Spokeo, Inc. v. Robins, No. 13-1339 (U.S. September 4, 2015).

Lynn L. Sarko, Erin M. Riley, and Gretchen S. Obrist, Brief for Law Professors as Amici Curiae in Support of the Petitioners, Tibble, et al. v. Edison International, et al., No. 13-550 (U.S. 2014).

Quoted in Jacklyn Wille, High Court to Address Statute of Limitations for Suits Challenging Retirement Plan Fees, Pension & Benefits Daily, Bloomberg BNA (Oct. 3, 2014).

Speaker, What’s New in Fiduciary Litigation?, Western Pension & Benefits Council – 2014 Spring Seminar, Seattle, WA (2014).

Contributor, Attorneys Reflect on 40 Years of ERISA’s Biggest Court Rulings, Pension & Benefits Daily, Bloomberg BNA, discussing CIGNA Corp. v. Amara, 131 S.Ct. 1866, 50 EBC 2569 (May 24, 2011).

Erin M. Riley and Gretchen S. Obrist, The Impact of Fifth Third Bancorp v. Dudenhoeffer: Finally, a Court Gets it Right!, Pension & Benefits Daily, Bloomberg BNA (August 11, 2014).

Lynn L. Sarko and Erin M. Riley, Brief for Law Professors as Amici Curiae in Support of the Respondents, Fifth Third Bancorp v. Dudenhoeffer, No. 12-751 (U.S. March 5, 2014).

Erin M. Riley Explores the Pro-Plaintiff Aspects of the Citigroup Ruling, ERISA Litigation Tracker: Litigator Q&A, Bloomberg BNA (December 1, 2011). Reproduced with permission from ERISA Litigation Tracker Litigator Q & A (December 5, 2011). Copyright 2011 by The Bureau of National Affairs, Inc. (800-372-1033).

Sarah H. Kimberly, Erin M. Riley, Court Declines to Limit Damages in Neil v. Zell, ABA Employee Benefits Committee Newsletter (Spring 2011).

Derek W. Loeser, Erin M. Riley and Benjamin Gould, 2010 ERISA Employer Stock Cases: The Good, the Bad, and the In-Between Plaintiffs’ Perspective, Bureau of National Affairs, Inc. (January 28, 2011).

Derek W. Loeser and Erin M. Riley, The Case Against the Presumption of Prudence, Bureau of National Affairs, Inc. (September 10, 2010).