Allegations of Underperformance and Costly Choices
At the heart of the lawsuit lies the accusation that PPL Corp. breached its fiduciary responsibilities by keeping the underwhelming Northern Trust Focus Funds within its retirement portfolio—despite their lackluster performance. Adding fuel to the fire, plaintiffs claim the company also opted for higher-cost share classes when more affordable alternatives were available, potentially eroding employee returns over time.
The class alleges these choices weren’t just unfortunate—they were irresponsible, and failed the legal standards required for plan fiduciaries under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).
Legal Firepower on Both Sides
The plaintiffs are represented by an experienced team of ERISA litigators, including Jerome J. Schlichter, Troy A. Doles, Kurt C. Struckhoff, Chen Kasher, and Nathan D. Stump of Schlichter Bogard LLP, alongside David Promisloff of Promisloff Law PC.
PPL, for its part, has mounted a robust defense, enlisting attorneys Catalina J. Vergara, Kevin A. Kraft, Deanna M. Rice, William Pollak, and Scott Harman-Heath of O’Melveny & Myers LLP, as well as Peter H. LeVan Jr. of LeVan Law LLC.
Despite repeated requests, counsel for both sides declined to comment, leaving the public to await the judge’s ruling.
