Karen L. HandorfKaren Handorf joined the Firm in 2007 as Of Counsel and is a member of the Employee Benefits (ERISA) practice group. Ms. Handorf began her legal career at the Office of the Solicitor of Labor in 1975. In 1982, she joined the Plan Benefits Security Division (PBS) as a trial attorney where she litigated actions brought by the Secretary of Labor for violations of the fiduciary standards of the ERISA. In 1989, she was appointed Counsel for Decentralized and Special Litigation. As Counsel, Ms. Handorf was responsible for establishing and supervising the Department’s amicus brief writing program which addressed a wide range of novel and difficult ERISA issues in both state and federal court. Through her supervision of the amicus brief writing program, Ms. Handorf was instrumental in shaping the law relating to preemption, remedies available under ERISA, and standards for evaluating fiduciary conduct with respect to ESOPs, termination annuities, and employer stock purchases. As Counsel, she was also responsible for supervising the Department’s ERISA appellate litigation, district court litigation brought by regional offices of the Solicitor of Labor and administrative litigation involving the civil penalty provisions of ERISA. In 2001, she was appointed Deputy Associate Solicitor of PBS. As the Deputy Associate Solicitor, she was responsible for overseeing litigation brought by the Secretary of Labor and legal advice provided to the Employee Benefit Security Administration, which administers Title I of ERISA. In 2005, she returned to her position as supervisor of the ERISA appellate and amicus brief writing program, serving as Counsel for Appellate and Special Litigation. Ms. Handorf is a recipient of the Department of Labor Distinguished Career Service Award. Ms. Handorf received her law degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1975, where she received the International Academy of Trial Lawyers Award, the Mathys Memorial Award for Appellate Advocacy, and First Place, Milwaukee Bar Association Moot Court Prize. Prior to law school, she attended the University of Wisconsin-River Falls where she received a B.S. in Speech and History. Ms. Handorf is admitted to practice in Wisconsin. Her application to the District of Columbia. Bar is pending and she is currently practicing under the supervision of Marc I. Machiz, an enrolled active member of the District of Columbia Bar, pursuant to Rule 49(c)(8) of the Rules of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals. Contact: khandorf@cohenmilstein.com Practice Area: |
