Cassie Springer Ayeni

Bar / Professional Activity

• Employee Benefits Committee:  2019-2022 Plaintiff’s Chair of the American Bar Association (ABA) / Labor & Employment Law Section’s (LEL) Employee Benefits Committee, 2022
• Joint Committee on Employee Benefits:  2022-2025 Labor & Employment Law Section Representative to JCEB; Chair of Long-Term Planning Committee, 2022-2024., 2022
• Women Attorneys' Affinity Group:  2022-present, co-chair of the ABA-Labor & Employment Law Section's Women Attorneys' Affinity Group, 2022
• Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Legal Profession Committee:  Committee member of the ABA/LEL Sections DEILP Committee, 2025
• Co-Founder, WEBA:  Women Employee Benefits Attorneys organization, under the umbrella of the ABA's Joint Committee on Employee Benefits, 2022
• Fellow, American College of Employee Benefits Counsel, 2022
• Commission on Women in the Profession:  ABA Labor & Employment Law Section's Liaison to the ABA's Commission on Women in the Profession; Chair of the website committee; Committee member of the Parenthood Report Committee, 2025

Verdicts / Settlements (Case Results)

• Nolan v. Heald College, 551 F.3d 1148 (9th Cir. Jan. 13, 2009) (holding that traditional summary judgment rules apply in evaluating an administrator’s conflict of interest and permitting bench trials with live testimony on the issue), 2009
• Shaikh v. Aetna Life Ins. Co., 445 F. Supp. 3d 1 (N.D. Cal. 2020) (awarding disability benefits where the insurer failed to account for consistent pain complaints).  Shaikh v. Aetna Life Ins. Co., 2020 WL 3402247 (N.D. Cal. June 19, 2020) (awarding $124,278.75 in attorneys’ fees). , 2020
• Cherene v. First American Financial Corp. Long-Term Disability Plan, 303 F. Supp. 2d 1030 (N.D. Cal. 2004) (holding material and substantial evidence of defendants’ conflict of interest existed; dismissing defendants’ reimbursement counter-claim), 2004
• Fleming v. Kemper Nat. Services, Inc., 373 F. Supp. 2d 1000 (N.D. Cal. 2005) (awarding attorneys’ fees, costs, and prejudgment interest); Fleming v. Kemper Natl. Services, Inc., 320 F. Supp. 2d 951 (N.D. Cal. 2004) (granting Plaintiff’s motion for summary adjudication as to the standard of review because defendants did not comply with the applicable Department of Labor Regulations in administering Plaintiff’s claim), 2005
• Patel v. Sugen, Inc., 354 F. Supp. 2d 1098 (N.D. Cal. 2005) (holding employees’ claims for severance benefits not preempted by ERISA), 2005
• Caplan v. CNA Short Term Disability Plan, 479 F. Supp. 2d 1108 (N.D. Cal. 2007) (holding that Plaintiff could simultaneously proceed with claims for breach of fiduciary duty and benefits where each claim sought different relief), 2007
• Carstens v. U.S. Shoe Corporation’s Long-Term Benefits Disability Plan, 520 F. Supp. 2d 1165 (N.D. Cal. 2007) (holding that the administrator could not offset the participant’s disability benefits by the amount of her son’s Social Security benefit), 2007
• Abatie v. Alta Health & Life Ins. Co., 458 F.3d 955 (9th Cir. 2006) (en banc) (overruling previous Ninth Circuit precedent to determine that where a plan administrator operates under a financial conflict of interest, courts must review the administrator’s benefits decisions with “skepticism”), 2006
• Saffon v. Wells Fargo & Co. Long Term Disability Plan, 511 F.3d 1206 (9th Cir. 2008) (holding that insurers must engage in a clear communications process in administering ERISA benefit claims), 2008
• Hasten v. Prudential, 470 F. Supp. 3d 1076  (N.D. Cal. 2020) (determining that Plaintiff was entitled to file suit where Defendant failed to strictly adhere to the ERISA Regulations’ deadlines for decisions). , 2020
• Barboza v. Ca. Ass’n of Professional Firefighters, 2014 WL 6766687, 594 Fed.Appx 903 (9th Cir. 2014) (concerning the question of offsets to disability benefits an ordering an award of prejudgment interest in an amount to be determined on remand to the district court), 2014

Videos

• Springer Ayeni APLC, ERISA Disability Insurance Claimants, 2017
• Long COVID Disability Claims with Body Politic x Springer Ayeni, ERISA Disability Benefit Claimants, 2020

Pro bono / Community Service

• March of Dimes, Bay Area Division (2010 Bay Area Ambassador; 2014 March for Babies Keynote Speaker)

Educational Background

• B.A., University of California at Berkeley, Phi Beta Kappa (1999); double major in English and Women's Studies, 1995-1999
• J.D., University of California Berkeley School of Law, 1999-2002

Scholarly Lectures / Writings

• In-depth interview with legal giant Pamela Price on her career, advice, and goals., Author, Pamela Price: With a Backbone of Steel and a Passion for Justice, Ms. Price Embarks on Her Next Chapter, ACCTLA, Attorneys, 2022
• In the November/December 2020 digital FORUM Magazine of CAOC, Author, COVID-19 and Long-term Disability Cases: As the Numbers Rise, So Will the Disability Claims of COVID Long-haulers, FORUM: Consumer Attorneys of California, 2020
• Publications:Author, “Insurance Benefits” in ERISA Litigation Treatise. Author, “Once an ERISA Plan, Always an ERISA Plan?” in July 2014 Employee Benefits Committee Newsletter. Author, “NFL flying too high with its disability plan?” in September 30, 2013 Daily Journal commentary on the ERISA governed NFL plan. Contributing Author, “Benefit Claims and Individual Rights,” Sacher, et al., Employee Benefits Law (BNA). Rewrite Author and Editor, “Benefit Claims and Individual Rights,” Sacher, et al., Cumulative Supplement of Employee Benefits Law, 2nd Ed (BNA). Author, “Employee Benefit Plans Governed by ERISA,” Dividing Pensions and Other Employee Benefits in California Divorces (CEB Dec. 2006). Co-author, “Employee Benefits,” California Domestic Partnerships (CEB 2005) (treatise received the 2006 award for Professional Excellence from the Association for Continuing Legal Education).Speaking Engagements:2016:   ERISA's Remedial Scheme, ACI Finding Your Personal Brand in the Face of Stereotypes, CELA Diversity Leadership Summit UC Hastings Medical-Legal Partnership for Seniors  2015:  Benefit Claims Update, Midwinter Meeting of the Section of Labor & Employment Law Employee Benefits Committee, sponsored by the ABA Effective PowerPoint Presentations," ABA-LEL Leadership Development Program2014:  “Marketing for Successful Women Attorneys” at a July 2014 luncheon sponsored by FindLaw. “Filing Long-Term Disability Administrative Claims” and “Administrative Appeals of Long-Term Disability Claims,” at the June 20, 2014 ABA and Joint Committee on Employee Benefits Long-Term Disability Benefits Advanced Seminar.  “Defending ERISA Conflict of Interest Discovery Requests” at a Strafford Publications Webinar on March 27, 2014.2013:“Benefit Claims Litigation:  From Claims Review to Standard of Review and Discovery and Dispositive Motions”; “Civil Litigation Practice Pointers” at the 2013 ERISA Litigation National Institute conference, sponsored by the ABA and Joint Committee on Employee Benefits. “Benefits Administration” at the Long-Term Disability Benefits Advanced Seminar, sponsored by the ABA and Joint Committee on Employee Benefits. “The Business and Ethics of Hanging Out Your Shingle” at the November 2013 ABA Section of Labor and Employment Law’s Annual CLE Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana.2012: “Civil Litigation Practice Pointers,” at the 2012 ERISA Litigation Conference, sponsored by the ABA and Joint Committee on Employee Benefits. Moderator, “The Business of You:  Marketing Yourself and Developing Your Brand” at the April 2012 California Women Lawyers’ Annual Conference.  “Deposition of a Plan Administrator,” at the 2012 Midwinter Meeting of the Section of Labor & Employment Law Employee Benefits Committee, sponsored by the ABA. Speaker,2011:“What Every Reasonably Insecure Attorney Should Know About ERISA,” at the November 2011 ABA Section of Labor and Employment Law’s Annual CLE Conference. “Building a Fulfilling Career:  Lessons for Success” at the April 2011 California Women Lawyers’ Annual Conference.  “Conkright and the Ever-Evolving Standard of Review,” at the 2011 Midwinter Meeting of the Section of Labor & Employment Law Employee Benefits Committee, sponsored by the ABA.
• Roundtable on work-life balance for lawyer moms, Co-Author, “ACCTLA Lawyer Moms’ Roundtable: More than Balance”, The Verdict, Attorneys, 2018
• Explaining ERISA disability cases for non-ERISA practitioners, Author, ERISA Disability Traps and Tricks, 2017
• Author, “Message from New EBC Plaintiff Co-Chair, Cassie Springer Ayeni,” (EBC Newsletter, Dec. 2019)  Author, “Personal Injury Subrogation Claims Under ERISA: Hawaii Does the Work, and the Ninth Circuit Gets ERISA,” (EBC Newsletter, Dec. 2019);  Author, “Getting to Know Hon. Tara Flanagan” (The Verdict, Spring 2019) , 2019
• Sole author of article analyzing COVID-19 statistics and likely impact on long-term disability cases., Author, COVID-19 and Long-term Disability Cases: As the Numbers Rise, So Will the Disability Claims of COVID Long-haulers, CAOC Forum Magazine, Attorneys, 2020

Honors

• Selected for work in helping disabled individuals obtain their benefits., Unity Award, Minority Bar Coalition, 2018
• Selected, in first year of eligibility, as a fellow of the ACEBC, Fellow, American College of Employee Benefits Counsel, 2022
• One of 50 California attorneys On the Fast Track by the Recorder in June 2012, "On the Fast Track", The Recorder, 2012
• Selected by the Northern District of California to serve on the Northern District of California's ADR panel as a mediator., ND Cal Panel Mediator, 2019
• Top 50 Women attorney in Northern California by SuperLawyers Magazine, 2014-2025, Top 50 Women Attorneys, SuperLawyers Magazine, 2025
• Top 100 attorney in Northern California, 2015-2025, Top 100 Attorneys, SuperLawyers Magazine, Northern California, 2025
• Selected as a "Top 20 under 40" attorney by the Daily Journal in 2012, Top 20 under 40, Daily Journal, 2012
• Selected in the category of "Employee Benefits" from 2013-2025, SuperLawyer, Employee Benefits, SuperLawyers Magazine, 2025
• Chosen as a lifetime achievement recipient, Lifetime Achievement, America's Top 100 Attorneys, 2016
• Selected to be an inaugural member of the ABA Labor and Employment Law Section's Leadership Development Program, Leadership Development Program Member, ABA Labor & Employment Law Section, 2007
• Chosen as a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation in 2014, Fellow, American Bar Foundation, 2014
• Selected as a "Top 40 under 40" attorney for the National Trial Lawyers in 2014, Top 40 under 40, National Trial Lawyers, 2014

Industry Groups

• Disability Insurance Benefits

“Cassie is a fantastic lawyer and mentor. Her clients love her and she works diligently for them to achieve great results.”

“Smart, compassionate, thorough, ERISA disability expert”

“Blue Chip ERISA litigator. Represents plaintiffs with skill and integrity.”

“An excellent ERISA lawyer”

“I refer all potential clients to Cassie who have benefits cases/questions. She takes the time to talk to everyone and answers even the most basic questions, despite her busy schedule. She is the mother of 4 kids and still manages to run a wildly successful practice. I hear only great things from clients I have sent her - she is extremely compassionate and loved by everyone who meets her. She also knows benefits law like she wrote it. She is an incredible attorney and person, and deserves a lot of recognition.”

“Top ERISA disability benefit lawyer. I have referred many clients to her and got excellent results.”

“Cassie is an outstanding attorney. I have recommended her to clients numerous times and always get great feedback. I have the utmost respect for her.”

“Cassie is extremely successful in litigating ERISA claims. I refer her at least weekly to potential clients and clients needing help with benefits claims. She knows this area of law like the back of her hand and everyone I know that has retained her has been happy with her representation. She is also a lovely person and a joy to be around.”

“Ayeni is a ERISA litigation attorney, fighting for the rights of the people whose disability insurance deny their benefits. She has successfully navigated around the complicated federal ERISA law and argued in the 9th Circuit. Her recent success was featured in an CNN news coverage. ”