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- Amanda R. Cefalu
Amanda Cefalu is a litigator and legal adviser who is passionate about protecting employee benefits. As a shareholder in Reinhart’s Employee Benefits and Litigation practices, she handles ERISA litigation and counseling, Taft-Hartley issues, employment law and commercial litigation. She represents and counsels both employers and clients in discrimination claims, retaliation, sexual harassment, FMLA, wrongful discharge and non-compete claims, among others.
In addition to being an experienced litigator, Amanda’s practice includes counseling clients to protect their plan assets, assists with drafting plan amendments and policies, and advising fiduciaries on compliance. She’s practical and direct, working to understand her clients’ goals and to efficiently deliver results. She crafts strategies on how to avoid litigation and defend ERISA-related lawsuits, such as breach of fiduciary duty claims and challenges to benefit determinations. She also represents plan clients in their efforts to pursue delinquent contributions, enforce plan subrogation and reimbursement rights, enforce auditing programs, and collect withdrawal liability.
She works to strengthen both the industry and the community, presenting to the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans and volunteering with the American Civil Liberties Union and the Pro Se Project, an organization that helps provide access to the federal courts.
In her free time, she enjoys outdoor activities such as canoeing, camping and vacationing with her family.
Education
- J.D., cum laude, University of Minnesota Law School
- B.A., University of Wisconsin-Madison
Bar Admissions
Minnesota
Court Admissions
- U.S. District Court, District of Minnesota
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin
- U.S. District Court, Western District of Wisconsin
- U.S. District Court, District of North Dakota
- U.S. District Court, District of Nebraska
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit
- U.S. Supreme Court
- Parada v. Anoka County, (54 F4th 1016)(8th Cir. 2022) (successfully argued that a plaintiff’s equal protection rights were violated under the 14th Amendment; jury verdict awarding damages for false imprisonment and substantial fee award upheld on appeal)
- O’Brien & Wolf, LLP v. South Central Minnesota Electrical Workers’ Family Health Plan, 923 N.W.2d 310 (Minn. App. 2018) (successfully defended a health plan against the attempt of a third-party to place a lien upon the health plan’s subrogation recovery)
- Dakotas and W. Minnesota Electrical Industry Health and Welfare Fund v. First Agency, Inc., (865 F.3d 1098)(8th Cir. 2017) (successfully argued that a plan seeking a declaratory judgment as to the plan’s coordination of benefits clause is seeking appropriate equitable relief under ERISA 502(a)(3))
- Hennepin County Bar Association
- Minnesota State Bar Association
- Federal Bar Association
- International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans (IFEBP)
- Federal Pro Se Project (volunteer)
- American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) (volunteer)
News & Insights
- "Preparing for and Managing Litigation,” International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, Annual Conference (October 2023)
- "Subrogation Pathways," International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, Advanced Trustees and Administrators Conference (2023)
- “Collection Issues in the Construction Industry,” International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, Construction Industry Benefits Conference (November 2021)
- “Unique Collections Cases,” International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans Collections Institute (November 2019)
- “Subrogation Update 2018” (October 2018)
- “Permissible Expenses for Apprenticeship Plans” (April 2018)
- “Employment Discrimination and Harassment” (November 2016)
- “Governance of An Apprenticeship Training Plan” (November 2016)
- “ERISA Litigation: Nuts and Bolts for Non-Benefits Attorneys” (May 2016)
- “Fiduciary Responsibilities” (October 2015)
- “Employment Discrimination and Harassment: An Update” (May 2014)