Regulation Companies
Husch Blackwell accused of utilizing worker 401(ok) contributions for months to cowl working bills
September 17, 2025, 9:19 am CDT
A would-be class motion lawsuit filed Tuesday alleges that Husch Blackwell engaged in “a deliberate scheme” to quickly use its staff’ retirement plan contributions for its profit in violation of the Worker Retirement Earnings Safety Act. (Picture from Shutterstock)
A would-be class motion lawsuit filed Tuesday alleges that Husch Blackwell engaged in “a deliberate scheme” to quickly use its staff’ retirement plan contributions for its profit in violation of the Worker Retirement Earnings Safety Act.
The go well with filed by former Husch Blackwell accomplice Tyler M. Paetkau claims that the regulation agency deducted contributions to the 401(ok) plan from worker paychecks after which used the cash “for months at a time” to pay agency working bills. Consequently, plan individuals have been disadvantaged of a proper to hunt an funding return on their retirement financial savings throughout that interval, in response to the go well with.
Paetkau left Husch Blackwell in August after working for a little bit greater than three years, in response to the go well with filed within the U.S. District Courtroom for the Western District of Missouri. Defendants are the agency and members of its govt committee.
Citing an instance, the go well with says Husch Blackwell withheld $2,475 from Paetkau’s semimonthly paychecks from July by December 2023 as a compulsory year-end contribution to the plan. The withheld funds have been deposited to the plan the primary three months of 2024.
Withdrawn funds in decrease quantities continued to be deposited after a delay, till Paetkau acquired a refund of greater than $15,000 when he left the agency. The quantity represented cash deducted from his paycheck however not deposited into the 401(ok) from January by Aug. 15, in response to the go well with.
Paetkau seeks to signify a category of 400 members whose wages have been withheld however not despatched to the plan by the fifteenth enterprise day of the next month. The go well with seeks to revive to the 401(ok) plan earnings that Husch Blackwell might have made by use of the funds.
Paetkau is represented by Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight and Fell Regulation.
A spokesperson for Husch Blackwell didn’t instantly reply to the ABA Journal’s request for remark.
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