Elizabeth A. Venditta Partner

Liz Venditta concentrates her practice on the vigorous defense of life, accident, health and disability claims, particularly the defense of insurers, third-party administrators and employers in ERISA litigation involving benefit denial, fiduciary liability and related issues.

Client responsiveness, attention to detail and a proactive approach are the hallmarks of Liz’s successful ERISA practice, all of which lead to practical and efficient resolutions for her clients.  She has handled litigation matters throughout the northeast region in federal and state courts, has represented clients at mediations and arbitrations, has counseled clients pre-litigation on fiduciary obligations and plan administration and has assisted clients in employee benefit plan design and compliance.

Liz has been a frequent speaker at national ERISA conferences, as well as at complimentary client seminars, on everything from “ERISA Litigation 101”—the elementary primer, to “Hot ERISA Topics”—tracking the latest developments.  She has written on a variety of ERISA litigation issues and collaborated in the production of the ERISALaw Case Digest. 

Liz is an elected and/or appointed member of various firm committees. She chairs the Operations Committee and Budget Committee, and is a member of the Pension Committee, the Women’s Initiative and Virginia Barton Wallace Committees.

During law school, Liz was a published member of the principal Law Review, The Delaware Journal of Corporate Law, "Ethics Ruling on Legal Opinions in Tax Shelter Investment Offerings,” 7 Del.J.Corp.L. 449 (1982).

Representative Matters

• Laughman v. Black & Veatch Corp. and Overland Contracting, Inc., 2010 WL 4514318 (M.D.Pa., Nov. 2, 2010); defended ERISA plan administrator on claims for significant ERISA statutory penalties and fiduciary breach for alleged failures to timely provide plan documents
• Bayer v. Fluor Corp., Connecticut General Life Ins. Co., 2010 WL 2766843 (E.D. Pa. Jul. 12, 2010); summary judgment granted in favor of insurer on alleged wrongful denial of ERISA group universal life and term life insurance claims involving multiple beneficiary designations
• Tannenbaum v. Unum Life Ins. Co., 2006 WL 2671405 (E.D. Pa. Sept. 15, 2006); successfully argued ERISA applicability to physician long term disability claims, gaining dismissal of all state law and bad faith causes

Recognition & Involvement

Liz is rated  AV® preeminent™ by the Martindale-Hubbell peer review rating system.

For the past several years Liz has represented homeless clients on a pro bono basis through the Homeless Advocacy Project at Our Brothers Place, Philadelphia, and has been a shadowing mentor for high school students interested in legal careers through Octorara High School.