Charles Field

Background

About Charles Field

I am the Managing Partner of the San Diego office of Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight and Chair of the firm’s Financial Mismanagement and ERISA Litigation Practice Group. Since joining Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight, my professional recognitions include: Super Lawyers-San Diego Honoree (2023), National Law Journal Employment Trailblazer (2021), and was part of the Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Employment Lawyer list (2021). I have been involved in numerous ERISA class action cases, including Snyder v. UnitedHealth Group; Brown-Davis, et al. v. Walgreen Co; In re GE ERISA Litigation; Karg v. Transamerica; Price v. Eaton Vance; and Daly v. West Monroe Partners. For 26 years, I worked in the institutional investment management business as general counsel and chief legal officer for firms that furnished investment management services to ERISA retirement plans and investment companies. I oversaw compliance with ERISA and adherence to the federal fiduciary duty standards embodied in the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. I served on the firm’s various investment-related committees, as well as on the boards of directors of various investment funds that invested billions of dollars in the global securities markets. As an investments industry lawyer, I was closely involved hundreds of investment funds that are the very type at issue in the cases the firm litigates and was responsible for overseeing the funds’ compliance with U.S. securities laws and the law of the jurisdiction of organization (e.g. Mauritius, Ireland, Cayman Islands) When not lawyering, I enjoy traveling and living an active life in sunny San Diego. Career Highlights:$69 million settlement against UnitedHealth Group over allegations of self-dealing and fiduciary mismanagement of their 401k plan. This is the largest ERISA settlement involving poorly performing investment options.$61 million settlement against General Electric over allegations of self-dealing and fiduciary mismanagement of their 401k plan. This is the largest ERISA settlement involving proprietary mutual funds.$13.75 million settlement against Walgreens over allegations of fiduciary mismanagement of their 401k plan