- Representing a Fortune 500 insurance, risk management, and consulting company in a lawsuit related to the termination of a former executive.
- Representing one of the United States’ leading hospitality companies, and its former chief executive officer, in a putative class action asserting claims for breach of fiduciary duty and wrongful denial of benefits.
- Representing a Fortune 500 bank in a putative class action alleging the bank’s 401(k) plan offered funds with excessive fees and imprudent investments in violation of ERISA.
- Representing a Fortune 500 technology and services company in a putative class action lawsuit alleging excessive recordkeeping fee claim in violation of ERISA.
- Representing a multinational corporation in a lawsuit related to the denial of benefits and claims of breach of fiduciary duty under ERISA.
- Representing one of the leading graphic communications companies in North America in a putative class action lawsuit alleging the company’s 401(k) plan offered funds with expensive and imprudent investments and excessive recordkeeping fees in violation of ERISA.
- Representing several companies in putative class actions alleging ERISA violations and breach of fiduciary duty from the selection of certain actuarial equivalence factors used to calculate benefits in defined benefit pension plans.
- Represented a bottling company of a Fortune 100 beverage manufacturer and distributor in a class action lawsuit alleging breaches of fiduciary duty under ERISA for offering allegedly imprudent and expensive investments in its 401(k) plan and excessive recordkeeping fees.
- Represented a leading global contract research organization in a class action lawsuit alleging breach of fiduciary duty claims related to the company’s 401(k) plan for allegedly offering expensive and imprudent investments and paying expensive recordkeeping fees.
- Represented a subsidiary of one of the world’s leading automobile manufacturers in multiple lawsuits related to the termination of former employees and benefits under the company’s supplemental executive retirement plan (SERP).
- Represented a multi-employer-union pension fund in a two-week arbitration related to the assessment of withdrawal liability against a former contributing employer.
Senior Associate,
- Phone: +1 404 881 4625
- Email: blake.crohan@alston.com
Clients trust in Blake’s practical approach and strategies when navigating substantive issues and disputes that arise from the intricacies of ERISA and related employee benefit matters.
Blake Crohan represents employers, plan sponsors, insurers, and fiduciaries in litigation over employee benefits and fiduciary matters including investments, excessive fees, actuarial factors, and benefit terminations. He counsels clients on managing administrative claims and appeals and advises on ERISA fiduciary best practices and litigation avoidance strategies. Blake is recognized in 2025’s Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® for his work in Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law.
Before joining Alston & Bird, Blake worked for a highly respected law firm in Louisiana representing companies in a variety of litigation matters. After law school, Blake worked as a federal law clerk to the Hon. Carl J. Barbier in the Eastern District of Louisiana.
Blake earned his J.D., magna cum laude, from Loyola University New Orleans College of Law, where he was a William L. Crowe, Sr. Scholar, a designation for graduates in the top 10% of their class. He served as a case note and comment editor for the Loyola Law Review and was a member of the Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot Court team. Blake earned his B.S. from Tulane University, where he was a member of the baseball team all four years.
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In the News January 24, 2025Pensions & Investments | Supreme Court Justices Can’t Find Consensus in Landmark Cornell CaseBlake Crohan is quoted on a Supreme Court case deciding whether a university’s retirement plan violated ERISA.In the News January 24, 2025Pensions & Investments | Supreme Court Justices Can’t Find Consensus in Landmark Cornell CaseBlake Crohan is quoted on a Supreme Court case deciding whether a university’s retirement plan violated ERISA.
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In the News January 23, 2025Benefits Pro | Supreme Court Hears Cornell’s 403(b) Excessive Fees Case: Did It Open the Floodgates for More Suits?Blake Crohan is quoted on a Supreme Court case deciding whether a university’s retirement plan violated ERISA.In the News January 23, 2025Benefits Pro | Supreme Court Hears Cornell’s 403(b) Excessive Fees Case: Did It Open the Floodgates for More Suits?Blake Crohan is quoted on a Supreme Court case deciding whether a university’s retirement plan violated ERISA.
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General Publications July 30, 2024“Why Calif. Courts Are Split On ERISA Forfeited Contributions,” Law360, July 30, 2024.This article discusses how plan sponsors should interpret a string of lawsuits alleging that the use of forfeited employer contributions violated ERISA.General Publications July 30, 2024“Why Calif. Courts Are Split On ERISA Forfeited Contributions,” Law360, July 30, 2024.This article discusses how plan sponsors should interpret a string of lawsuits alleging that the use of forfeited employer contributions violated ERISA.
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Speaking Engagement May 2–4, 20242024 May Tax MeetingBlake Crohan, Christina Heddesheimer, and Terence McAllister will speak during this two-day event hosted by the American Bar Association.Speaking Engagement May 2–4, 20242024 May Tax MeetingBlake Crohan, Christina Heddesheimer, and Terence McAllister will speak during this two-day event hosted by the American Bar Association.
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Speaking Engagement April 17, 2024Virtual Employee Benefits Spring Update 2024Emily Costin and Blake Crohan will join the panel “Litigation Update” during this webinar hosted by the American Bar Association Joint Committee on Employee Benefits.Speaking Engagement April 17, 2024Virtual Employee Benefits Spring Update 2024Emily Costin and Blake Crohan will join the panel “Litigation Update” during this webinar hosted by the American Bar Association Joint Committee on Employee Benefits.
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Class Action MDL Roundup March 21, 2024Class Action & MDL Roundup 2023 Q4 - Not all cases survive and advance
In this edition, student-athletes win an NIL round, Canadians in California isn’t personal (jurisdiction), and it’s only a duty to disclose when it’s material. Plus, we have our usual coverage of lawsuits over drugs and pharmaceuticals, wage-and-hour rules, shareholder losses, and more. Plus, we have our usual coverage of lawsuits over drugs and pharmaceuticals, wage-and-hour rules, shareholder losses, and more.
Class Action MDL Roundup March 21, 2024Class Action & MDL Roundup 2023 Q4 - Not all cases survive and advanceIn this edition, student-athletes win an NIL round, Canadians in California isn’t personal (jurisdiction), and it’s only a duty to disclose when it’s material. Plus, we have our usual coverage of lawsuits over drugs and pharmaceuticals, wage-and-hour rules, shareholder losses, and more. Plus, we have our usual coverage of lawsuits over drugs and pharmaceuticals, wage-and-hour rules, shareholder losses, and more.
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Class Action MDL Roundup December 18, 2023Class Action & MDL Roundup 2023 Q3 - Catching the class action waive(r)In the latest edition of the Class Action & MDL Roundup, covering notable class actions from the third quarter of 2023, a mistake is just a mistake, “99.99%” isn’t 100% clear, and faxes aren’t always free. Plus, we have our usual coverage of lawsuits over drugs and pharmaceuticals, wage-and-hour rules, shareholder losses, and more.Class Action MDL Roundup December 18, 2023Class Action & MDL Roundup 2023 Q3 - Catching the class action waive(r)In the latest edition of the Class Action & MDL Roundup, covering notable class actions from the third quarter of 2023, a mistake is just a mistake, “99.99%” isn’t 100% clear, and faxes aren’t always free. Plus, we have our usual coverage of lawsuits over drugs and pharmaceuticals, wage-and-hour rules, shareholder losses, and more.
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Class Action MDL Roundup September 29, 2023Class Action & MDL Roundup 2023 Q2 – Ascertainability lives!In the latest edition of the Class Action & MDL Roundup, covering notable class actions from the second quarter of 2023, essential oils may need therapy, an ever-growing library goes nowhere, and one exclusion is specifically ambiguous. Plus, we have our usual coverage of lawsuits over drugs and pharmaceuticals, wage-and-hour rules, shareholder losses, and more.Class Action MDL Roundup September 29, 2023Class Action & MDL Roundup 2023 Q2 – Ascertainability lives!In the latest edition of the Class Action & MDL Roundup, covering notable class actions from the second quarter of 2023, essential oils may need therapy, an ever-growing library goes nowhere, and one exclusion is specifically ambiguous. Plus, we have our usual coverage of lawsuits over drugs and pharmaceuticals, wage-and-hour rules, shareholder losses, and more.
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In the News August 22, 2023Law360 | Minnesota Co. Escapes Bulk Of Ex-Employees’ ERISA SuitEmily Seymour Costin, Ellie Saathoff, and Blake Crohan are noted for representing Taylor Corp.In the News August 22, 2023Law360 | Minnesota Co. Escapes Bulk Of Ex-Employees’ ERISA SuitEmily Seymour Costin, Ellie Saathoff, and Blake Crohan are noted for representing Taylor Corp.
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Class Action MDL Roundup June 30, 2023Class Action & MDL Roundup 2023 Q1 – We don’t discount confidentialityIn the latest edition of the Class Action & MDL Roundup, covering notable class actions from the first quarter of 2023, in pork we antitrust, paid time off is not pay, and if it’s free, it won’t cost you a TCPA violation. Plus, we have our usual coverage of lawsuits over drugs and pharmaceuticals, wage-and-hour rules, shareholder losses, and more.Class Action MDL Roundup June 30, 2023Class Action & MDL Roundup 2023 Q1 – We don’t discount confidentialityIn the latest edition of the Class Action & MDL Roundup, covering notable class actions from the first quarter of 2023, in pork we antitrust, paid time off is not pay, and if it’s free, it won’t cost you a TCPA violation. Plus, we have our usual coverage of lawsuits over drugs and pharmaceuticals, wage-and-hour rules, shareholder losses, and more.
Bar Admissions
- Georgia
- Louisiana
Education
- Loyola University New Orleans (J.D., 2016)
- Tulane University (B.S., 2013)
Memberships
- American Bar Association, Tax Section, Employee Benefits Litigation Subcommittee
- Lutzie 43 Next Generation, board member