Opinion ID: 1237181
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Attorney's Fee Awards under ERISA; Standard of Review

Text: We review the award of an attorney's fee in an ERISA action for abuse of discretion. Paese v. Hartford Life & Accident Ins. Co., 449 F.3d 435, 450 (2d Cir. 2006). A district court abuses its discretion if its conclusions are based on an erroneous determination of law, or on a clearly erroneous assessment of the evidence. Matthew Bender & Co. v. West Publ'g Co., 240 F.3d 116, 121 (2d Cir.2001) (internal quotation marks and citations omitted). ERISA provides that [i]n any action [brought under ERISA] ... by a participant, beneficiary, or fiduciary, the court in its discretion may allow a reasonable attorney's fee and costs of action to either party. 29 U.S.C. § 1132(g)(1). The determination whether to allow an attorney's fee under ERISA requires the court to weigh five factors: (1) the degree of the offending party's culpability or bad faith, (2) the ability of the offending party to satisfy an award of attorney's fees, (3) whether an award of fees would deter other persons from acting similarly under like circumstances, (4) the relative merits of the parties' positions, and (5) whether the action conferred a common benefit on a group of pension plan participants. Chambless v. Masters, Mates & Pilots Pension Plan, 815 F.2d 869, 871 (2d Cir. 1987).