James Carney

Summary of Work

Labor Negotiations: Served as counsel and member of the steel industry Benefits Negotiating Committee in the USWA negotiations of 1971, 1974, 1977, 1980, and 1983 of the USS Benefits Negotiating Committee in 1986. In 1991 and 1994 served on the Top Negotiating Committee for USS and in 1999 served on the Top Negotiating Committee for USS and Bethlehem. Served as Chief Negotiator for USS in the negotiations in 2000 for the labor agreement and benefit agreements to be applicable to the two tin mills USS was purchasing from LTV.

Litigation:  Litigated over fifty employee benefit and employment discrimination cases before federal courts, state courts and arbitrators. Argued cases before most of the federal courts of appeals as well as the highest courts in Pennsylvania and Kentucky. In addition, handled dozens of basic labor agreement arbitration cases involving benefits, seniority, discipline, contracting out etc.

Benefits and Compensation: Served as plan administrator for all the employee benefit plans sponsored by USS for an eleven-year period. During that time I was responsible for designing and drafting employee benefit plans as well as administering them. While in the USS Law Department, took responsibility for redrafting the USS employee benefit plans (and the steel industry employee benefit plans generally) to comply with ERISA. Spent most of my time in the USS law department helping to negotiate, draft and administer the USS pension plans as well as litigating disputes concerning them.

Designations/Certifications and Other Training/Education

I graduated from Yale Law School in 1967. I have specialized in employee benefits ever since and have attended a number of CLE seminars and training courses in employee benefits, particularly employee benefit litigation.

Fund Experience

I spent eleven years as the chief trustee and plan administrator for all employee benefit plans applicable to employee and retirees of U.S. Steel Corporation - approximately 140,000 participants. In the last twenty years I have served as an independent trustee on 3 boards of trustees which oversee the VEBA plans for retirees from USWA represented companies. I have also served as the neutral trustee in at least two cases where the employer/employee trustees had deadlocked and needed a neutral to resolve the deadlock.

State

Pennsylvania

Accepts Business in These Areas

Open to national

Fee Structure

Project based

Involvement with the International Foundation

I have been a member for about 15 years and read Benefits Magazine religiously particularly the section on significant benefit cases.