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Attorney Sally Mermelstein
Of Counsel
smermelstein@kantorlaw.net

Ms. Mermelstein’s entire legal career has been devoted to ERISA employee benefits, an area of law she first became familiar with when a hand problem permanently disabled her from her former career as a violinist. Having been a disability claimant herself, Ms. Mermelstein understands the devastation that employees feel upon losing their ability to work, and of the importance of securing specialized first-rate representation to ensure that this loss is not compounded by the additional hardship of an improper benefits denial.

Ms. Mermelstein has a nation-wide reputation for her deep understanding of the ERISA law and her insight is widely sought by plaintiff-side ERISA attorneys.

Ms. Mermelstein specializes in disability claims but will eagerly take on important ERISA issues that arise in life, AD&D, or pension cases. The majority of her time is spent drafting briefs to trial and appellate courts throughout the nation and, where necessary, drafting memoranda to facilitate mediation and settlement.

Education

  • Juris Doctor JD, University of Minnesota Law School, 2003
  • Master of Music – Violin, The Juilliard School, New York, 1985
  • Bachelor of Music – Violin, The Juilliard School, New York, 1983

Notable Decisions

Some of the most recent examples of Ms. Mermelstein’s work are found in:
  • Yates v. Symetra Life Ins. Co., 60 F.4th 1109 (8th Cir. 2023)
  • Collier v. Lincoln Life Assurance Co. of Bos., 53 F.4th 1180 (9th Cir. 2022)
  • Tekmen v. Reliance Standard Life Ins. Co., 55 F.4th 951 (4th Cir. 2022)
  • Wolf v. Life Ins. Co. of N. Am., 46 F.4th 979 (9th Cir. 2022)
  • Kay v. Hartford Life & Accident Ins. Co., No. 21-55463, 2022 WL 4363444 (9th Cir. Sept. 21, 2022);
  • Shupe v. Hartford Life & Accident Ins. Co., 19 F.4th 697 (4th Cir. 2021)
In addition, Ms. Mermelstein briefed or was instrumental in the following resolved matters:
  • Williby v. Aetna Life Ins. Co., Case No. 18-56674; Williby v. Aetna Life Ins. Co., Case No. 18-56021 (9th Cir.)
  • Nathans v. Unum Life Ins. Co. of Am., No. CV 20-4977-RSWL-MRWX, 2021 WL 3053390 (C.D. Cal. July 20, 2021)
  • Myers v. Aetna Life Ins. Co., No. CV 19-9555 DSF (KSX), 2020 WL 7423109 (C.D. Cal. Dec. 17, 2020)
  • State Bar of Minnesota, 2003
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
  • Designing Disability Plans with Intentionality and Purpose: Mental Health Parity and Beyond. The Employee Benefits Section of the Minnesota State Bar Association 44th Annual Advanced Employee Benefits Workshop, February 2024