Husch Blackwell, a prominent law firm ranked #78 on the Am Law 100 with a reported gross revenue of $707.8 million last year, is now facing a serious class action lawsuit. The suit, filed in a Missouri federal court, accuses the firm of misappropriating retirement funds meant for employee accounts. Allegedly, the firm diverted these funds into a general account used for its operating expenses, retaining them there "for months at a time," in clear violation of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).

The lawsuit centers on the claim that Husch Blackwell engaged in a "deliberate scheme" to use the retirement contributions for its own financial benefits rather than directing them to the employees' retirement plans within the required timeframe. Tyler Paetkau, a former attorney at Husch and the founding attorney of Paetkau Law Group, is the named plaintiff representing potentially 400 affected members of the firm’s retirement plan.

Charles Field, representing the plaintiffs and an attorney at Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight and Fell Law, expressed confidence in the merits of the case. According to Field, their financial analysis and legal assessment confirmed that the firm failed to meet the legal requirement to deposit the funds into the 401(k) plans by the 15th day of the following month. After thorough due diligence, they proceeded with filing the claim, underlining the clarity and severity of the law breach.

As of now, Husch Blackwell has not issued a response to the allegations outlined in the lawsuit.

The legal community and the firm's current and former employees are keenly watching the developments of this case, as its outcomes could have significant implications not only for the plaintiffs but also for the firm's operational practices and reputation in the legal industry.

For more details and to view the official complaint, you can access the document [here](https://abovethelaw.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/09/2388000-2388673-0916hb.pdf).

The unfolding of this lawsuit will undoubtedly be a critical story to follow in the legal sector, highlighting the importance of stringent adherence to financial and legal responsibilities by employers, especially in the management of employee benefits.