Miguel Eaton guides clients through complex employee benefits issues that present significant business challenges. He began his career litigating ERISA and other issues and grew his practice to include counseling on benefits issues in M&A, cyber, executive compensation, and bankruptcy. He co-chairs the Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Practice.
A significant portion of Miguel's practice involves defending ERISA class actions (e.g., 401(k) fee cases) and litigating on behalf of employers that contribute to multiemployer plans. He also advises benefit committees regarding participants' claims and defends companies being investigated by the Department of Labor.
Miguel speaks frequently on benefits issues, including at the American Bar Association, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and is a Senior Lecturing Fellow at Duke Law School.
Miguel serves various firmwide and office roles. He leads the Firm's veterans initiative (VetLex) and serves on the Washington Office's Recruiting Committee. Miguel also serves on the Duke Law Board of Visitors and the Catholic Charities Legal Network.
He was a two-sport college athlete. He played in the 1994 NCAA basketball tournament and is the 1996 National Collegiate Boxing Association National Champion (Heavyweight).
- Duke University (J.D. 2006); United States Naval Academy, Annapolis (B.S., Mechanical Engineering 1996)
- District of Columbia, Court of Appeals of Maryland, and U.S. District Courts for the District of Maryland and District of Columbia
- United States Marine Corps (2003-2004 and 1996-2002)
- Recognized by Lawdragon 500 Leading U.S. Corporate Employment Lawyers (2021-2024), which list includes the top 100 Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation professionals
- Law Clerk to the Honorable James C. Dever III, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of North Carolina (2006-2007)
- Spanish