Scott Stitt’s national litigation practice focuses on three overlapping areas: ERISA and employee benefits disputes, employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) matters, and business and employment litigation.
Scott chairs both the Tucker Ellis ERISA Litigation and ESOP practices and is the Partner-in-Charge of the Columbus office.
As lead trial counsel, Scott has represented corporations, ESOP and defined benefit plan trustees, physicians and medical practice groups, Fortune 500 companies, and individuals in complex class-action litigation in Ohio, New York, Illinois, California, Virginia, Indiana, Tennessee, Missouri, and other jurisdictions.
Scott’s ERISA and employee benefits litigation experience includes ERISA criminal and civil disputes; DOL and IRS audits and investigations; benefit claim disputes; breach of fiduciary duty claims regarding issues such as defined benefit plan collections and calculations and the fees incurred in 401(k) plans; alleged prohibited transactions; and executive compensation issues, such as disputes regarding bonuses and deferred compensation.
Scott’s extensive ESOP experience includes representing ESOP trustees, selling shareholders, ESOP companies and Boards of Directors, private equity firms that have purchased ESOP-owned companies, ESOP valuation firms, and other ESOP professionals as litigation counsel and sometimes special counsel in scenarios including ESOP purchases, ESOP sales, administrative disputes, litigation filed by the DOL, class-action litigation filed by participants, and special investigations, among others.
Scott also litigates employment and business disputes in state and federal courts, including claims for breach of contract, misappropriation of trade secrets, fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, product liability claims, claims for accounting or legal malpractice, and disputes over the value of privately held businesses and other assets.
Ranked in Chambers USA 2019 for his "expert handling of ERISA disputes on behalf of benefit plan trustees, medical practice groups and corporate entities," clients report he is "a fantastic litigator," adding: "He is very personable and always enthusiastic about his work."
Scott and his wife Aimee reside in Powell, Ohio, with their golden retriever Pippa.