J.J. Conway named to inaugural Michigan Legal 250

J.J. Conway named to inaugural Michigan Legal 250   

Media Contact: Barbara M. Fornasiero, EAFocus Communications; [email protected]; 248.260.8466

Royal Oak, Mich. — August 25, 2026 — Employee benefits litigator and Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) attorney J.J. Conway, founder of Michigan-based J.J. Conway Law, has been named to the debut Michigan Legal 250 list. Published for the first time by legal trade publication, Michigan Lawyers Weekly, the Michigan Legal 250 is described by the publication as a “…curated list celebrating attorneys for excellence across the legal profession. Inclusion in the Legal 250 is more than a badge of honor — it’s a reflection of…leadership and impact in (the attorney’s) area of practice.”

A national employee benefits litigator and ERISA attorney for individual and class action lawsuits against insurance plans and pension plan administrators, Conway has navigated the complexities of ERISA law and disability, employee health and 401(k)/pension benefits since 1999.  Founding J.J. Conway Law on the principle of helping people secure the employee benefits rightfully owed to them, Conway has recovered more than $300 million for his clients and won landmark class-action lawsuits in favor of children, families and retirees.

Among his focus areas, Conway is a trailblazer advocating for children’s healthcare benefits. He litigated the first federal autism benefits healthcare action against an employee benefit plan where the court held that denying medical treatment for autism was “arbitrary and capricious.” He was co-lead class action counsel for multiple cases, including the first autism class action settlement that provided specific treatments for children with autism, two nationwide class actions against insurers for their denial of healthcare benefits to children with autism, and co-counsel for 2,200 military families seeking treatment for children with autism. He also participated in a seven-year litigation that resulted in an August 2025 $100m victory to meet the mental health needs of Michigan youth on Medicaid.

Active in public pension cases, Conway served as co-lead class action counsel for 9,000 pension plan participants against the City of Detroit’s Pension Fund and its trustees and advisors, seeking protection of the funds and resulting in a multi-million-dollar settlement and structural reforms regarding the investment of pension monies in unregulated investments. He has been involved in similar class action litigation protecting the pension rights of police, fire, and sheriff deputies from improper financial investments by pension plan trustees.

Additionally, Conway has represented hundreds of employees, including physicians, attorneys and investment professionals who have been deemed occupationally disabled, in securing their monthly disability benefits from their insurance companies and plans.

Conway writes the Conway on Benefits column for the Detroit Legal News and is the author of “Hitting You When You Least Expect It: A Basic Guide to ERISA for Non-ERISA Lawyers,” which is a top-searched piece about employee benefits claims. He also co-authored the Michigan Basic Practice Handbook published by the Institute for Continuing Legal Education.

In addition to his inclusion on the Michigan Legal 250, Conway has been named a Best Lawyer® in Employee Benefits (ERISA) law and ERISA Litigation and received numerous other attorney honors. Other acknowledgements include the Thomas P. Moore Leadership in Philanthropy Award from the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and the State Bar of Michigan Champion of Justice Award.

The complete Legal 250 list can be viewed here.

About J.J. Conway Law

An employee benefits litigation and ERISA law firm founded by John Joseph (J.J.) Conway in 1999, J.J. Conway Law represents those seeking full access to the employee benefits they are legally entitled to. The firm has been involved with nationally significant employee benefits, disability and pension cases, including class action lawsuits for such landmark decisions as granting Medicaid-eligible Michigan children with previously denied intensive mental and behavioral health care services; requiring private Michigan insurers to cover autism treatments for children through age 18; and protecting the pension rights of City of Detroit employees, police and firefighters as well as Wayne County employees by holding their trustees accountable for investment decisions. The firm’s motto, Conquer Tomorrow^®, is dedicated to making the future more secure for their clients across the United States.  Learn more on the firm’s website.