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510.926.6768

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About Us

ERISA disability benefit claims, appeals and litigation

Breathe Easier

With us

Our clients are in crisis:
Their health is compromised, they can no longer work in the professions they love, and now their disability income benefits are in jeopardy.

That’s where Springer Ayeni can help.
Since 2002, Cassie Springer Ayeni has dedicated her San Francisco Bay Area practice to helping people secure the disability insurance benefits they’ve earned through their employee benefit plans. She is nationally recognized for her leadership in employee benefits law and has been consistently honored by top legal organizations.

About Us

Our Recognitions & Awards

About Us
Law Dragon 500 Civil Rights & Plaintiff Employment Lawyers
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Major National Recognitions

Selected annually from 2013–present; Top 50 Women (2014–present) and Top 100 Northern California (2015–present).

Additional Honors

Peer Reviews

These comments were made public by fellow attorneys during the annual Super Lawyers nomination process.


Cassie is a fantastic lawyer and mentor. Her clients love her and she works diligently for them to achieve great results.


“Cassie is extremely successful in litigating ERISA claims. I refer her at least weekly to potential clients and clients needing help with benefits claims. She knows this area of law like the back of her hand and everyone I know that has retained her has been happy with her representation. She is also a lovely person and a joy to be around.”


“Smart, compassionate, thorough, ERISA disability expert”


“An excellent ERISA lawyer”


“Top ERISA disability benefit lawyer. I have referred many clients to her and got excellent results.”


“Cassie is an outstanding attorney. I have recommended her to clients numerous times and always get great feedback. I have the utmost respect for her.”


“I refer all potential clients to Cassie who have benefits cases/questions. She takes the time to talk to everyone and answers even the most basic questions, despite her busy schedule. She is the mother of 4 kids and still manages to run a wildly successful practice. I hear only great things from clients I have sent her – she is extremely compassionate and loved by everyone who meets her. She also knows benefits law like she wrote it. She is an incredible attorney and person, and deserves a lot of recognition.”


“Blue Chip ERISA litigator. Represents plaintiffs with skill and integrity.”


“Ayeni is a ERISA litigation attorney, fighting for the rights of the people whose disability insurance deny their benefits. She has successfully navigated around the complicated federal ERISA law and argued in the 9th Circuit. Her recent success was featured in an CNN news coverage.”

Together, these honors underscore a track record of excellence and trust in disability benefits law.

Why Clients Choose Us

When illness or injury prevents someone from working, disability insurance should provide security — not more stress. Unfortunately, insurers often delay or deny valid claims, leaving families in crisis.

Springer Ayeni is one of the few Bay Area firms dedicated exclusively to representing individuals with ERISA disability insurance claims. Our mission is simple: Hold insurers accountable and protect the benefits our clients have worked hard for. Through both individual representation and precedent-setting victories, we ensure that your disability benefit success is defended now and in the future.

“We fight tirelessly to ensure individuals with disability claims receive the benefits they’ve earned.”

  • Experience – Over 20 years devoted solely to ERISA disability insurance benefits law.
  • Expertise – Deep knowledge of ERISA and disability insurance law, with a track record of navigating complex benefit disputes.
  • Proven Results – Appellate victories that have shaped ERISA disability law across California.
  • Compassion – A client-first approach rooted in advocacy, empathy, and personal attention.

ERISA Benefit Claims

Most private employer-sponsored disability benefit plans are governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), a complex area of law that requires expertise for success. Cassie has developed unmatched expertise in this area.

Long-haul COVID Disability Claims

Long-haul COVID patients may experience a range of CDC-recognized symptoms that can prevent them from working. Cassie has quickly developed expertise in the area, presenting to long-haul COVID survivors through Body Politic’s long-haulers network and being quoted in The Wall Street Journal.

Types of Employee Benefit Cases

A physician with migraine headaches who could no longer perform hospital work, but could perform clinical work. Cassie successfully appealed the denial of her disability benefits claims to make up for the income loss, reaching a quick result for the client.
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A physical therapist whose cancer made it impossible for her to work with patients. Cassie guided her short and long-term disability applications through to a rapid approval.
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An executive whose stroke caused sufficient loss of function to disabled him from making a timely application for disability benefits. Cassie achieved success for him despite a 3-year delay in submitting proof of loss to his insurance carrier.
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A manager whose neck and back pain forced her to stop working in a sedentary job. Cassie won the case before the insurance carrier, and has continued to secure disability benefits for the client for over a decade.
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A high level sales executive whose spinal fluid leak caused permanent loss of balance. Cassie helped guide him through a successful application for disability benefits and continues to work to ensure his benefits stay approved.
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A talented financial advisor whose sudden onset migraines caused him to lose the ability for computer work. Cassie won his disability appeal to the insurance carrier, and he has received his disability benefits ever since.
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A computer programmer whose cognitive impairment made him unable to multi-task well-enough to handle complex code. Cassie’s work resulted in a successful lump-sum settlement of his case.
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An executive with Parkinson’s Disease who was no longer able to handle the complexities of his job due to balance and executive functioning issues. Cassie helped him apply successfully for disability benefits.
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A successful financial manager with Cirrhosis who no longer had the energy to interact with clients on a daily basis. Cassie successfully appealed the termination of her disability benefits.
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A marketing executive whose hearing loss rendered him unable to interact with clients and co-workers. Cassie won his disability benefit appeal, and he was paid benefits until retirement age.
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An attorney whose bi-polar disorder forced him to stop working. Cassie successfully appealed his denial of disability benefits, despite a delay in applying for benefits.
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An attorney whose failed back surgery resulted in too much pain to sit at a computer desk each day. Cassie won the appeal of the denial of his long-term disability benefits.
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ERISA Disability

Disability Insurance Claims

Appeals and Litigation

Springer Ayeni handles disability benefit claims

“Your long-term disability benefits should be the financial safety net you counted on. We work hard to secure those benefits so that you can focus on your health.”

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Notable Victories

Although many case details and settlements are confidential, some of Cassie’s published appellate court victories can be read here:

Barboza v. California Association of Professional Firefighters, 594 F. App’x 903 (9th Cir. 2014)
http://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/ca9/12-17439/12-17439-2014-12-02.html
Nolan v. Heald College, 551 F.3d 1148 (9th Cir. 2009)
http://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/ca9/07-15679/0715679-2011-02-25.html
Saffon v. Wells Fargo & Co. Long Term Disability Plan, 511 F.3d 1206 (9th Cir. 2008)
http://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-9th-circuit/1106709.html
Abatie v. Alta Health & Life Ins. Co., 458 F.3d 955 (9th Cir. 2006) (en banc)
http://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-9th-circuit/1117304.html Â

These appellate victories demonstrate not only expertise in ERISA disability claims but also the firm’s ability to set precedent and secure results for clients.

-Disclaimers

Testimonials and Endorsements. Testimonials or endorsements do not constitute guarantees, warranties, or predictions regarding the outcome of your legal matter.
No Guarantee of Results. Some of the case summaries, reports of past results, and lawyer biographies on this website describe past matters handled for clients of Cassie Springer Ayeni and the Springer Ayeni Law firm. These descriptions are meant only to provide information to the public about the activities and experience of Cassie Springer Ayeni and the Springer Ayeni Law firm. They are not intended as a guarantee that the same or similar results can be obtained in every matter undertaken by Springer Ayeni. You must not assume that a similar result can be obtained in a legal matter of interest to you. The outcome of a particular matter can depend on a variety of factors including the specific factual and legal circumstances, the ability of opposing counsel, and, often, unexpected developments beyond the control of any client or lawyer.
No Attorney-Client Relationship is Created by Use of this Website. Neither your receipt of information from this website, nor your use of this website to contact Springer Ayeni (hereinafter “the Firm”) or one of its lawyers creates an attorney-client relationship between you and the Firm. You will become a client of the Firm only if and when you sign an engagement agreement setting forth the scope of the Firm’s engagement, the fee arrangement and other relevant matters.

Get In Touch

If your disability benefits have been denied or if you need guidance before applying, Springer Ayeni can help you protect your rights.