Drinker Biddle Hires Partner for Employee Benefits

LaFleur will focus her practice on advising clients on retirement, executive compensation and health and welfare plan issues, as well as ERISA (Employee Retirement Income Security Act) fiduciary governance matters. She will also serve as one of the leaders of the firm’s nationally prominent employee benefits practice for health systems and other tax exempt entities.

Prior to joining Drinker, LaFleur served 10 years at various in-house roles. Her most recent position was senior legal counsel for Schneider Electric. Immediately prior to that, she was senior counsel for Hillshire Brands and its predecessor firm, Sara Lee Corporation. She also served as senior attorney for BP America, Inc. She worked at Drinker Biddle’s predecessor firm in the Chicago market, Gardner Carton & Douglas, after graduating from law school.

LaFleur earned her law degree from Northwestern University School of Law, and a bachelor’s degree, cum laude, from Eastern Illinois University.

“Fran brings to the firm additional strength to our expanding health industry employee benefits team,” said Howard J. Levine, chair of the firm’s national Executive Compensation and Employee Benefits Practice Group. “Her time in-house has not only expanded her legal skill, but also allows her to bring to private practice the clients’ perspective.”

LaFleur is the second partner to join the group this month and the third partner to join the firm’s Chicago office this year.