Anya Freedman and Lauren Cruz Discuss Implications of Key Pension Plan Governance Case LACERA v. County of Los Angeles

February 7, 2025

BLB&G Partner Anya Freedman and Senior Counsel Lauren Cruz discuss the implications for public pension boards of a key California Supreme Court case in their recent article “The Critical Governance Question Before the California Supreme Court in LACERA v. County of Los Angeles,” originally published in the Winter 2025 issue of NCEPRS PERSist and now appearing on the NCPERS blog.

The article examines governance challenges facing California public pension boards, particularly their lack of autonomy in recruiting and compensating executive leadership. The authors discuss how Proposition 162 was intended to grant pension boards independent authority but was limited by judicial interpretation in Westly v. Board of Administration. They also assess the stakes in LACERA v. County of Los Angeles, a case before the California Supreme Court that could restore pension boards’ control over staffing decisions. They conclude that a ruling in favor of LACERA could enhance pension governance by reaffirming independent fiduciary decision-making, aligning pension board governance with corporate best practices, and providing an opportunity for stakeholder advocacy through amicus briefs.

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Click here to read the full article on the NCPERS blog.