Marie E. Casciari
Marie Casciari is a shareholder at DeBofsky Law, and leads the Seattle office. She practices exclusively in the areas of employee benefits, ERISA, mental health parity (MHPAEA), and other insurance benefits litigation.
Practice Areas
Bar Admissions
- Washington, 2021
- Illinois, 2011
- U.S. District Court Western District of Washington, 2022
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of Wisconsin, 2022
- U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois, 2011
- U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit, 2011
Education
- Loyola University Chicago School of Law, Chicago, Illinois
- Juris Doctor, 2011
- Boston University, College of Arts and Sciences, Boston, Massachusetts
- Bachelor of Arts, 2007
- Major: Philosophy (Pre-Law Concentration)
Certifications
- Society for Human Resource Management, Essentials of Human Resources Certification, 2021
- Center for Conflict Resolution, Mediation Skills Training Certification, 2016
Testimonials
“Marie singlehandedly changed my life. She is an exemplary attorney with integrity!”
Case Type: Long-term disability denial
Marie won my long-term disability appeal promptly and with incredible skill. From the first call, her office responded within an hour and made me feel understood. Marie stood out because of her honesty, compassion, and unmatched responsiveness. She never rushed me, explained the law clearly, and even reached out during her time off. After interviewing over 10 attorneys across the country, we chose Marie for her approachability, knowledge, and promptness. As a litigator, she knows cases inside and out, and she truly understood what losing my career of 26 years meant for my family. Words cannot express my gratitude.
S.M., Seatte, WA
“I was amazingly fortunate to have found Marie Casciari and her team”
Case Type: Long-term disability denial
Facing a lifetime inability to work after my insurance carrier wrongly denied my coverage, I was desperate. Marie and her team at DeBofsky Law demonstrated empathy, intelligence, integrity, vigilance, and professionalism that I have rarely witnessed in 30 years as a corporate executive working with hundreds of attorneys. My case was terribly complicated and clinically complex. Marie absolutely sets the standard for successfully navigating this maze.
Todd Hanson, Seatte, WA
“We could not have asked for a better attorney or outcome”
Case Type: Residential treatment denial
Marie was exceptional in our lawsuit against our healthcare provider for denying residential treatment coverage for our child. She explained each step of the process, provided prompt updates, and did outstanding research for every court appearance. She anticipated how the judge would react at each stage of litigation. We were pleasantly surprised with the outcome and highly recommend Ms. Casciari.
Dominic W., AZ
“Contacting Marie may have been one of the best decisions of my life”
Case Type: Short-term and long-term disability denials
After receiving a denial letter for my initial short-term disability claim, I contacted Marie Casciari for help. After much persistence, I was successfully approved for both my LTD benefits and my STD appeal. Marie, along with Deloris, Vivian, and the rest of the team, kept me informed every step of the way and always responded promptly. Their professionalism and dedication made a difficult process more manageable. Thank you all so much!
Christopher L., Seattle, WA
“Marie and Vivian are a dynamic one-two punch!”
Case Type: Long-term disability termination
Marie is extremely empathetic while also being a bona fide fighter. She knows her stuff and is highly recommended. Vivian is an exceptional administrator who clearly communicated with me every step of the way and left no stone unturned. You cannot go wrong with DeBofsky if you have Marie and Vivian on your side.
Jacob D., Chicago
Representative Cases
- Day v. Humana Ins. Co., 335 F.R.D. 181 (N.D. Ill. 2020)
- Dominic W. v. N. Trust Co. Emp. Welfare Benefit Plan, 392 F. Supp. 3d 907 (N.D. Ill 2019)
- Alice F. v. Health Care Serv. Corp., 367 F. Supp. 3d 817 (N.D. Ill. 2019)
- Berg v. N.Y. Life Ins. Co., 831 F.3d 426 (7th Cir. 2016)
- Krupp v. Liberty Life Assurance Co. of Bos., 936 F. Supp. 2d 908 (N.D. Ill. 2013)
- Raybourne v. Cigna Life Ins. Co., 700 F.3d 1076 (7th Cir. 2012)
- Ayotte v. Prudential Ins. Co. of N. Am., 900 F. Supp. 2d 814 (N.D. Ill. 2012)
- Shepherd v. Life Ins. Co. of N. Am., 2012 U.S. Dist. Lexis 13453 (N.D. Ill. 2012)
- Krase v. Life Ins. Co. of N. Am., 2012 WL 4483506, 2012 U.S. Dist. Lexis 138837 (N.D. Ill. 2012)
- Ehas v. Life Ins. Co. of N. Am., 2012 WL 5989215, 2012 U.S. Dist. Lexis 169151 (N.D. Ill. 2012)
Honors & Awards
- Super Lawyers Rising Stars, Employee Benefits Law, 2016 – Present
- American Bar Association, Section of Labor & Employment Law Leadership Development Program, 2014
Classes & Seminars
- ERISA Basics Concepts – Statutory Overview, American Bar Association (November 2024)
- 2024 Health and Welfare Litigation Updates, Practising Law Institute (October 2024)
- ERISA Fiduciary Developments for Welfare Plans, Dallas Bar Association (April 2024)
- MHPAEA in the Courts, American Bar Association (November 2023)
- 2023 ERISA Health and Welfare Litigation Updates, Practising Law Institute (October 2023)
- ERISA Preemption, American Bar Association (October 2023)
- ERISA Basics Concepts – Statutory Overview, American Bar Association (October 2023)
- Department of Labor Update: Fireside Chat with Lisa Gomez, Assistant Secretary of Labor, American Bar Association (July 2023)
- ERISA Basics Concepts – Statutory Overview, American Bar Association (November 2022)
- 2022 Health and Welfare Litigation Update, Practising Law Institute (October 2022)
- Insurance Claims: Empowering Your Clients for Coverage, Chicago School of Professional Psychology (November 2021)
- Recent Developments Impacting Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Benefits: What Every Employer and Employee Should Know, American Bar Association (November 2021)
- Benefits Claims – Administrative Procedures & Litigation Overview, American Bar Association (October 2021)
- Advancing the Future of Proton Therapy, National Association for Proton Therapy (April 2021)
- To Be Preempted or Not to Be Preempted: An Update on the Interactions between State Law and ERISA, American Bar Association (November 2020)
- Navigating the Legal Landscape of Proton Therapy Denials, National Association for Proton Therapy (September 2020)
- ERISA Ethical Issues and Concerns, American Bar Association (June 2020)
- Into the Wilderness: Recent Developments in Federal Parity Act Litigation, American Bar Association (January 2020)
- ERISA Preemption, American Bar Association (October 2019)
- ERISA Ethical Issues and Concerns, American Bar Association (June 2019)
- ERISA Preemption, American Bar Association (June 2019)
- Mock Hearing on Motion to Dismiss, American Bar Association (February 2019)
- What Every Social Security Lawyer Should Know About LTD Claims, Chicago Bar Association (November 2018)
- ERISA Ethical Issues and Concerns, American Bar Association (October 2018)
- ERISA Preemption, American Bar Association (October 2018)
- Mental Health Parity Litigation, American Bar Association (May 2018)
- Crafting Compliant, Effective Behavioral Health Benefit Programs, American Bar Association (February 2018)
- Benefit Claims: Administrative Procedures, American Bar Association (October 2017)
- Pleadings and Motion Practice in ERISA Litigation, American Bar Association (October 2017)
- ERISA Ethical Issues and Concerns, American Bar Association (October 2017)
- Pleadings and Motion Practice in ERISA Litigation, American Bar Association (June 2017)
- Health Care Claims and Related Litigation, American Bar Association (June 2017)
- Transgender Health Care Issues and Nondiscrimination, American Bar Association (March 2017)
- Litigating Individual Health Claims, American Bar Association (February 2017)
- Parkinson’s Disease and Disability: the Basics, Rush University Medical Center (February 2017)
- Drafting ERISA Complaints and Moving to Dismiss, American Bar Association (October 2016)
- ACA and Related Healthcare Litigation, American Bar Association (October 2016)
- Hot Topics in Health Care Litigation under ERISA and the ACA, American Bar Association (June 2016)
- Anatomy of a Deposition, American Bar Association (May 2016)
- Pleadings and Motions Practice in ERISA Litigation, American Bar Association (May 2016)
- ERISA Litigation Review, Chicago Bar Association (March 2016)
- Wellness Programs: Design, Implementation and Litigation Risks, American Bar Association (February 2016)
- Litigation of Welfare Benefit Claims, Chicago Bar Association (October 2015)
- ERISA Basics Concepts – Statutory Overview, American Bar Association (October 2015)
- Litigation of Long-Term Disability Claims, American Bar Association (May 2015)
- 2013-2014 Year in Review: Top ERISA and Employee Benefits Cases, Chicago Bar Association (March 2015)
- 2013-2014 Year in Review: Top ERISA and Employee Benefits Cases, Chicago Bar Association (November 2014)
Published Work
- Evolving Landscape of ERISA Health Plan Litigation, Practising Law Institute (August 2024)
- ERISA Health & Welfare Litigation “Hot Hits,” Practising Law Institute (August 2023)
- What’s Hot and What’s Not in ERISA Health & Welfare Litigation, Practising Law Institute (August 2022)
- Predicting the Future Course of Employee Benefits Litigation, American Bar Association (September 2021)
- Recent Trends in Transgender Healthcare Law, American Bar Association (June 2020)
- Federal Court Finds ERISA Does Not Preempt State Auto-Enrollment Individual Retirement Program, Illinois Bar Association (May 2020)
- Federal Court Finds Insurance Giant Breach Its Fiduciary Duties and Violated Illinois Law, Illinois Bar Association (July 2019)
- Bloomberg BNA American Bar Association Section of Labor & Employment Law Employee Benefits Law Treatise
- Chapter Editor, 2016-2022
- Contributing Author, 2014-2016
Professional Organizations
- American Bar Association
- Co-Chair of Labor & Employment Law Section, Employee Benefits Committee, 2022-2025
- Co-Chair of Labor & Employment Law Section, Leadership Development Program, 2018-2020
- Co-Chair of Labor & Employment Law Section, Employee Benefits Committee, ERISA Preemption and Effect on Other Laws Subcommittee, 2018-2022
- Co-Chair of Labor & Employment Law Section, Employee Benefits Committee, Employment Discrimination & Employee Benefits Subcommittee, 2016-2018
- Vice-Chair of Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section, Employee Benefits Committee, 2020-2022
- Vice-Chair of Labor & Employment Law Section, Membership Development Committee, 2016-2018
- Illinois State Bar Association
- CLE Coordinator of Employee Benefits Section, 2018-2020
- Chicago Bar Association
- Vice Chair of Employee Benefits Committee, 2015-2016
- Co-Chair of Health and Hospital Law Committee, 2014-2015
Languages
- English
