Joel R. Hurt - Employee Benefits profile photo

Joel R. Hurt

Feinstein Doyle Payne & Kravec, LLC • Pittsburgh, PA
Employee BenefitsClass ActionsEmployment LawERISA LitigationInsurance

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Contact

Email
Phone
(412) 968-8654
Address
429 Fourth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 152191639, US

Professional

About

Joel R. Hurt is a Partner at Feinstein Doyle Payne & Kravec, LLC, based in Pittsburgh, PA, where he specializes in class actions and litigation related to employment law, ERISA disputes, insurance claims, labor and employment issues, and personal injury matters. Since earning his law degree, Joel has focused his practice primarily on litigating class actions, particularly in pursuit of medical, pension, and insurance benefits under ERISA, the Labor Management Relations Act (LMRA), and various state laws. An esteemed contributor to the field of ERISA law, Joel has authored sections in two prominent treatises: *Employee Benefits Law* and *ERISA Litigation*, both published by BNA Books. His expertise has also led to numerous publications, including articles such as “The Constitutional Limitations of Public Employee Pension Legislation, Revisited,” co-authored with William T. Payne, Esq., and Ruairi McDonnell, Esq., featured in *The Public Lawyer*. Other notable works include analyses on retiree health benefits, the implications of CIGNA Corp. v. Amara, and insights into contractual language in insurance policies. Joel graduated magna cum laude from Westminster College and obtained his law degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 2000. He is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania and before the United States Supreme Court, as well as the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Third, Sixth, Eighth, and Eleventh Circuits. Additionally, he is authorized to practice in several U.S. District Courts, including the Western District of Pennsylvania and the Northern District of Illinois. With a robust background in class actions and a profound understanding of ERISA litigation, Joel R. Hurt stands out as a leading advocate for clients navigating complex employment and insurance law issues in Pittsburgh and beyond.

Credentials

Education
2000 University of Pittsburgh School lof Law JD 1996 Westminster College (Magna Cum Laude) BA - Bachelor of Arts
Languages
English

Recognition & Involvement

Awards
2006 Rising Star, Pennsylvania Super Lawyers
Publications
2017 Bureau of National Affairs (BNA) publication ERISA Litigation, Sixth Edition (Contributing Author) 2017 ABA/ BNA publications Employee Benefits Law, Fourth Edition (Chapter Editor)
Associations
2017 - Present American Bar Association, Labor and Employment Section, Employment Rights and Responsibilities Committee Co-Chair, Employee Benefits Subcommittee 2015 - Present American Bar Association, Labor and Employment Law Section, Employee Benefits Committee Co-Chair, Subcommittee for Benefit Claims and Individual Rights 2013 - Present AFL-CIO Lawyers Coordinating Committee 2005 - Present The Honorable Amy Reynolds Hay Chapter of The American Inns of Court President-Elect 2000 - Present Allegheny County Bar Association
Speaking
2017 ABA Section of Labor and Employment Law, Employee Benefits Committee 2017 Midwinter Meeting Class Action Waivers 2017 ABA Employment Rights and Responsibilities Committee 2017 Midwinter Meeting The Fiduciary Rule: What Employers, Employees, Plans and Service Providers Need to Know 2016 ABA Section of Labor and Employment Law, Employee Benefits Committee 2016 Midwinter Meeting Retire Health Claims After Tackett 2014 Pension Rights Center, Enforcement of ERISA Rights and Responsibilities Program Recent Supreme Court Rulings on Access to Courts
Updated: Apr 07, 2026