Winston & Strawn LLP 401(k) Review & Grade
Employee Savings Plan of Winston & Strawn LLP
Chicago, ILProfessional, Scientific & Technical Services1,638 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$16,403Employer $ per active participant
$15,245Employee $ saved per active participant
0.03%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$1.3BNet plan assets, end of year
$439,321Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity49.2 / 5098th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost23.0 / 2592th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving13.3 / 1589th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score86 / 100 · Grade A
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Professional, Scientific & Technical Services plans with 500–2,499 active participants (1,469 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 98th |
| Lower admin cost | 92th |
| Employee saving | 89th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 48% |
Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $8,453 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Winston & Strawn LLP put in about $16,403 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($3,082). Contribute at least enough to collect the full match. Skipping it leaves part of your pay on the table.
- The filing shows total dollars, not the match formula. Ask HR for the Summary Plan Description so you know the exact match and vesting schedule.
- Fund expense ratios aren't in the filing. Look them up in your 404(a)(5) fee disclosure and favor low-cost index or target-date funds.
- Changing jobs? You can usually leave the money in the plan, move it to your new employer's plan, or roll it into an IRA. Don't cash out: you'd owe taxes and possibly a 10% penalty.
The raw numbers from the filing
| Employer contributions | $26,860,415 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $24,964,369 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $11,261,468 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $386,977 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $162,638 |
| Benefits paid out | $102,726,564 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $1.1B / $1.3B |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 1,629 / 1,646 |
| Participants with account balances | 2,850 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Deloitte & Touche, LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Strategic Advisors, Inc. | $128,853 reported compensation |
| Deloitte & Touche, LLP | $46,883 reported compensation |
| Merrill Lynch | $33,785 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251114155900NAL0001590323001, received 2025-11-14, EIN 36-1975990, plan #022, plan year 2024-02-01 to 2025-01-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.
Get notified when Winston & Strawn LLP's next filing posts
The most generous employers, the worst red flags, and plain-English 401(k) tips. One email a month.