About The FEGLI Lawyer
The FEGLI Lawyer is Dorian Law P.C.'s dedicated practice for federal life insurance and accidental death disputes. Dorian Law handles insurance and federal benefits matters across multiple practice areas — FEGLI is a distinct body of federal law that demands focused, specialized representation, and this site is where that focus lives.
FEGLI Is Federal Law — and That Changes Everything
Most life insurance disputes in the United States are governed by state law and adjudicated under state insurance regulations. FEGLI is not. The Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance Act — FEGLIA, codified at 5 U.S.C. §§ 8701–8716 — preempts state insurance law entirely. OPM regulations and federal common law govern how claims are filed, how denials are issued, what appeal rights exist, and what standards a federal court will apply if litigation becomes necessary.
OFEGLI — the Office of Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance — is a MetLife unit operating under contract with the Office of Personnel Management to administer FEGLI claims. It is not a conventional private insurer subject to state oversight. The rules that govern its decisions are drawn from federal statutes, OPM regulations, and the FEGLI Handbook — sources that most insurance and benefits lawyers have never encountered.
FEGLI claimants who rely on attorneys experienced only in ERISA plans or state-regulated life insurance policies are fighting on the wrong legal ground. The FEGLI Lawyer exists to fight on the right one.
How We Approach Every FEGLI Matter
Dorian Law's methodology is built around a framework called the Litigation-Back Approach. Before a single letter is written, the question we ask is not "what happened?" — it is "what would we need to prove in court to win?" Every document submitted, every argument made, and every piece of the administrative record we build answers back to that litigation standard.
In FEGLI cases, this is not a strategic preference — it is a practical necessity. Federal courts reviewing a denied FEGLI claim typically do so on the administrative record alone: the record assembled during the claims and appeals process. Once the appeal window closes, that record is closed.
The administrative process is not the warm-up to the real fight. It is the fight. The 90-day FEGLI appeal window is often the last opportunity to build the record that will determine the outcome. We treat it accordingly — as a strategic document, not a reconsideration request.
This framework applies at every stage. Whether we engage before an initial claim is filed, during the claim, on appeal, or in federal court, the question does not change. The earlier it is applied, the more options exist — but it is never too late to start asking the right question.
Who We Represent
We represent beneficiaries and claimants at every stage of a FEGLI dispute — from the initial claim through federal court litigation. Our clients are surviving spouses, children, named beneficiaries, competing claimants, and federal employees facing coverage or enrollment problems. We handle FEGLI matters nationwide.
The situations that bring people to us typically include:
- A life insurance claim that MetLife or OFEGLI has denied or delayed
- An accidental death benefit claim denied on the basis of an exclusion or a contested cause of death
- A competing claim or beneficiary designation dispute
- An appeal that needs to be built into a strategic record, not just a letter
- A prior appeal that failed and federal court is the next step
- An enrollment problem, agency error, or coverage gap that put the benefit at risk
How We Help
FEGLI Life Insurance Claims
Representation for beneficiaries making initial FEGLI Basic, Option A, Option B, and Option C life insurance claims to MetLife and OFEGLI.
FEGLI Accidental Death Claims
Representation for beneficiaries making accidental death benefit claims, including disputes over cause of death and the application of exclusions from the outset.
Life Insurance Appeals
Appeals of wrongfully denied FEGLI life insurance claims, focused on building the administrative record required for potential federal court litigation.
Accidental Death Appeals
Appeals challenging OFEGLI and MetLife accidental death denial findings, including exclusion arguments and deficiencies in the insurer's review process.
Life Insurance Litigation
Federal court litigation for denied FEGLI life insurance claims after administrative remedies are exhausted, governed by FEGLIA and OPM regulations.
Accidental Death Litigation
Federal court litigation holding OFEGLI and MetLife accountable for wrongful accidental death benefit denials under federal benefits law.
Beneficiary Disputes
Representation in competing FEGLI claim situations, improper beneficiary designations, order of precedence disputes, and interpleader actions.
Powered by Dorian Law P.C.
The FEGLI Lawyer is powered by Dorian Law P.C., a California-based law firm representing clients in insurance and federal benefits matters nationwide. The firm handles disability insurance, life insurance, accidental death, and other employee benefits disputes across practice areas. FEGLI is among its core areas of focus.
Brent Dorian Brehm, the firm's founding shareholder, is identified as The FEGLI Lawyer™ and leads the firm's FEGLI practice. He has been recognized by Super Lawyers and holds an Avvo rating of 10.0. Alan Edward Kassan serves as Of Counsel and brings additional depth to complex federal benefits matters.
Full attorney profiles and credentials are at dorianlaw.com/our-team. Client testimonials and results are at dorianlaw.com/testimonials.
Frequently Asked Questions About The FEGLI Lawyer
What is The FEGLI Lawyer?
The FEGLI Lawyer is Dorian Law P.C.'s dedicated practice for federal life insurance and accidental death disputes under the Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance program. It is the focused destination for FEGLI-specific legal help — claims, appeals, federal court litigation, and beneficiary disputes — backed by the full resources and federal benefits experience of Dorian Law P.C.
Is The FEGLI Lawyer a separate law firm from Dorian Law P.C.?
No. The FEGLI Lawyer is Dorian Law P.C.'s dedicated FEGLI practice area — not a separate firm. Dorian Law P.C. handles insurance and federal benefits matters across multiple practice areas, including disability insurance, life insurance, and accidental death disputes. feglilawyer.com is the firm's focused destination for FEGLI-specific matters. Clients retain Dorian Law P.C.; The FEGLI Lawyer is the brand identity for this practice.
What types of FEGLI cases does The FEGLI Lawyer handle?
The FEGLI Lawyer handles the full range of FEGLI disputes: life insurance claims and denials, accidental death benefit claims and denials, administrative appeals before OFEGLI, federal court litigation after appeals are exhausted, beneficiary designation disputes, competing claimant situations, and interpleader proceedings. Cases involving agency enrollment errors, coverage gaps, and order of precedence questions are also within the practice's scope.
Does The FEGLI Lawyer represent clients outside California?
Yes. FEGLI is a federal program — its claims, appeals, and litigation are governed by federal law and adjudicated in federal courts, not state courts. Dorian Law P.C. represents FEGLI claimants and beneficiaries nationwide. A client's location does not determine jurisdiction in FEGLI matters the way it does in state-law insurance disputes.
What is the Litigation-Back Approach, and how does it apply to FEGLI cases?
The Litigation-Back Approach is Dorian Law's core methodology. Rather than responding to a denial on the insurer's terms, the firm starts by asking what would need to be proved in court to win — and builds the administrative record to meet that standard from the first letter. In FEGLI cases this matters in a specific way: federal courts reviewing a denied FEGLI claim typically evaluate only the administrative record assembled during the claim and appeal process. The Litigation-Back Approach ensures that record is built strategically, not reactively. Full details are at dorianlaw.com/the-litigation-back-approach.
How do I get started with a FEGLI case evaluation?
Contact us through the form on our Free FEGLI Case Evaluation page. Initial consultations are free and involve no obligation. We review the situation, explain what options exist, and give you an honest assessment of where the case stands — whether it involves a pending claim, a denial, an appeal deadline, a beneficiary dispute, or something else entirely.
Free FEGLI Case Evaluation
If you are dealing with a denied claim, a pending dispute, a missed deadline, or a situation you do not yet fully understand, the right first step is a conversation. We review FEGLI matters at no cost and with no obligation.
Speak with a FEGLI Lawyer