John W. Fishel, Administrator of the Estate of Stephen T. Fishel, Deceased v. American Security Life Insurance Co.

E. GRADY JOLLY, Circuit Judge:

The estate of Stephen T. Fishel appeals a jury verdict finding that the estate was not entitled to collect under a group employee insurance plan because Fishel had not qualified under the plan’s definition of “employee,” 660 F.Supp. 45. We affirm.

I

Fishel worked for MPI as its in-house general counsel between 1981 and the fall of 1983. Starting in September 1983, Fish-el went into the private practice of law in his own office, retaining MPI as a major client. He also had numerous other clients. Before opening his law office, Fishel had asked Wayne Skelton,…