Cordoza

This appeal comes to us from the midst of lengthy post-judgment proceedings in an Employee Retirement Income Security Act case. For nearly two decades, the district court has overseen efforts by a series of special masters to transform an insolvent company’s contaminated steel plant site into a means of funding the former steelworkers’ medical plan. After other parties accused the special master of serious misconduct, the district court launched an investigation, held a hearing, and finally relieved the special master of his duties, requiring him to disgorge a portion of the considerable sum he had already retained as compensation.

The terminated special master now appeals these orders, although development of the steel plant site continues under a new special master. As a threshold matter, we address whether we have jurisdiction over this interlocutory appeal. We consider whether a special master has the right to appeal orders affecting his termination and compensation and whether the orders are final or meet the requirements *993 of the collateral order exception recognized in Cohen v. Beneficial Indus. Loan Corp., 337 U.S. 541, 546-47 , 69 S.Ct. 1221 , 93 L.Ed. 1528 (1949).…