Class Action and Multi-Plaintiff Litigation
When can a lawsuit become a class action?
Class action lawsuits can be a nightmare for a business. They are often drawn-out and complicated to deal with, while also costing millions in legal fees and settlement costs. But first, in order for a suit to be certified as a class action, it
must satisfy four criteria. Plaintiffs must show:
- Commonality – that the plaintiffs’ claims are substantially about the same thing
- Adequacy – that the named plaintiffs and their attorneys are able to represent the class
appropriately - Numerosity – that there are enough plaintiffs to justify a class designation
- Typicality – that the representative plaintiffs’ claims are typical of all claims within the class
Defending against class action
Our attorneys are experienced in defending class action/mass plaintiff actions, having been involved in some of the most significant cases of this sort in California and in other venues. We have successfully opposed class-action status and defended class cases after certification in a wide variety of settings, including unfair business practices under Business & Profession Code Section 17200 and related laws, consumer products, toxic torts and environmental actions, and we have defended cases with between 100 and 5,000 named plaintiffs. The clients we have represented in cases of this sort include Pacific Gas & Electric, Alcoa Inc., Alumax Inc., Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies, Inc. and Glencore Ltd.
Contact us today so we can help fight against a potential class-action case
If your business is facing a potential class-action lawsuit, call our firm today at 213-225-7171 or contact us online to schedule an appointment.