Class Action
From antitrust matters and consumer claims to shareholder claims and employment practices, Stevens & Lee lawyers are experienced in tackling class action and multidistrict litigation with an aggressive approach that aims for quick dismissals, denial of class status and cutting overblown lawsuits down to size.
Stevens & Lee represents companies in class action lawsuits and multidistrict litigation (cases consolidated for pretrial purposes by order of the Judicial Panel for Multidistrict Litigation) in a wide range of industries. Our lawyers routinely handle class actions, collective actions and multidistrict litigation involving antitrust, ERISA, employment, securities, tort claims and commercial and consumer finance matters in federal and state courts throughout the country. As one of only a few firms in our region that has tried class action cases to verdict, our approach is cost-conscious and pragmatic. We regularly oppose class certification and secure dismissal of flawed claims as soon as practicable. We also work with clients to anticipate emerging threats and put preventive measures in place.
Recent examples where our proactive approach of attacking suspect claims before they reach class certification include Mallon v. Independence Blue Cross, 2014 WL 2532404 (E.D. Pa. June 4, 2014), aff’d, 2015 WL 2372729 (3d Cir. May 19, 2015), an ERISA class action handled by E. Thomas Henefer.
As one federal court recognized recently, one member of our class action and multidistrict litigation team, Daniel B. Huyett, “…has extensive experience defending complex litigation and class actions.” See Wallace v. Powell, 301 F.R.D. 144, 165 (M.D. Pa. 2014).