Practice Leader
Class Action Defense
Class actions and representative actions under California Business & Professions Code section 17200 encompass a wide spectrum of industries and substantive areas of law, and are becoming increasingly prevalent in the current legal climate. Class and representative actions are often complex and involve high stakes, presenting risk of substantial damage awards and other exposures to commercial enterprises. As a result, it is important to have counsel that is knowledgeable about and experienced in the specialized issues involved in these actions.
Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP attorneys are uniquely qualified to defend corporations and businesses in class and representative actions, and the firm has been at the forefront in the development of class action law. Our lawyers worked with the State Judicial Council and the Los Angeles Superior Court to draft key rules governing class actions in California. In addition, Sheppard Mullin attorneys were involved in the first common law consumer fraud class action in California.
With a statewide presence extending throughout California, our firm wide reach and depth of expertise spans all facets of litigation involving class and representative actions. Sheppard Mullin attorneys have substantial experience defending businesses in these actions, from the relatively simple to the large and complex, often involving damage claims in excess of a billion dollars. The firm's attorneys have a wealth of trial and appellate experience and have litigated in both state and federal courts of all levels. Our attorneys have also defended class action suits both in California courts and in courts throughout the country.
Our attorneys have litigated class and representative actions involving a wide variety of substantive areas of law. We have represented numerous clients in the broad scope of actions, a sampling of which has included:
- Allegations of false product advertising
- Product defects
- Consumer lending and credit practices
- Consumer fraud
- Securities fraud and shareholder actions
- Antitrust violations
- Insurance bad faith (among other insurance issues)
- Wage and hour, discrimination and employment matters
- ERISA
- Disability access
- California's Unfair Competition Law ("17200")
- Unfair Trade Practices Act ("UTPA")
- Environmental and toxic torts
- Healthcare
- Real estate and property damage
- Product liability and personal injury
- RICO claims
Our attorneys have represented clients involved in a wide variety of industries, such as aerospace and defense, petroleum production and retail, insurance, banking and finance, power and energy, telecommunications, commercial and consumer product manufacturing, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, restaurant chains and retail, among others.
Articles
- March 4, 2005