Class Action

Represented national retailer in connection with class action litigation arising from worldwide recall of defective pet food. Plaintiffs across the United States and Canada brought more than 100 class actions against more than 30 pet food manufacturers and retailers. After the US-based litigations were included in a multi-district litigation proceeding and through multiple rounds of mediation among the various plaintiffs’ and defense counsel and their insurers in both countries, all litigation was settled, resulting in the establishment of a compensation fund for injured pet owners.

Represented a national retailer in connection with class action litigation alleging unlawful recording of customer telephone conversations without proper consent. Plaintiffs alleged that an out-of-state retailer violated California’s Invasion of Privacy Act by failing to provide notice that telephone calls to or from the retailer’s call center could be recorded or monitored. The litigation was resolved on a class-wide basis when the class action matter, as well as a related insurance bad faith matter, were settled among the plaintiff class, the defendant retailer and the defendant’s insurer after several rounds of multi-party mediation.

Represented a public company and the independent members of its board of directors in class action litigation alleging breach of fiduciary duty in connection with a multi-billion-dollar going-private securities transaction. After the company announced that it had agreed to be acquired by private equity, plaintiffs filed class action litigation alleging that the price per share obtained for the company was inadequate. After leading the coordinated multi-law firm defense of the company, the inside directors, the independent directors and the two acquiring firms for several years and after several rounds of mediation among the plaintiffs, the various defendants and the defendants’ tower of insurers, the matter was settled on a classwide basis.