Class Actions

Overview

Crowell handled hundreds of class actions and mass actions in state and federal courts across the U.S., regularly serving as lead and coordinating counsel for multidistrict litigation. We are among a select group of lawyers to have successfully defended certified class actions at trial and have extensive experience handling appeals at every level, including before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Experience-driven collaborative approach

Crowell’s class action team recognizes that while no two class actions are alike, a successful defense depends on these key factors:

  • A deep understanding of our clients’ industries, business practices, challenges, and goals
  • A flexible approach driven by experience at every step
  • Collaboration among our team, our clients, other defendants and their law firms, as well as experts and public relations professionals  
  • National reach and resources

Our first steps in any engagement are to develop a full understanding of the legal, business and technical issues at hand, and gain clear insights into our clients’ immediate and long-term goals. On this foundation, we build and execute an effective class action defense strategy tailored to our clients’ needs.

Although we are focused on defeating class certification at the threshold, we are also well-known for our trial expertise. We also excel at negotiating individual and class settlements that align with our clients’ goals and can minimize unwelcome scrutiny by regulators, the media, and the general public. Our ultimate objective is to resolve the litigation as quickly and efficiently as possible while defending the reputation of the company, its brands, and its products in the court of law and the court of public opinion.

We also have significant experience representing clients operating in heavily regulated industries, including automotive, consumer products, education, financial services, insurance, healthcare, manufacturing, telecommunications, technology, and transportation.

Insights

Publication | 01.10.24

Class Action: Tracking TransUnion’s Ongoing Ripple Effects

The Supreme Court’s 2021 ruling in TransUnion LLC v. Ramirez put a renewed focus on “injury in fact” as a key jurisdictional question in class action lawsuits—and the ramifications of that decision continue to unfold in litigation....

Representative Matters

  • Represented The Regents of the University of California in 17 class actions stemming from a cyber-intrusion at the UCLA Health System involving the records of 4.5 million individuals. We worked closely with the client in investigating the intrusion, coordinating responses to multiple regulatory bodies and liaising with the FBI, and we negotiated a class wide settlement without formal discovery.  
  • Representing United Healthcare and its affiliated companies in numerous nationwide class actions, including in a three-week trial in the Northern District of California. Obtained dismissal of prayer for monetary relief seeking a billion dollars.
  • Representing General Motors in more than 20 high profile nationwide and multi-state consumer class action lawsuits throughout the United States. Many of these lawsuits involve GM’s premiere automotive brands and bring breach of warranty, consumer fraud and false advertising claims under state and federal laws.
  • Representing CSX Transportation in class actions alleging antitrust violations, breach of contract, negligence, and nuisance claims arising from railroad operations and business practices.
  • Representing Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies in nationwide antitrust multidistrict litigation. This MDL centralizes over 50 class actions asserted by plan members, physicians, hospitals, and other health care providers accusing Blue Cross Blue Shield companies and the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association of conspiring to violate antitrust laws by limiting competition through exclusive service area.
  • Obtained unanimous defense verdict in consumer class action after two-week jury trial in federal court on behalf of the world’s leading manufacturer of homeopathic drugs. Plaintiff brought claims on behalf of a class of consumers alleging false advertising under California’s Unfair Competition Law (Section 17200) and Consumer Legal Remedies Act.
  • Representing United Airlines in its defense of a putative antitrust class action pending in an MDL proceeding in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

Insights

Publication | 01.10.24

Class Action: Tracking TransUnion’s Ongoing Ripple Effects

The Supreme Court’s 2021 ruling in TransUnion LLC v. Ramirez put a renewed focus on “injury in fact” as a key jurisdictional question in class action lawsuits—and the ramifications of that decision continue to unfold in litigation....

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Professionals

Insights

Publication | 01.10.24

Class Action: Tracking TransUnion’s Ongoing Ripple Effects

The Supreme Court’s 2021 ruling in TransUnion LLC v. Ramirez put a renewed focus on “injury in fact” as a key jurisdictional question in class action lawsuits—and the ramifications of that decision continue to unfold in litigation....