Class Action & Complex Litigation

Many of our clients choose us to defend them in class-action and complex lawsuits. A recent trend across the country is class-action litigation against public agencies. These lawsuits, commonly orchestrated by special-interest groups, target fiscally-strapped departments and aim to push a particular agenda under the guise of civil rights. They use the class-action device to authorize large-scale and invasive discovery, in hopes that the litigation and financial burden will become too much and the agency caves. Class certification is considered a “death knell” for unsuspecting agencies because it confers extraordinary settlement leverage and leaves a Hobson’s choice: pay a large settlement (either in damages or attorneys’ fees) or endure scorched-earth (costly) litigation.

We understand the threat class-action litigation has become to federal, state, and local agencies, and are equipped to diffuse it. A class action or complex lawsuit can grossly impact an agency’s budget and operations for many years, if not decades. In defending these suits, we work directly with agency leaders and their general counsel to devise a winning strategy while also minimizing the agency’s costs, damages exposure, and operational disruption. We are also mindful of external forces, such as media interest and influence, political considerations, and public policy. Our class action teams have represented clients in a diverse range of class action and complex matters, including:

• Inmate/Detainee Litigation:
  • Conditions of Confinement Claims
  • Maximum Custody and Segregation Management Claims
  • Provision of Medical, Mental Health, and Dental Care Claims
  • Search and Seizure Claims
  • Religious Practices Claims
  • Inmate Disturbance Claims
• Claims Against Government Agencies
• Child Welfare Claims