Consumer class-action lawsuits can transform small, individual complaints into high-profile, bet-the-company litigation. At McGuireWoods, we understand
that our clients are businesses first, and defendants second. We know that the most effective defense is one that starts early and addresses the many
overlapping business and legal issues that play a role in consumer class actions. As a result, our consumer class-action lawyers bring significant
experience from multiple areas.
Our lawyers have defended hundreds of state, national, and multi-district class actions, and are frequently called upon to speak and write on cutting-edge
class-action issues for lawyers and judges alike. Our class action teams pair these lawyers with litigators who have extensive experience defending
consumer claims in various industries, including products manufacturing, tainted food, mobile phone services, and deceptive trade practice lawsuits. The
firm and our individual practitioners are regularly named among the top providers of product liability and class action counsel by leading industry and
legal publications and ratings agencies. For example, in Chambers USA, clients praise McGuireWoods’ national product liability and mass torts team,
noting: “The lawyers are trial-savvy and have excellent management and organizational skills.” Our team-based approach emphasizes efficiency and client
value.
We recognize that large-scale, complex litigation can be costly. Class actions often involve hundreds of thousands of pages of documentation. We have
invested significant resources in the development of an e-discovery team and legal best practices that improve the accuracy and efficiency of large-scale
document discovery. Similarly, our constantly growing library of work product enables us to streamline complex motions practice while ensuring that each
defense is tailored to the specific needs of our clients. McGuireWoods is a leader in the development of alternative fee arrangements and other
shared-risk, shared-reward approaches to the delivery of legal services.
We also understand that class actions can add an extra dimension to any defense. Victory for the client is our priority, but not if that victory comes at
the expense of the company’s reputation or bottom line. We recognize the importance of alternative dispute resolution and settlement as viable options for
resolving product liability and toxic tort class actions — a strategy aimed at maintaining financial solvency and paving the way for future growth. Our
ultimate goal is to keep our client’s businesses running smoothly even during the disruptions a class action can cause.
For further discussion of the strategic considerations involved in class action defense see our blog Class Action Countermeasures.