Consumer Class Actions & Multi-District Litigation

Latham’s consumer class action defense team routinely defeats class claims brought in state and federal courts across the country, often in complex and overlapping proceedings. And we regularly appear before the US Judicial Panel on Multi-District Litigation.

Plaintiffs’ counsel know our track record of defeating class certification early, and they are often on the receiving end of our successful dispositive motions. Latham’s fearsome courtroom reputation of winning at trial, backed by a deep bench of experienced trial and appellate lawyers, often leads plaintiffs and their counsel to the negotiating table where we are able to extract favorable settlement terms or outright dismissal of complaints.

We defend clients across industries — from technology to financial services and from energy to telecommunications. We represent clients facing complex claims involving consumer protection, unfair business practices, deceptive advertising, fraud and breach of contract. We also regularly litigate issues of data privacy and security, mass and toxic torts, product liability, warranties, property damage, and civil rights. We litigate and try cases in nearly every combination of venues, including state and federal trial and appellate courts. We regularly help clients navigate complex multi-defendant and multi-jurisdiction cases by coordinating legal teams across jurisdictions. As clients pursue changing business objectives throughout the course of long-running litigation, we carefully calibrate litigation strategy and joint defense positions accordingly. We are able to draw on the firm’s extensive multidisciplinary global platform to marshal a coordinated and comprehensive defense of our clients.

Latham litigators adopt a trial-ready strategy for each matter that aligns with our clients’ business priorities, identifying the most expedient, cost-effective means to resolve the matter. By defeating class certification, we vastly reduce the cost of any potential settlement and spare clients the expense and business disruption of litigating a class action. We also help clients evaluate early exit options such as motions to dismiss, or motions for judgment on the pleadings, and facilitate (or pursue) insurance or indemnification to minimize costs and transfer risk.

When the best solution to complex cases is settlement, we craft out-of-the-box solutions to bring them to closure. And when an early and favorable resolution cannot be reached, we bring the fight. Our success is predicated on the courtroom skills of our record of trial and appellate wins.

Latham & Watkins’ litigators defend clients in high-stakes, complex class action litigation.