"This book provides...guidance to lawyers on how to conduct a class action, including both the plaintiff and defense perspective on the key decisions during the class action battle. It looks at each major phase of the action, from the filing of the action to settlement decisions and mechanisms."--

Complete with a state-by-state analysis of the ways in which the class action rules differ from the Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23, this comprehensive guide provides practitioners with an understanding of the intricacies of a class action lawsuit. Multiple authors contributed to the book, mainly 12 top litigators at the premiere law firm of Fulbright and Jaworski, L.L.P.

Best Practices for Class Action Litigation is an authoritative, insider's perspective on representing a company embroiled in a class action suit. Featuring partners and shareholders from some of the nation's leading law firms, these experts guide the reader through the key stages and steps involved in overseeing a class action case, emphasizing the ability of an attorney to help their clients weigh their options and select the best course of action. The authors discuss the challenges facing attorneys in class action representation matters, including the impact of laws such as the Federal Arbitration Act and the Class Action Fairness Act. From analyzing the client's objective and developing a persuasive presentation to strategies for deciding on settlement or negotiation and guiding dispute resolution, these top laywers examine how class actions come about, how to avoid them, and how to best approach them once they occur. The different niches represented and the breadth of perspectives presented enable readers to get inside some of the great legal minds of today, as these experienced lawyers offer up their thoughts around the keys to navigating this constantly-changing area of law. Inside the Minds provides readers with proven business intelligence from C-Level executives (Chairman, CEO, CFO, CMO, Partner) from the world's most respected companies nation-wide, rather than third-party accounts from unknown authors and analysts. Each chapter is comparable to an essay/thought leadership piece and is a future-oriented look at where an industry, profession, or topic is headed and the most important issues for the future. Through an exhaustive selection process, each author was hand-picked bythe Inside the Minds editorial board to author a chapter. Chapters Include: 1. Daniel P. Shapiro, Partner, Goldberg Kohn - "The Unique Aspects of Class Action Litigation" 2. Drew H. Campbell, Chair, Litigation Department, Bricker & Eckler LLP - "The Mechanics of Class Action Litigation" 3. Gregory D. Call, Partner and Chair, Litigation Department, Folger Levin & Kahn LLP - "The Strategic Litigator: Class Actions" 4. Kevin D. Gordon, Director and Shareholder, Crowe & Dunlevy - "A Step-by-Step Look at the Process" 5. Pete Schenkkan, Shareholder, Graves, Dougherty, Hearon & Moody PC - "Defending Proposed Class Actions" 6. Robert S. Hackleman, Shareholder and Chair, Litigation Department, Gunster, Yoakley & Stewart PA - "Helping the Client Make the Right Decisions"

Class action lawsuits--allowing one or a few plaintiffs to represent many who seek redress--have long been controversial. The current controversy, centered on lawsuits for money damages, is characterized by sharp disagreement among stakeholders about the kinds of suits being filed, whether plaintiffs' claims are meritorious, and whether resolutions to class actions are fair or socially desirable. Ultimately, these concerns lead many to wonder, Are class actions worth their costs to society and to business? Do they do more harm than good? To describe the landscape of current damage class action litigation, elucidate problems, and identify solutions, the RAND Institute for Civil Justice conducted a study using qualitative and quantitative research methods. The researchers concluded that the controversy over damage class actions has proven intractable because it implicates deeply held but sharply contested ideological views among stakeholders. Nevertheless, many of the political antagonists agree that class action practices merit improvement. The authors argue that both practices and outcomes could be substantially improved if more judges would supervise class action litigation more actively and scrutinize proposed settlements and fee awards more carefully. Educating and empowering judges to take more responsibility for case outcomes--and ensuring that they have the resources to do so--can help the civil justice system achieve a better balance between the public goals of class actions and the private interests that drive them.