Recent landmark decisions suggest that class action litigation is unlikely to decrease in the years ahead. While reform initiatives and Supreme Court protections have improved the climate for companies operating in the United States, overall lawsuit filings for workplace issues or employment matters continue to rise, particularly claims involving the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
Our labor and employment attorneys have years of experience defending class actions, collective actions and multiple-plaintiff litigation, including claims related to “pattern-and-practice” employment discrimination and federal wage and hour violations. We routinely defeat motions for class certification, obtain judgments against named plaintiffs (effectively defeating the broader class), and obtain dismissals of class and collective actions. We also have significant experience negotiating complex settlement agreements and consent decrees.
We have consistently received national recognition for our successful management and defense of class and collective actions for Fortune 500 clients. We have particular depth of experience representing clients in the energy, technology, telecommunications, restaurant and hospitality industries.
As a practice and as a firm, we have the resources to efficiently and effectively manage the discovery and data management challenges presented by class or collective actions. Our litigators work closely with the firm’s affiliate, eMerge, to handle data and document-intensive discovery. eMerge brings talented discovery attorneys together with skilled technologists to leverage appropriate technology in litigation matters. eMerge and Troutman Sanders adapt quickly to the technology needs of clients, and jointly offer a wide range of industry-leading technology solutions superior to those commonly available in a law firm or a technology vendor operating alone. With these resources, we have designed and implemented electronic discovery plans in class actions involving thousands of class members, often at a significant cost savings to clients.