Class Actions

Any company hit with a class action faces a perilous and complicated path.  Class actions are perilous because they magnify risk—both to the company, in the form of exponential exposure, and to defense counsel, whose misstep at any point is multiplied across hundreds or thousands of claims.  Class actions are far more complicated than single-party litigation because defense strategy must be carefully weighed against two often competing objectives—defeating the claims on their merits and avoiding class certification. 

Ellis & Winters has experience guiding companies through, and extricating them from, this perilous and winding path.  The firm’s seasoned trial and appellate lawyers know the North Carolina federal and state courts inside and out, and have deep and broad experience with every stage of class-action litigation, including motions to compel arbitration, dismissals, class certification, summary judgment, trial, and appeal. The firm’s class-action experience spans a broad range of subject matters, including consumer credit, university contracts, commercial real estate, personal-care contracts, environmental and toxic torts, antitrust, medical-services contracts, medical-devices, pharmaceuticals, and construction products. 

Moreover, the firm has a dedicated and dynamic team of attorneys who not only follow the law of class actions, but contribute to its development with frequent articles and blog posts on cutting edge issues in class-action litigation and active participation in class-action trade organizations.  You can find our latest updates on class actions here.