Class Actions

Bass, Berry & Sims has extensive experience in the defense of clients in class action lawsuits, many of which involve allegations of consumer fraud, in the state and federal courts throughout Tennessee. Our clients, typically defendants, are among the largest for-profit and not-for-profit companies and entities in a variety of industries. These include the automotive and automotive parts, pharmaceutical, healthcare, hospital, medical device, telecommunications, tobacco, vitamin, insurance, entertainment, banking, financial services, consumer home products, building products, travel, private corrections, electronic claims processing and food service industries. Our attorneys have represented these clients in defense of claims alleging consumer fraud, antitrust, products liability, business fraud, securities fraud and breach of corporate fiduciary duty, among other claims.

Our experience in class actions includes dealing with the numerous complex issues typical of such litigation. While many of the proceedings are similar to those found in non-class action suits, they usually require a higher degree of sophisticated analysis, balancing of strategic and tactical consideration, and evaluation and preparation. This results from the unique legal and factual context of most class actions, and the usual high exposure potential flowing from the class action status. Our representations have provided us experience in the management of complex class action legal and factual issues, class certification motion practice and hearings, multidistrict litigation, federal court jurisdiction, management of massive document discovery, settlement negotiations and court approval including fairness hearings, class notification procedures, dealing with multiforum proceedings, ex parte class certification orders, motions, discovery, preliminary injunction hearings, trial, appeal and other activities designed to seek the most direct and appropriate resolution of the claim for the client.

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