Seyfarth Synopsis: In today’s video blog, Jerry Maatman discusses how, in 2021, the aggregate monetary value of workplace class action settlements exploded to an all-time high, as plaintiffs’ lawyers and government enforcement agencies monetarized their claims at the highest values we have ever tracked. Many employers and commentators alike expected the pandemic to depress the size and pace of settlements.

Continue Reading 5 Key Trends In Workplace Class Action Litigation For 2021: Trend #1 Record Settlements Video

By Gerlad L. Maatman, Jr.

Seyfarth Synopsis: As measured by the top 10 largest case resolutions in various workplace class action categories, overall settlement numbers skyrocketed in 2021 to an all-time high. The plaintiffs’ bar and government enforcement attorneys obtained significant settlements in a wide range of areas in 2021, and the overall “top ten” settlement values in 2021 in
Continue Reading 5 Key Trends In Workplace Class Action Litigation For 2021: Trend #1 Record Settlements

By: Gerald L. Maatman, Jr.Christopher DeGroffMatthew J. Gagnon, and Alex S. Oxyer

Seyfarth Synopsis: The EEOC recently released its enforcement and litigation statistics for Fiscal Year 2020. Notably, the statistics indicate that 2020 saw a dramatic drop in filed charges, with the lowest number of charges filed in over 20 years. For example,
Continue Reading A Peek Behind The Numbers: The EEOC’s Enforcement Statistics Show Fewer Charges Filed In 2020, While Recoveries Surged

Seyfarth Synopsis: In our continuing video blog series on the finding of our 2021 Workplace Class Action Litigation Report, somewhat unexpectedly, the aggregate monetary value of workplace class action settlements increased in 2020, despite the global pandemic and its impacts on the economy and business operations. In the video below, Jerry Maatman shares his observations on the settlements across all
Continue Reading 5 Top Workplace Class Action Trends In 2021: Trend #3 Class Action Settlement Trends Video

Seyfarth Synopsis: Happy Thanksgiving to our loyal readers of the Workplace Class Action Blog! Our team has been busy at work this Thanksgiving season in wrapping up our start-of-the-year kick-off publication – Seyfarth Shaw’s Annual Workplace Class Action Litigation Report. We anticipate going to press in early January, and launching the 2021 Report to our readers from our Blog.

This

Continue Reading The 2021 Annual Workplace Class Action Litigation Report Is Almost Here!

By Gerald L. Maatman, Jr., Jennifer A. Riley, and Alex Oxyer

Seyfarth Synopsis: In a recent ruling out of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, the Court assessed a petition for attorney’s fees filed in conjunction with the settlement of a 43-year old sex discrimination class action. After entering into the largest discrimination settlement in United
Continue Reading Petition For Additional Attorneys’ Fees Denied By D.C. Court In Largest Employment Discrimination Class Action Settlement In U.S. History

By Gerald L. Maatman, Jr., Jennifer A. Riley, and Alex S. Oxyer

Seyfarth Synopsis: “Objector blackmail” occurs in the class settlement approval process when a few class members object to a proposed settlement and, after the district court has overruled their objections, pursue appeals with the goal of obtaining “side” settlement payments to dismiss the appeal.  In
Continue Reading The Seventh Circuit Provides District Courts Ammunition To Deal With “Objector Blackmail” In Proposed Class Settlements

By Gerald L. Maatman, Jr., Thomas E. Ahlering and Alex. W. Karasik

Seyfarth Synopsis: Plaintiffs’ lawyers reached a landmark $550 million settlement in January 2020 in a lawsuit against Facebook by consumers in a class action brought under the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (the “BIPA”) in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. On

Continue Reading Plaintiffs Push For Preliminary Approval Of $550 Million Settlement In Facebook Privacy Class Action

By Gerald L. Maatman, Jr.

Seyfarth Synopsis: Our previous blog post gave our readers an in-depth look at class action settlement developments in 2019, the fourth trend of this year’s Workplace Class Action Report (“WCAR”).  In terms of the top ten largest settlement among substantive areas of class action litigation, the monetary value of major case resolutions remained low
Continue Reading 5 Key Trends In Workplace Class Action Litigation For 2019: Trend #4 Lower Settlement Amounts Video

Seyfarth Synopsis: As measured by the top ten largest case resolutions in various workplace class action categories, overall settlement numbers increased slightly in 2019, but as compared to the last several years, it was one of the lowest overall yields for settlements after those values plummeted to their lowest level ever in 2018. After settlement numbers were at an all-time
Continue Reading 5 Key Trends In Workplace Class Action Litigation In 2019: #4 Lower Class Action Settlement Numbers In 2019