By Gerald L. Maatman, Jr. and Jennifer A. Riley
Today, in its first significant class action ruling of 2013, Standard Fire Insurance Co. v. Knowles, No. 11-1450 (U.S. Mar. 19, 2013), the U.S. Supreme Court expanded the reach of the Class Action Fairness Act (“CAFA”) when it unanimously rejected plaintiff’s attempt to keep a class action in state court
By Gerald L. Maatman, Jr. and Laura J. Maechtlen
This week the U.S. House Of Representatives Judiciary Sub-Committee on the Constitution and Civil Justice held a hearing on the subject of “Examination of Litigation Abuses.” Rep. Trent Franks (R, AZ), Chairman of the Sub-Committee, explained the purpose of the hearing as appropriate to ensure members of the Congress can understand
By Christopher DeGroff and Gerald L. Maatman, Jr.
Calling all loyal blog readers – the EEOC-Initiated litigation webinar is just a few days away – on Tuesday, March 12, 2013. We still have spaces available for the webinar – click here to register and attend.
Our readers have given us wide-ranging feedback since the launch of our annual EEOC litigation
By Gerald L. Maatman, Jr. and Laura J. Maechtlen
As we discussed previously here, in the wake of the class certification denial by the U.S. Supreme Court in Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. v. Dukes, 131 S. Ct. 2541 (2011), three named plaintiffs filed a third lawsuit against Wal-Mart entitled Phipps, et al. v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., No. 3:12-CV-01009
By Christopher DeGroff and Gerald L. Maatman, Jr.
In yet another case regarding discovery of social media content, Magistrate Judge Michael E. Hegarty of the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado recently sanctioned the EEOC for its efforts to evade discovery of social media content in EEOC v. The Original Honeybaked Ham, No 11-CV-2560 (D. Colo. Feb. 27
Continue Reading District Court Sanctions The EEOC For Thwarting Discovery Of Social Media Content
By Lorie Almon, Gerald L. Maatman, Jr., and Ian Morrison
On February 27, 2013, we hosted our annual workplace class action litigation webinar. Over 1,000 clients attended. If you missed it, attached is the audio and the PowerPoint deck from the presentation.
As discussed at the webinar, the past twelve months represented a landmark year for complex employment-related
Continue Reading The 2013 Workplace Class Action Litigation Webinar
By Gerald L. Maatman, Jr. and Jennifer A. Riley
On February 20, 2013, Judge Amy St. Eve of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois granted Plaintiff’s second amended motion for class certification in The Savanna Group v. Truan, Case No. 10-CV-7995, 2013 WL 626981 (N.D. Ill. Feb. 20, 2013). In so doing, the Court found
By Rebecca Bromet, Christopher DeGroff, and Gerald L. Maatman, Jr.
The EEOC’s Quality Control Plan for investigations and conciliation emerges on the heels of the Commission’s Strategic Enforcement Plan for FY 2013-2016. As we previously reported, the EEOC’s Strategic Plan will function as the blueprint for the Commission’s enforcement activity for the next several years. Because of the
Continue Reading Seyfarth Shaw Submits Guidance To The EEOC On Its Quality Control Plan
By Rebecca Bjork, Dan Blouin, and Gerald L. Maatman, Jr.
This morning the Supreme Court of the United States heard oral argument in American Express Co. v. Italian Colors Restaurant, No. 12-133 (U.S.), on whether an arbitration agreement containing a class action waiver can be void on the ground that a litigant has shown that it would
Continue Reading Supreme Court Argument In American Express Co. v. Italian Colors Restaurant
By Christopher DeGroff and Gerald L. Maatman, Jr.
After much anticipation, heated debate, and numerous invitations for public comment on the EEOC’s Strategic Enforcement Plan, on February 20, 2013, the EEOC provided an update on its implementation of the Strategic Plan. Approved on December 18, 2012, the Strategic Plan will function as the blueprint for the Commission’s enforcement activity for