Four Decades for Justice
Cravath is a leading firm in class action defense, successfully representing clients named in class actions across industries and practice areas. Our litigators are particularly adept at handling class action litigation because we draw on our substantive knowledge to comprehensively address the underlying claims, while our generalist litigation training equips us with the skills to simultaneously manage, coordinate and direct a successful defense.
We routinely handle class actions in a variety of practice areas and, in particular, we have defended against legally significant and high-stakes antitrust, consumer products and securities fraud class actions in jurisdictions nationwide. We efficiently and effectively manage litigation strategy for all stages of a class action—analysis of the complaint, forum and jurisdiction issues, class discovery and certification, fact and expert discovery, dispositive motion practice and trial. Although we have a strong track record of resolving putative class actions at the motion to dismiss or class certification stages, our litigators—some of the most seasoned trial lawyers in the country—are well positioned to handle the unique aspects of proceeding with a jury trial against a class of plaintiffs. Additionally, we have extensive experience petitioning appellate courts for interlocutory review of class certification. Where appropriate, we also have the skills to assess possible risks and advise clients on the distinctive issues relating to class action settlement.
Because we frequently handle the largest and most complex cases, we have expertise in coordinating the defense of multidistrict class actions as well as regularly advising clients on the simultaneous settlement of multiple actions in order to achieve a global solution. Combined with our deep bench of trial‑ready attorneys, the Firm is ideally suited to serve as both lead counsel and trial counsel in these matters. Our work also includes navigating the government investigations and regulatory proceedings that frequently run parallel to class action litigation.
Cravath was named New York Law Journal’s 2021 “Class Action Litigation Department of the Year” and received its 2020 Innovation Award, which recognized the Firm’s success leveraging artificial intelligence to review the massive volume of documents frequently collected in complex litigation. Year after year, the Firm has ranked in the top tiers of Benchmark Litigation, Chambers USA, The Legal 500 US and Best Lawyers Best Law Firms.
Our team has earned repeated praise from clients and the market, including:
We routinely handle class actions in a variety of practice areas and, in particular, we have defended against legally significant and high-stakes antitrust, consumer products and securities fraud class actions in jurisdictions nationwide. We efficiently and effectively manage litigation strategy for all stages of a class action—analysis of the complaint, forum and jurisdiction issues, class discovery and certification, fact and expert discovery, dispositive motion practice and trial. Although we have a strong track record of resolving putative class actions at the motion to dismiss or class certification stages, our litigators—some of the most seasoned trial lawyers in the country—are well positioned to handle the unique aspects of proceeding with a jury trial against a class of plaintiffs. Additionally, we have extensive experience petitioning appellate courts for interlocutory review of class certification. Where appropriate, we also have the skills to assess possible risks and advise clients on the distinctive issues relating to class action settlement.
Because we frequently handle the largest and most complex cases, we have expertise in coordinating the defense of multidistrict class actions as well as regularly advising clients on the simultaneous settlement of multiple actions in order to achieve a global solution. Combined with our deep bench of trial‑ready attorneys, the Firm is ideally suited to serve as both lead counsel and trial counsel in these matters. Our work also includes navigating the government investigations and regulatory proceedings that frequently run parallel to class action litigation.
Cravath was named New York Law Journal’s 2021 “Class Action Litigation Department of the Year” and received its 2020 Innovation Award, which recognized the Firm’s success leveraging artificial intelligence to review the massive volume of documents frequently collected in complex litigation. Year after year, the Firm has ranked in the top tiers of Benchmark Litigation, Chambers USA, The Legal 500 US and Best Lawyers Best Law Firms.
Our team has earned repeated praise from clients and the market, including:
Deals & Cases
November 27, 2023
On November 20, 2023, the California Supreme Court held that Cravath client PG&E, the country’s largest utility, cannot be sued for losses incurred by customers during public safety power shutoffs that complied with the guidelines set forth by its regulator, the California Public Utilities Commission (“PUC”). In a unanimous decision, the Court held that such claims are barred because their adjudication would interfere with the PUC’s comprehensive supervision and regulation of safety shutoffs.
Deals & Cases
November 15, 2023
On November 13, 2023, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida denied plaintiffs’ motion to certify a class asserting market manipulation claims under the federal securities laws against Cravath clients Robinhood Markets, Inc., Robinhood Financial LLC and Robinhood Securities, LLC (together, “Robinhood”).
Deals & Cases
September 29, 2023
On September 26, 2023, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California granted summary judgment in favor of Cravath client Qualcomm Incorporated in a putative class action alleging violations of antitrust laws. Originally brought in 2017 on behalf of an alleged nationwide class of mobile device purchaser plaintiffs, the multi-district litigation consolidated numerous complaints against Qualcomm and followed a related Federal Trade Commission action against the company (FTC v. Qualcomm), which also resulted in a complete judgment for Qualcomm on appeal in 2020.
Deals & Cases
June 28, 2023
On June 23, 2023, Judge Michael T. Liburdi of the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona dismissed with prejudice all claims brought against Cravath clients First Solar, Inc. and its executives (collectively, “First Solar”) in a purported securities class action litigation concerning the company’s Series 6 solar module and its Project Development business.
Deals & Cases
October 03, 2022
On October 3, 2022, the Supreme Court of the State of Delaware issued an order affirming the Delaware Court of Chancery’s dismissal of claims brought against Cravath clients Buckeye Partners, L.P., Buckeye GP LLC, and Buckeye GP LLC’s board of directors (collectively, “Buckeye”) by a former unitholder, Walter E. Ryan, Jr.
Activities & Publications
February 07, 2024
On February 6, 2024, Cravath published the latest edition of its Quarterly Review, which examines the Q4 2023 M&A, activism and corporate governance landscape. The Review provides an overview of activity in those areas and discusses other fourth quarter highlights, including the FTC and DOJ’s finalized merger guidelines, recent Delaware cases and related jurisprudence, findings from the FTC and DOJ Antitrust Division’s Hart‑Scott‑Rodino Annual Report and recent rule adoptions related to corporate governance matters.
Accolades
January 31, 2024
On January 24, 2024, Cravath partner David R. Marriott was named to the Daily Journal’s 2024 list of “Leading Commercial Litigators.” The accompanying profile highlights his role in helping Amgen secure a consent order ending all litigation in connection with its pending acquisition of Horizon Therapeutics, as well as his summary judgment victory for Viatris, which was “one of the few resolutions of federal securities fraud litigation at summary judgment that ended entirely in favor of the defendants.” The profile also details Dave’s nearly 30‑year tenure at Cravath and his roles as a lecturer at Columbia University Law School and an adjunct professor at NYU School of Law.
Accolades
December 07, 2023
On December 4, 2023, The American Lawyer profiled Cravath’s litigation department in connection with its recognition as a finalist for the publication’s biennial “Litigation Department of the Year” award. The feature, entitled “Busier Than Ever: How Cravath’s Litigation Team Has Grown Into an Industry Powerhouse,” noted that “Cravath’s litigators have consistently landed on some of the country’s most high‑profile cases with the most at stake” over the past two years and praised the department as “at the ready to handle any complex, pivotal case that comes its way.” Speaking to the publication, partner Kevin J. Orsini discussed the breadth of the Firm’s recent successes, including representing Tesla CEO Elon Musk at trial to defeat a $13 billion derivative suit concerning Tesla’s SolarCity acquisition; Illumina and Louis Dreyfus Company each in separate trial wins against the government in respective FTC and DOJ antitrust merger challenges; Starz in a precedent-setting Ninth Circuit win against MGM; and Blue Cross Blue Shield in securing a summary judgment victory within one of the largest class actions in the country. Kevin also discussed the Firm’s commitment to “collaboration and connectivity” in its partnership, as well as the department’s unique ability to “handle a wide range of subject matters” in an era of increasing specialization.
Accolades
December 04, 2023
On November 29, 2023, The Am Law Litigation Daily featured Cravath partner Omid H. Nasab as “Litigator of the Week” for his representation of client PG&E, the country’s largest utility, in a victory at the California Supreme Court. In a unanimous decision, the Court held that PG&E cannot be sued for losses incurred by customers during public safety power shutoffs that complied with the guidelines set forth by its regulator, the California Public Utilities Commission. Cravath also served as lead counsel for PG&E in related proceedings before the United States Bankruptcy Court, the United States District Court and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Accolades
November 29, 2023
On November 20, 2023, Cravath partner David R. Marriott was featured as a 2023 “Litigator of the Year” by The American Lawyer. The accompanying profile highlights his role in helping Illumina secure a trial win against the FTC before the commission’s own administrative law judge, which the publication notes as “a rare, if not unprecedented, instance of antitrust litigation involving primarily pre-commercial products,” as well as his trial victory for Louis Dreyfus Company defeating the DOJ’s attempt to block the company’s sale of Imperial Sugar to U.S. Sugar – “a rare agency loss in a horizontal merger case.” The profile also recognizes Dave’s representation of Viatris which earned a summary judgment victory in a securities class action, representing “one of the few resolutions of a federal securities fraud litigation at summary judgment entirely in favor of defendants.”
Deals & Cases
November 27, 2023
On November 20, 2023, the California Supreme Court held that Cravath client PG&E, the country’s largest utility, cannot be sued for losses incurred by customers during public safety power shutoffs that complied with the guidelines set forth by its regulator, the California Public Utilities Commission (“PUC”). In a unanimous decision, the Court held that such claims are barred because their adjudication would interfere with the PUC’s comprehensive supervision and regulation of safety shutoffs.
Deals & Cases
November 15, 2023
On November 13, 2023, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida denied plaintiffs’ motion to certify a class asserting market manipulation claims under the federal securities laws against Cravath clients Robinhood Markets, Inc., Robinhood Financial LLC and Robinhood Securities, LLC (together, “Robinhood”).
Deals & Cases
September 29, 2023
On September 26, 2023, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California granted summary judgment in favor of Cravath client Qualcomm Incorporated in a putative class action alleging violations of antitrust laws. Originally brought in 2017 on behalf of an alleged nationwide class of mobile device purchaser plaintiffs, the multi-district litigation consolidated numerous complaints against Qualcomm and followed a related Federal Trade Commission action against the company (FTC v. Qualcomm), which also resulted in a complete judgment for Qualcomm on appeal in 2020.
Deals & Cases
June 28, 2023
On June 23, 2023, Judge Michael T. Liburdi of the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona dismissed with prejudice all claims brought against Cravath clients First Solar, Inc. and its executives (collectively, “First Solar”) in a purported securities class action litigation concerning the company’s Series 6 solar module and its Project Development business.
Deals & Cases
October 03, 2022
On October 3, 2022, the Supreme Court of the State of Delaware issued an order affirming the Delaware Court of Chancery’s dismissal of claims brought against Cravath clients Buckeye Partners, L.P., Buckeye GP LLC, and Buckeye GP LLC’s board of directors (collectively, “Buckeye”) by a former unitholder, Walter E. Ryan, Jr.
Activities & Publications
February 07, 2024
On February 6, 2024, Cravath published the latest edition of its Quarterly Review, which examines the Q4 2023 M&A, activism and corporate governance landscape. The Review provides an overview of activity in those areas and discusses other fourth quarter highlights, including the FTC and DOJ’s finalized merger guidelines, recent Delaware cases and related jurisprudence, findings from the FTC and DOJ Antitrust Division’s Hart‑Scott‑Rodino Annual Report and recent rule adoptions related to corporate governance matters.
Accolades
January 31, 2024
On January 24, 2024, Cravath partner David R. Marriott was named to the Daily Journal’s 2024 list of “Leading Commercial Litigators.” The accompanying profile highlights his role in helping Amgen secure a consent order ending all litigation in connection with its pending acquisition of Horizon Therapeutics, as well as his summary judgment victory for Viatris, which was “one of the few resolutions of federal securities fraud litigation at summary judgment that ended entirely in favor of the defendants.” The profile also details Dave’s nearly 30‑year tenure at Cravath and his roles as a lecturer at Columbia University Law School and an adjunct professor at NYU School of Law.
Accolades
December 07, 2023
On December 4, 2023, The American Lawyer profiled Cravath’s litigation department in connection with its recognition as a finalist for the publication’s biennial “Litigation Department of the Year” award. The feature, entitled “Busier Than Ever: How Cravath’s Litigation Team Has Grown Into an Industry Powerhouse,” noted that “Cravath’s litigators have consistently landed on some of the country’s most high‑profile cases with the most at stake” over the past two years and praised the department as “at the ready to handle any complex, pivotal case that comes its way.” Speaking to the publication, partner Kevin J. Orsini discussed the breadth of the Firm’s recent successes, including representing Tesla CEO Elon Musk at trial to defeat a $13 billion derivative suit concerning Tesla’s SolarCity acquisition; Illumina and Louis Dreyfus Company each in separate trial wins against the government in respective FTC and DOJ antitrust merger challenges; Starz in a precedent-setting Ninth Circuit win against MGM; and Blue Cross Blue Shield in securing a summary judgment victory within one of the largest class actions in the country. Kevin also discussed the Firm’s commitment to “collaboration and connectivity” in its partnership, as well as the department’s unique ability to “handle a wide range of subject matters” in an era of increasing specialization.
Accolades
December 04, 2023
On November 29, 2023, The Am Law Litigation Daily featured Cravath partner Omid H. Nasab as “Litigator of the Week” for his representation of client PG&E, the country’s largest utility, in a victory at the California Supreme Court. In a unanimous decision, the Court held that PG&E cannot be sued for losses incurred by customers during public safety power shutoffs that complied with the guidelines set forth by its regulator, the California Public Utilities Commission. Cravath also served as lead counsel for PG&E in related proceedings before the United States Bankruptcy Court, the United States District Court and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Accolades
November 29, 2023
On November 20, 2023, Cravath partner David R. Marriott was featured as a 2023 “Litigator of the Year” by The American Lawyer. The accompanying profile highlights his role in helping Illumina secure a trial win against the FTC before the commission’s own administrative law judge, which the publication notes as “a rare, if not unprecedented, instance of antitrust litigation involving primarily pre-commercial products,” as well as his trial victory for Louis Dreyfus Company defeating the DOJ’s attempt to block the company’s sale of Imperial Sugar to U.S. Sugar – “a rare agency loss in a horizontal merger case.” The profile also recognizes Dave’s representation of Viatris which earned a summary judgment victory in a securities class action, representing “one of the few resolutions of a federal securities fraud litigation at summary judgment entirely in favor of defendants.”
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