Common Issues Defense Strategy James G. Martingano MehaffyWeber Houston, TX

Introduction Common Themes –Single event –Multiple parties –Common Sources of Proof Common Problems –Scope –Inherent Delay/Duplication –Discovery –Finality

Main Types Class Action –statutory MDL –statutory Mass Tort/Consolidated Cases –Generally common law

Mass Tort vs. Class Action Similarities –Jurisdiction (State or Federal) –Focus (case disposition) Differences –Procedure (Federal vs. State) –Scope (limited vs. general)

Federal Class Actions Federal Rule 23 – types –True –Spurious –Hybrid “Opt-In” –1966 Criteria –Numerosity –Commonality –Typicality “Opt-Out”

Class Actions Class Action Fairness Act of 2005 –Tort Reform –Expanded Federal Jurisdiction –Limits on Coupon Settlements Trends –Personal Injury –Consumer –Employment State Court –Range of options –California – most complex

A Brief History of MDL Federal MDLs created in U.S.C. § 1407 “common questions of fact” “centralization is for the convenience of the parties and promotes just and efficient conduct of litigation

Current Data on Federal MDLs 310 MDLs in over 60 Federal Districts 240 Judges overseeing one or more MDLs 92,000 pending individual cases –Of which 48,000 are asbestos 15% of the entire Federal Court docket

MDL Highlights Breast Implant –Established Scientific Panel to evaluate Daubert Motion –Global Settlement Welding Rod –Bellwether Trials Chinese Dry Wall –Consumer and Personal Injury –Jurisdiction Vioxx –Settlement Asbestos –Still pending –Largest caseload – 40,000+ Toyota Litigation –personal injury and consumer claims

Class Action Highlights Wal Mart –Largest gender discrimination class action recently certified –Dukes v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc, Northern District of California AT&T –Overtime wage claims –Wlotkowski et al. v. Michigan Bell Telephone Company, Eastern District of Michigan.

Herb Zarov Personal Injury Issues related to Consolidated Cases Case Management Orders –Defenses –Strategy Hypothetical Case Study

Carla Christofferson Punitive Damages in Class Actions –Exxon Valdez Standing Issues –Tobacco II

Carolyn Frantz No-Injury Class Actions –Teflon –BPA