Class/Mass Actions


Keesal, Young & Logan has broad experience in defending its clients in complex litigation matters, including class and mass actions in both state and federal courts as well as before the self-regulatory agencies of the securities industry. In addition, we have successfully defended cases brought on behalf of the general public through the use of broad consumer protection laws and “private attorney general” statutes, including California’s Proposition 65.

The firm has litigated well over 100 class and mass actions involving securities, business, consumer protection, maritime, environmental, toxic tort, and wage and hour matters. Further, unlike many firms, we have tried class actions to a conclusion. Many of the class actions handled by Keesal, Young & Logan have been dismissed outright as a result of well-crafted and innovative dispositive motions. For example, nine years before the California Courts of Appeal held in 2005 that California’s Unfair Competition Law (Business and Professions Code section 17200, et seq.) did not apply to securities transactions, Keesal, Young & Logan had already established this principle in the United States District Court and in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. In addition, Keesal, Young & Logan was part of the defense team that was responsible for obtaining the largest sanctions award against a purported class action plaintiff and his counsel that, at the time, had been upheld on appeal. Keesal, Young & Logan applies its practical and cost effective methods to all aspects of its complex litigation cases, including case management, law and motion, discovery, settlement negotiations, and trial preparation.

For additional information, please contact:

Ben Suter
(415) 398-6000
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Reported cases involving complex litigation matters handled by the firm include:

  • In re McKesson Securities Litigation, 2005 WL 946456 (N.D. Cal. 2005)
  • In re ZZZZ Best Securities Litigation, 864 F. Supp. 960 (C.D. Cal. 1994)
  • Franklin v. Kaypro Corp., 884 F.2d 1222 (9th Cir. 1989)
  • Levine v. Diamanthuset, Inc., 722 F. Supp. 579 (N.D.Cal. 1989)
  • Unioil, Inc. v. E.F. Hutton & Co., Inc., 809 F.2d 548 (9th Cir. 1986)
  • Marchese v. Shearson Hayden Stone, Inc., 644 F. Supp. 1381 (C.D. Cal. 1986)
  • Lewis v. Prudential-Bache Securities, Inc., 179 Cal. App. 3d 935 (1986)
  • Shearson Lehman Bros. Inc. v. Greenberg, 60 F.3d 834 (unpublished disposition), 1995 WL 392028 (9th Cir. 1995)
  • In re Capital Underwriters, Inc. Securities Litigation, 519 F. Supp. 92 (N.D. Cal. 1981)

In addition, Keesal, Young & Logan has litigated complex issues in the following types of cases:

  • Multiple wage and hour class actions involving claims of misclassification, unpaid overtime, violations of the meal and break regulations, and violation of vacation accrual laws
  • Defense of professionals such as attorneys, officers, and directors of public and private companies in class actions alleging fraud, RICO, and other statutory and common law claims
  • Defense of class action claims against multi-level marketing firms alleging that the defendants were participating in illegal Ponzi schemes
  • Investigation and defense of class action claims against international cruise line company by passengers alleging personal injuries and breach of passenger contracts
  • Defense of high visibility mass action toxic tort claims against major energy concern by residents of beach community for alleged contamination of public and private real property and for alleged exposure to carcinogenic chemicals and compounds

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