Class Action

While any litigation poses a “problem” for clients, class actions particularly require lawyers capable of finding the most efficient and expeditious means of solving the problem. Armstrong Teasdale excels at class action problem solving due to the firm's experience in managing class actions and comparable complex forms of litigation, and their depth of substantive knowledge across the spectrum of areas typically implicated in class litigation.

The Class Action practice group is composed of over twenty lawyers with extensive experience in defending recent nationwide and statewide class actions, as well as multi-district litigation matters and parallel proceedings. This group monitors class action litigation on a national basis and is fully abreast of procedural and substantive class defense issues. While maintaining a database of useful class procedural and tactical forms, pleadings and notices, class action lawyers take pride in developing proactive, efficient, and cost-effective solutions to class and complex multi-party litigation matters.

Practice Highlights

• Experience with all phases of the class action practice, including removal and jurisdiction issues, motions to dismiss, class and merits discovery, class arbitration proceedings, summary judgment, and complex settlements
• Regularly defend class action matters filed in Madison County, Illinois, a well-known forum for class action litigation
• Members of the group include: four fellows in the American College of Trial Lawyers, eight listees in The Best Lawyers in America 2008, and four former state and federal judicial law clerks

Recent Successes

• Obtained a significant victory in a "bet-the-business" class action litigation on behalf of a client. The penalties being sought were far out of disproportion and, if obtained, would have shut the client's business down.

Representative Matters

• Defended a major pest control company in the St. Louis City Circuit Court in the largest consumer fraud class action ever filed in Missouri        
  The case involved coordination and defense of both private class claims and parallel state attorney general actions. Plaintiffs contended that the company made misrepresentations and breached warranties with respect to the efficacy of its products and services. They invoked Missouri common tort law claims as well as claims under the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act. The case was successfully concluded with an extremely favorable settlement.
• Completed the representation of a directory publisher in a class action in Texas          
  In a major victory, lawyers were engaged to and obtained an interlocutory appellate court order reversing the trial court’s certification order. As is often the case, class certification questions represent the most crucial procedural decision that will be made.
• Successfully obtained summary judgment for United Parcel Service in a national class action asserted by thousands of employees, managing voluminous and complex discovery
  Even when certification occurs, the Class Action practice group has demonstrated an ability to prevail in major class litigation
• Obtained dismissals and favorable summary judgment rulings in numerous consumer class actions against telecommunications companies, including claims of fraud, breach of contract, RICO violations, state merchandising practices violations, and other similar claims

Members of the Class Action Practice Group

Covington, Brent	Spalty, Ed
Gundlach, Frank	Stockberger, Jim
Hursh, Lynn	Summerville, Jay
Laue, Brant	Turner, Matt
Moore, Craig	Virtel, Jim
Shorey, Matthew	Wood, Lisa