CCAF argued the plaintiffs’ attorneys are attempting to overpay themselves by taking over one-third of the net settlement fund, or $2.33 million, which is substantially more than the median fee award in similar cases.
Today, the Center for Class Action Fairness (CCAF) filed its opening appellate brief opposing a Facebook class action settlement that provides $3.9 million for attorneys, while class members receive nothing more than a vague 22-word addition to Facebook’s “Help Center.”
CCAF asked the court to investigate overbilling that was not disclosed to the court or the class. Judge Koh agreed and appointed a special master to investigate overbilling, subsequently reducing the final fee award by $6.9 million.
After over a year and a half without response from the agency, the Competitive Enterprise Institute is representing individuals taking the Federal Communications Commission to court regarding the 2016 Charter/Brighthouse/Time Warner cable merger. Arguing that the FCC has a statutory obligation to respond to CEI’s June 2016 petition, CEI today requests the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia to compel the agency to fulfill its duty to…
After nearly a year and a half without response from the agency, the Competitive Enterprise Institute (and now the Hamilton Lincoln Law Institute) is representing individuals taking the Federal Communications Commission to court over the 2016 Charter/Brighthouse/Time Warner cable merger.
On Monday evening, CCAF filed its opening appeal brief in a class action where the plaintiffs claim Filippo Berio olive oil was falsely marketed as “Imported from Italy,” when the olives used actually came from other countries.
CCAF opposed a settlement in Ma v. Harmless Harvest, a class action dispute over claims of organic products in coconut water in which class attorneys sought $575,000 and the class members get nothing.
The proposed settlement provided class members with worthless injunctive relief, simply codifying labeling changes that Harmless Harvest voluntarily made in 2015, but would have provided $575,000 to attorneys and named plaintiffs. The court agreed with CCAF that the settlement was not fair, reasonable, and adequate.
CCAF attorney Theodore H. Frank won an appellate victory granting him intervention against the filers of strike suits that harm shareholder. Here, plaintiffs convinced Akorn to pay $322,500 in attorneys’ fees, although no benefit has accrued to the class—only immaterial supplemental disclosures.
"It was wonderful to see the principle vindicated," that cases without benefits to absent class members should not be certified.
