CHICAGO – Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP is pleased to announce the formation of a national Consumer Class Action Practice to protect its clients from the potential for increased liability brought by lawsuits of this type. The Practice will focus on defending the full range of consumer class actions, from consumer fraud through alleged violations of federal or state statutory schemes. Stuart M. Richter, a partner in Katten’s Los Angeles office, will chair the group. Other group leaders will include partners Stewart T. Kusper in the Chicago office, Bruce M. Sabados in New York and Ugo Colella in Washington.

Katten’s Consumer Class Action Practice provides candid assessments of its clients’ prospects for success as well as the potential for liability in any class action lawsuit. Its attorneys have defended numerous consumer class action lawsuits at all levels of state and federal courts, including the appellate courts. They excel at obtaining early case resolution and apply their extensive experience to achieve success in all phases of consumer class action defense, including motions to dismiss, motions to enforce arbitration clauses, oppositions to class certification, motions to decertify, motions for summary judgment, trials and appeals. In addition, Katten has implemented a system that tracks new class action filings nationally, enabling it to monitor developments and evaluate trends that may impact clients.

“The formation of this practice group will enable us to pool our resources and expertise across our various offices so that we can efficiently and effectively represent our clients in these types of cases, which are becoming more prevalent and present significant exposure and risk.” said Mr. Richter. “In addition to defending class action claims, our attorneys have the experience and skill and tools necessary to counsel clients on avoiding becoming the next target of the plaintiff’s bar.”

Katten’s national presence allows it to draw on the experience of attorneys in offices across the country to provide a cost-effective defense wherever clients may be sued, including when multiple class actions are filed against a single client in different jurisdictions. In addition, attorneys in the Consumer Class Action Practice routinely draw on the knowledge and experience of practitioners in the firm’s other practice areas to formulate comprehensive defense strategies that meet clients’ legal and business needs and objectives.

Given the significant cost and other challenges associated with electronic evidence preservation and production, clients defending against consumer class actions will also benefit from the knowledge of the litigators in Katten’s Electronic Discovery and Evidence Practice. The firm also has many attorneys, including former Assistant United States Attorneys, skilled in the representation and defense of clients who face regulatory inquiries, which often result from the filing of major class action cases.