Class actions represent an increasing area of risk for UK corporates, with increasing numbers of high-profile and high-value group claims being brought, or threatened to be brought, in the English courts. The principal mechanism used to litigate these claims differs from the ‘opt-out’ class action familiar from the US, where claimants who fall within a defined class are automatically included unless they take steps to opt out. In contrast, claims in the English courts normally proceed on an ‘opt-in’ basis, with claimants issuing claims which are then managed together by the court under a Group Litigation Order (or GLO).
Damian Grave, Gregg Rowan and Maura McIntosh have published an article in the Summer Edition of the In-House Lawyer magazine which explores the reasons for the rise in group litigation in England and Wales and considers what strategies defendants can bring to bear to improve their position in such cases. Click here to view a PDF.
Key contacts
Disclaimer
The articles published on this website, current at the dates of publication set out above, are for reference purposes only. They do not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon as such. Specific legal advice about your specific circumstances should always be sought separately before taking any action.