Mass claims and class actions
Freshfields develops defence strategies and provides clients with a robust approach to risk mitigation.
Consumer-friendly legislation, increased regulatory scrutiny and expanded access to claims funding are increasing the risk of mass claims and class actions across the globe.
Businesses are having to defend their interests in new or rapidly developing areas, including data protection, ESG, antitrust and shareholder litigation.
To defend your business, Freshfields provides a coordinated strategic approach spanning industries and jurisdictions. We offer in-depth and up-to-date knowledge of mass claim risk, and industry-specific expertise in the automotive, consumer, healthcare/life sciences, financial services and TMT sectors.
Our adeptness at handling complex, multi-jurisdictional mass claim and class action proceedings is well established. As procedural regimes evolve around the world, we mount defences that are coordinated, comprehensive and highly effective. Our knowledge of litigation funders, costs regimes and Courts enables us to give clients insight into the economics that lie behind these claims, as well as counter measures that can be taken in response.
Current engagements include advising several globally renowned tech companies in the defence of numerous data-related claims. One client is involved in the biggest data privacy mass claims litigation in Europe to date.
Our lawyers are involved in the leading cases that are shaping the mass claims landscape. For instance, in the UK we recently successfully defended the first appeal decision rejecting the use of a representative action in the shareholder claims context and are currently defending Mastercard in reportedly the largest damages claim ever brought in the UK.
In the US, we’re representing Google in multiple adtech antitrust class actions; 3M and its directors in a securities class action; and Rio Tinto in a climate change class action in Puerto Rico which accuses fossil fuel producers of being major contributors to the fierce 2017 hurricanes which devastated the island.
In all these cases – and many like them – our litigation lawyers are helping to shape the legal approach to mass claims and class actions in a changing world.
We continually innovate on behalf of clients, meeting a surge in claims with robust, data-driven defence strategies. Providing you with bespoke solutions and maximizing the use of our Legal Tech resources and legal project management expertise will create efficiencies and save time and money.
In the face of growing risk, Freshfields provides the human and technological resources to meet your challenges around mass claims and class actions.
Class and collective actions guide
View and compare relevant information on 18 jurisdictions in our interactive guide to mass claims around the world.
Client successes
Representing a leading US tech client in data privacy litigation in Europe
We are defending such claims in Germany, Austria, Italy and the UK. Overall, this is the biggest data privacy mass claims litigation in Europe to date.
Representing Volvo-Renault in one of the largest and most complex sets of antitrust litigation ever seen in Europe, in terms of the number of claims, their subject matter and geographic spread
The so called ‘trucks cartel’ litigation faces over 3,000 claims founded on an alleged overcharge in the purchase price of trucks. Freshfields is representing Volvo-Renault directly before courts in England, France, Germany, Italy and Spain, and coordinates its defence elsewhere via a network of local firms. Further, Freshfields has acted in 4 referrals before the European Court of Justice representing Volvo/Renault.
