Class actions and mass arbitrations are among the most consequential and fast-evolving risks businesses face today. The American Lawyer spoke to the co-leaders of our national Class Actions and Mass Arbitrations practice on what is driving the surge and how the group is meeting the demand through a practice restructure and expansion. Sheppard appointed a four-partner national leadership team for its Class Actions and Mass Arbitrations practice, strengthening the firm’s coordinated approach to defending businesses against increasingly complex litigation risks.
Wynter Deagle (San Diego/Del Mar), Thomas Panoff (Chicago), Mark Rackers (San Diego) and Kari Rollins (New York) will lead the practice from key litigation markets across the country.
“We're bringing together this group that already existed, but we're restructuring a bit and expanding. What we’ve seen is [class actions and mass arbitrations] have become two of the most consequential and fast-evolving risks that are facing businesses today,” Deagle said.
That demand is being felt across a range of areas, including antitrust litigation. “The number of antitrust cases is the highest I've seen in 20 years, and I don't see that pace slowing down either,” Panoff said.
The firm also expects the practice to grow as litigation increases around privacy, web tracking, data breaches and subscriptions, alongside emerging AI-focused cases.
Rollins added that emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, are fueling this rise in cases, and whenever a company is subject to a data breach, they must report it to regulators, who publish reports and notify consumers.
“There has been continued growth in privacy, web tracking, data breaches, [and] subscription-related litigation, and we're starting to see more AI-focused litigation,” Deagle said. “So as that continues, you necessarily have to grow to meet demand—the demand is higher than it’s ever been.”
Read the full article here. (A subscription is required)