Class Action Promotion Sites and Free Media: The Business of Making Claims Go Viral

Class action lawsuits are a much bigger risk today than they were 30 years ago. The internet has completely changed how consumers gain awareness of class action lawsuits and how they file claims for settlement benefits. As a result of these changes, class sizes have grown exponentially. In years past, known class members received direct notice, via mail, of their right to file a claim. Additionally, claim notices and filing instructions might be posted in one or two relevant print publications. For many consumers, filing a claim was more trouble than it was worth. Today, scores of websites and social media groups exist for two key purposes: (1) notifying the public of available class action settlement payouts; and (2) providing a quick and easy portal for filing claims. The impact of these sites is undeniable. For example, in one recent case against a supplement manufacturer, of the 44,000 consumers who filed a...

12 March

0 Comments

Sticky

Class Action Litigation Uncertainty: The M&A Killer

Posted by riskAdmin

in Blogs & Articles

It is no secret that class action lawsuits can have disastrous effects on mergers and acquisitions. One need look no further than the news to meet this point. In 2003, for example, famed environmental activist Erin Brockovich filed a class action lawsuit against Wainoco, a subsidiary of Frontier Oil Corp. At the time, Frontier was a party to a merger agreement with Holly Corp. worth $450 million. When news of the class action broke, Holly Corp. backed out of the merger, citing concern over the impact the suit would have on Frontier’s stock prices and overall financial condition. That situation is not unusual. Just this year, Tribune Media backed out of a planned merger with Sinclair Broadcast Group. Though that merger fell apart for several reasons, the fact that Sinclair was defending three class action lawsuits played a role in the deal’s demise. The truth is, class action lawsuits form a giant wall...

16 January

0 Comments

Sticky

The Impact of Free Media on Class Actions

Posted by riskAdmin

in Blogs & Articles

Class action lawsuits are certainly not new. Indeed, some scholars believe they date back to medieval times, when groups of villagers would choose three or four representatives to represent their collective interests in court. What is new, however, is the rampant popularity of class action lawsuits in the age of the internet and social media. Whereas notice to class members historically came by way of mailings or publication in relevant periodicals, today class membership is an advertised commodity. Consequently, class awards have the potential of becoming exponentially larger than they’ve ever been. By way of illustration, this article presents some of the top websites advertising quick cash through participation in class action suits. It also explores several case studies illustrating how media attention to class action lawsuits has changed the way class payouts are made. Additionally, the article touches on the desirability of various settlement structures that may help stem the tide of...

20 April

0 Comments