Welcome to the Class Action and Derivative Suits Committee's website. The Committee consists of practitioners, corporate counsel and academicians interested in class actions and stockholder derivative suits. To the right-side of your screen is box entitled "Inside The Committee," which provides one-click access to the Message from the Chairs, which discusses recent and upcoming committee programs and other issues, numerous full-length articles and practice tips submitted by Committee members, and case notes (along with PDF copies) of the most recent and topical federal and state court class action and derivative suit decisions. Your participation in the Committee and this website is welcome. Email our web editors an article or case note for publication. Attend our renowned National Class Action Institute. For more information about the Committee, email any member of its leadership.

The Fall 2009 edition of the CADS Report newsletter is now available.

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The Class Actions and Derivative Suits Committee of the ABA’s Section on Litigation offers this survey as a tool for both in-house and outside counsel who confront the prospect of litigating class actions in state forums with which they may have little or no experience, and must make informed recommendations. The summaries are prepared by litigators from each of the respective states and address changes in rules and statutes as well as significant case law.

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Courts are responding to a congressional call to action and are using their authority under Rule 23(h) to heavily scrutinize class action fee agreements.

Settlement of a class action is no different from the settlement of any litigation; however, the parties must observe certain procedures to bind absent class members.

International financial scandals have spawned complex litigation, resulting in some of the largest class action settlements to date.

Appellate courts are increasingly requiring trial courts to scrutinize expert testimony as part of their class-certification analysis. 

The global financial crisis has led to sharp increases in bankruptcy filings and class action lawsuits.