A class action occurs when many individuals with similar legal claims form a group, or class, to file a lawsuit against another party. One or more members of the group take the lead and act as class representatives in advancing the claims of the larger group.The class representatives are generally represented by class counsel experienced in class action litigation. The class action is an option available under both the federal and South Carolina rules of civil procedure when appropriate requirements are met. The class action is an efficient means of pursuing similar or identical claims that a group of people has against a particular defendant. Class actions are particularly helpful when a large group of people has been harmed by the same wrongful conduct, but the harm to each individual victim involves relatively small damages that would make it impractical for the victims to pursue individual cases with their own attorneys.

We typically handle class actions on a contingent fee basis under which our attorneys fees are based upon a percentage of the funds obtained for the class or are paid by the defendant pursuant to a court order. You will not be required to pay anything to us up front if we agree to represent you in a proposed class action and will not owe us any fees should the case not be successful.

Why Are Class Actions Beneficial?

Class actions can be appropriate in a number of contexts, but some of the more common situations where a class action lawsuit might be appropriate involve:

• Data breaches wherein personal information of consumers is lost or stolen exposing the consumers to the risk of identity theft
• A defective product or defective drug that causes injury to those
  who use it
• A business that commits fraud
• Conduct that violates consumer protection laws
• Pyramid schemes
• An organization that discriminates against individuals
• A company that violates employment laws