US-style class actions introduced in UK – BBC News
‘A newly introduced law allows British courts to hear US-style class actions – where one or several people sue on behalf of a much larger group.’
BBC News, 1st October 2015
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Category: class actions
Sainsbury’s faces equal pay battle with female shop floor workers – The Guardian
‘Sainsbury’s is facing legal action from four female shopfloor workers who claim they are paid less than men to do equally valuable jobs at the supermarket chain.
The case, which will be the subject of a preliminary hearing at a Birmingham employment tribunal on Friday, comes as a similar legal action involving 6,000 female Asda employees remains to be settled.’
The Guardian, 9th July 2015
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Australian litigation funder plans more mass claims against big UK firms – The Guardian
‘The Australian litigation funder coordinating shareholders’ legal action against Tesco is promising to launch more mass claims against large firms in the UK.’
The Guardian, 18th January 2015
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
MMR vaccine: lawyers sued for pursuing claim based on link to autism – The Guardian
‘A man is suing his former legal team for pursuing “hopeless claims” based on flawed research into the MMR vaccine, it has emerged.’
The Guardian, 26th June 2014
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Sharing Risk in Collective Actions – Competition Bulletin from Blackstone Chambers
‘Readers of this blog will be familiar with the Government’s announcement, following the conclusion last year of its consultation on private actions in competition law, that it intends to introduce an “opt out” regime for collective competition law actions. In brief, unless they specifically choose to opt out, UK-domiciled consumers and businesses will automatically be included as claimants in collective actions, provided they satisfy the criteria for membership set by the Competition Appeal Tribunal when it certifies the class. One of the particular policy objectives behind this proposal is to empower small businesses and consumers to seek redress in respect of anti-competitive behaviour. The combination of the complexity and cost of seeking such redress is seen currently to form an almost insurmountable hurdle to all but the largest claims.’
Competition Bulletin from Blackstone Chambers,
Source: www.competitionbulletin.com
When three into one will go – High Court rejects challenge to single costs budget for three cases – Litigation Futures
‘The High Court has rejected a Mitchell challenge to a budget that could have left well-known car manufacturer Lotus with hundreds of thousands of pounds of costs up in smoke.’
Litigation Futures, 11th February 2014
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
Legal bid over swine flu jab link to narcolepsy – Daily Telegraph
“A group of 38 British people who developed narcolepsy after receiving the ‘Pandemrix’ swine flu vaccine have launched a legal claim against its manufacturer.”
Daily Telegraph, 12th November 2013
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Legal action over Furness General Hospital deaths – BBC News
“More than 30 families have taken legal action against a hospital in north-west
England for a catalogue of baby and maternal deaths and injuries.”
BBC News, 15th March 2013
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Collective actions and access to justice – Legal Voice
“The Government recently confirmed its intention to introduce ‘collective actions’ in the UK for competition law. Not only should this enable large numbers of consumers and small businesses to obtain redress against anti-competitive behaviour, but an important by-product is that leftover damages could benefit access to justice more generally.”
Legal Voice, 1st March 2013
Source: www.legalvoice.org.uk
Collective Actions: loss in complex cases – Competition Bulletin from Blackstone Chambers
“The big news from last week’s UK announcement on reforming private competition enforcement is that the government plans to introduce opt-out class actions for competition claims.”
Competition Bulletin from Blackstone Chambers, 4th February 2013
Source: www.competitionbulletin.com
Breast cancer patients claim compensation from hospitals – BBC News
“Women who claim they had botched and unnecessary breast cancer operations are taking legal action against three hospitals in the West Midlands.”
BBC News, 7th November 2012
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Blacklisted builders launch mass legal action against Sir Robert McAlpine – The Guardian
“Workers blacklisted by the construction industry over more than three decades have launched a high court claim against industry giant Sir Robert McAlpine, the Tory donor and builder of the Olympic Stadium, for conspiring with other firms to keep them out of work.”
The Guardian, 29th July 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Phone hacking: mother of murder victim Clare Bernal sues NI – The Guardian
“The mother of Clare Bernal, who was murdered by a former boyfriend while working at Harvey Nichols, has joined the second wave of alleged victims of News of the World phone hacking suing News International for damages.”
The Guardian, 23rd July 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Blacklisted building workers hope for day in court after ruling – The Guardian
“The Consulting Association, a shadowy organisation that compiled a list of ‘troublemakers’ — with the help of the security services — for Britain’s biggest building companies was closed four years ago. Only now can its 3,200 victims go to court and hope to win.”
The Guardian, 3rd March 2012
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Shamed hospital accused of leaving dying patients to starve – Daily Telegraph
“Lawyers are planning a ‘class action’ on behalf of 23 families who contacted them with ‘shocking’ claims of indignities and the most basic failings in care. They believe the families who have contacted them so far about care at Alexandra Hospital, in Redditch, West Midlands, may represent ‘the tip of the iceberg’.”
Daily Telegraph, 17th December 2011
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
The Atomic Veterans Litigation – 4 New Square
“In the week commencing 14 November 2011, a seven-member panel of Justices of the Supreme Court (L Phillips, L Walker, L Hale, L Brown, L Mance, L Kerr and L Wilson) heard the Claimants’ appeal from the Court of Appeal’s decision in the Atomic Veterans Litigation (AB v Ministry of Defence [2010] EWCA Civ 1317). Argument took place over four days and judgment was reserved by the Supreme Court.”
4 New Square, 21st November 2011
Source: www.4newsquare.com
Motto and others v Trafigura Ltd and another – WLR Daily
Motto and others v Trafigura Ltd and another [2011] EWCA Civ 1150; [2011] WLR (D) 292
“Where a costs judge determined that base costs were disproportionate for the purposes of CPR r 44.4(2)(a), to render them proportionate the judge was required to satisfy himself that the work on each item on the bill of costs was necessary, and, if necessary, that the cost of the item was reasonable. That was the approach to be taken generally, including in group litigation.”
WLR Daily, 12th October 2011
Source: www.iclr.co.uk
Father of Josie Russell steps forward as one of 13 new hacking claimants – The Independent
“The father of Josie Russell, who survived a frenzied hammer attack in which her sister and mother were killed, is suing News International over alleged phone hacking by the News of the World, it emerged yesterday.”
The Independent, 6th October 2011
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Liverpool Women’s concedes incontinence negligence cases – BBC News
“A hospital being sued by hundreds of women, who claim their incontinence was made worse by a surgeon, has admitted liability or agreed to pay compensation in 50% of claims processed so far.”
BBC News, 29th May 2011
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
End to epilepsy drug action delayed – The Independent
“A move to discontinue legal action brought by families who blame an epilepsy drug for causing defects in their children suffered a delay today (28 January).”
The Independent, 28th January 2011
Source: www.independent.co.uk
