SEATTLE, Wash. (February 19, 2014) - Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that the firm’s Class Action Defense Group was recognized by Law360 as one of five nationally ranked law firms to receive the distinction as Class Action Group of the Year. 

Law360’s profile of Perkins Coie notes that the firm “secured an influential appellate decision on confidential source allegations in securities litigation against The Boeing Co. and defeated class certification in a string of high-profile consumer claims, earning it a spot among Law360’s Class Action Practice Groups of the Year.”

Sarah Crooks, chair of Perkins Coie’s Class Action Defense Group, is quoted in the profile saying, “Class actions typically, given their nature, are going to be higher stakes than the average litigation matter…The way we consistently achieve success is assembling teams with specific expertise for that area.”

Click here to read the Law360 profile.

Among the winning cases that Law360 noted led to the Group of the Year designation were:

• Securing wins for General Mills Inc., which faced putative consumer class action claims about the marketing and labeling of some of its popular snack foods, including Cheerios and Fruit Roll-Ups. 
  
  
• Successfully arguing a challenged ingredient was permitted under U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulations leading class action plaintiffs to voluntarily dismiss remaining claims involving Yoplait Greek yogurt.
  
  
• Defeating class certification in a high-stakes wage-and-hour case against Comcast Corp. alleging the company failed to pay overtime to more than 2,000 call center employees and that it had engaged in deceptive practices under the Washington Consumer Protection Act in soliciting their employment.

Perkins Coie litigates dozens of putative class actions every year.  Over the last several years, the firm has represented major companies in opposing class action complaints in more than 300 cases, primarily in the areas of antitrust, consumer protection, employment, and securities.

Perkins Coie is a leading international law firm that is known for providing high-value, strategic solutions and extraordinary client service on matters vital to our clients’ success. With more than 1,200 lawyers in offices across the United States and Asia, we provide a full array of corporate, commercial litigation, intellectual property, and regulatory legal advice to a broad range of clients, including many of the world’s most innovative companies and industry leaders as well as public and not-for-profit organizations.

Media Inquiries: Please email Justin Cole, Head of Media Relations.