CEI’s Center for Class Action Fairness (CCAF) represents class members against unfair class action procedures and settlements. Originally founded by Ted Frank in 2009, CCAF has won millions of dollars for consumers and shareholders, and won landmark precedents that safeguard investors, courts, and the general public.

Unfair settlements generally serve self-interested lawyers and third parties at the expense of absent class members, the group of people whose rights are traded away to settle a class action. Lawyers have an interest in their fees, defendants have an interest in cheaply disposing of a lawsuit, and the class’ interests can take a back seat in the process. CCAF seeks to solve these problems by representing such class members pro bono and presenting judges with the other side of the argument. When CCAF prevails, lawyers get less, class members get more, and the rule of law is strengthened.

The New York Times says CCAF’s Ted Frank is “the leading critic of abusive class action settlements,” while Reuters called him a “class action maverick” and “among class action lawyers’ most feared objectors.”

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Litigation

True v. American Honda Motor Company

  • 749 F. Supp. 2d 1052 (C.D. Cal. 2010).
  • Court Level: District

The Center for Class Action Fariness’s client objected to this settlement over fuel-economy advertising because plaintiffs’ lawyers sought nearly $3M for themselves and merely coupons…

Class Action Fairness

Litigation

TD Ameritrade Accountholder Litigation

  • 266 F.R.D. 418 (N.D. Cal. 2009)
  • Court Level: District

In this settlement over a data security breach, plaintiffs’ lawyers were seeking $1.87M for themselves and only vouchers for the class: the district court upheld…

Class Action Fairness

Litigation

Sobel v. Hertz Corporation

  • No. 3:06-CV-00545-LRH-RAM, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 68984 (D. Nev. Jun. 27, 2011)
  • Court Level: District

The Center’s client objected to this settlement over car rental fees wherein plaintiffs’ lawyers sought $1.5M for themselves but only coupons for the class; the…

Class Action Fairness

Litigation

Lonardo v. Travelers Indemnity Company

  • 706 F. Supp. 2d 766 (N.D. Ohio 2010)
  • Court Level: District

In this settlement over insurance pricing, the Center’s client objected that plaintiffs’ lawyers sought $6.6M when the class would only receive $2.8M; in response, the…

Class Action Fairness

Litigation

Classmates.com Consolidated Litigation

  • No. 09-cv-0045-RAJ, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 83480 (W.D. Wash Jun. 15, 2012)
  • Court Level: District

The Center’s client objected to a settlement over deceptive advertising that promised over $1M to plaintiffs’ lawyers and about $100,000 to the class. The court…

Class Action Fairness

Litigation

Robert F. Booth Trust v. Crowley

  • 687 F.3d 314 (7th Cir. 2012)
  • Court Level: Appellate

The Center objected to this shareholder-derivative settlement offering no value to shareholders and $925,000 to plaintiffs’ lawyers. The district court denied the Center’s motion to intervene,…

Class Action Fairness

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