Consumer protection. Product defects. Alphabet soup of federal legislation. Wage and hour disputes. Odor nuisance. Carcinogenic ingredients. Privacy. Healthcare issues. And so much more…

Whatever the issue, whether there are 100 or 100,000 plaintiffs, Lathrop GPM is prepared to defend your organization in class actions, mass actions and multidistrict litigation. As a respected and experienced class action defense firm, Lathrop GPM diligently crafts case-specific strategies to achieve our clients’ goals and minimize risk. Our approach can include anything from narrowing the issues or eliminating the case through motions to defeating class certification, negotiating a creative and favorable settlement or winning at trial.

Class actions are one of the fastest growing areas of litigation. As the variety and volume of cases grow, the risks to businesses also escalate. Class actions pose a substantial threat to organizations through significant damage claims, intrusive discovery, negative publicity and the risk of unfavorable outcomes impacting key business operations. We have built our reputation by battling rogue claims and implementing forward-thinking tactics to achieve favorable results for our clients.

With more than 180 litigators, Lathrop GPM has the breadth of knowledge to prevail in high-profile, high-stakes litigation nationwide. And our attorneys wrote the book on class actions in Missouri and Kansas, appearing in more than 40 cases filed the Eastern District of Missouri, Western District of Missouri, or District of Kansas since 2019.

On behalf of our clients, Lathrop GPM attorneys have:

  • Successfully defended hospitals and healthcare systems, manufacturing companies, agribusinesses, universities, financial institutions, landfill operators, government institutions, franchise systems, employers and others in class action litigation
  • Prevailed on dispositive motions
  • Defeated class certification
  • Helped change legislation to eliminate the risk of future cases
  • Resolved high exposure cases quickly and quietly

Why Choose Us?

Lathrop GPM stands at the forefront of class action defense, armed with an experienced team and a proven track record of success. We understand the complexities and risks associated with class actions and are committed to devising strategies that are tailored to each client’s unique needs. Our comprehensive approach encompasses proactive legislative efforts, strategic planning and robust litigation tactics, making us a trusted ally in navigating the ever-evolving landscape of class action litigation defense.

Experience

Our track record of success with dismissals, favorable settlements, summary judgments, defeating or limiting class certification, trials and favorable appeals covers a broad spectrum of allegations.

Toxic Tort & Odor Nuisance

We defend clients against a variety of toxic tort and nuisance class and mass allegations, including odor nuisance claims related to waste disposal sites and large livestock operations and property damage and medical claims relating to water contamination, air pollution and hazardous waste exposure. We often resolve these putative class action matters in mediation, reaching settlement prior to litigation, though we have a strong track record of success in instances where litigation is unavoidable, particularly in rebutting opposing expert witnesses.

In a proactive effort to avoid future liabilities, our attorneys work with local, state and federal government to draft relevant legislation and assist in the strategic planning needed to get legislation passed and signed into law. We regularly advise clients on future permitting and site access agreements and simultaneously resolve complex litigation across a broad range of tort claims.

Financial Institutions & Retirement Administration

Our practice in this area involves the defense of class action claims against financial institutions including banks, credit unions, trust companies, investment brokers and managers and more. Our long history of representing financial institutions provides clients with decades of experience and knowledge that allows our lawyers to successfully defend matters, whether the claims involve the institution’s fees, disclosures or practices. In addition, we regularly defend class action matters involving:

  • Unreimbursed business expenses
  • Failure to provide accurate itemized wage statements
  • Failure to provide suitable seating
  • Pay equity and discrimination

Our attorneys are at the forefront of ERISA and employee benefit litigation and served as lead counsel in the principal case concerning preemption of state penalty statutes.

Healthcare & Privacy

Lathrop GPM attorneys have extensive experience representing healthcare clients who are frequent targets of plaintiff’s lawyers bringing class actions. The range of claims includes:

  • Data breaches
  • Benefit administration issues
  • Charges for medical records retrieval
  • Consumer protection violations
  • Employment related issues
  • Disclosure of protected health information and other privacy issues

In addition to providing proactive counsel on healthcare compliance and data storage/handling, we defend clients in lawsuits related to data breaches and cyberattacks – an ever-growing trend in today’s technology-driven world.

Consumer Protection & Product Defects

We defend a wide array of companies – from financial institutions, trade associations and universities to automakers, agricultural producers, food processors and pharmaceutical companies – in consumer and direct purchaser claims. These claims include:

  • Consumer protection acts
  • Merchandising practices acts
  • Antitrust and price gouging claims
  • Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA)
  • Breach of warranty claims
  • Habitability claims

Employment

Class actions related to employment claims – particularly wage and hour, pay equity and discrimination lawsuits – have surged over the past decade, with employees alleging company-wide violations of state and federal employment laws. These violations typically include missed meal/rest periods, off-the clock work, incorrect per diems, misclassification of employees and violations of minimum wage and overtime laws. More recently, we are seeing claims for violations of pay equity and discrimination laws brought in court and by government agencies such as the EEOC. At Lathrop GPM, our seasoned labor and employment attorneys defend employers in high-stakes class actions and California’s Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) litigation involving tens of thousands of putative class members with millions of workweeks under scrutiny. Our strategic defense and settlement negotiations have collectively saved our clients tens of millions of dollars, including within the California labor and employment market, a notorious epicenter for such litigation.

Meet the Team

Primary Contacts