SEATTLE – Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP, a national class-action law firm, has been named to the National Law Journal’s 2015 list of Elite Trial Lawyers for the firm’s groundbreaking work in representing plaintiffs in complex motor vehicle lawsuits.

The firm was also included in the NLJ’s inaugural 2014 list – a compilation of the nation’s leading, cutting-edge firms bringing about significant change and major plaintiffs settlements in complex litigation.

“In litigating cases against the nation’s largest corporations, we strive to make an impact for a large volume of consumers – especially those who fall victim to the gross negligence and oversight of major players: automakers,” said Steve Berman, managing partner of Hagens Berman. “Hagens Berman is pleased to be recognized for the hard work we do in this area and look forward to the pending automotive litigation in which we are currently involved.”

In the firm’s latest motor vehicle case, a nationwide group of vehicle owners have filed a lawsuit against Volkswagen for its use of emissions-cheating software in some of its recent CleanDiesel, TDI models.

In the last three to five years, the firm has doubled-down on its core mission in regards to the auto industry – an industry that’s wrought with negligence and disregard for the millions of vehicle owners that trust the seatbelts, ignition switches, airbags and brakes in the cars they drive will not fail them.

To qualify for inclusion, firms had to have scored significant victories on behalf of plaintiffs between July 1, 2014, and June 30, 2015, including more than $40 million in awards during that period or four or more cases totaling more than $15 million in awards in one of the six categories selected by the National Law Journal – employment, medical malpractice, products liability, special litigation, securities and motor vehicle.

Of the 50 firms named to the list, Hagens Berman was one of only five firms named to the motor vehicle category.

Managing partner Steve Berman was appointed co-lead counsel in the massive MDL alleging that Toyota vehicles contained a defect causing sudden, unintended acceleration – In re: Toyota Motor Corp. Unintended Acceleration MDL. Berman was selected by Judge Selna without having applied for the leadership position for his expertise in complex, sprawling class-action litigation and ability to secure tangible benefits for class members. Our litigation eventually lead to securing a $1.6 billion settlement – the largest settlement against an automaker in history – one that Judge Selna called, “extraordinary because every single dollar in the cash fund will go to claimants.”

Since this win, Hagens Berman has taken a stand against General Motors for a series of bungled recalls following the installment of faulty ignition switches, which led to more than 100 fatalities and countless injuries across the country.

In August of 2014, Hagens Berman attorneys secured a $255 million settlement for owners of affected vehicles, a class of consumers who purchased more than 900,000 vehicles under false information. Hagens Berman has also filed suit against Ford, Volkswagen, BMW, Mercedes, Kia, Hyundai, Toyota and others for a flaw in the design of keyless fob systems that has led to 13 documented deaths from carbon monoxide poisoning.

Since its inception, the firm has prevailed in milestone class-action lawsuits against some of the nation’s largest corporations and entities, including a national settlement against Big Tobacco, awarding $206 billion for state programs, the largest settlement in the history of civil litigation in the United States.

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About Hagens Berman
Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP is a consumer-rights class-action law firm with offices in 10 cities. The firm has been named to the National Law Journal’s Plaintiffs’ Hot List eight times. More about the law firm and its successes can be found at www.hbsslaw.com. Find the firm on Twitter at @classactionlaw.

Contact
Ashley Klann
206-268-9363
[email protected]