SEATTLE – Hagens Berman’s co-founder and managing partner, Steve W. Berman, has been named by The National Law Journal as a 2019 Elite Trial Lawyer in its annual award listing honoring law firms and lawyers handling cutting-edge work on behalf of plaintiffs in practice areas ranging from mass torts to securities litigation.

Berman was selected for his standout work in mass torts, including representation of a class of USC students and alumna against gynecologist George Tyndall, M.D. culminating in a $215 million settlement and new procedures for identification, prevention and reporting of sexual and racial misconduct. The firm also finalized a settlement against Ford pertaining to its defective MyFord Touch infotainment systems, and brought relief to Tesla owners in a class action against the automaker involving its Enhanced Autopilot and self-driving features.

When asked about his biggest client wins in 2019, Berman cited the firm’s monumental victory for college-athletes against the National Collegiate Athletic Association: “[The firm] secured a monumental victory against the NCAA in the antitrust case challenging NCAA rules limiting compensation to student athletes playing Division I football or basketball. After the court approved a $209 million settlement in the damage phase, trial took place in September 2018 on the injunctive portion. In March 2019, [U.S. District] Judge Claudia Wilken granted an injunction which prohibits the NCAA from enforcing any rules that fix or limit compensation provided to college-athletes other than cash compensation untethered to education-related expenses. The NCAA is now ‘permanently restrained and enjoined from agreeing to fix or limit compensation or benefits related to education.’”

Berman is notorious for his concise and uncomplicated working style. When asked what has been the best lesson he learned as a young lawyer, he said, “Keep it simple. I try to focus on the core of the case and make things simple instead of getting lost in the details.”

Read more about Steve W. Berman’s recent awards and successes.

# # #

About Hagens Berman
Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP is a consumer-rights class-action law firm with nine offices across the country. The firm’s tenacious drive for plaintiffs’ rights has earned it numerous national accolades, awards and titles of “Most Feared Plaintiff’s Firm,” and MVPs and Trailblazers of class-action law. More about the law firm and its successes can be found at hbsslaw.com. Follow the firm for updates and news at @ClassActionLaw.

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