Class actions can be an effective way to remedy consumer injury and deter corporate wrongdoing. Rolling individual injuries into a single legal action can vindicate consumer rights that might otherwise go without remedy. And the class action device can enable the private bar to seek resolution for some problems that government consumer protection agencies may not have the resources to pursue.

Sometimes, however, class actions do not serve the goals for which they were created, and the interests of private class attorneys and defendants appear to merge to the detriment of the class members. Class members may be offered coupons or other benefits without clear and complete information to judge their value, while defendants obtain broad releases and class counsel receive generous fees.

FTC Conference Center ~ 601 New Jersey Ave., NW ~ Washington, DC 20001
Can settlement notices, non-pecuniary remedies, attorney fee awards and other aspects of the class action device be reformed, revised, enhanced, or improved to better protect the interests of consumer class members?

Join judges, academics, practitioners, corporate and government attorneys, economists, consumer advocates, and claims facilitators for a thoughtful exchange on the current state of class action practice, as well as promising proposals for the future. The Georgetown Journal of Legal Ethics will be publishing transcripts of the proceedings, as well as selected workshop-related articles, in upcoming issues. For details on submitting an article for consideration, click here.

When: Monday, September 13, 2004; 9:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Tuesday, September 14, 2004; 9:00 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
Registration begins each day at 8:00 a.m.
Where: FTC Conference Center, 601 New Jersey Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. 20001.

Workshop Agenda & Materials

Registration & Attendance

FTC Class Action Briefs

Since January 2002, the FTC has filed six briefs in class action cases and concluded the proposed settlements were flawed or the fees unreasonably large in light of results obtained.

Advocacy Comments

Consumer & Business Education

  • Need a Lawyer? Judge for Yourself [TXT] [PDF]

Speeches