Consumer Class Actions: 3 Tips for In-House Counsel to Deter Enterprising Plaintiffs' Lawyers,

A growing scourge of meritless class actions is targeting the labeling, packaging and advertising of consumer products.

Many, if not most, of these lawsuits are filed by lawyers and plaintiffs who are repeat players in search of a quick payout. They cobble together complaints based on minimal to no research, send the defendant a demand letter that is largely a cut-and-paste of a prior letter, and then hope for an early settlement.

This commentary walks through some recent examples and offers three principles that should guide in-house counsel — especially those who are recurring targets — in defending their clients against such claims.