In the UK, the growing prevalence of Class Actions and the circumstances in which businesses are threatened with them, including changing rules on litigation funding and more flexible procedures, means that Class Actions are becoming a major risk for our clients. The nature and size of such disputes, if not managed effectively, can lead to costly and long lasting litigation which can affect profitability, share prices, financial reporting and their reputations.

Historically, countries such as the US and Australia have been the most active proponents of Class Action activity, but the picture is changing across the UK and Europe and it is vital that our clients are alive to the potential risks that this brings.

As one of the largest Litigation & Regulatory practices in the world, we are at the forefront of developments in Class Actions and we have a unique position to identify trends, engage with global regulators and court systems, and offer solutions for these types of cases that are increasingly crossing boundaries.

DLA Piper have a longstanding global track record of helping our clients anticipate, deal with and resolve Class Actions they have been faced with, across a variety of sectors and jurisdictions. Our clients benefit from our team of experienced, multi-skilled lawyers, who, together with our innovative legal project management team, can assist you at every stage, from anticipating claims that might arise through to defending legal proceedings.

We have developed a series of short films which cover our predictions for growth areas for Class Actions in the UK and issues relevant to businesses in all sectors including: 

  • Our predictions for the development of Class Actions in the UK
  • Product liability and mass torts claims
  • Privacy and data protection
  • Shareholders'/corporate claims
  • Financial services claims
  • Third-party funding
  • Human rights
  • Climate change
  • Mass employment claims

You can access the first of these Class Action short films here. This film discusses how Class Actions are an evolving risk for business and what businesses require to prepare for the risk. Over the coming months, we will send you links to our other films. Look out also for our short video bytes on social media

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.