Irell & Manella LLP

Irell & Manella LLP has a long record of successfully defending class action lawsuits and our reputation as a firm of experienced trial lawyers enhances our effectiveness in this area.  Our record of achievement includes obtaining orders dismissing class action suits with prejudice at the pleading stage, striking class members after merits rulings, and obtaining interlocutory review of class certification orders. 

Our attorneys have defended class action lawsuits alleging a wide range of legal theories – including consumer class actions, securities fraud (including various forms of securities such as common stock, warrants, debt, tax-driven investments, and privately-placed securities), antitrust, copyright infringement, wage and hour violations, and real estate and partnership fraud – in state and federal courts for clients in many industries.  We have handled all phases of class action litigation, including pre-certification hearing discovery, class certification motions and hearings, interlocutory appeals of certification rulings, class action trials, negotiating favorable settlements, and obtaining court approval of class settlements.  While our focus in class action defense is always on the possibility of early resolution, if early resolution cannot be achieved, our attorneys are experienced at taking class action lawsuits through trial and appeal.

In the Minority Law Journal's Diversity Scorecard for 2010 for racially diverse firms, Irell ranked as one the top 30 most diverse firms in the country out of approximately 250 surveyed.

The Minority Law Journal's Diversity Scorecard for 2009 ranked Irell as the firm with the highest percentage of openly gay and lesbian lawyers in the country.

In 2009, Irell ranked 5th in the "Top 50 Law Firms for Partners' Listing" by MultiCultural Law Magazine.  Irell is ranked 4th by Minority Corporate Counsel in its 2008 list of "Law Firms with Highest Minority Equity Partner Levels." 

These rankings reflect our commitment to attracting and promoting the highest quality attorneys by creating an environment where attorneys of all races, ethnicities, nationalities, genders, religions, and sexual orientations can thrive based on merit and creativity.