The Growth of MDLs: What's Driving the Trends and At What Consequence for Civil Justice?

The numbers of cases being brought through multidistrict litigation proceedings (or MDLs) has grown dramatically in recent years. Is this capitalizing on efficiencies to further civil justice or clogging up the system? What’s driving plaintiffs to use the MDL process? What objections or concerns do defendants, judges, and legislators have to the growing trends? How should the courts and Congress react? These and other questions will be answered by our expert panel.
Benjamin Halperin, Associate, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
Alex Dahl, General Counsel, Lawyers for Civil Justice
D Theodore Rave, Professor of Law, The University of Texas at Austin School of Law
Patrick Luff, Senior Attorney, Fears Nachawati Law Firm