Edelson

{{Short description|American law firm known for class action lawsuits}}

{{Promotional|date=March 2023}}

{{Infobox Law Firm

| firm_name = Edelson PC

| firm_logo = Edelson PC Logo.jpg

| headquarters = 350 North LaSalle,
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.

| num_offices = 3

| num_attorneys = 27 attorneys

| num_employees =

| practice_areas = Class Action
Mass Tort
Consumer Protection

| date_founded = {{start date and age|2007}}

| company_type = Professional Corporation

| homepage = [https://edelson.com/ www.edelson.com]

| dissolved =

}}

Edelson PC is an American plaintiffs' law firm that focuses on public client investigations, class actions, mass tort, and consumer protection laws. Edelson’s cases include class action settlements against Facebook for $650 million (2021),{{cite news |last1=Channick |first1=Robert |title=Facebook privacy settlement approved: Nearly 1.6 million Illinois users will 'expeditiously' get at least $345 |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-facebook-privacy-settlement-approval-20210227-okljqhsiargl7ijvzzfcotpyby-story.html |access-date=31 March 2021 |work=Chicago Tribune |date=26 February 2021}}{{cite news |last1=Williams |first1=Jordan |title=Judge approves $650M settlement in photo-tagging lawsuit against Facebook |url=https://thehill.com/policy/technology/540807-judge-approves-650m-settlement-in-face-tagging-lawsuit-against-facebook |website=The Hill |access-date=25 May 2021 |date=27 February 2021}} social casino apps for nearly $200 million (2021),{{cite web |title=Attys In Slot App Suits Top $50M In Fees From Settlements |url=https://www.law360.com/articles/1355048/attys-in-slot-app-suits-top-50m-in-fees-from-settlements |website=law360.com |access-date=25 May 2021}}{{cite news |last1=Embree |first1=Dave |title=Edelson PC wins $50 million payout from 'social casino' litigation |url=https://today.westlaw.com/Document/I0976c6c7722411ebbea4f0dc9fb69570/View/FullText.html?contextData=(sc.Default)&transitionType=Default&firstPage=true |access-date=25 May 2021 |work=Westlaw Today |publisher=Thomson Reuters |date=18 February 2021}} and a $925 million verdict against ViSalus (2020.){{cite news |title=Federal judge upholds $925 million damages verdict in ViSalus robocalls case |url=https://www.crainsdetroit.com/courts/federal-judge-upholds-925-million-damages-verdict-visalus-robocalls-case |access-date=2 April 2021 |work=Crain's Detroit Business |publisher=Associated Press |date=19 August 2020}}{{cite news |title='Death sentence' for robocalls? Judge OKs nearly $1B in damages |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-robocall-925-million-damages-20200819-ntckuc3vsvbzvnishl5qcqlvta-story.html |access-date=25 May 2021 |work=Chicago Tribune |agency=Associated Press |date=19 August 2020}}

Firm history

Edelson PC was founded in 2007 in Chicago, Illinois and opened an office in San Francisco, California in 2015.{{cite web|url=https://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/11/09/law-firm-loathed-by-tech-expands-to-industrys-home-turf/?_r=0 |title=Law Firm Loathed by Tech Expands to Industry's Home Turf |work=The New York Times}}

Ligitation

Edelson has litigated against Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Google for violating consumer privacy laws by improperly storing users' search, contact, and biometric data.{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/05/technology/unpopular-in-silicon-valley.html |title=Jay Edelson, the Class-Action Lawyer Who May Be Tech's Least Friended Man |work=The New York Times}}

Edelson PC is co-lead counsel in the NCAA personal injury concussion litigation brought against the NCAA,{{cite news |last1=Russo |first1=Ralph D. |title=Wave of concussion lawsuits to test NCAA's liability |url=https://apnews.com/article/4a4ed68e4c3a426abc4e34606ae4a399 |access-date=25 May 2021 |work=Associated Press |agency=Associated Press |date=7 February 2019}} its member institutions, and its conferences on behalf of college football players who allege the NCAA failed to protect them from concussions and brain damage, including CTE. There are more than 369 total lawsuits filed.{{cite news |last1=Sellers |first1=Stephen M. |title=College Concussion Claims Put NCAA at Risk as Tragedies Multiply |url=https://news.bloomberglaw.com/product-liability-and-toxics-law/college-concussion-claims-put-ncaa-at-risk-as-tragedies-multiply |access-date=25 May 2021 |work=Bloomberg Law |date=5 March 2019}} Edelson PC leads a number of actions on behalf of governmental entities and labor unions in lawsuits against drug manufacturers and distributors over the opioid epidemic.{{cite web|url=http://illinoislocalgov.org/epidemic.html |title=Opioid Epidemic Hitting Local Governments |publisher=Illinois Coalition of Local Governments}}

Edelson PC filed numerous class actions arising in the aftermath of the federal bailouts of US banks (e.g., Citibank, Chase, and Wells Fargo). The lawsuits alleged the banks unlawfully suspended home credit lines based on pre-textual reasons, and that certain banks failed to honor loan modification programs. Edelson PC achieved the first federal appellate decision in the country recognizing the right of Wells Fargo borrowers to enforce HAMP trial plans under state law.{{cite web|url=https://www.law360.com/articles/317721/hamp-participants-have-contract-rights-7th-circ-rules |title=HAMP Participants Have Contract Rights, 7th Circ. Rules |publisher=Law 360}} The eventual settlements exceeded $3 billion in home equity lines of credit.{{

Cite web|url=

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-citigroup-homeequityloans-settlement/citigroup-settles-borrowers-home-equity-loan-lawsuit-idUSBRE87U15A20120831

|title=Citigroup settles borrowers' home equity loan lawsuit

|publisher=Reuters

}}

Edelson PC prosecuted more than 100 cases on behalf of consumers who allegedly received unauthorized charges on their mobile phone bills, settling numerous nationwide class actions, including against industry leader AT&T Mobility, collectively worth more than $100 million.{{

Cite web|url=

https://www.law360.com/articles/58142/at-t-settles-class-claims-over-mobile-content

|title=AT&T Settles Class Claims Over Mobile Content

|publisher=Law 360

}}

= Class action settlements =

Edelson PC has regularly raised concern regarding the conduct of plaintiffs’ attorneys and objected to a number of settlements.{{cite news |last1=Thomas |first1=David |title=Jay Edelson says TikTok settlement, Girardi bankruptcy show class action bar is 'broken' |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-edelson-lawsuits-idUSKBN2B12SI |access-date=4 June 2021 |work=Reuters |date=9 March 2021}}{{cite news |last1=Blum |first1=Vanessa |last2=Todd |first2=Ross |title=A Plaintiff-Side View on Big Law Bloat, COVID Cutbacks and the 'Secret Sauce' for Landing Mega Settlements |url=https://www.law.com/2020/10/23/a-plaintiff-side-view-on-big-law-bloat-covid-cutbacks-and-the-secret-sauce-for-landing-mega-settlements/ |access-date=4 June 2021 |work=Law.com |date=23 October 2020}} Edelson has objected to or intervened in settlements with TikTok, the NCAA,{{cite news |last1=Solomon |first1=Jon |title=Attorneys push back to approve NCAA concussion settlement |url=https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/attorneys-push-back-to-approve-ncaa-concussion-settlement/ |access-date=4 June 2021 |work=CBSSports.com |date=6 September 2014}}{{cite news |last1=Bronstad |first1=Amanda |title=ow Two Big-Name Plaintiffs Lawyers Became Rivals Over NCAA Concussion Cases |url=https://www.law.com/sites/almstaff/2017/03/03/how-two-big-name-plaintiffs-lawyers-became-rivals-over-ncaa-concussion-cases-2/ |access-date=4 June 2021 |work=Law.com |date=3 March 2017}} Neiman Marcus,{{cite news |last1=Frankel |first1=Alison |title=Surprise twist in landmark Neiman Marcus data breach case: Judge dissolves settlement class |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-otc-neimanmarcus-classaction/surprise-twist-in-landmark-neiman-marcus-data-breach-case-judge-dissolves-settlement-class-idUSKCN1LY312 |access-date=4 June 2021 |work=Reuters |date=18 September 2018}} and Equifax.{{cite news |last1=Frankel |first1=Alison |title=Plaintiffs' lawyer Jay Edelson slams $380 million Equifax deal in amicus brief at 11th Circuit |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/legal-us-otc-equifax-idUSKBN265381 |access-date=4 June 2021 |work=Reuters |date=14 September 2020}}

The firm also brought a RICO lawsuit against a “professional class-action objector” raising allegations of extortion, which resulted in a judgment entered against attorney Christopher Bandas, prohibiting him from practicing law in the state of Illinois and limiting his ability to object to class action settlements in federal or state court.{{cite news |last1=Bilyk |first1=Jonathan |title=Judge OKs Bandas' request barring Illinois law practice, orders end to Edelson's suit over class action objections |url=https://cookcountyrecord.com/stories/511723994-judge-oks-bandas-request-barring-illinois-law-practice-orders-end-to-edelson-s-suit-over-class-action-objections |access-date=4 June 2021 |work=Cook County Record |date=18 January 2019}}{{cite news |last1=Bologna |first1=Michael J. |title=Notorious 'Serial Objector' May Have Filed His Last Objection (1) |url=https://news.bloomberglaw.com/class-action/notorious-serial-objector-may-have-filed-his-last-objection-1 |access-date=4 June 2021 |work=Bloomberg Law |date=12 March 2019}}

In December 2020, the firm filed a lawsuit against Tom Girardi, the law firm of Girardi & Keese, and Erika Girardi, among others, alleging that Girardi had misappropriated client funds. Following the filing of that lawsuit, numerous other allegations against Tom Girardi came to light, and he and his law firm thereafter filed for bankruptcy.{{cite news |last1=Barker |first1=Anne |last2=Guilianno |first2=Archicco |title=Tom Girardi sued by Indonesia's Lion air crash families over claims US lawyer embezzled millions of their settlement funds |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-06-05/claims-us-lawyer-embezzled-millions-from-indonesian-client-funds/100181262 |access-date=5 June 2021 |date=5 June 2021}}

= Cases =

Spokeo v. Robins: Edelson PC successfully argued to the United States Supreme Court that a plaintiff can have standing under Article III of the U.S. Constitution by alleging that a website published inaccurate information about him, in violation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act.{{Cite web

|url=http://blogs.reuters.com/alison-frankel/2016/05/16/brace-for-more-class-action-challenges-post-spokeo/

|title=Brace for more class action challenges post-Spokeo

|publisher=Reuters

|access-date=2018-04-07

|archive-date=2018-03-23

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180323174324/http://blogs.reuters.com/alison-frankel/2016/05/16/brace-for-more-class-action-challenges-post-spokeo/

|url-status=dead

}}

Mullen v. GLV, Inc., et al.: Edelson PC brought a class action on behalf of several parents for failure to disclose sexual abuse occurring within Sports Performance Volleyball Club. Its owners, Rick and Cheryl Butler, are charged with withholding and misrepresented information about the sexual abuse allegations against Rick Butler.{{cite web|url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/volleyball-coach-rick-butler-hit-with-class-action-lawsuit-over-sex-abuse-claims/ |title=Volleyball coach Rick Butler hit with class-action lawsuit over sex abuse claims |publisher=Chicago Sun Times}}{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/sexual-misconduct/top-youth-volleyball-coach-was-accused-raping-players-1980s-yet-n852311 |title=Top youth volleyball coach was accused of raping players in the 1980s, yet still trained kids, lawsuit charges |work=NBC News}} Edelson PC represented that it would donate any attorney's fees received in the case to charity.{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/02/sports/volleyball-coach-rape-rick-butler.html |title=Top Volleyball Coach Raped Teenage Athletes, Lawsuit Alleges |work=The New York Times}} The case is one of the first sexual abuse cases to be granted class actions status.{{

Cite web|url=

https://www.chicagolawbulletin.com/class-action-suit-gets-ok-against-volleyball-coach-rick-butler-20190122

|title=Class-action suit gets OK against volleyball coach

|publisher=Chicago Law Bulletin

}}

Harris, et al. v. comScore, Inc.: Edelson PC was appointed class counsel in a suit alleging improper data collecting practices by one of the world's largest internet analytics companies and successfully certified a class estimated by several sources to be the largest privacy case ever certified on an adversarial basis.{{Cite web|url=https://www.law360.com/articles/430164/massive-class-certified-in-comscore-user-privacy-suit|title=Massive Class Certified In ComScore User Privacy Suit|publisher=Law 360}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.law360.com/articles/544569/comscore-pays-14m-to-escape-massive-privacy-class-action|title=ComScore Pays $14M To Escape Massive Privacy Class Action|publisher=Law 360}}

In re Facebook Privacy Litigation: Edelson PC filed the first of its kind class action against Facebook under the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act. The lawsuit alleges that Facebook collected facial recognition data from its users without authorization.{{

Cite web|url=

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-facebook-facial-recognition-lawsuit-met-story.html

|title=Suit: Facebook facial recognition technology violates Illinois privacy laws

|publisher=Chicago Tribune

}}

Firm culture

Edelson PC has drawn attention in the legal community by cultivating the feel of a startup. The dress code is casual and the Chicago offices have an indoor volleyball court, golf simulator, a ping pong table, and a pool table.{{

Cite web|url=

https://tech.co/better-age-chicagos-top-founders-40-2016-08/gallery/5#scroll-to-gallery

|title=Better with Age: Chicago's Top Ten Startup Founders over 40

|publisher=Tech.co

}} Edelson's prank culture has featured elaborate jokes such as hiring an actor to play an unruly law student{{

Cite web|url=

https://abovethelaw.com/2013/08/this-firm-hired-an-actor-to-play-the-worlds-worst-summer-associate/

|title=This Firm Hired An Actor To Play The World's Worst Summer Associate

|publisher=Above The Law

}}

employing a polar bear as an attorney,{{

Cite web|url=

https://abovethelaw.com/2017/09/lets-screw-with-some-summer-associates/

|title=Let's Screw With Some Summer Associates

|publisher=Above The Law

}}

and commissioning a musical parody of Hamilton written by Edelson PC lawyers.{{

Cite web|url=

https://biglawbusiness.com/the-full-lyrics-to-edelson-p-c-s-hamilton-parody/

|title=The Full Lyrics to Edelson P.C.'s Hamilton Parody

|publisher=Bloomberg Law

}}

References

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