October 6, 2007

They keep the initiative with the plaintiff's side, says California class action plaintiff's attorney Brad Seligman:

Individual cases rise and fall on your client. On some fundamental level, you're defensive. The defendant is going to challenge your client and say, "He was a terrible, awful employee blah blah...." In class action, the focus is on the defendant. I can really be on the offensive, looking at the defendant's conduct and keeping the searchlight on that.

-- Civil Justice Association of California 3Q07 "Balance" newsletter (PDF), quoting article by Stan Sinberg in "Northern California Super Lawyers" magazine.