Multi-Party Actions

This is the first practitioner's work to deal in detail with the new rule (19.III) on Group Litigation Orders under the Civil Procedure Rules. Due to come into effect in mid-2000, it introduces for the first time specific provisions dealing with the procedural aspects of managing multi-party actions. The book provides exhaustive analysis of the new rule and relates it to the extensive experience which has been gained from the major multi-party actions of recent years, such as those relating to Opren, Benzodiazepine tranquilizers, the Sellafield radiation claims, the Lloyd's litigation, Norplant, the British Coal Vibration White Finger litigation and the British Coal respiratory disease litigation. The book includes fifteen case studies on these and other major cases, written by the practitioners involved and providing a major factual resource for all tort lawyers. The details of the matters in issue in these cases and their resolution have not previously been easily accessible, nor systematically analysed. Also included are chapters contributed by leading lawyers from the US, Canada, and Australia on their class action rules, which enables useful comparisons to be made on points both of principle and practice. Written by a leading expert in the field, the book provides a uniquely detailed analysis of multi-party actions and their management.

Table of Contents:
PART I: INTRODUCTORY 1: The Phenomenon of Multi-Party Actions in England and Wales PART II: MANAGING GROUP LITIGATION 2: Basic Principles and Issues 3: Initiation 4: Investigating, Commencing and Pleading Claims 5: Initial Management of the Group 6: Advertising 7: Further Management Issues 8: Costs 9: Other Procedural Mechanisms PART III: FUNDING MULTI-PARTY ACTIONS 10: Legal Expenses Insurance 11: Conditional Fee Arrangements 12: Public Funding PART IV: MULTI-PARTY RULES IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS 13: Laurel J Harbour, Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP, London: Class Actions: An American Perspective 14: Jay Prestage and Gordon McKee, Blake, Cassels & Graydon, Toronto: Class Actions in the Common Law Provinces of Canada 15: Jocelyn Kellam and S Stuart Clark, Clayton Utz, Sydney: Multi-Party Actions in Australia PART V: CASE STUDIES 16: Introduction to Case Studies 17: Simon Pearl, Davies Arnold Cooper, London: Pertussis Vaccine Litigation 18: Anne Ware, Davies Arnold Cooper: The Opren Litigation 19: Simon Pearl, Davies Arnold Cooper, London: HIV Haemophilia Litigation 20: Christopher Hodges, CMS Cameron McKenna, London: Gravigard IUD 21: John Kelleher, Theodore Goddard, London: Myodil Litigation 22: Gary Hickinbottom, CMS Cameron McKenna, London: The Benzodiazepine Litigation 23: Gary Wakinshaw, Kwelm Management, London: Lloyd's Litigation 24: Aidan Thomson, Freshfields, London: Reay v BNFL; Hope v BNFL 25: Aidan Thomson, Freshfields, London: Manufacturing Operations: Mixed Claims: B & Ors v X Co; D & Ors v X Co 26: John Evans, Ashurst Morris Crisp, London: Docklands Nuisance Class Actions 27: Christopher Vigrass and Eleanor Boddington, Ashurst Morris Crisp, London: The Lockton Litigation 28: David Body, Irwin Mitchell Solicitors, Sheffield: The Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (Human Growth Hormone) Litigation 29: Andrew Tucker, Irwin Mitchell Solicitors, Sheffield: British Coal: Vibration White Finger 30: Andrew Tucker, Irwin Mitchell Solicitors, Sheffield: British Coal: Respiratory Disease Litigation 31: Arundel McDougall, Rowe & Maw, London: Norplant 32: Miles Alexander, Simmons & Simmons, London and Mark Elvy, Ashurst Morris Crisp, London: Tobacco Litigation: 1992-1999 APPENDICES A CPR Rule 19.III and Practice Direction B Practice Direction - Group Litigation C CPA Rule 19.II D Practice Direction E CPR Rule 48.A and Extract from Practice Direction: Parts 43-48 F Directive on Injunctions G Specimen initial group litigation (GLO) directions H Legal Services Commission's Multi-Party Action Documents I Solicitors firms which are members of the Multi-Party Action Panel

About the Author :
Christopher Hodges is recognised as one of the leading experts in Europe on product liability law and multi-party actions. He is Vice-Chair of the International Bar Association's Section on Business Law's Committee on Business Consumer Affairs (which covers product liability) and Chair of the Working Party on Product Liability of the Confederation of British Industry. He is also Fellow of the Society of Advanced Legal Studies. He has been published extensively on European product liability and product regulatory law.

Review :
`This is an excellent addition to the Oxford series of works on litigation. ... Overall, Hodges has produced a minor miracle: a book which is useful, comprehensive, accurate, up-to-date, stimulating and outward-looking. The book is also handsomely produced.' The Cambridge Law Journal, Vol. 61, Part 2, July 2002 `this is certainly not a dry practitioners' handbook. It will no doubt become the first point of reference for many practitioners in the field, but can also be read profitably by students and academics.' Modern Law Review, 1 March 2002 `the first English book to deal comprehensively with multi-party actions ... an area of law and procedure that has received relatively little commentary in the past ...The book ... comes at a time when the European Community and other jurisdictions are considering law reform issues such as multi-party actions in the context of increasing globalisation of corporations around the world and is a useful component to any study or discussion on the just and proper administration of multi-party claims.' Lawrence Teh 30 August 2001 `This book is both timely and provides a mine of relevant infomation, at a time at which the European Community and others are considering relevant law reform issues.' Health-Care Focus d `Hodges' book is the first comprehensive examination of (what Americans call) class actions in the jurisdiction of England and Wales ... the book will be of value to any American defense lawyer who is or may be involved in class action litigation in the United Kingdom. Multi-Party Actions contains, perhaps most importantly, a comprehensive practitioner's guide to the rules which govern multi-party actions in England and Wales, along with practical advice on how to manage such actions.' For The Defense (DRI Newsletter) `Chris Hodges' book is a mine of relevant information ... It is a valuable guide for any lawyer who needs to know how multi-party actions are run in the United Kingdom.' For The Defense (DRI Newsletter)