Good morning, everyone!
I hope you had a fantastic week! I’m writing this to you from beautiful Miami Beach, Florida, attending my final day of the American Association for Justice Winter Conference! By the time you’re reading this, I’ll be back home with my gorgeous wife and girls. This trip has been amazing, not just because it’s in Miami, but because I’ve learned a LOT!
Working in class actions and consumer law, there are lots and lots of facets and elements
of the law that I don’t know about. It’s not just prosecuting a case against a defendant -- it’s finding the right plaintiff to file the case; making sure the right attorney is handling the case so if things go south major case law isn’t negatively impacted by a “bad ruling;” or just making sure the attorney knows which court district is best to handle a big case. In addition, once our attorneys WIN, you have to figure out where the money goes. The plaintiffs need to be paid, but if there are medical bills to be paid, those have to get paid off and planned for as well as court fees, attorneys fees, and, of course, the big checks for the plaintiffs. If it’s a class action settlement, then there is advertising to make sure that consumers know about it, and the settlement administrators get factored into the equation.
My point is, there is a lot that goes into these cases. When I’m at a major conference like this, I get to meet with attorneys and vendors who handle every single element of these cases. It’s part of my job to figure out how we can work with them, and where Top Class Actions fits into it. That’s been a GREAT thing at this conference. I learned a lot about a LOT of different case types affecting consumers. I’ve brainstormed with lawyers on how we can make things better. I’ve met with people who work their butts off to put as much money as possible into the pockets of plaintiffs. That is super cool, and it will make things better for you, our amazing Top Class Actions viewers, in 2019.
Before I wrap up, I want to encourage you
to click on the ad below and pre-order Mike Papantonio's new book, "Law and addiction," being released soon! I read his previous book, "Law and Disorder", in this legal thriller series, and the main character, Deke’s, quest for justice, both personally and for his clients, is really really good! Mike does a really good job introducing you to the heroes and antiheroes in the first 1/3 of the book, and then takes you on a roller coaster ride that you will literally speed
through, it's so good, for the last two-thirds. There were some HUGE twists and turns that I didn’t see coming. I’m one of those people, like you I’m sure, that can see what’s coming in a book so I’m rarely surprised. I promise you, I did not see what was coming for Deke at the end of "Law and Disorder." How they wrapped it up, just WOW! I’m now about a quarter of the way into "Law and Vengeance," which has Deke and his firm taking on a whole new set of bad guys (defective gun sights causing horrific collateral damage), and it seems like Mike Papantonio is going all “Game of Thrones” on his characters. Mike isn’t afraid to take
big risks for the characters in his books to help drive the story forward. I won’t spoil the story, but I will say, hold on tight! I will have "Law and Disorder" wrapped up by the end of the week, I’m sure. I’m going to have to hit up Pap to see if I can get an advanced copy of "Law and Addiction." I’ve already pre-ordered it, but I’m really enjoying how the characters are developing as the stories expand and grow. Pick them up below! For those wondering, no, I’m not paid to endorse the books. I wouldn’t push them if I didn’t like them! If you're curious what goes on in Big Law, you’ll find out the dirt, all wrapped up
in these legal thrillers.
OK, enough "book nerding out," on to more lawsuit and settlement updates!
That’s all for now! Make it a GREAT week!
Warm Regards,
Scott Hardy
President & CEO