Class Action Lawyer

When a corporation defrauds thousands of customers, a manufacturer sells a defective product to millions of consumers, or an institution engages in systematic misconduct that harms an entire community, no single lawsuit tells the full story. Class action litigation is the legal mechanism designed for exactly these situations — and Brett Schreiber is a California class action attorney with the experience, resources, and trial record to take on powerful corporate defendants and win.

Brett has been recognized by Best Lawyers in America as Lawyer of the Year in Plaintiff's Mass Tort/Class Action Litigation — a distinction that reflects years of successful, high-stakes class action work on behalf of individuals whose individual claims might never have been heard without the collective power of a class.

If you believe you have been harmed by a company's product, policy, or practice — and that others have been harmed the same way — contact Brett's office today for a free, confidential case evaluation.

What Is a Class Action Lawsuit?

A class action lawsuit allows one or more individuals — called lead plaintiffs or named plaintiffs — to file and prosecute a lawsuit on behalf of a larger group of people who have all been harmed in a similar way by the same defendant. That larger group is the "class."

Once a court formally "certifies" the class — confirming that the requirements for a class action are met — the lead plaintiff and their attorneys represent all class members through the litigation. Any verdict or settlement obtained is then distributed among all members of the class. Class members who do not wish to participate have the right to opt out and pursue their own individual claims instead.

Class actions are a powerful equalizer. They allow individuals who have each suffered relatively modest harm — a fraudulent charge, a defective product, an environmental exposure — to collectively hold a corporation accountable for the full scope of its misconduct. Without class action litigation, many of these wrongs would go unpunished because no single plaintiff's losses would justify the cost of litigation alone.

Class Action vs. Mass Tort: What's the Difference?

Class actions and mass torts are both mechanisms for handling large numbers of related claims against the same defendant — but they work differently, and the right approach depends on the nature of the harm.

Class Action

In a class action, a single named plaintiff and their counsel represent the entire class. Absent class members — those who have not opted out — are bound by the outcome of the litigation without actively participating in it. Any recovery is distributed proportionally among all class members. Class actions work best when class members have suffered similar, relatively uniform harms and the key legal and factual issues are common across the class.

Mass Tort

In a mass tort, each individual plaintiff is a party to the litigation and pursues their own distinct claim for their own specific damages. While many plaintiffs may be grouped together for efficiency — sharing discovery, expert witnesses, and legal arguments — each person's injury, medical history, and damages are evaluated individually. Mass torts are used when injuries vary significantly between plaintiffs, such as in pharmaceutical litigation, where one patient's harm may be dramatically different from another's.

What Types of Cases Become Class Actions?

Class actions arise across a wide range of industries and types of misconduct. Common categories of class action litigation include:

Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices

When a company misrepresents its products or services, charges hidden fees, or engages in systematic deception that affects large numbers of consumers, a class action can force accountability and require the company to repay affected customers. Brett has been recognized for his leadership in consumer protection and mass tort litigation, including a Best Lawyers in America Lawyer of the Year designation in Plaintiff's Mass Tort/Class Action Litigation.

Defective Products

When a manufacturer sells a defective product that causes the same type of harm to many consumers — whether a defective vehicle component, a dangerous medical device, or a contaminated consumer good — a class action can hold the manufacturer accountable for the full scope of that harm. Product liability is one of Brett's core practice areas, and his record includes a seven-figure confidential settlement against Polaris for a defective vehicle rollover.

Data Breaches and Privacy Violations

When a company fails to protect its customers' personal or financial data — and millions of individuals are exposed as a result — class action litigation can provide a path to compensation and systemic change in how companies handle sensitive information.

Insurance Bad Faith

Insurance companies that systematically deny valid claims, underpay policyholders, or engage in deceptive claims-handling practices affecting large groups of insureds may face class action liability. Recent Singleton Schreiber class actions have challenged major insurers over wildfire damage claim denials.

Environmental Contamination

When industrial pollution, chemical contamination, or environmental negligence affects a community — contaminating water supplies, soil, or air — class actions can provide a vehicle for mass recovery by affected residents. These cases require extensive expert testimony and the financial resources to take on industrial defendants.

Employment Violations

Wage theft, systematic discrimination, denial of legally required benefits, and other widespread employer misconduct affecting entire workforces are prime candidates for class action or representative action litigation under California's Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA).

Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Defects

When a drug manufacturer or medical device company conceals known risks, fails to provide adequate warnings, or sells a product with a design or manufacturing defect that injures a large number of patients, class actions and mass tort litigation can provide a pathway to compensation for affected individuals.

Requirements for Class Certification

Before a class action can proceed, a court must formally certify the class. Under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23 — and analogous California state rules — a class action must satisfy four threshold requirements:

• Numerosity — The class is so large that joining all members as individual plaintiffs would be impractical
• Commonality — There are common questions of law or fact shared by all class members
• Typicality — The lead plaintiff's claims are typical of the claims of the class as a whole
• Adequacy — The lead plaintiff and their attorneys will fairly and adequately represent the interests of the class

Securing class certification is often the most consequential moment in class action litigation — and one of the most hotly contested. Corporations routinely spend enormous resources fighting certification because a certified class transforms the financial stakes of the litigation entirely. Brett's experience in complex litigation gives his clients a significant advantage at this critical juncture.

How Do Class Action Settlements Work?

The vast majority of class actions resolve through settlement rather than trial. Once a settlement is negotiated, the court must review and approve it as fair, reasonable, and adequate for the entire class. Class members typically receive notice of the settlement and have the opportunity to file a claim, object to the settlement terms, or opt out and pursue their own claims independently.

Individual class member recoveries vary widely depending on the size of the class, the total settlement amount, and each person's documented harm. In some cases — particularly consumer fraud actions — individual payments may be modest. In cases involving serious personal injury or significant financial loss, individual recoveries can be substantial.

Frequently Asked Questions: Class Actions

What is a class action lawsuit?

A class action allows one or more lead plaintiffs to sue on behalf of a larger group — the class — who have all been harmed in the same way by the same defendant. Once certified by a court, any settlement or verdict is shared among all class members. Class actions give individuals the collective power to hold large corporations accountable for misconduct that would be uneconomical to challenge individually.

What is the difference between a class action and a mass tort?

In a class action, one lead plaintiff represents everyone and the settlement is distributed across the class. In a mass tort, each plaintiff brings their own individual claim for their own specific damages. Class actions work best for uniform harms; mass torts are better when individual injuries vary significantly. Brett handles both and will advise which structure gives you the strongest path to recovery.

What types of cases become class actions?

Consumer fraud, defective products, data breaches, insurance bad faith, environmental contamination, employment violations, and pharmaceutical or medical device defects. The common thread is large-scale misconduct that harms many people in the same way.

How do I know if I have a class action claim?

If you were harmed by a company's product, policy, or practice in a way you believe affected many others similarly — even if your individual loss seems small — you may have a viable class action claim or be part of an existing one. Contact Brett's office for a free evaluation.

Attorney advertising. Past results do not guarantee similar outcomes. This page is for general informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice.