'LEAR JET' LAWYERS FLY OVERSEAS . . . A London-based publication weighs in on lawyer Michael Hausfeld's quest to export American-style class actions to other parts of the word:

"Hausfeld is at the forefront of developing his brand of the law not only in the US, but internationally; and some would say that's really bad news," says one New York litigator who has come up against the lawyer on a number of occasions. "Unlike many of the folks on his side of the bar, he's committed to what he's doing as opposed to doing it just for the fees. Clearly he's in that business as well, but he appears to believe that there are genuine principles at stake."

The man himself was in London recently, speaking at a round table meeting hosted by Clifford Chance on the future of class actions. Given our own government's antipathy to US-style compensation culture, it is amazing that Hausfeld ever made it through Customs.

So far, Hausfeld's growing overseas network includes firms in the UK, France, Germany, Italy, South Africa, Korea, Columbia, Panama, Australia and Canada. His approach offers an interesting contrast to that of American defense firms, which were the first to export U.S.-style legal representation worldwide.

Related posts: Why Are US Plaintiffs' Lawyers in South Africa This Week? (7/6/04); From the Import-Export Department: Top Plaintiffs' Lawyers Expand Their Repertoires (12/19/04).

 

Comments

[Jeff]

Go Michael!

But you're focusing on the wrong countries. Level the playing field for US companies by inflicting bloated legal expenses on emerging global competitors like India and China.