Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_11-cv-02053/USCOURTS-caed-1_11-cv-02053-42/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 790
Nature of Suit: Other Labor Litigation
Cause of Action: 28:1332 Diversity-(Citizenship)

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Todd Jackson (SBN 202598)

Catha Worthman (SBN 230399)

Darin Ranahan (SBN 273532)

FEINBERG, JACKSON, 

WORTHMAN & WASOW LLP

383 4th Street, Suite 201

Oakland, CA 94607

Telephone: (510) 269-7998

Facsimile: (510) 269-7994

todd@feinbergjackson.com

catha@feinbergjackson.com

darin@feinbergjackson.com

Charles Trudrung Taylor (SBN 127105)

Ana de Alba (SBN 253917)

LANG, RICHERT & PATCH

Fig Garden Financial Center

5200 North Palm Avenue, Fourth Floor

Fresno, CA 93704

Telephone: (559) 228-6700

Facsimile: (559) 228-6727

ctt@lrplaw.net

ada@lrplaw.net

Counsel for Plaintiff and the Certified Classes

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

TROY M. LINDELL, ON BEHALF OF 

HIMSELF AND ALL OTHERS 

SIMILARLY SITUATED,

Plaintiff,

v.

SYNTHES USA, SYNTHES USA SALES 

LLC, SYNTHES SPINE COMPANY LP,

Defendants.

Case No. 1:11-CV-02053-LJO-BAM

CLASS ACTION

FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 

GRANTING PLAINTIFF’S MOTION FOR

PRELIMINARY APPROVAL OF CLASS 

ACTION SETTLEMENT

Court: Hon. Barbara A. McAuliffe

Courtroom: 8

Date: September 9, 2016

Time: 9:00 a.m.

Having considered the parties’ written and oral submissions regarding Plaintiff’s Motion 

for Preliminary Approval of Class Action Settlement (“the Motion”), and Defendants lack of 

opposition, the Court finds and recommends pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23 that 

the Motion should be granted. THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY RECOMMENDED THAT THE 

COURT ENTER THE FOLLOWING ORDER:

Case 1:11-cv-02053-LJO-BAM Document 257 Filed 09/13/16 Page 1 of 6
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FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS GRANTING 

PRELIMINARY APPROVAL OF CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT

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1. This Order incorporates by reference the definitions in the Parties’ Settlement 

Agreement (the “Settlement”), attached as Exhibit 1 to the Declaration of Catha Worthman filed 

in support of the Motion. (Doc. 249.)

2. The Court preliminarily approves the Settlement as set forth herein, and finds that 

the Settlement is the product of serious, informed, non-collusive negotiations, has no obvious 

deficiencies, does not improperly grant preferential treatment to the class representative or 

segments of the Settlement Class, and falls within the range of possible approval.

3. The Court approves amendment of the definition of the Classes to specify an end 

date of the class of July 14, 2016. Accordingly, the Classes are hereby defined as:

a. An “Expense Class” of all former and current sales consultants who were

employed by Synthes in California from four years prior to the filing of this 

action (December 13, 2007) to July 14, 2016, and who were subject to the 

following “straight commission” compensation policies:

i. The policy that sales consultants from the Trauma and Spine Sales 

Divisions who receive “straight commission” “are not eligible for 

an automobile allowance or in-territory business expense 

reimbursement”; and 

ii. The policy that sales consultants from the CMF Sales Division 

receive “a predetermined base salary of $30,000, plus a higher level 

of commission with no expenses;” and

b. A “Deductions Class” of all former and current Sales Consultants who 

were employed by Synthes in California from four years prior to the filing 

of this action (December 13, 2007) to July 14, 2016, who at some time 

during Synthes’ employ had a deduction assessed against them.

4. The Court appoints and designates as Class Counsel the following attorneys and 

firms:

a. Todd Jackson, Catha Worthman, and Darin Ranahan at Feinberg, Jackson, 

Worthman & Wasow LLP, 383 4th St., Suite 201, Oakland, CA 94607; and

Case 1:11-cv-02053-LJO-BAM Document 257 Filed 09/13/16 Page 2 of 6
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FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS GRANTING 

PRELIMINARY APPROVAL OF CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT

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b. Charles Trudrung Taylor and Ana de Alba at Lang, Richert & Patch, Fig 

Garden Financial Center 5200 North Palm Avenue, Fourth Floor, Fresno, 

CA 93704.

5. The Court appoints and designates, for settlement purposes only, Settlement 

Services, Inc., as Settlement Administrator, and approves payment of actual settlement 

administration funds from the Settlement Amount.

6. Class Counsel is authorized to act on behalf of Class Members with respect to all 

acts or consents required by, or which may be given pursuant to, the Settlement, and such other 

acts reasonably necessary to consummate the Settlement. Any Class Member may enter an 

appearance through counsel of such individual’s own choosing and at such individual’s own 

expense. Any Class Member who does not enter an appearance or appear on his or her own will 

be represented by Class Counsel.

7. The Court hereby approves, as to form and content, the Class Notice, attached 

hereto as Exhibit A. The Court finds that distribution of the Class Notice substantially conforming 

to the manner and form set forth in the Settlement and this Order meets the requirements of due 

process, is the best notice practicable under the circumstances, and shall constitute due and 

sufficient notice to all persons entitled thereto.

8. Notice shall be provided to Settlement Class Members in the following manner: 

within ten (10) days of the Court’s entry of this Order, Defendants will provide to the Settlement 

Administrator the names, Last Known Addresses and telephone numbers, Social Security 

numbers, dates of employment as a member of the Expense Class, deductions per year for the 

Class Period, and whether or not each Settlement Class Member was employed by Synthes as of 

July 14, 2016. The data for dates of employment as a member of the Expense Class shall be 

consistent with the data provided to Class Counsel with the class list on April 27, 2016, 

supplemented as set forth in in the Settlement Agreement ¶ 46. The data for deductions per year 

for the Class Period shall be consistent with the data provided to Class Counsel in the “Total 

deductions from Paystubs” section of the “Crosstab Payroll Deduct by year” tab of the 

spreadsheet titled “Exhibit 41.xlsx” produced by Synthes in August 2015 in response to 

Case 1:11-cv-02053-LJO-BAM Document 257 Filed 09/13/16 Page 3 of 6
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FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS GRANTING 

PRELIMINARY APPROVAL OF CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT

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Plaintiff’s subpoena of Raymond F. Dovell, as well as Class Members’ final paystubs for 2015 

and most recent paystub in 2016. Class Counsel will endeavor to supplement the contact 

information provided by Defendants with any other contact information it has learned via its 

investigation of this case and representation of the class.

9. Within 10 days after receiving the Class Member information from Defendants, 

the Settlement Administrator will send the Class Notice to each Class Member by U.S. Mail. In 

the event of returned or non-deliverable Class Notices, the Settlement Administrator will make 

reasonable efforts to locate Class Members and re-send the Class Notices by U.S. Mail within 5 

days of the returned notice. The Class Notice will be deemed originally mailed on the first date it 

is mailed. 

10. Class Notice will include a statement that Defendants will pay out the same total 

amount regardless of how many Class Members participate and/or cash their checks, and that 

there will be no retaliation for participation. Class Notice to each Class Member will also include 

that Class Member’s dates of employment as a member of the Expense Class, total deductions as 

a member of the Deductions Class during the Class Period divided into the two periods before 

2013 and from 2013 to the end of the Class Period, and a description of the method for 

determining the total settlement award. Class Notice will also inform Class Members that they 

may challenge their dates of employment as a member of the Expense Class and total amount of 

deductions as a member of the Deductions Class during the Class Period, as shown in the Class 

Notice, by contacting the Settlement Administrator with any supporting evidence within 15 days 

of the date Class Notice was mailed. The Settlement Administrator shall have sole discretion in 

evaluating such challenges, but shall permit Class Counsel and Defendants to submit evidence 

and argument in support of or against such challenges. A decision on such a challenge shall be 

rendered in no less than 15 days following submission of supporting evidence.

11. To Opt Out of the settlement, a Class Member must send a letter to the Settlement 

Administrator postmarked no later than 45 days after Class Notice was originally mailed. 

12. To object to the settlement, a Class Member must submit his or her objection to 

the Clerk of the Court, with copies to the Settlement Administrator and counsel for the Parties, 

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FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS GRANTING 

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postmarked no later than 45 days after Class Notice was originally mailed.

13. Plaintiff will move the Court for Final Approval of the settlement. No later than 5 

business days before filing for Final Approval, Plaintiff will share with Synthes’ counsel a draft 

memorandum of points and authorities in support of the motion for Final Approval. 

14. At least 14 days before the deadline for Class Members to object to the settlement, 

Plaintiff will move for attorneys’ fees not to exceed 30% of the Settlement Amount, plus 

reimbursement of litigation expenses not to exceed $200,000, not including the Settlement 

Administrator’s fees and expenses. Defendants will issue to each Class Counsel firm a Form 1099 

with respect to their awarded attorneys’ fees and costs.

15. Concurrent with his Final Approval and attorneys’ fees motion, Plaintiff will move 

for a service award of up to $10,000 for the Class Representative, to be paid out of the Settlement 

Amount. Defendants will not oppose Plaintiff’s application to the Court for a service award of up 

to $10,000 to the Class Representative to be paid out of the Settlement Amount, in addition to the 

Class Representative’s Settlement Award payment as a Settlement Class Member.

16. The fairness hearing, at which the three motions described in paragraphs 13 to 15

shall be heard, will be on December 16, 2016 at 9:00 a.m., or as soon thereafter as the Court 

orders, leaving sufficient time for the notice and opt out procedure described above. The Motion 

for Judgment and Final Approval shall be filed with the Court no later than 28 calendar days 

before the date of the Fairness Hearing.

17. As of the date this Order is signed, all dates and deadlines associated with this 

action shall be stayed, other than those pertaining to the administration of the Settlement of the 

action.

18. In the event that the Court does not grant final approval and the Settlement fails to 

become effective, the Settlement shall become null and void and shall have no bearing on, and 

shall not be admissible in connection with, further proceedings in this Action or in any other 

judicial, administrative, or arbitral proceeding for any purpose or with respect to any issue, 

substantive or procedural. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, the Settlement shall be 

admissible in any action or proceeding to approve, interpret or enforce the Settlement. None of 

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FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS GRANTING 

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the Parties to the Settlement will be deemed to have waived any claims, objections, defenses, 

privileges, or arguments with respect to the merits of Plaintiff’s claims or Defendants’ defenses to 

those claims. 

19. The Court reserves the right to adjourn or continue all dates provided for in the 

Settlement without further notice to the Settlement Class Members, and retains jurisdiction to 

consider all further applications arising out of or connected with the proposed settlement.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: September 12, 2016 /s/ Barbara A. McAuliffe _

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

Case 1:11-cv-02053-LJO-BAM Document 257 Filed 09/13/16 Page 6 of 6