Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_06-cv-02169/USCOURTS-cand-3_06-cv-02169-4/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Christopher Spence
Plaintiff
Ubisoft, Inc.
Defendant

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Stipulation and [Proposed] Order Re: Case Management Case No. C 06 2169 MHP

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

SAN FRANCISCO DIVISION

CHRISTOPHER SPENCE, on behalf of

himself and all others similarly situated, 

Plaintiff,

vs.

UBISOFT, INC.,

Defendant. _________________________________

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CASE NO. C 06-2169 MHP

STIPULATION AND [PROPOSED]

ORDER RE: CASE MANAGEMENT

WHEREAS, the related actions Spence v. Ubisoft, Inc., C 06-2169 MHP and Lerg

v. Ubisoft, Inc., 06-03802 JSW pending in this District; and,

WHEREAS, counsel for the plaintiffs have each concluded that it in the best

interests of the respective parties and absent putative class members that the Lerg action

be transferred and consolidated with the Spence action for all purposes and proceed as

contemplated herein; and,

WHEREAS, all served parties, through their respective counsel, have stipulated to

the terms provided herein;

WHEREAS, it is anticipated that additional related actions may be transferred to,

removed to or filed in this Court; and,

WHEREAS, the existence of common questions of law and fact in the Actions

now pending before this Court, the interests of fair and efficient administration of the

Actions and the avoidance of unnecessary duplicative efforts, warrants the consolidation

of the Actions, establishment of an organizational structure for plaintiffs’ counsel, and the

setting of a status conference to discuss, among other things, schedules for the filing of

pleadings, motion practice and discovery, and good cause appearing therefor;

Case 3:06-cv-02169-MHP Document 12 Filed 06/27/06 Page 1 of 7
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Stipulation and [Proposed] Order Re: Case Management Case No. C 06 2169 MHP

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED AS FOLLOWS:

I. CONSOLIDATION AND TREATMENT OF SUBSEQUENT ACTIONS

1. The Court finds that Spence v. Ubisoft, Inc., C 06-2169 MHP (March 24,

2006) and Lerg v. Ubisoft, Inc., 06-03802 JSW (June 16, 2006) are related actions

pursuant to Civil L.R. 3-12(a) in the that the actions involve substantially the same

parties, transactions and events, and it appears likely that there will be an unduly

burdensome duplication of labor and expense or conflicting results if the cases are

conducted before different judges. Pursuant to Civil L.R. 3-12(f)(3), the Clerk shall

reassign the Lerg action to this Court, the Hon. Marilyn Hall Patel presiding, and shall

notify the parties and the affected Judges accordingly. This court hereby consolidates the

Spence and Lerg actions and the actions shall be referred to herein as the Consolidated

Action. Each document filed by a party to this litigation shall bear the following caption:

___________________________________

In Re Ubisoft DRM Litigation No. C 06 2169 MHP

___________________________________

2. The terms of this Order shall apply to actions later instituted in, removed to,

or transferred to this Court that involve the same or substantially similar issues of law and

fact, subject to the following procedures:

a. When such a case is filed in, removed to, or transferred to this Court,

the Clerk of the Court shall:

(1) place a copy of this Order in the separate file for such action;

(2) provide a copy of this Order by mail or electronically

pursuant to the local rules to counsel for plaintiff(s) in the

newly filed or transferred action and to any defendant(s) in

the newly filed or transferred action; and

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Stipulation and [Proposed] Order Re: Case Management Case No. C 06 2169 MHP

(3) make an appropriate entry on the docket for the Consolidated

Action.

b. Each new case that arises out of the subject matter of the

Consolidated Action which is filed in this Court or transferred to this

Court, shall be consolidated with the Consolidated Action and this

Order shall apply thereto, unless a party in such newly-filed or

transferred action objects to consolidation, as provided for herein, or

any provision of this Order, within ten (10) days after the date upon

which a copy of this Order is served on counsel for such party, by

filing an application for relief and this Court deems it appropriate to

grant such application.

3. Counsel shall call to the attention of the Court and the Clerk the filing or

transfer of any case which might properly be consolidated with the Consolidated Action. 

Mailing or other delivery of a copy of this Order by Defendants’ counsel or Plaintiffs’

Co-Lead Counsel (see II., below), as appropriate, to the counsel in any newly filed or

transferred actions shall constitute valid notice thereof for purposes of establishing its

applicability to such action in accordance herewith.

4. A status conference is set for ______________ at _____ p.m. The agenda

for the status conference shall include a schedule for the filings of pleadings or other

motion practice, a discovery plan, a schedule for class certification, the potential for

settlement mediation, and such other matters as the parties or the Court deem appropriate.

II. CONSOLIDATED COMPLAINT AND RESPONSE THERETO

1. All plaintiffs shall file by July 25, 2006 a consolidated complaint, which

shall be the only proposed class complaint to which defendants shall respond.

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Stipulation and [Proposed] Order Re: Case Management Case No. C 06 2169 MHP

2. Defendants need not respond to any of the related pending or subsequently

filed complaints. Defendants shall answer or otherwise respond to the consolidated

complaint within 35 days of the filing of the consolidated complaint. Defendants’

response to the consolidated complaint shall be deemed to be their response to any later

filed complaint in any action that is thereafter consolidated with this Consolidated Action.

III. ORGANIZATION OF PLAINTIFFS’ COUNSEL

1. Under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23(g)(2), inter alia, Interim Class

Counsel and Plaintiffs’ Co-Lead Counsel shall be Kamber & Associates, LLC and Giskan

& Solotaroff LLP ( collectively, “Co-Lead Counsel”). Co-Lead Counsel, acting on behalf

of plaintiffs, shall have the following duties:

a. To coordinate all proceedings, including preparing, structuring, and

presenting pretrial and other management-related orders;

b. To encourage full cooperation and efficiency among all counsel; 

c. To create any necessary committees and appoint committee chairs

and otherwise delegate responsibilities for specific tasks in a manner

to assure that pretrial and trial preparation is conducted effectively,

efficiently, and economically;

d. To delegate work responsibilities and monitor the activities of

counsel to assure that schedules are met and unnecessary

expenditures of time and expense are avoided;

e. To act as spokespersons at all court conferences; 

f. To call meetings of themselves and/or other counsel as appropriate

or necessary from time to time;

g. To initiate and conduct settlement negotiations with counsel for the

Defendant; 

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Stipulation and [Proposed] Order Re: Case Management Case No. C 06 2169 MHP

h. To determine Plaintiffs’ position on all matters arising during this

litigation (after such consultation with other counsel as they deem

appropriate) and present such position orally and/or in writing to the

Court and opposing parties;

i. To consult with and employ experts, as necessary;

j. To initiate, coordinate and conduct discovery;

k. To represent Plaintiffs at trial and on any appeal of this matter;

l. To negotiate and execute agreements with local counsel or other

cooperating attorneys;

m. To submit a fee application on behalf of Plaintiffs’ counsel and

allocate any fees that may be awarded by the court; and

n. To perform such other duties as are necessary in connection with the

prosecution of this litigation.

2. Co-Lead Counsel shall be the contact between plaintiffs’ counsel and

defendants’ counsel as well as the spokespersons for plaintiffs’ counsel. All agreements

reached with the Co-Lead Counsel shall be binding on all other plaintiffs’ counsel in the

Consolidated Action.

4. Co-Lead Counsel are hereby designated as the counsel for plaintiffs in the

Consolidated Action upon whom all notices, orders, pleadings, motions, discovery, and

memoranda relating to the Consolidated Action shall be served, and defendants shall

effect service of papers on plaintiffs in the consolidated Action by serving each of the CoLead Counsel.

5. No motion or request for discovery shall be served or filed by plaintiffs, or

other pretrial proceedings initiated by plaintiffs, except by or with the authorization of

Co-Lead Counsel.

6. The organization structure set forth in this section applies to all plaintiffs’

counsel in the Consolidated Action, including any action subsequently governed by this

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Stipulation and [Proposed] Order Re: Case Management Case No. C 06 2169 MHP

Order.

7. No communications among plaintiffs’ counsel shall be taken as a waiver of

any privilege or protection to which they would otherwise be entitled.

IV. ADMISSION OF ATTORNEYS AND APPEARANCE

Each attorney acting as counsel for any party herein who is a member in good

standing of the bar of any United States District shall be deemed admitted pro hac vice

before this Court, without further action, upon payment of the admission fee, in

connection with these proceedings.

V. MODIFICATION OF THIS ORDER

This Order may be modified, supplemented or superseded by order of the Court or

upon any party for good cause shown.

IT IS SO STIPULATED.

Dated:June 23, 2006

Liner Yankelevitz Sunshine & Regenstreif LLP

/s Authorized for Electronic Filing

Jonathan S. Kitchen

199 Fremont Street, 20th Floor

San Francisco, CA 94105-2255

Telephone: (415) 489-7700

Fax: (415) 489-7701

Attorneys for Defendant Ubisoft, Inc.

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Stipulation and [Proposed] Order Re: Case Management Case No. C 06 2169 MHP

Dated: June 23, 2006

Kamber & Associates, LLC

/s Electronically Filed By Scott A. Kamber

SCOTT A. KAMBER

19 Fulton Street, Suite 400

New York, New York 10038

Telephone: (877) 773-5469

Facsimile: (212) 202-6364

Attorneys for Plaintiff Christopher Spence, on

behalf of himself and all others similarly situated

GISKAN & SOLOTAROFF

/s Authorized for Electronic Filing

Oren Giskan

207 West 25th St., 4th floor 

New York, NY 10001

Telephone: (212) 847-8315

Attorneys for Plaintiff James Lerg, on behalf of

himself and all others similarly situated

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated:____________________, 2006

___________________________________

HONORABLE MARILYN HALL PATEL

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

June 27

U

NITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

IT IS SO ORDERED

Judge Marilyn H. Patel

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