CLASS ACTION RESUME 

    

Formed in 1976, Carella Byrne is one of the leading law firms in the New Jersey – New 

York metropolitan area, serving a diverse clientele ranging from small businesses to Fortune 500 

corporations. Carella Byrne’s class action practice - founded and led by James E. Cecchi - is the 

preeminent consumer class action firm in the State of New Jersey and across the United States. 

Mr. Cecchi has held leadership positions in many of the nation’s most complex and important 

consumer class actions effecting consumer rights in the last ten years. The most recent examples, 

to name a few are: (1) In re Volkswagen “Clean Diesel” Marketing, Sales Practices, and Products 

Liability Litigation; (2) In re Takata Airbag Product Defect Litigation; (3) In re National 

Prescription Opiate Litigation; (4); In re American Medical Collection Agency, Inc., Customer 

Data Security Breach Litigation; (5) In re Mercedes-Benz Emissions Litigation; (6) In re Liquid 

Aluminum Sulfate Antitrust Litigation; (7) In re Volkswagen Timing Chain Product Liability 

Litigation; (8) In re Insulin Pricing Litigation.

 REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS

 In re: Volkswagen “Clean Diesel” Marketing, Sales Practices, and Products Liability 

Litigation, MDL No. 2672 (N.D. Cal.) (Hon. Charles R. Breyer) (James Cecchi appointed 

to Steering Committee and as Settlement Class Counsel; settlement in excess of 

$15,000,000,000 for consumer fraud and warranty claims arising from the use of a defeat 

device to evade U.S. emissions regulations.) 

 In re: Takata Airbag Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2599 (S.D. Fla.) (Hon. 

Frederico A. Moreno) (James Cecchi appointed to Steering Committee and as Settlement 

Class Counsel; settlement in excess of $1,500,000,000 for consumer fraud and warranty 

claims arising from use of defective and dangerous airbags; the case is ongoing as it 

pertains to second-wave defendants, including Mercedes Benz USA.) 

 In re: American Medical Collection Agency, Inc. Customer Data Security Breach 

Litigation, MDL No. 2904 (D.N.J.) (Hon. Madeline Cox Arleo) (James Cecchi appointed 

sole Lead Counsel in national Multi-District data breach litigation.) 

 In re National Prescription Opiate Litigation, MDL No. 2804 (N.D. Ohio) (Hon. Dan A. 

Polster) (James Cecchi appointed to Plaintiffs’ Executive Committee relating to marketing 

of opioid drugs. Recent settlements include a proposed $26 billion settlement with the 

nation's largest drug distributors and Johnson & Johnson. Recent trial team victories 

include Track 3 bellwether of $650.6 million.) 

 In re: Mercedes-Benz Emissions Litigation, Civil Action No. 16-cv-881 (D.N.J.) (Hon. 

Kevin McNulty) (James Cecchi appointed as Interim Co-Lead Counsel for Plaintiffs and 

the Proposed Class in a case arising out of the alleged use of a defeat device to evade U.S. 

emissions regulations; settlement with value in excess of $700,000,000 granted final 

approval.) 

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 In Re: Vytorin/Zetia Marketing, Sales Practices and Products Liability Litigation, MDL 

No. 1938 (D.N.J.) (Hon. Dennis M. Cavanaugh); In re Schering-Plough/Enhance 

Securities Litigation, Civil Action No.: 08-cv-397 (D.N.J.) (Hon. Dennis M. Cavanaugh); 

In re Merck & Co., Inc. Vytorin/Zetia Securities Litigation, Civil Action No.: 08-cv-2177 

(D.N.J.) (Hon. Dennis M. Cavanaugh) (consumer and securities fraud claims arising from 

marketing and sale of anti-cholesterol drugs Vytorin and Zetia) (Co-Lead Counsel in 

Consumer Cases which settled for $41,500,000 and Liaison Counsel in Securities Cases 

which collectively settled for $688,000,000.) 

 In re: Liquid Aluminum Sulfate Antitrust Litigation, MDL No. 2687 (D.N.J.) (Hon. Jose 

L. Linares) (James Cecchi appointed as Lead Counsel and secured a settlement of greater 

than $100,000,000.) 

 In Re Effexor XR Antitrust Litigation, Civil Action No. 11-cv-5661 (D.N.J.) (Hon. Joel A. 

Pisano) (claims on behalf of indirect purchasers of brand-name drug alleging that 

manufacturer obtained patent by fraud and enforced patent by sham litigation to maintain 

illegal monopoly of brand-name drug. James Cecchi appointed as Chair of Plaintiffs’ 

Indirect Purchaser Executive Committee.) 

 Davis Landscape v. Hertz Equipment Rental, Civil Action No. 06-cv-3830 (D.N.J.) (Hon. 

Dennis M. Cavanaugh) (Co-Lead Counsel in settlement valued at over $50,000,000 on 

behalf of contested nationwide class asserting claims that HERTZ' loss/damage waiver 

charges violated the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act because it provides no benefit to 

customers.) 

 In Re: Merck & Co., Inc., Securities, Derivative & “ERISA” Litigation, MDL No. 1658 

(D.N.J.) (Hon. Stanley R. Chesler) (securities fraud claims arising from Merck’s failure 

to disclose problems with commercial viability of anti-pain drug Vioxx which settled for 

more than $1,000,000,000.) 

 In re: Mercedes-Benz Tele-Aid Contract Litigation, MDL No. 1914 (Hon. Dickson R. 

Debevoise) (Co-Lead Counsel in $40,000,000 settlement of consumer fraud claims arising 

from Mercedes’ failure to notify Tele-Aid customers of mandated change from analog to 

digital system, and charging customers to replace system Mercedes knew would be 

obsolete.)

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