SEATTLE, Oct. 2, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- For the fourth consecutive year and the sixth time overall, plaintiffs' law firm Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro, LLP has been named to the prestigious National Law Journal's Plaintiffs' Hot List.
The National Law Journal's (NLJ) Plaintiffs' Hot List is an award given to a small group of law firms that that do "exemplary, cutting-edge work on the plaintiffs' side" and who have demonstrated "an impressive track record of wins."
"We are very pleased that NLJ once again recognized our work representing plaintiffs," said Steve Berman, managing partner and co-founder of Hagens Berman. "This award is a testament to the hard work that our entire team, from attorneys and paralegals to support staff, put in every single day to make Hagens Berman such a powerful voice for consumers, investors and whistleblowers."
The 10-city firm won its first Plaintiffs' Hot List award in 2006 and is among just a handful of firms nationally to have taken the honor six times.
NLJ recognized Hagens Berman's work on several high-profile cases including a case against Tremont Group Holdings in which the firm secured final approval for a $100 million settlement for investors who alleged the investment company violated its fiduciary duties by funneling investor funds to Bernard Madoff's infamous Ponzi scheme.
NLJ also noted Hagens Berman's work on behalf of cities, counties and municipalities against McKesson Corp. Hagens Berman's lawsuits alleged that the nation's largest drug wholesaler fraudulently inflated the price of more than 400 brand-name prescription drugs purchased by government programs. The total recoveries for all plaintiffs, including the federal and state governments, approached $1 billion.
Hagens Berman was founded in Seattle in 1993 and is most well-known for class-action work on behalf of consumers. The firm has grown steadily over the years, now encompassing ten offices across the country with a truly nationwide practice. The firm's scope has also expanded, and now includes securities, investment fraud, product liability, personal injury, antitrust, consumer fraud, employment, environmental protection, intellectual property and whistleblower cases.
"Our diverse cases are tied together by a common mission to represent plaintiffs in meaningful litigation that has a direct, positive impact on the public interest," said Berman. "As we continue to expand, staying true to that mission is our top priority."
Throughout 2012, Hagens Berman expanded its work in its two newest practice areas, whistleblower protection and intellectual property. Both areas reflect Hagens Berman's core mission.
The firm represents plaintiffs in intellectual property matters, often on a contingency basis, who seek to hold large corporations accountable for copyright and patent infringement. This specialized practice allows the firm to operate more nimbly than large IP firms which include defense and plaintiff work, avoiding conflicts of interest that often take valuable time to resolve.
NLJ lauded Hagens Berman's expansion in whistleblower protection, saying the firm "has emerged as a top U.S. whistleblower firm." This year, the firm represented former Countrywide Financial appraiser Kyle Lagow, who blew the whistle on home appraisals that he alleged were fraudulently inflated, costing the Federal Housing Administration billions of dollars when homes went into foreclosure. Lagow's information and Hagens Berman's development of the case led to a Department of Justice investigation culminating in a $1 billion settlement between Bank of America and the U.S. government, of which Mr. Lagow received a reward totaling more than $14 million.
The National Law Journal publishes the Plaintiffs' Hot List annually. This year's list appeared on Oct. 1, 2012.
Seattle-based Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP is a class-action law firm with offices in 10 cities. The firm represents consumers, whistleblowers, investors and workers in complex litigation. More about the law firm and its successes can be found at www.hbsslaw.com. The firm's blog can be found at www.classactionlawtoday.com.
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