The National Law Journal interviewed Partner Eric J. Belfi about the evolving international class action landscape posing challenges for plaintiff firms.

In an increasingly connected, globalized corporate landscape, class action lawsuits—from the Volkswagen “Dieselgate” emission scandal to environmental claims against oil giants or data privacy litigation against Big Tech—increasingly take on cross-border dimensions.  However, the judicial landscape in many parts of the world has not kept up pace when it comes to group litigation mechanisms.

While legal frameworks for group action mechanisms and rules for discovery of evidence vary across Europe, “the time factor is a big challenge,” said New York-based Labaton Keller Sucharow partner Eric Belfi.  Courts move a bit slower and the various rules and regulations can create bottlenecks.  And time to trial and settlement or verdict is directly proportional to financial risk.