Complex Litigation - Fall 2016
Professor Razvan Ungureanu
Phone: 713-221-2370
Email: razvan@skv.com
1.
Course Description
Welcome to Complex Litigation! This advanced civil procedure course covers the major
procedural issues that arise in complex civil litigation. We will focus primarily on multi-party,
multi-jurisdictional disputes, with particular emphasis on topics such as class actions,
multidistrict litigation (MDL) practice, and other methods of aggregating claims. We will
consider the strategic choices available to lawyers handling complex cases, economic and
practical problems of settlement, the role of judges in supervising and managing aggregate
litigation, and modifications to the traditional rules of procedure intended for single-party,
single-claim disputes. Those students interested in pursuing federal clerkships or careers in
litigation may find this course particularly beneficial.
2.
Class Schedule
This class will meet Monday and Wednesday evenings from 7:30 to 9:00.
attendance is required.
Class
3.
Course Materials
The casebook for this course is Marcus, Sherman, and Erichson’s Complex Litigation:
Cases and Materials on Advanced Civil Procedure (6th edition).
4.
Reading Assignments
The tentative reading assignments are listed below. You are also responsible for reading
the text of any rule or statute referenced in the assigned casebook reading.
Class
1
Reading
1-24
2
24-33
3
33-52
4
57-68
5
68-85
6
100-116
Topics
The Nature of Complex Litigation
Permissive Party Joinder
 Mosleyv.GeneralMotorsCompany
Permissive Party Joinder
 InreStand’nSealProductsLiabilityLitigation
 Stanfordv.TennesseeValleyAuthority
Permissive Party Joinder
 Hallv.E.I.DuPontDeNemours&Co.
Compulsory Party Joinder
 Eldredgev.Carpenters46
 TheRule19(b)Determination
Intervention
 AnimalProtectionInstitutev.Merriam
Consequences of Failure to Join
 Martinv.Wilks
Consolidation
 Katzv.RealtyEquitiesCorp.ofNY
C:\Users\rungureanu\Desktop\complex lit syllabus fall 2016.doc
7
128-146
8
147-158
9
158-171
10
181-197
11
199-214
12
214-236
13
236-256
14
256-266
15
266-285
16
285-299
17
299-316
18
326-348
Transfer to a More Convenient Forum
 GinseyIndustriesv.I.T.K.Plastics
Multidistrict Litigation – The Role of the Panel
 HeyburnII,AViewfromthePanel:PartoftheSolution
Multidistrict Litigation – The Decision to Transfer
 InreShoulderPainPump
 InreAviationProductsLiabilityLitigation
Multidistrict Litigation – Powers of the Transferee Court
 Weigel,TheJudicialPanelonMultidistrictLitigation,
TransferorCourtsandTransfereeCourts
 InreFactorVIIIorIXConcentrateBloodProducts
Litigation
Multidistrict Litigation – Resolving Complex Litigation through
MDL
 Sherman,TheMDLModelforResolvingComplex
LitigationifaClassActionIsNotPossible
 InreVioxxProductsLiabilityLitigation
Dual State-Federal Proceedings – Stay of Federal Suit in Interests
of Wise Judicial Administration
 Life‐LinkInternationalv.Lalla
Dual State-Federal Proceedings – Federal Court Injunction against
Prosecution of State Proceedings
 StandardMicrosystemsCorp.v.TexasInstruments,Inc.
Class Actions – The Nature of Class Action Practice
 Hansberryv.Lee,Klinev.Coldwell,Banker&Co.
Class Definition
 Simmerv.Rios
Overview of the Rule 23(a) Requirements
 Oplchenskiv.ParfumsGivenchy,Inc.
The Rule23(a)(2) Commonality Requirement
 Wal‐MartStores,Inc.v.Dukes
Adequacy of Representation
 Pielv.NationalSemiconductorCorp.
 Rodriguezv.WestPublishingCorp.
Limited Fund Class Actions
 Ortizv.FibreboardCorp.
Injunctive/Declaratory Relief Class Actions
 Parsonsv.Ryan
 Wal‐MartStores,Inc.v.Dukes
Common Question Class Actions
 Amgen,Inc.v.ConnecticutRetirementPlansandTrust
Funds
Mass Tort Class Actions
19
348-362,
383-398
20
362-383
21
400-412
22
412-427
23
427-443,
454-460
24
607-636
25
652-657,
721-732
26
736-753
27
753-777
28
777-785,
803-821
29
821-841
 Castanov.TheAmericanTobaccoCo.
Issue Classes
 InreNassauCountyStripSearchCases
Litigating Class Certification
 InreHydrogenPeroxideAntitrustLitigation
Certification Solely for Settlement
 AmchemProducts,Inc.v.Windsor
Overlapping Class Actions
 InreDietDrugs
Subject Matter Jurisdiction and CAFA
 Evansv.WalterIndustries,Inc.
Personal Jurisdiction and Choice of Law
 PhillipsPetroleumCo.v.Shutts
Notice, Opt-Out, and Communications with Class Members
Class Action Settlements
 Parkerv.Anderson
 InrePrudentialInsuranceCo.SalesPracticesLitigation
The Role of Objectors
 InreUnitedHealthGroupInc.PSLRALitigation
Preclusive Effect of Judgments in Complex Litigation – Persons
Bound by Judgment
 Taylorv.Sturgell
The Effect of Class Action Judgments
 Matsushitav.Epstein
The Effect of Class Action Judgments
 Stephensonv.DowChemicalCo.
 Cooperv.FederalReserveBankofRichmond
Issue Preclusion in Complex Litigation
 FriendsforAllChildrenv.LockheedAircraft
Arbitrating Complex Cases
Arbitration Clause Prohibitions on Class Treatment
 AT&TMobilityLLCv.Concepcion
5.
Grading
Your final grade will be determined principally by your performance on the final exam. I
may also take the quality of your participation in the course and your attendance into account
when assigning your final grade. I anticipate, but do not promise, that your final exam will have
ten to fifteen short answer essay questions over a three-hour period.
6.
Office Hours
I want to be fully accessible to you. I will generally be available both before and after
class to answer questions. You can also call my office or email me at any time. I will also give
you my cell phone number as the final exam approaches.