Microsoft's security class-action suit - get rich quick
osnews.com | at | by Mike
For an ambitious trial lawyer, the best road to fame and riches is the class-action suit. A lawyer can go to court on behalf of a particular client and seek class-action status. If granted, the lawyer gets to represent not only that client, but all others with the same complaint within the court's jurisdiction. This tool was developed to deal with complex cases where the alleged wrongdoing effected many, many people. For example, there was a class-action suit that represented the interests of all women that received defective silicone breast implants. Usually everyone in the "class" gets the option of signing on to the settlement or going to court on their own if they think they can do better. The class-action appeals to lawyers, who can get rich. It appeals to courts, who deal with one case rather than thousands. And it appeals to aggrieved citizens, who can avoid being defeated piecemeal by wealthy corporations.