The Cambridge Handbook of Class Actions

International authors describe class action procedure in this concise, comparative, and empirical perspective on aggregate litigation.

This volume is for academics, lawyers, and policymakers seeking to understand some of the biggest lawsuits across the world. Contributing authors describe and assess class action procedure (or its equivalent) in nearly two dozen countries, provide empirical data on how regions are implementing the procedure, and make recommendations for reform.Economic activity is more globally integrated than ever before, but so is the scope of corporate misconduct. As more and more people across the world are affected by such malfeasance, the differences in legal redress have become increasingly visible. This transparency has resulted in a growing convergence towards an American model of robust private enforcement of the law, including the class-action lawsuit. This handbook brings together scholars from nearly two dozen countries to describe and assess the class-action procedure (or its equivalent) in their respective countries and, where possible, to offer empirical data on these systems. At the same time, the work presents a variety of multidisciplinary perspectives on class actions, from economics to philosophy, making this handbook an essential resource to academics, lawyers, and policymakers alike.