In re Lipitor Antitrust Litigation
In re Lipitor Antitrust Litigation (D.N.J.): Plaintiffs allege that Pfizer, the manufacturer of the cholesterol drug Lipitor, the best-selling drug in pharmaceutical history, conspired with Ranbaxy, the generic manufacturer, to delay its introduction of a generic Lipitor product. On October 1, 2024, the Court granted final approval of a $35 million settlement against Pfizer for its role in the alleged anticompetitive scheme. Litigation against Ranbaxy is ongoing. Cohen Milstein is Co-Lead Counsel to the End-Payor Plaintiffs class.
UFC MMA Fighters Antitrust Litigation
Cung Le, et al v. Zuffa, LLC, d/b/a Ultimate Fighting Championship (D. Nev.): Cohen Milstein is co-lead counsel in this certified wage suppression class action, representing mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters who allege that UFC unlawfully monopolized the MMA market by, among other things, locking up fighters in exclusive contracts and acquiring MMA rivals. On February 6, 2025, the court granted final approval of a historic $375 million settlement against UFC – exclusively for the MMA fighters in the Le class action. The Johnson class action continues.
Ideker Farms, Inc., et al. v. United States of America (NW Missouri Flood Litigation)
Ideker Farms, et al. v. United States of America (Fed. Cl.): Cohen Milstein represents Ideker Farms and more than 400 other plaintiffs located in six states along the Missouri River in a landmark mass action lawsuit in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims alleging that the federal government took land and flooding easements over lands owned by farmers without any compensation in violation of the takings clause of the Fifth Amendment. Cohen Milstein has helped lead the litigation team, including during both a months-long liability trial in 2017, and a subsequent damages trial in 2020 for bellwether plaintiffs. In December 2020, the Court ruled largely in favor of bellwether plaintiffs. In June 2023, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit concurred with the lower court and reversed and remanded the issues of compensation for lost crops and 2011 flooding to the lower court to determine valuation.
In re Chiquita Brands International Inc. Litigation
In re Chiquita Brands International Inc. Litigation (S.D. Fla.): Cohen Milstein represents hundreds of Colombian citizens who allege that they or their family members were victims of torture or extrajudicial killing committed by the Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia (AUC), a paramilitary group designated by the United States government as a “Foreign Terrorist Organization,” during armed conflict in Colombia in the 1990s and early 2000s. Plaintiffs allege that the deaths of their relatives were a direct and foreseeable result of Chiquita’s financial support of the AUC. The case is proceeding under Colombian law against Chiquita and under the U.S. Torture Victim Protection Act against individual Chiquita executives and board members. On June 10, 2024, after a six-week bellwether jury trial, the jury found Chiquita responsible for the wrongful deaths of eight men who were murdered by AUC and awarded the surviving family members $38.3 million in damages for their deaths.
In re Interest Rate Swaps Antitrust Litigation
In re Interest Rate Swaps Antitrust Litigation (S.D.N.Y.): Cohen Milstein serves as Co-Lead Counsel and represents the Public School Teachers’ Pension and Retirement Fund of Chicago and other proposed buy-side investor class members in this ground breaking putative antitrust class action against numerous Wall Street investment banks. Plaintiffs allege that the defendants conspired to prevent class members from trading IRS on modern electronic trading platforms and from trading with each other, all to protect the banks’ trading profits from inflated bid/ask spreads. On July 11, 2024, in two separate orders, the court granted preliminary approval of $71 million in total cash settlements against Credit Suisse, Bank of America, JP Morgan Chase, Deutsche Bank, and all remaining defendants.
Ratha, et al v. Phatthana Seafood Co
Ratha, et al v. Phatthana Seafood Co. (C.D. Cal.): Cohen Milstein is representing seven Cambodian plaintiffs in a cross-border human rights lawsuit involving human trafficking, forced labor, involuntary servitude, and peonage by factories in Thailand that produce shrimp and seafood for export to the United States.
Flint Water Crisis Litigation
Flint Water Crisis Class Action Litigation (E.D. Mich.): Since 2021, Cohen Milstein has helped more than 90,000 Flint residents and businesses achieve $659.25 million in settlements from those responsible for the Flint Water Crisis. This includes a landmark $626.25 million settlement against the State of Michigan, the former Governor Rick Snyder, and other defendants for their roles in re-directing toxic levels of lead-contaminated water from the Flint River into the City of Flint’s drinking water system to save money. Litigation against the EPA continues.
Ralph Talarico v. Public Partnerships, LLC
Ralph Talarico v. Public Partnerships, LLC (E.D. Pa.): Cohen Milstein is leading a certified Rule 23 class action, consisting of over 15,000 past and present “direct care” homecare workers who brought Pennsylvania state law claims, and an opt-in class of more than 4,900 past and present homecare workers who have brought FLSA claims, for denied overtime wages against Public Partnerships, LLC (PPL). Homecare workers play a critical role in the care of individuals with disabilities. The case involves novel joint employer issues.
Harris v. Medical Transportation Management, Inc.
Harris, et al. v. Medical Transportation Management, Inc. (D.D.C.): Cohen Milstein represents non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) drivers in a certified class action alleging that their employer, Medical Transportation Management, Inc. (MTM), knowingly and willfully failed to pay proper wages to its NEMT drivers across Washington, D.C. under federal and District of Columbia law. This lawsuit seeks to hold MTM liable as a joint employer of the drivers.