US: Burns Charest, Pearson Simon partners appointed in automaker cartel suit MDL

The US District Court for the Northern District of California has appointed Warren T. Burns of Burns Charest LLP to co-lead a high-profile antitrust multidistrict litigation (MDL) against the five major German auto manufacturers in a lawsuit alleging the automakers participated in a cartel that lasted two decades.

Mr. Burns will serve as co-lead counsel along with Bruce L. Simon of San Francisco’s Pearson, Simon & Warshaw, LLP. Mr. Simon will oversee indirect purchaser claims in the litigation.

“This is a remarkable case involving a conspiracy that spanned two decades and touched almost every aspect of automobile manufacturing among the German car makers,” Mr. Burns stated following his appointment. “Now that the Court has appointed leadership, we are eager to roll up our sleeves and proceed with this litigation.”

In October, Mr. Burns filed a lawsuit in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia against five leading German automakers—Volkswagen, BMW, Daimler-Benz, Audi and Porsche—for engaging in a price-fixing conspiracy. Since October, the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation has consolidated at least 24 actions with similar claims against the German automakers to the Northern District of California.

The case is German Automotive Manufacturers Antitrust Litigation, MDL No. 2796 CRB (JSC) in the Northern District of California.

Full Content: PR Newswire

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