Individual Releases Secured Low Settlement

We were retained as lead counsel in addition to insurance panel counsel to defend two related wage and hour class actions brought against an Orange County car wash owner.  We mounted an aggressive strategy to reduce potential damages, including an audit of payroll and timekeeping records, individual interviews with over 60 putative class members to obtain declarations and releases in exchange for individual settlement payments, and training for all managers and supervisors.  After sharing some information with plaintiff’s counsel, we were able to settle the case at mediation with full credit for the individual settlement payments and for a fraction of the potential liability which the client called a “big win.”