Legal Experts: Don’t Rush Collective Redress Through European Parliament

Legal experts from Europe and the United States caution against rushing a bill that would introduce U.S.-style class action lawsuits through the European Union, the Ireland Law Society Gazette reports.

Liam Kennedy, a partner at the Irish corporate law firm A&L Goodbody, said a bill like the one the European Parliament is considering “requires careful consideration and consultation,” particularly when there “[s]ignificant policy and ethical issues” involved in mass litigation. Kennedy added that he prefers the “existing EU regulatory approach as being more appropriate than class actions.”

The article also quotes U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform President Lisa A. Rickard, who said the proposal “is poorly written and lacks clear safeguards to prevent fraud and abuse.”