Releases in Class Action Settlements: Strategies for Defining, Negotiating, and Drafting Enforceable Relief

Mr. Maatman has nearly four decades of experience practicing law and has defended some of the most significant bet-the-company cases ever filed against corporate America. He has represented companies, executive teams and boards across the country in class action litigation, ranging in size from thousands to hundreds of thousands of claims by employees. Among Mr. Maatman's accomplishments, he defended and defeated the largest systemic enforcement action ever brought in the history of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the first Attorney General prosecution of a Wall Street company for workplace discrimination and harassment, and the largest wage and hour class and collective actions ever brought in Florida and New York. While he is known to be a fierce litigator, Mr. Maatman also helps his clients anticipate large-scale litigation risks before they happen to prevent issues that could turn into litigation. Mr. Maatman pioneered the process of conducting employment-practices audits to assist employers in structuring effective and practical personnel policies and protocols. He also writes and lectures extensively on class action and employment litigation topics. Mr. Maatman has authored six books on employment law topics and has spoken to employer groups throughout the United States, as well as in Asia, Europe, Canada and Mexico.

Ms. Harder is an associate in the firm's Litigation Practice Group and associate co-lead of the firm’s Class Actions Group. Her diverse practice includes representation of clients in commercial litigation, including class action, trade secret, real estate, antitrust, and close corporation and partnership disputes. Ms. Harder has experience representing both plaintiffs and defendants in all phases of litigation, including dispositive motions, discovery, jury trials, bench trials, arbitration proceedings, and appeals.

Ms. Kokolis has a special practice emphasis on complex and appellate litigation, particularly the defense and settlement of class actions. She has litigated dozens of class action suits in federal and state trial and appellate courts involving insurance coverage and claims practices, as well as constitutional cases, consumer fraud and product liability, among others.