Edwards et al v. National Milk Producers Federation et al

Filing 62

ORDER GRANTING (61 in 3:11-cv-04766-JSW) Stipulation TO CONSOLIDATE CASES AND COMBINE BRIEFS AND AGGREGATE PAGE LIMITATIONS. Signed by Judge Jeffrey S. White on 12/19/11. (jjoS, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 12/19/2011)

Case3:11-cv-04766-JSW Document61

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HOLME ROBERTS & OWEN LLP
Jesse Markham (SBN 87788)
560 Mission Street, 25th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94105
Telephone: [phone]
Facsimile: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]

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Filed12/16/11 Page1 of 7

BAKER & MILLER PLLC
W. Todd Miller (pro hac vice to be filed)
2401 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Suite 300
Washington, DC 20037
Telephone: [phone]
Facsimile: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]

WILLIAMS & CONNOLLY LLP
Steven R. Kuney (pro hac vice to be filed)
725 Twelfth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20005
Telephone: [phone]
Facsimile: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]

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Attorneys for Defendant Dairy Farmers of America, Inc.

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(Additional counsel listed below)

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

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MATTHEW EDWARDS, GEORGIA
BROWNE, TORAH MONTESSORI SCHOOL,
and DANELL TOMASELLA individually and
on behalf of all others similarly situated,
Plaintiffs,

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v.

CASE NO. 3:11-CV-04766-JSW
CLASS ACTION
STIPULATION AND [PROPOSED] ORDER
TO CONSOLIDATE CASES AND
COMBINE BRIEFS AND AGGREGATE
PAGE LIMITATIONS

NATIONAL MILK PRODUCERS
FEDERATION, aka COOPERATIVES
WORKING TOGETHER; DAIRY FARMERS
OF AMERICA, INC.; LAND O’LAKES, INC.;
DAIRYLEA COOPERATIVE INC.; and AGRIMARK, INC.,
Defendants.

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Stipulation and [Proposed] Order to Consolidate Cases and Combine Briefs and Aggregate Page Limitations
Edwards et al. v. National Milk Producers Federation et al., Case No. 3:11-cv-04766
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Case3:11-cv-04766-JSW Document61

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Filed12/16/11 Page2 of 7

Plaintiffs Matthew Edwards, Georgia Browne, Torah Montessori School, Danell

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Tomasella, Jeffrey Robb, Nels Thogersen, Boys and Girls Club of the East Valley, Mary Anderson,

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Cody Barrett, Chloe Britzius, Corlea Burnett, Joseph Burwell, Jennifer Clites, Scott Cook, Robert

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Deloss, Julie Ewald, Robert George, Ian Groves, Tiffany Marie Havener, Amy Her, John Murray,

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Justin Paczesny, Kory Pentland, Jonathan Rizzo, Harmonie Skipper, Teresa Tobin, Scott Weber, and

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Alex Weinstein (collectively “Plaintiffs”) and Defendants National Milk Producers Federation, aka

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Cooperatives Working Together, Dairy Farmers of America, Inc., Land O’Lakes, Inc., Dairylea

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Cooperative Inc., and Agri-Mark, Inc. (collectively “Defendants”) (together the “Parties”), subject to

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the Court’s review and approval, hereby stipulate as follows:

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STIPULATION
WHEREAS, the actions Boys and Girls Club of the East Valley et al. v. National Milk

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Producers Federation et al., 3:11-cv-05253-JSW (previously determined to be “related” to this

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action), and Robb et al. v. National Milk Producers Federation et al., 3:11-cv-04791-JSW (along

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with this action, the “Actions”), are based on the same subject matter as this action and are all

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pending before the Honorable Jeffrey S. White;

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WHEREAS, the parties in the Actions have concluded that it is in the best interests of

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the parties and the putative class members that the Actions be consolidated and proceed as

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contemplated herein;

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WHEREAS, the existence of common questions of law and fact in the Actions now

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pending before this Court, the interests of fair and efficient administration of the Actions, the

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avoidance of unnecessary duplicative efforts, and the avoidance of inconsistency in outcomes

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warrant the consolidation of the Actions;

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WHEREAS, Plaintiffs in Boys and Girls Club of the East Valley et al. v. National

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Milk Producers Federation et al. and Robb et al. v. National Milk Producers Federation et al. have

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not yet amended their complaints once as a matter of course pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 15(a)(1); and

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WHEREAS, Defendants intend to file two joint motions to dismiss the Actions under

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Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(1) and 12(b)(6) on December 19, 2011, and wish to consolidate the briefing for

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Defendants’ two joint motions into a single brief totaling no more than 30 pages in length, exclusive
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Stipulation and [Proposed] Order to Consolidate Cases and Combine Briefs and Aggregate Page Limitations
Edwards et al. v. National Milk Producers Federation et al., Case No. 3:11-cv-04766
¦#76616 v1 saf

Case3:11-cv-04766-JSW Document61

Filed12/16/11 Page3 of 7

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of title pages, indices of cases, table of contents, exhibits, signature block, and summary of

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argument;

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WHEREAS, this Court’s Standing Order limits briefs to 15 pages in length;

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WHEREAS, good cause exists to allow Defendants to file one consolidated brief

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since the motions would be repetitive due to the common factual and legal issues of the motions;

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WHEREAS, the Parties agree to the desirability of Defendants’ filing one

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consolidated opening brief in support of their motions to dismiss under Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(1) and

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12(b)(6), as well as Plaintiffs’ opposition and Defendants’ reply briefs ;

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WHEREAS, Defendant Dairylea Cooperative, Inc. also intends to file a separate
motion to dismiss under Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(2) on December 19, 2011; and
WHEREAS, the Parties that have appeared, through their respective counsel, have
stipulated to the terms provided herein;
NOW THEREFORE, the Parties, through their undersigned respective counsel,
stipulate, agree, and request as follows:
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The Court finds that Edwards et al. v. National Milk Producers Federation et

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al., 3:11-cv-04766-JSW, Boys and Girls Club of the East Valley et al. v. National Milk Producers

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Federation et al., 3:11-cv-05253-JSW, and Robb et al. v. National Milk Producers Federation et al.,

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3:11-cv-04791-JSW, present substantially similar issues of law and fact and the Actions are hereby

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consolidated into 3:11-cv-04766-JSW. All future pleadings and other papers shall be filed under

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3:11-cv-04766-JSW.

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2.

Consolidation of the Actions shall be without prejudice to Plaintiffs’ right

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under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 15(a)(1) to amend the pleadings in Boys and Girls Club of the

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East Valley et al. v. National Milk Producers Federation et al. and Robb et al. v. National Milk

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Producers Federation et al. once as a matter of course.

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3.

Defendants shall be allowed to file one single brief in support of their joint

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motions to dismiss under Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(1) and 12(b)(6) in the consolidated action, totaling no

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more than 30 pages in length, exclusive of title page, index of cases, table of contents, exhibits,

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signature block, and summary of argument.
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Stipulation and [Proposed] Order to Consolidate Cases and Combine Briefs and Aggregate Page Limitations
Edwards et al. v. National Milk Producers Federation et al., Case No. 3:11-cv-04766
¦#76616 v1 saf

Case3:11-cv-04766-JSW Document61

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4.

Filed12/16/11 Page4 of 7

Plaintiffs shall be allowed to file one single brief in opposition to Defendants’

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joint motions to dismiss under Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(1) and 12(b)(6), totaling 30 pages in length,

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exclusive of title page, index of cases, table of contents, exhibits, signature block, and summary of

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argument.

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5.

Defendants shall be allowed to file one joint reply brief in response to

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Plaintiffs’ opposition to Defendants’ joint motions to dismiss, totaling 30 pages in length, exclusive

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of title page, index of cases, table of contents, exhibits, signature block, and summary of argument.

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6.

Defendant Dairylea Cooperative, Inc. shall additionally be allowed to file a

separate motion to dismiss under Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(b)(2), with briefing to be governed by the Court’s
Standing Order.

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Dated: December 16, 2011

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HAGENS BERMAN SOBOL SHAPIRO LLP
By: /s/ Elaine T. Byszewski
Elaine T. Byszewski
HAGENS BERMAN SOBOL SHAPIRO LLP
301 North Lake Ave, Suite 203
Pasadena, CA 91101
[phone]
[phone] (fax)
[e-mail]
Attorneys for Plaintiffs .

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Dated: December 16, 2011

HOLME ROBERTS & OWEN LLP
By: /s/ Jesse Markham
Jesse Markham
HOLME ROBERTS & OWEN LLP
560 Mission Street, Suite 2500
San Francisco, CA 94105-2994
[phone]
[phone] (fax)
[e-mail]

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Stipulation and [Proposed] Order to Consolidate Cases and Combine Briefs and Aggregate Page Limitations
Edwards et al. v. National Milk Producers Federation et al., Case No. 3:11-cv-04766
¦#76616 v1 saf

Case3:11-cv-04766-JSW Document61

Filed12/16/11 Page5 of 7

WILLIAMS & CONNOLLY LLP
Steven R. Kuney (pro hac vice to be filed)
725 Twelfth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20005
[phone]
[phone] (fax)
[e-mail]

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BAKER & MILLER PLLC
W. Todd Miller (pro hac vice to be filed)
2401 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Suite 300
Washington, DC 20037
[phone]
[phone] (fax)
[e-mail]
Attorneys for Defendant Dairy Farmers of
America, Inc.

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Dated: December 16, 2011

KEKER & VAN NEST LLP
By: /s/ Paula L. Blizzard
Paula L. Blizzard
Jan Nielsen Little (SBN 100029)
Paula L. Blizzard (SBN 207920)
KEKER & VAN NEST LLP
633 Battery Street
San Francisco, CA 94111
[phone]
[phone] (fax)
[e-mail]
Ross H. Garber (pro hac vice)
Jill M. O’Toole (pro hac vice to be filed)
Sara J. Goldfarb (pro hac vice to be filed)
SHIPMAN & GOODWIN LLP
One Constitution Plaza
Hartford, CT 06103
Telephone: [phone]
[e-mail]

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Attorneys for Defendant Agri-Mark, Inc.

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Stipulation and [Proposed] Order to Consolidate Cases and Combine Briefs and Aggregate Page Limitations
Edwards et al. v. National Milk Producers Federation et al., Case No. 3:11-cv-04766
¦#76616 v1 saf

Case3:11-cv-04766-JSW Document61

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Dated: December 16, 2011

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EIMER STAHL KLEVORN & SOLBERG LLP
By: /s/ Nathan P. Eimer
Nathan P. Eimer (pro hac vice)
Vanessa G. Jacobsen (pro hac vice)
Daniel D. Birk (pro hac vice)
EIMER STAHL KLEVORN & SOLBERG LLP
224 S. Michigan Avenue
Suite 1100
Chicago, IL 60604
312-660-7600
312-692-1718 (fax)
[e-mail]
Attorneys for Defendant Land O’Lakes, Inc

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Dated: December 16, 2011

COLLETTE ERICKSON FARMER & O’NEILL LLP
By: /s/ Edward R. Conan
Edward R. Conan (Pro Hac Vice)
Suzanne O. Galbato (Pro Hac Vice)
BOND, SCHOENECK & KING, PLLC
One Lincoln Center
Syracuse, NY 13202
[e-mail]
[e-mail]

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William S. Farmer
Jacob P. Alpren (SBN 235713)
COLLETTE ERICKSON FARMER & O'NEILL
LLP
235 Pine Street
Suite 1300
San Francisco, CA 94104-2733
[phone]
[phone] (fax)
[e-mail]
Attorneys for Defendant Dairylea Cooperative,
Inc.

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Stipulation and [Proposed] Order to Consolidate Cases and Combine Briefs and Aggregate Page Limitations
Edwards et al. v. National Milk Producers Federation et al., Case No. 3:11-cv-04766
¦#76616 v1 saf

Case3:11-cv-04766-JSW Document61

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Dated: December 16, 2011

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Filed12/16/11 Page7 of 7

STEPTOE & JOHNSON LLP
By: /s/ Chong S. Park
Chong S. Park (SBN 163451)
Kenneth P. Ewing (pro hac vice)
John J. Kavanagh (pro hac vice)
STEPTOE AND JOHNSON LLP
1330 Connecticut Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20036
202-429-6275
[e-mail]
[e-mail]
[e-mail]
Attorneys for Defendant
National Milk Producers Federation

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ATTESTATION: Pursuant to N.D. Cal. General Order 45, Part X-B, the filer attests that
concurrence in the filing of this document has been obtained from each signatory thereto.

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/s/
Jesse Markham

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_______

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The Court HEREBY GRANTS the parties' stipulation to consolidate these cases and ORDERS that
these cases are consolidated for all purposes. However, Defendants' motion to dismiss for failure to
state a claim and for lack of personal jurisdiction, and Plaintiffs' opposition thereto, shall be no longer
than 25 pages. Defendants shall have until December 22, 2011 to file their motion to dismiss.
ORDER

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IT IS SO ORDERED.

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December 19, 2011
Date Entered: _____________________

____________________________________
The Honorable Jeffrey S. White
District Court Judge

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Stipulation and [Proposed] Order to Consolidate Cases and Combine Briefs and Aggregate Page Limitations
Edwards et al. v. National Milk Producers Federation et al., Case No. 3:11-cv-04766
¦#76616 v1 saf