Day v. GEICO Casualty Company et al
Filing
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ORDER GRANTING 24 UNOPPOSED MOTION TO APPOINT INTERIM CLASS COUNSEL. Signed by Judge Beth Labson Freeman on July 15, 2021. (blflc2S, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 7/15/2021)
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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
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NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
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SAN JOSE DIVISION
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JESSICA DAY,
Plaintiff,
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v.
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GEICO CASUALTY COMPANY, et al.,
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United States District Court
Northern District of California
Case No. 21-cv-02103-BLF
ORDER GRANTING UNOPPOSED
MOTION TO APPOINT INTERIM
CLASS COUNSEL
Defendants.
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Before the Court is Plaintiff’s unopposed motion to appoint Nichols Kaster, PLLP
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(“Nichols Kaster”), Stephan Zouras, LLP (“Stephan Zouras”), and The Sequoia Law Firm
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(“Sequoia Law”) as interim class counsel in this COVID-19 related auto insurance dispute. See
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Mot., ECF 24. For the following reasons, the Court GRANTS this unopposed motion.
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“Pursuant to Rule 23(g)(3), the court may designate interim counsel to act on behalf of a
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putative class before determining whether to certify a class.” In re Seagate Tech. LLC Litig., No.
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16-CV-00523-RMW, 2016 WL 3401989, at *2 (N.D. Cal. June 21, 2016). “Although Rule
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23(g)(3) does not provide a standard for appointment of interim counsel, courts typically look to
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the factors used in determining the adequacy of class counsel under Rule 23(g)(1)(A).” In re
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Seagate Tech. LLC Litig., 2016 WL 3401989, at *2. These factors are:
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(1) the work counsel has done in identifying or investigating potential claims in the action;
(2) counsel’s experience in handling class actions, other complex litigation, and the types of
claims asserted in the action;
(3) counsel’s knowledge of the applicable law; and
(4) the resources that counsel will commit to representing the class.
Fed. R. Civ. P. 23(g)(1)(A). The court may also consider “any other matter pertinent to counsel's
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ability to fairly and adequately represent the interests of the class.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 23(g)(1)(B).
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The appointment of interim class counsel is discretionary and particularly suited to complex
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actions. In re Seagate Tech. LLC Litig., 2016 WL 3401989, at *2.
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Here, the proposed interim class counsel have sufficiently demonstrated that they have
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dedicated substantial resources to pursuing this case, have extensive experience litigating complex
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class actions, are knowledgeable about the applicable law, and have the necessary resources to
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represent the class. For these reasons, the motion is GRANTED.
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IT IS SO ORDERED.
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United States District Court
Northern District of California
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Dated: July 15, 2021
______________________________________
BETH LABSON FREEMAN
United States District Judge
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