Exhibit A: Klafter Lesser Firm Resume (Dkt. 249-1, S.D. Fla.)
Summary
Exhibit A (Document 249-1) in Case 1:21-md-02989-CMA, entered on the FLSD docket April 26, 2021, is the 12-page Klafter Lesser LLP Firm Resume, listing an office in Rye Brook, New York. Its contents cover complex litigation experience, consumer rights, securities, breach of fiduciary duty, antitrust, wage and hour, mortgage fraud, defective medical device and hazardous drug, and civil rights cases. The resume profiles the firm's attorneys Jeffrey A. Klafter, Seth R. Lesser, Christopher M. Timmel, Amir Alimehri and Cyrus B. Kornfeld.
Summary drafted by a model from the document's text below and checked by script against that text before publication. It is a navigation aid, not a reading of what the document proves. Where AI is used
- Date
- 2021-04-26
Cite this document
“Exhibit A: Klafter Lesser Firm Resume (Dkt. 249-1).”
Original at archive.org, dated 2021-04-26. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/2021-04-26-perez-v-rent-a-center-inc-docket-no/
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Case 1:21-md-02989-CMA Document 249-1 Entered on FLSD Docket 04/26/2021 Page 1 of 12
EXHIBIT A
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Firm Resume
Klafter Lesser Firm Resume - 04-22-2021 New York
Two International Drive
Suite 350
Rye Brook, NY 10573
www.klafterlesser.com 914 934 9200
914 934 9220 fax
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Contents
1 Klafter Lesser LLP 6 The Firm’s Attorneys
6 Jeffrey A. Klafter
2 Complex Litigation Experience 7 Seth R. Lesser
8 Christopher M. Timmel
2 Cases & Settlements 8 Amir Alimehri
2 Consumer Rights Cases 8 Cyrus B. Kornfeld
3 Securities Cases
3 Breach of Fiduciary Duty Claims
4 Antitrust Cases
4 Wage & Hour / Overtime and Other Employment Cases
5 Mortgage Fraud Cases
5 Defective Medical Device and Hazardous Drug Litigation
5 Civil Rights Cases
Firm Resume Klafter Lesser LLP i
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Klafter Lesser LLP
Klafter Lesser LLP is a nationally recognized law firm that primarily focuses on vindicating the rights of investors, businesses,
employees, and consumers under Federal securities and State securities, corporate, labor, and consumer protection laws. Its
attorneys have led the prosecution of cases in all of these areas and have received recognition for their efforts from courts,
professional organizations, and peers for their professionalism and excellent results. The Firm has successfully litigated cases
from one end of the country to the other and its attorneys are admitted in multiple state courts and dozens of federal courts.
The Firm’s predecessor was founded in June 2003, and on March 1, 2021, the Firm became Klafter Lesser LLP. The Firm’s
office is in New York. The Firm’s principals bring to the practice over seventy years of combined experience representing
plaintiffs and, occasionally, defendants.
The Firm’s philosophy is to zealously prosecute selective actions as opposed to a “volume”-type operation. The Firm
provides its clients with the full spectrum of litigation services including: (i) factual investigation, forensic accounting,
and legal analysis; (ii) communications advising the client of the merits of the case, developments in the litigation, and
settlement issues; and (iii) advisory services on an “as needed” basis on both case specific and general litigation matters.
The Firm will take its cases as far they need to go to obtain the best recovery for their clients. In fact, perhaps uniquely,
in 2009, the Firm was co-lead counsel in what is one of the first FLSA misclassification collective actions ever tried to
a jury. After the six-week trial, the firm obtained a verdict finding that the defendant there, Staples, Inc., had willfully
violated the FLSA. The jury awarded the 342 assistant store manager collective action members a verdict of $2.4 million,
which the Court doubled to $4.8 million because of the finding of willfulness. Subsequently, after the Firm filed additional
similar claims cases, it was lead counsel in the resulting MDL proceeding, which settled for $42 million. In re Staples Inc.
Wage & Hour Employment Practices Litig., No. 08-5746 (D.N.J.) (KSH) (MDL-2025).
The attorneys in the Firm have obtained well over a billion dollars in settlements in the cases in which they have served
as lead lawyers. These results have been obtained in a wide variety of individual and class action contexts. One federal
judge stated on the record in open court to one of the Firm’s attorneys that “the court already held that class counsel
was adequate in the context of class certification. But more than just adequate, class counsel’s performance in this case
has been exemplary.” Another called a settlement by the Firm a “magnificent result.”
Firm Resume Klafter Lesser LLP 1
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Complex Litigation Experience Cases & Settlements
The Firm and its Partners have been lead or co-lead counsel
Consumer Rights Cases
for the prosecution of many multi-party complex cases
including: The Firm has extensive experience in the area of consumer
rights litigation. Whether representing individuals or
• In re Fisker Automotive Holdings Inc. Shareholder Litigation
businesses and whether through class or individual actions,
(group action that involved securities and common law
the Firm’s attorneys have recouped hundreds of millions of
claims of 16 plaintiffs against 13 defendants) (settled;
dollars for its clients in these areas.
amount confidential).
• In re Guidant Corp. Implantable Defibrillators Products The Firm’s attorneys have been long been lead and co-lead
Liability Litigation - MDL No. 05-1708 (mass tort action counsel in major class action and MDL proceedings that
involving claims of thousands of individuals who faced successfully obtained recompense from banks, insurance
economic and personal injury from defectively designed companies, mortgage lenders, appraisers and title insurers,
implantable defibrillators) (settled for $240 million). as well as rental companies, gasoline companies, automobile
manufacturers, computer companies, and many others.
• In re Staples, Inc. Wage & Hour Employment Practices Litig.
In 2005, Partner Seth Lesser was the “Consumer Advocate
-MDL-2025 (see page 1)
of the Year” of the National Association of Consumer
• In re Doubleclick - MDL-1352 & In re Amazon-Alexa - MDL- Lawyers. One of his largest successes involved obtaining
1346 (firm was lead counsel in these internet privacy MDL over $100 million – 100% of individual’s out-of-pocket
proceedings that led to novel resolution that, at the time, damages – for New Jersey consumers who paid hidden
represented state of the art protections for consumers) usurious interest in Perez v. Rent-a-Center, Inc., Docket No.
• In re Washington Public Power Supply System Litig. (class CAM-L-21-03 (Sup. Ct. N.J.), for victims of mortgage fraud, and
action against over 100 defendants to recoup the losses for compelling a bank to refund interest charges improperly
suffered by the purchasers of municipal bonds issued calculated for commercial borrowers. This case and other
by the Washington Public Power Supply System when it consumer rights cases the Firm or its partners are litigating
defaulted on those bonds.) (a principal attorney) (settled or have successfully litigated are as follows:
for approximately $800 million with most settlements
• University of Pittsburgh (class action suit for failure of UPitt
occurring after the commencement of the trial).
to refund tuition and Mandatory Fees for the period they
were closed due to COVID) (ongoing)
• Ohio State University (class action suit for failure of OSU
to rebate certain mandatory fees for the period they were
closed due to COVID) (ongoing)
• Spirit Airlines (class action suit regarding Spirit’s charging
carry-on fees without adequate notice to online travel
agency purchasers) (ongoing)
• Ambit Energy (budget billing misrepresentations)
($3.65 million settlement)
• Ambit Energy (bait and switch to more expensive
electricity and gas plans) ($29.75 million settlement)
Firm Resume Klafter Lesser LLP 2
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• Rent-A-Center ($109 Million settlement) – class action Breach of Fiduciary Duty Claims
suit against Rent-A-Center in New Jersey for charging
The Firm actively pursues claims for breach of fiduciary
consumers hidden usurious interest rates in violation
duty against corporate officers or directors on behalf of
of New Jersey State Law. After a favorable New Jersey
shareholders including in the following cases:
Supreme Court ruling, class members were directly paid
just over 100% of their out-of-pocket damages. • The Firm was retained by the Post-Confirmation Equity
• In re Doubleclick (injunctive relief) – on behalf of almost Subcommittee in the bankruptcy of a public company,
every Internet user in America that compelled one of Superior Offshore International, Inc., to prosecute
largest Internet ad servers to adhere to heightened privacy fiduciary duty claims against Superior’s former officers
protections. and directors. The Firm brought suit in the United States
Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas against
Securities Cases four senior officers of the company for waste of corporate
assets, insider trading and causing the company’s
The Firm and its Partners have served as lead counsel or bankruptcy. That litigation was settled to the satisfaction
have had significant roles in multiple securities actions that of the parties shortly before it was scheduled to be tried
have returned nearly $1 billion to investors in a variety of (the amount is confidential).
group and individual actions.
• The Firm was retained by the Liquidating Trust of Debtor
• Antipodean Domestic Partners, LP v. Clovis Oncology, Inc. PTMS Liquidating Corp. (f/k/a ProxyMed and MedAvant)
(securities opt-out action) (settled; amount confidential) and brought suit in the United States Bankruptcy Court for
• In Re Fisker Automotive Holdings Inc. Shareholder the District of Delaware for breach of fiduciary duty and
Litigation (settled; amount confidential) fraud against General Atlantic, LLC and Braden Kelly for
causing the demise of the Company. That litigation was
• Wonder Auto Group ($3 million settlement)
also settled to the satisfaction of the parties shortly before
• AthroCare Corp. ($74 million settlement) it was scheduled to be tried (the amount is confidential).
• Colonial Bancgroup ($18.4 million settlement) • IMH Secured Loan Fund (breach of fiduciary duty claims
• Countrywide Financial Corp. ($624 million settlement). of investors in IMH Senior Loan Fund whose managers
• American Business Financial Services, Inc. reorganized the Fund for their own benefit to the
detriment to the investors) ($1.345 million cash, $30 million
• Limelight Networks, Inc. ($1.9 million settlement)
security offerings, and corporate governance settlement)
• Warner Chilcott Limited ($9 Million settlement)
• Living Independent Group (breach of fiduciary duty claims
• InfoSonics ($3.8 million settlement) of common shareholders in Living Independent Group, Inc.
• IBM ($20 million settlement) who did not receive any share of the General Electric Co.’s
• Viisage Technology, Inc. ($2.3 Million settlement) purchase price of the company ($3 million settlement)
• Ashworth ($15.25 Million settlement)
• Friedman, Billings, Ramsey Group, Inc ($4.5 million) & FNY
Entities ($300,000), and Hilary Shane
• Eaton Vance ($10.5 Million settlement)
• Smartalk Teleservices ($27.1 Million settlement)
• Independent Energy Holdings ($48 Million settlement)
Firm Resume Klafter Lesser LLP 3
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Antitrust Cases • The Estee Lauder Companies (collective action on behalf
of customer service representatives, sales representatives,
The Firm is currently prosecuting, with co-counsel, antitrust
product specialists, stylists, freelancers) (ongoing)
class action claims against Total Gas & Power North America,
Inc., Total, S.A., and Total Gas & Power, Ltd. arising from the • Mariano’s (collective action on behalf of Meat/Bakery
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission proceeding against Managers) (ongoing)
them for manipulating four Western electricity natural gas • Jimmy Johns (collective action on behalf of Assistant
trading hubs. Past antirust cases the Firm has been co-lead Managers (settlement pending)
in or a participant in include the following: • Target (collective action on behalf of Executive Team
• Merced Irrigation District, on behalf of itself and all others Leaders) (ongoing)
similarly situated v. Barclays Bank PLC (monopolization • Marshalls/Homegoods (collective action on behalf of
of electricity trading hubs in CA) (co-lead counsel) ($29 Assistant Store Managers) ($31.5 million settlement)
million) • Burlington Coat Factory collective action on behalf of
• In re Dental Supplies Antitrust Litigation ($80 million) Assistant Store Managers ($19.61 million settlement)
• In re Air-Cargo Antitrust Litigation ($1.2 billion) • GEICO (collective action on behalf of TCRs Who Worked in
• In re Hydrogen Peroxide Antitrust Litigation ($87.4 million) Virginia Call Center) ($2 million settlement)
• In re High Pressure Laminates Antitrust Litigation • Potbelly Sandwich (collective action on behalf of Assistant
Managers) ($561,375.92 settlement)
The Firm currently is involved in the In re Local TV Advertising
• The Scotts Company (collective action on behalf of Sales
Antitrust Litigation.
Managers) ($2.25 million settlement)
Wage & Hour / Overtime and • PetCo (collective action on behalf of Assistant Store
Other Employment Cases Managers) ($10 million settlement)
• Kmart (collective action on behalf of Assistant Store
The Firm has a strong national reputation for helping
Managers) ($3.81 million settlement)
employees obtain the compensation to which they are
entitled, whether overtime pay and other benefits under the • HMS Host ($1.29 million settlement)
FLSA and comparable state laws or other compensation due • Abercrombie & Fitch ($5.25 million settlement)
to employees. In these types of cases, the Firm represents • Morgan Stanley (collective action primarily on behalf of
workers across the country. pre-production FAAs) ($5.99 million settlement)
Its lawyers have successfully handled over 50 FLSA cases • Weiss Markets ($2.46 million settlement)
and have obtained over $250 million in settlements in class, • Dicks Sporting Goods ($10 million settlement)
collective, and individual cases against defendants in court
• Office Max ($3.53 million settlement)
and in arbitrations that have included Fortune 100 and
other companies that have ranged from major retailers to • Bob Evans Farms ($16.5 million settlement)
nationwide financial institutions. • Office Depot ($610,000 settlement)
A summary of the principal employment cases the Firm has • Avis Car Rental ($7.8 million settlement)
prosecuted and is currently prosecuting are as follows: • Morgan Stanley (Client Service Associates) ($4.2 million
settlement)
• IBM (class action suit on behalf of IBM salesmen alleging
IBM cheated them out of commissions) (ongoing) • Fifth Third Bancorp ($3 million settlement)
• Red Robbin (collective action on behalf of Assistant • Modell’s Sporting Goods ($800,000 settlement)
Managers and Kitchen Managers below the General • Kindred ($16.5 million settlement)
Manager and of any Assistant General Manager not dually • Family Dollar$ (NJ) ($1.15 million settlement)
titled as AGM/Kitchen Manager) (ongoing)
• EDS ($11.8 million settlement)
• PetSmart ($3.8 million settlement)
Firm Resume Klafter Lesser LLP 4
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• Family Dollar (NY) ($14 million settlement) Our lawyers have also acted as the lead New York class
• Rite Aid ($20.9 million settlement) counsel in the Fen/Phen diet drug litigation which obtained
the first class certification under New York law for a medical
• CVS ($34 million settlement)
monitoring class, and acted as the designated New York class
• BJs Wholesale Club ($9.3 million settlement) counsel in the nationwide multi-billion dollar settlement
• Staples, Inc. ($42 million settlement) with American Home Products. We have experience serving
• Gentiva ($5 million settlement) on state and federal executive and plaintiffs’ steering
committees for other mass tort claims and Mr. Lesser has
• Boston Market ($3 million settlement)
been a co-chair of the American Association for Justice’s
• Hewitt Associates ($4.9 million settlement) Food Borne Illness litigation group.
Mortgage Fraud Cases Civil Rights Cases
• Ocwen Loan Servicing, LLC / Morgan Stanley Private The Firm has actively prosecuted numerous lawsuits
Bank / RBS Citizens Bank (failure to timely file mortgage on behalf of individuals who have had their civil or
satisfactions in accordance with California law) Constitutional rights violated.
• Bank of New York (failure to timely file mortgage
The Firm’s attorneys have obtained awards in many
satisfactions in accordance with New York law)
individual and class actions in which racial or gender
• Chase Manhattan Mortgage Corp. (100% recovery for discrimination was alleged, including the recent $24.4 million
mischarged interest rates) settlement reached in a case involving historical racial
discrimination in the sale of life insurance. In that case, as
Defective Medical Device and co-lead counsel, we obtained class certification, defeated the
Hazardous Drug Litigation defendant’s attempt to obtain interlocutory appellate review
The Firm’s attorneys have extensive experience in of the certification decision and prevailed against a motion
representing victims of hazardous pharmaceutical drugs for summary judgment, Norflet v. John Hancock Life Ins. Co.,
(such as Rezulin or Fen/Phen), defective medical devices No. Civil No. 3:04cv1099 (D. Conn.).
(such as certain of Guidant’s implantable defibrillators), and The Firm is also involved in pending litigation regarding
mass food poisonings (such as peanut butter contamination). the constitutionality of a D.C. tax provision that excludes
We have represented not only individuals but also out-of-state businesses from claiming a sales and beverage
government agencies for reimbursement claims. tax exemption unless they have an office in the District of
Our attorneys have been lead counsel in a number of such Columbia. American Philosophical Association, et al. v. District
cases. One involved multiple LYMErix vaccine class actions of Columbia, 2017 CA 004057 B (Sup. Ct. D.C.).
which resulted, as a part of the settlement, in the withdrawal The Firm has also obtained significant recoveries on behalf
of the vaccine from the market - perhaps a unique and of individuals who were illegally strip searched when they
unprecedented resolution of a pharmaceutical class action were arrested for non-serious crimes including a $7.5 million
- and which also set forth the terms pursuant to which the class action settlement with one New Jersey county (Hicks
company could apply to the Food and Drug Administration v. County of Camden, Civ. No. 05-1857 (D.N.J.), a $4.5 million
to seek any reintroduction of the product. Cassidy v. settlement with another (Suggs v. County of Cumberland,
SmithKline Beecham, No. 99-10423 (Ct. Common Pleas, PA Civ. No. 06-0087 (D.N.J.) and a $4 million settlement with a
state court). third (Wilson v. Gloucester County, Civ. No. 06-1368 (D.N.J.). At
In another national mass tort, one of our attorneys, Seth the final approval hearing of the Wilson v. Gloucester County
Lesser, was co-lead counsel In re Guidant Corp. Implantable settlement, on March 18, 2010, Judge Irenas of the United
Defibrillators Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 05-1708 States District Court for the District of New Jersey stated on
(DWF/AJB) (D. Minn.), where a $240 million settlement was the record that “The court already held that class counsel
obtained for individuals who faced economic and personal was adequate in the context of class certification. But more
injury from defectively designed implantable defibrillators. than just adequate, class counsel’s performance in this case
has been exemplary.”
Firm Resume Klafter Lesser LLP 5
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The Firm’s Attorneys
Jeffrey A. Klafter who did not receive any share of the General Electric Co.’s
purchase price of the company, the claims of investors in
Jeffrey A. Klafter has over 40 years of experience in
IMH Senior Loan Fund whose managers reorganized the
prosecuting securities, breach of fiduciary duty, and
Fund for their own benefit to the detriment to the investors,
commercial litigation. Mr. Klafter began his legal career with
and the claims of Antipodean Domestic Partners, LP against
the Antitrust Division of the United States Department of
Clovis Oncology, Inc. for misrepresenting the effectiveness
Justice. After spending two years with the DOJ, Mr. Klafter
of a drug it was developing to treat a certain type of lung
entered private practice. From 1988 until mid-2003, Mr. Klafter
cancer. The plaintiff opted out of a securities class action.
was a partner of Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossmann LLP.
The case was settled after considerable discovery to the
Early in his career, Mr. Klafter was one of the principal lawyers
satisfaction of the parties.
responsible for the prosecution of over 100 defendants to
recoup the losses suffered by the purchasers of municipal Additionally, Mr. Klafter has been responsible for the
bonds issued by the Washington Public Power Supply System prosecution of innovative and diverse litigation successfully
when it defaulted on those bonds. That litigation resulted in pursuing innovative antitrust claims against Barclays
the recovery of approximately $800 million, one of the largest Bank PLC for its alleged manipulation of four electricity
securities fraud settlements in history. Mr. Klafter has also hubs in California that led to a $29 million settlement,
served as sole or co lead counsel in prosecuting numerous challenging Delaware regulations governing the disposal
securities class actions on behalf of investors in common of solid waste on behalf of waste haulers; the laying of
stock, municipal bonds, convertible debentures and preferred fiber optic cable along railroad rights of way on behalf of
stock in which hundreds of millions of dollars have been adjoining landowners; and efforts to impose the cost of
recovered on behalf of investors. Y2K compliance on businesses and medical practices by
suppliers of various computer software.
Among the many notable achievements for which he had
sole or shared responsibility before forming the Firm are Mr. Klafter is a member of the Bar of the State of New York,
the recovery of $48 million in In re Independent Energy PLC the United States District Court for the Southern District of
Securities Litigation; the recovery of $300 million in In re: New York, other federal district courts, the Second Circuit
DaimlerChrysler AG Securities Litigation, the decision of the Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court. Mr.
Second Circuit Court of Appeals reversing the district court’s Klafter has been a member of the Securities Law Committee
dismissal of plaintiffs’ complaint in In re Scholastic Corp. of the Commercial and Federal Litigation Section of the New
Securities Litigation and ultimate settlement of that litigation; York State Bar Association and is a noted author and lecturer
the recovery of $27.1 million in In re SmarTalk Teleservices Inc. on securities litigation issues and has served as a judge of
Securities Litigation, and a significant recovery on behalf of the American Bar Association Student Appellate Advocacy
holders of Sun Oil Company preferred stock in litigation over annual competition.
the indenture governing the stock.
He has been repeatedly recognized by his peers as a
Since forming the Firm, Mr. Klafter served as special SuperLawyer, and in two areas: class action practice and as
counsel to lead counsel in the In re Ahold N.V. Securities & one of the top 25 lawyers in Westchester County.
ERISA Litigation, Civil No.: 1:03-MD-01539-CCB (D. Md.) in
which $1.1 billion was recovered on behalf of the class, had
a significant role in the prosecution of the Countrywide
Financial Corporation Securities Litigation, which settled
for $624 million; successfully prosecuted the claims of the
Liquidating Trust created by the Bankruptcy Court that
approved the bankruptcy plan for ProxyMed, the claims of
common shareholders in Living Independent Group, Inc.
Firm Resume Klafter Lesser LLP 6
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Seth R. Lesser Mr. Lesser was the National Association of Consumer
Advocates’ Attorney of the Year in 2005 and was Chair of the
Seth R. Lesser practices in the areas of consumer advocacy,
Board of Directors of that organization for a number of years.
mass torts and wage and hour litigation, primarily on behalf
He is presently a member of the Board of Directors and
of defrauded consumers, businesses and employees. In
on the Executive Committee of Public Justice. He has been
addition to handling cases at the trial court level, he also has
repeatedly recognized by his peers as a SuperLawyer, and
an active appellate practice. He began his career at a large
in two areas: class action practice and as one of the top 25
defense firm and subsequently was a partner at two plaintiff-
lawyers in Westchester County.
oriented firms, Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossmann LLP
and the Locks Law Firm. He joined the Firm in August 2008. From 1998 through 2001, he served as the representative of
the American Council on Consumer Interests to the United
Mr. Lesser is a graduate of Princeton University, A.B., summa
Nations. He has also served on the Amicus Committee of the
cum laude (1983); Oxford University, D.Phil. in Modern History,
American Association for Justice; the Second Circuit Courts
recipient of a Marshall Scholarship (1985); and Harvard Law
Committee of the Federal Bar Council; and has been active
School, J.D., magna cum laude, where he was an editor of
in the Members Consultative Group of the American Law
the Harvard Journal of International Law and of the Harvard
Institute’s Restatement of the Law Third, Restitution and
Environmental Law Review (1985). In addition, he was the
Unjust Enrichment project. He is a member of, inter alia, the
coxswain of the Oxford Blue Boat in the Oxford-Cambridge
American Law Institute; the American Bar Association; the
Boat Race (1984 & 1985).
Second Circuit Federal Bar Council; the Bar Association of
Since 1995, Mr. Lesser has primarily represented plaintiffs in the City of New York; the National Association of Consumer
class and collective actions and mass tort cases. He has been Advocates; the American Association for Justice; and the
the lead plaintiff counsel in dozens of successful class and/ National Employment Lawyers Association.
or collective actions in the areas of consumer, privacy, mass
Other professional organization appointments have included
tort, employment and securities litigation. The cases where
being the Chair of American Bar Association’s Business Law
he has personally served as plaintiffs’ lead counsel have
Section’s Environmental Litigation Subcommittee (1995-
returned in excess of half a billion dollars to clients. Federal
2002); the Co-Chair of the ABA’s Business Law Section’s
Multidistrict Litigation proceedings where he was lead or
Annual Review of Litigation (1995-1998); a member of
co-lead counsel have including, among others, MDL-1346 (In
the New York City Bar Association’s Committees on
re Amazon-Alexa) (sole lead); MDL-1352 (In re Doubleclick) (co-
Consumer Affairs (1995-1998) and Federal Courts (1998-
lead); MDL-1708 (In re Guidant Implantable Heart Devices) (co-
2001); a member of the Federal Bar Council’s Second
lead); MDL-1739 (In re Grand Theft Auto Video Game Consumer
Circuit Courts Committee (2006 to date); and Co-Chair of
Litigation) (sole lead); MDL-1903 (In re Pepsico, Inc. Bottled
the American Association for Justice’s Food-borne Illness
Water Sales Practices) (sole lead); MDL-2025 (In re Staples, Inc.
Litigation Group (2007 to date). He also was the Chair of the
Wage & Hour Employment Practices Litig.) (lead). He has been
National Association of Securities and Consumer Attorneys
on numerous MDL Executive/Steering Committees, including,
Consumer Committee from 2003 to 2005. He was asked to
the Executive Committee in MDL-1845 (ConAgra Peanut Butter
draft revisions to New York State’s class action law (2002-
Products Liability Litigation), and serving as Law & Briefing
2003; Report, 2003), as well as having been involved in the
Co-Chair of the Government Actions Committee in MDL-
drafting of numerous recommendations, testimony, reports,
1657 (Vioxx Products Liability Litigation). Among other things,
and other materials for various professional organizations.
he was the lead New York class counsel in the Fen/Phen diet
His election to the American Law Institute was in 2008. In
drug litigation and in that case obtained the first certification
addition, Mr. Lesser is on the Editorial Advisory Board of the
under New York law for a medical monitoring class, and was
Class Action Law Monitor.
the New York class counsel in the settlement with American
Home Products. In recent years, he has particularly handled Mr. Lesser is a member of the bars of New York, New Jersey
numerous wage and hour litigations on behalf of employees and the District of Columbia as well as nine United States
denied payment of overtime wages. He was also class District Courts, nine federal Courts of Appeal and the United
counsel in Perez v. Rent-A-Center (New Jersey State Court) States Supreme Court.
where a $109 million settlement returned over 100% of their
out-of-pocket damages to 100,000 New Jersey consumers.
Firm Resume Klafter Lesser LLP 7
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Christopher M. Timmel • Tera Group, Inc., et al. v. Citigroup, Inc., et al., 17-CV-4302
(RJS) (S.D.N.Y.)- Antitrust action alleging multiple financial
Christopher Timmel is an Associate of the Firm and a
institutions conspired to boycott the platform so as to
member of the bar of New York. His practice focuses on
prevent anonymous, all-to-all central limit order book
securities fraud and wage and hour class action litigation.
swap execution facility trading for Credit Default Swaps.
Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Timmel worked at two nationally
Defeated a motion to dismiss.
recognized law firms in New York, where his practice focused
on private Section 10(b) and Rule 10b-5 litigation. • In re: London Silver Fixing, Ltd., Antitrust Litigation, 14-MD-
2573 (VEC) (S.D.N.Y.)- Sherman Antitrust Act, CEA, and RICO
Mr. Timmel is a graduate of Dartmouth College and the class action alleging manipulation of the London Silver Fix.
University of Virginia School of Law, where he was sat on the Total of $38 million in settlements.
Editorial Board of the Virginia Environmental Law Journal. He
is also a graduate of Regis High School in New York City. Prior to that, Mr. Alimehri served as a law clerk to the
Honorable Sallyanne Floria, Assignment (Chief) Judge of the
Amir Alimehri Essex County Superior Court. He also served other judges in
the county, working on a variety of matters including but not
Amir Alimehri is an associate of the Firm, primarily litigating limited to complex commercial litigation, Chancery litigation,
complex class actions. Immediately prior to joining construction litigation, marital disputes, petitions for post-
Klafter Lesser, Mr. Alimehri was a litigation associate at a conviction relief and the processing of child adoptions.
boutique NY firm, primarily litigating complex antitrust and
commodities manipulation cases. The notable cases he Mr. Alimehri currently serves as a court-appointed
worked on are: Committee Member on the Essex Vicinage Advisory
Committee on Diversity, Inclusion and Community
• In re GSE Bonds Antitrust Litigation, 19-CV-1704 (JSR) Engagement, and is a Board Member of the Philadelphia
(S.D.N.Y.)- Sherman Antitrust Act class action alleging price- Diversity Law Group Alumni Association.
fixing by numerous financial institutions of unsecured debt
issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Defeated motions Mr. Alimehri graduated Rutgers Law School with a Juris
to dismiss. Total of $386 million in settlements. Doctor, along with a certificate in Corporate and Business
Law from the Rutgers Center for Corporate Law and
• Laydon, et al. v. Mizuho Bank, Ltd., et al., 12-CV-3419 (GBD)
Governance.
(S.D.N.Y.)- CEA class action alleging manipulation of the
Tokyo Interbank Offered Rate (TIBOR) and the London Mr. Alimehri is a member of the Bars of New York, New
Interbank Offered Rate for Japanese Yen (Yen LIBOR) by Jersey, and the federal District Court of New Jersey and the
numerous financial institutions. Total of $236 million in Southern District of New York.
settlements.
• In re: Papa John’s Employee and Franchisee Employee Cyrus B. Kornfeld
Antitrust Litigation, 18-CV-825 (JHM) (W.D. Ky.)- Antitrust Cyrus Kornfeld is an associate of the Firm and a member of
class action alleging suppression of employee wages/ the bar of New York. His practice focuses on class actions
benefits through no-hire clauses. Defeated a motion to and wage and hour litigation. Prior to joining the firm,
dismiss. Mr. Kornfeld worked at a nationally recognized law firm in
• Dennis, et al. v. JPMorgan Chase & Co., et al., 16-CV-6496 New York.
(LAK) (S.D.N.Y.)- Sherman Antitrust Act, CEA, and RICO
Mr. Kornfeld is a graduate of Harvard College and the New
class action against numerous global financial institutions
York University School of Law, where he attended with a
for the manipulation of the Australian Bank Bill Swap
Vanderbilt, full tuition scholarship. Raised in New Rochelle,
Reference Rate (BBSW). Total of $7 million in settlements.
NY, he attended Iona Preparatory.
• In re JPMorgan Precious Metals Spoofing Litigation, 18-
CV-10356 (GHW) (S.D.N.Y.)- CEA class action alleging
manipulation of the precious metals market through
spoofing and other manipulative acts.
Firm Resume Klafter Lesser LLP 8
Case 1:21-md-02989-CMA Document 249-1 Entered on FLSD Docket 04/26/2021 Page 12 of
12
New York
Two International Drive
Suite 350
Rye Brook, NY 10573
www.klafterlesser.com 914 934 9200
914 934 9220 fax
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