Sidley Austin Adds Consumer Class Actions Group

Los Angeles, Chicago — Sidley Austin LLP announced today a six-lawyer group has joined the firm’s Consumer Class Actions litigation team. This prominent group includes partners Michael Mallow, Mark Campbell and Livia Kiser. Mr. Mallow and Mr. Campbell jointly chaired the Consumer Class Actions and Regulatory Defense practice at their prior firm. They, along with four of the other lawyers joining, will be in Sidley’s Los Angeles office, while Ms. Kiser will practice in its Chicago office. These lawyers bring a wealth of experience in representing clients across the full spectrum of consumer class and regulatory litigation.

“We are excited to welcome Michael, Mark, Liv and their team to Sidley,” said Mike Kelley, managing partner of Sidley’s Los Angeles office and member of the firm’s Executive Committee. “Their extensive experience will significantly enhance the class action litigation capabilities we currently have in Los Angeles, Chicago and globally. In fact, they have recently been working side-by-side with Sidley lawyers in Los Angeles and Chicago in the joint representation of a major automobile manufacturer in the Takata air bag multi-district class action litigation, so there is already an excellent working relationship in place and we know just how talented and experienced they are.”

Mr. Mallow is a highly experienced trial lawyer who has represented clients in major litigation matters, including cases related to economic product defect, unfair competition, false and deceptive advertising, business torts, and entertainment and intellectual property. He has defended consumer protection actions and investigations initiated by the Federal Trade Commission, the U.S. Department of Justice, Consumer Product Safety Commission and Federal Communications Commission, as well as numerous state enforcement agencies. During his more than 17 years of representing clients in consumer protection matters, Mr. Mallow has been at the forefront of many significant consumer protection issues, including defending the first enforcement action prosecuted by the FTC related to the National Do Not Call Registry; securing a major automotive industry victory before the United States Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit mooting injunctive claims for relief brought by private plaintiffs. Mr. Mallow regularly counsels clients on marketing and advertising issues and has particular experience in the automotive, dietary supplement, telemarketing, electronic mail marketing, consumer products, Internet and lead generation industries.

Mr. Campbell is a seasoned trial lawyer who engages in a broad range of litigation matters, including consumer class actions, false advertising, unfair competition, patent, trademark and other complex commercial disputes. Before jointly chairing his firm’s Consumer Class Actions and Regulatory Defense practice, Mr. Campbell served as the Chair of his firm’s litigation department for nearly four years.   Mr. Campbell has extensive experience in the food, beverage and dietary supplements industries, where he has successfully defended companies in consumer and competitor claims of false advertising and unfair competition.  Mr. Campbell’s experience also includes responsibility for the development of class certification experts on issues critical to the defeat of class certification, including consumer behavior and economics in multi-district class action litigation.

Ms. Kiser focuses her practice on all aspects of risk management and dispute resolution with regard to the marketing and sale of products and services, with notable experience in the automotive, financial, retail, health, digital media, fitness, dietary supplement, consumer product and food and beverage industries. She routinely defends companies in complex, multi-district consumer class and regulatory actions against allegations of consumer fraud, false labeling, false advertising, and breach of warranty, among other claims arising under state and federal law. At her prior firm, Ms. Kiser chaired a task force related to health, wellness and beauty-related consumer products and services, and has defended major class action litigation related to "all natural" and "organic" product representations.

“With the addition of these partners, counsel and associates, we are strengthening our existing team of highly knowledgeable and skilled class action defense lawyers,” said Mark Blocker, co-global leader of Sidley’s Financial Services/Consumer Class Actions practice. “We are eager to begin collaborating with our new colleagues to continue providing our clients with the highest quality counsel.” 

With 1,900 lawyers in 18 offices worldwide, Sidley has built a reputation as a premier legal adviser for global businesses and financial institutions. For the fifth consecutive year, and every year since the survey’s inception, Sidley received the most first-tier national rankings in the 2015 U.S. News – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” survey. On Law360’s list of Global 20 Firms, Sidley was ranked among the top law firms “with the greatest global reach and expertise.” To stay up-to-date with the latest Sidley news, please follow us on Twitter at @SidleyNewsroom or download the Sidley Mobile App.