Whatley Drake & Kallas Appointed Co-Lead Counsel of Mattel Lead Toy Litigation
March 17, 2008JUDGE FISCHER APPROVES FIRM TO HEAD IMPORTANT CONSUMER CASE
Birmingham, AL – Whatley, Drake & Kallas (WDK), a national law firm with offices in Birmingham, New York City, and Boston, yesterday was appointed as co-lead counsel for the consumer class in the Mattel lead toy litigation.
WDK has a long history of representing consumers and children who are victims of lead poisoning. Judge Fischer of the United States District Court for the Central District of California yesterday recognized the firm’s expertise in this area by appointing it as co-lead counsel, along with Coughlin Stoia, to represent families whose children have purchased Mattel toys that are contaminated by lead paint. Practically all of these toys were manufactured in China, where the standards for safety have been far more lax than in the United States.
WDK intends to seek relief that will insure that such unsafe toys do not enter the United States in the future. As Joe Whatley stated: “During the Bush Administration, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has ignored its role as a protector of our children. We now must seek relief in the Courts to prevent toxic toys from being put into the hands and mouths of our kids.”
Edith Kallas said: “Our firm is dedicated to achieving meaningful change through litigation. We will ask the Court to require Mattel to insure that our children’s toys are safe. In the managed care litigation, we obtained meaningful injunctive relief to protect doctors from the abuses of that industry and to allow doctors to treat their patients. We will follow that model here.”
WDK primarily represents consumers, injured workers, unions and small businesses and is known for its work on class action suits, including recent cases involving BlueCross Blue Shield, Amgen and Countrywide. In November, 2007, WDK was named to the prestigious National Law Journal’s Plaintiffs' Hot List.
Birmingham, AL – Whatley, Drake & Kallas (WDK), a national law firm with offices in Birmingham, New York City, and Boston, yesterday was appointed as co-lead counsel for the consumer class in the Mattel lead toy litigation.
WDK has a long history of representing consumers and children who are victims of lead poisoning. Judge Fischer of the United States District Court for the Central District of California yesterday recognized the firm’s expertise in this area by appointing it as co-lead counsel, along with Coughlin Stoia, to represent families whose children have purchased Mattel toys that are contaminated by lead paint. Practically all of these toys were manufactured in China, where the standards for safety have been far more lax than in the United States.
WDK intends to seek relief that will insure that such unsafe toys do not enter the United States in the future. As Joe Whatley stated: “During the Bush Administration, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has ignored its role as a protector of our children. We now must seek relief in the Courts to prevent toxic toys from being put into the hands and mouths of our kids.”
Edith Kallas said: “Our firm is dedicated to achieving meaningful change through litigation. We will ask the Court to require Mattel to insure that our children’s toys are safe. In the managed care litigation, we obtained meaningful injunctive relief to protect doctors from the abuses of that industry and to allow doctors to treat their patients. We will follow that model here.”
WDK primarily represents consumers, injured workers, unions and small businesses and is known for its work on class action suits, including recent cases involving BlueCross Blue Shield, Amgen and Countrywide. In November, 2007, WDK was named to the prestigious National Law Journal’s Plaintiffs' Hot List.
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2001 Park Place North
Suite 1000
Birmingham, AL 35203
Tel. 205-328-9576
Fax. 205-328-9669
New York
1540 Broadway
37th Floor
New York, NY 10036
Tel. 212-447-7070
Fax. 212-447-7077
Massachusetts
60 State Street
Seventh Floor
Boston, MA 02109
Tel. 617-573-5118
Fax. 617-573-5090