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Rule 23(f) Class Certification Appeals: Pursuing or Challenging Interlocutory Review of Certification Orders

Lessons From Labcorp v. Davis, Complying With Strict Procedural Requirements, Developing a Solid Appeal Strategy

A live 90-minute CLE video webinar with interactive Q&A

This program is included with the Strafford CLE Pass. Click for more information.
This program is included with the Strafford All-Access Pass. Click for more information.

Thursday, August 28, 2025

1:00pm-2:30pm EDT, 10:00am-11:30am PDT

Early Registration Discount Deadline, Friday, August 1, 2025

or call 1-800-926-7926
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This CLE webinar will examine how circuit courts exercise their discretion to permit or deny appeals under Rule 23(f) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and the differences among the circuits on essential issues and standards. The panel will also discuss considerations for class counsel on either side of the certification issue if they wish to appeal (or hope to prevent an appeal) of the certification order. Finally, the panel will address the dismissal of Laboratory Corp. of America Holdings v. Davis, Doc. No. 24-304, (writ of certiorari dismissed as improvidently granted ) (U.S. June 5, 2025).

Description

Rule 23(f) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure authorizes interlocutory review of class certification orders at the discretion of the federal courts of appeal. Litigants seeking interlocutory review must comply with strict procedural requirements under Rule 23(f), including a limited amount of time to appeal, but they do not need to seek leave of the trial court.

The Committee Notes to Rule 23(f) observe that appeals "may be granted or denied based on any consideration that the court of appeals finds persuasive." Nonetheless, all the courts of appeal have identified considerations they find more persuasive in permitting appeals, but no two are alike.

Listen as our panel examines how the federal courts address Rule 23(f) appeals and provides strategies for counsel for pursuing or opposing interlocutory review of a class certification decision. The panel will also address the recent Supreme Court Microsoft v. Baker ruling halting a plaintiff's ability to circumvent Rule 23(f) by voluntarily dismissing the underlying claims with prejudice after the district court denies certification.

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Outline

  1. Critical features of Rule 23(f)
    1. No automatic right to appeal
    2. No automatic stay of district court proceedings
    3. Time to appeal
    4. Standards of review
  2. "Death knell" cases and "reverse death knell" cases
  3. Blair approach
  4. Prado five-factor test
  5. Variations of the Blair and Prado approaches
  6. Challenging motion for appellate review of class certification
  7. Lessons from Labcorp v. Davis

Benefits

The panel will review these and other key issues:

  • What are the lessons for class counsel from recent case law addressing Rule 23(f) appeals?
  • What are key procedural requirements of Rule 23(f)?
  • What standards are the courts applying in granting or denying an interlocutory appeal of a certification decision?

Faculty

Leffel, Michael
Michael D. Leffel
Partner
Foley & Lardner

Mr. Leffel is a partner and litigation lawyer with Foley & Lardner LLP. His practice focuses on complex commercial...  |  Read More

Attend on August 28

Early Discount (through 08/01/25)

Cannot Attend August 28?

Early Discount (through 08/01/25)

You may pre-order a recording to listen at your convenience. Recordings are available 48 hours after the webinar. Strafford will process CLE credit for one person on each recording. All formats include course handouts.

To find out which recorded format will provide the best CLE option, select your state:

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