The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California preliminarily approved an $800 million settlement relating to emissions-related claims against Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, The American Lawyer reported February 13.
The complex settlement was reached by an S&C team including Scott Miller, David Rein, Bill Monahan and Megan Bradley, and was led by Robert Giuffra.
Giuffra mounted a vigorous defense for S&C client Fiat while working amicably with opposing counsel Elizabeth Cabraser to achieve the best outcome, likening his approach to “a steel fist and a velvet glove.” Giuffra draws on his strong relationships with litigators across many industries to favorably resolve claims while eliminating exposure, allowing clients to maintain focus on their core businesses.
U.S. District Judge Edward Chen praised the efficient resolution, especially in light of “how complicated all the parameters were… in some ways more so than the Volkswagen case,” in which Giuffra settled its emissions claims in 2016 with the same opposing counsel.