We are keen to hear from anyone who is interested in the Class Representatives Network.
Being a class representative can be lonely.
Why we exist
The UK’s collective proceedings regime is still in its infancy. There is no settled best practice for bringing a successful collective action, and the law is quickly developing. Class representatives occupy a unique, novel role in this regime. They carry weighty responsibilities on behalf of thousands, if not millions of class members.
Despite instructing large teams of lawyers, funders, experts, and claims administrators, class representatives are relatively isolated. If they come from a non-legal background, they may not feel confident about conducting their claim. They may feel that they have no one to talk to, both because of their confidentiality obligations, and because there are few others who can truly understand what their role involves.
How we help
The Class Representatives Network aims to support class representatives by building a community and improving confidence.
We provide opportunities to connect with one another, talk about our experiences, and learn more about collective actions in an informal environment.
Our Objectives and Aims
Our objectives are to further the public interest in ensuring:
- that groups of consumers similarly affected by the conduct of businesses can be represented collectively in legal proceedings to secure an effective remedy for the detriment they have suffered
- that such proceedings are recognised as an effective contribution to the improvement of consumer markets, holding infringing businesses to account and deterring unlawful conduct
- that class representatives are at all times capable, knowledgeable, supported and confident to make independent judgements on how best to further the interests of their class
- that the legal regimes providing for representative actions can develop in a way that commands the support of the judiciary, lawyers, parliamentarians, policy-makers, consumers and interest groups in different parts of the economy.
We aim:
- To provide protected opportunities for representatives to confidentially share experience and learnings and to discuss issues of concern, mindful always of maintaining confidentiality and legal privilege in case-specific information
- To respond to enquiries from prospective representatives who wish to learn more about the role
- To act as a clearing house of experience and knowledge about good practice in handling relations with lawyers, funders, legal institutions and others
- To provide access to contacts and connections, encouraging the recruitment of representatives to develop in a way that promotes diversity and inclusion