For over 27 years, Mr. Kershaw has represented clients in class actions and complex litigation in state and federal courts, including coordinated and multi-district proceedings. Prior to entering civil practice, Mr. Kershaw spent nine years in the District Attorney’s Office of Sacramento County where he tried some 75 cases to verdict and supervised the Consumer and White Collar Fraud Division, various felony trial teams, and the Career Criminal Unit.
Mr. Kershaw’s experience includes serving as court-appointed lead class counsel and/or liaison counsel on behalf of plaintiffs in numerous class actions, mass torts and consumer-related proceedings throughout the United States. On occasion, he also served as defense counsel in consolidated securities litigation and other class action cases. During his career some of his notable cases include:
- Currently serving as lead class counsel in a class action against PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP (PwC) alleging failure to pay PwC Audit Associates overtime and other compensation due under California wage and hour laws.
- A $39 million settlement against VeriSign, Inc. on behalf of a nationwide class alleging misrepresentation to U.S. businesses regarding the degree of security provided by VeriSign’s Secure Site Pro encrypted security certificates.
- An $87 million settlement against United Parcel Service, Inc. (UPS) on behalf of a class of 23,600 UPS drivers to recover unpaid wages based on allegations that the employer failed to provide meal and rest periods. The cases settled in 2006 for an $87 million cash payment and other benefits to class members valued at more than $4 million. This is believed to be the largest "meal and rest period” settlement in California history, and was one of the largest nationwide wage and hour settlements of 2007.
- Multiple mass tort settlements in the $20 to $40 million dollar range involving a broad spectrum of medical devices (court protective orders preclude identification of defendants which are well-known pharmaceutical companies).
- Served as lead counsel in a seven-month trial to verdict of a class action alleging bad faith insurance practices against the California State Compensation Insurance Fund, California’s largest workers compensation carrier.
- A $330 million class action settlement against American Honda Motor Co., Inc. arising out of MDL proceedings on behalf of all present and former Honda dealers alleging RICO violations relating to misallocation of vehicles in a nationwide bribery conspiracy.
- A $180 million settlement against a Richmond chemical company for release of sulfuric acid vapor in the San Francisco Bay area.
- A $46 million settlement against Jenny Craig, Inc. for misleading advertising and improper business practices. Multiple recoveries on behalf of class members, totaling more than $75 million against the funeral industry for improper handling of human remains.
