James E. Cecchi founded and directs Carella Byrne's class action practice - the preeminent consumer class action firm in the State of New Jersey and across the United States. Mr. Cecchi has held leadership positions in many of the nation’s most complex and important consumer class actions effecting consumer rights in the last ten years and, under his leadership, the firm has returned billions of dollars to consumers. Select representative matters are listed below.

Prior to joining the firm in 1994, Mr. Cecchi served in the United States Department of Justice as an Assistant United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey,  participating in significant criminal prosecutions involving money laundering, narcotics smuggling, and violations of federal firearms laws. From 1989-1991, Mr. Cecchi served as a law clerk to the Honorable Nicholas H. Politan, United States District Judge, District of New Jersey (Ret.).

• In re National Prescription Opiate Litigation, MDL No. 2804 (N.D. Ohio) (Hon. Dan A. Polster) (James Cecchi appointed to Plaintiffs’ Executive Committee relating to marketing of opioid drugs. Mr. Cecchi was the sole negotiator between the State of New Jersey and its subdivisions regarding the allocation of settlement funds from the nation’s largest drug distributors and Janssen Pharmaceutical, ultimately achieving a 50% allocation (more than $300,000,000.00) to the subdivisions.
• In re: Volkswagen “Clean Diesel” Marketing, Sales Practices, and Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2672 (N.D. Cal.) (Hon. Charles R. Breyer) (James Cecchi appointed to Steering Committee and as Settlement Class Counsel; settlement in excess of $15,000,000,000 for consumer fraud and warranty claims arising from the use of a defeat device to evade U.S. emissions regulations.)
• In re: Takata Airbag Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2599 (S.D. Fla.) (Hon. Frederico A. Moreno) (James Cecchi appointed to Steering Committee and as Settlement Class Counsel; settlement in excess of $1,500,000,000 for consumer fraud and warranty claims arising from use of defective and dangerous airbags; the case is ongoing as it pertains to second-wave defendants, including Mercedes Benz USA.)
• In re: American Medical Collection Agency, Inc. Customer Data Security Breach Litigation, MDL No. 2904 (D.N.J.) (Hon. Madeline Cox Arleo) (James Cecchi appointed sole Lead Counsel in national Multi-District data breach litigation.)
• In re: Mercedes-Benz Emissions Litigation, Civil Action No. 16-cv-881 (D.N.J.) (Hon. Kevin McNulty) (James Cecchi appointed as Interim Co-Lead Counsel for Plaintiffs and the Proposed Class in a case arising out of the alleged use of a defeat device to evade U.S. emissions regulations; settlement with value in excess of $700,000,000 granted final approval.)
• In Re: Vytorin/Zetia Marketing, Sales Practices and Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 1938 (D.N.J.) (Hon. Dennis M. Cavanaugh); In re Schering-Plough/Enhance Securities Litigation, Civil Action No.: 08-cv-397 (D.N.J.) (Hon. Dennis M. Cavanaugh); In re Merck & Co., Inc. Vytorin/Zetia Securities Litigation, Civil Action No.: 08-cv-2177 (D.N.J.) (Hon. Dennis M. Cavanaugh) (consumer and securities fraud claims arising from marketing and sale of anti-cholesterol drugs Vytorin and Zetia) (Co-Lead Counsel in Consumer Cases which settled for $41,500,000 and Liaison Counsel in Securities Cases which collectively settled for $688,000,000.)
• In re: Liquid Aluminum Sulfate Antitrust Litigation, MDL No. 2687 (D.N.J.) (Hon. Jose L. Linares) (James Cecchi appointed as Lead Counsel and secured a settlement of greater than $100,000,000.)
• In Re Effexor XR Antitrust Litigation, Civil Action No. 11-cv-5661 (D.N.J.) (Hon. Joel A. Pisano) (claims on behalf of indirect purchasers of brand-name drug alleging that manufacturer obtained patent by fraud and enforced patent by sham litigation to maintain illegal monopoly of brand-name drug. James Cecchi appointed as Chair of Plaintiffs’ Indirect Purchaser Executive Committee.)
• Davis Landscape v. Hertz Equipment Rental, Civil Action No. 06-cv-3830 (D.N.J.) (Hon. Dennis M. Cavanaugh) (Co-Lead Counsel in settlement valued at over $50,000,000 on behalf of contested nationwide class asserting claims that HERTZ' loss/damage waiver charges violated the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act because it provides no benefit to customers.)
• In Re: Merck & Co., Inc., Securities, Derivative & “ERISA” Litigation, MDL No. 1658 (D.N.J.) (Hon. Stanley R. Chesler) (securities fraud claims arising from Merck’s failure to disclose problems with commercial viability of anti-pain drug Vioxx which settled for more than $1,000,000,000.)
• In re: Mercedes-Benz Tele-Aid Contract Litigation, MDL No. 1914 (Hon. Dickson R. Debevoise) (Co-Lead Counsel in $40,000,000 settlement of consumer fraud claims arising from Mercedes’ failure to notify Tele-Aid customers of mandated change from analog to digital system, and charging customers to replace system Mercedes knew would be obsolete.)