Class Action Case Study: From Certification to Trial in Jer v Samji

• Author: Mathew P Good
• Pages: 261-280

261

CLASS ACTION CASE STUDY:

FROM CERTIFICATION TO TRIAL

IN

JER V SAMJI

Mathew P Good

Abstract: Relatively few Canadian class action cases ultimately

go through to trial. In British Columbia, the Jer v Samji liti-

gation presents a useful case study on effectively managing

massive multi-party litigation. A complex fraud perpetrated

by a notary resulted in more than f‌ifty lawsuits, including

a class proceeding, multiple individual actions, a bankruptcy,

and regulatory l itigation. The resulting i ntensive case manage-

ment approach established a process for eff‌icient adjudication

and settlement of all matters within three years, including

trial and appeal. Following a detailed review of the proceed-

ings, the author outlines practical lessons learned and sug-

gests some best practices for dealing with future complex

multi-party events based on this real-world experience.