Ford's General Counsel David G. Leitch and Carlton Fields Attorneys Gary L. Sasso and D. Matthew Allen publish chapter on Class Actions in Successful Partnering Between Inside and Outside Counsel


TAMPA – The General Counsel of Ford Motor Company, David G. Leitch, Carlton Fields’ President and CEO Gary L. Sasso, and the Chair of Carlton Fields’ Class Actions Task Force D. Matthew Allen have co-authored a new Class Action chapter for the three volume treatise, Successful Partnering Between Inside and Outside Counsel. This legal publication was launched a decade ago, but the class action chapter is a new addition.

“This chapter is a helpful resource for in-house counsel whose companies face class actions. It provides practical advice about managing the risks of class action litigation, developing effective defenses, and partnering between inside and outside counsel to achieve the company’s objectives,” said Leitch.

Leitch serves as General Counsel and a Group Vice President of Ford Motor Company, where he leads the company’s litigation, tax, corporate, and intellectual property efforts. He is also responsible for the company’s General Auditor’s Office. Prior to joining Ford, Leitch served in the White House as Deputy Counsel to President George W. Bush, advising the President and his staff on a variety of legal issues concerning national security, judicial nominations, legislative proposals, ethics, and other matters. He also served as a law clerk for Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist at the United States Supreme Court. He attended the University of Virginia School of Law, where he graduated first in his class, and he received his undergraduate degree from Duke University.

Sasso serves as President and CEO of Carlton Fields and previously chaired the firm’s Litigation department. He has defended class actions in numerous industries and has spoken and written widely on the subject in the United States and Canada. He is a Fellow in the International Academy of Trial Lawyers and the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers. He received his law degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School where he served as Editor-in-Chief of the University of Pennsylvania Law Review and graduated first in his class. After law school, he clerked for Justice Byron R. White on the United States Supreme Court.

Allen chairs Carlton Fields’ Class Actions Task Force, he is Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Antitrust and Trade Regulation Law, and he publishes Carlton Fields’ class action blog, “Classified.” He has extensive experience in defending class action litigation and other high-stakes business disputes. He received his J.D. from Vanderbilt University School of Law.

More information about Successful Partnering Between Inside and Outside Counsel is available by calling 1.800.344.5009 or visiting www.west.thomson.com