Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP, a plaintiffs’ law firm, was recognized as one of Law360’s Class Action Groups of the Year for 2022 after settling poultry worker cases for nearly $85 million.

The workers had accused Cargill Meat Solutions, Sanderson Farms and Wayne Farms of conspiring to depress their wages by holding secret meetings to share information.

The settlements were reached in July with the U.S. Department of Justice announcing a conditional civil settlement and consent decree, with Cargill, Sanderson Farms and Wayne Farms ordered to provide payment through the approved settlement in Hagens Berman’s case or directly to the DOJ.

A Maryland federal court agreed to settlements in which Cargill would pay $15 million, Sanderson Farms would pay $38.3 million, and Wayne Farms would pay $31.5 million to the workers.

Hagens Berman has also won significant cases against tech companies, including a $90 million settlement against Google Play and a $95 million settlement against Apple Inc. The firm’s biggest win was a $485 million settlement against Ranbaxy Pharmaceuticals over allegations of monopoly power over antiviral drugs. The firm remains focused on locating class members and compensating as many workers as possible. Hagens Berman’s partners reported that 2022 was the first year since the pandemic that work felt more normal and they were able to embrace a hybrid work environment.