Introduction

Today the class action stands at a crossroads that has eventuated from
numerous causes, including the skill of both plaintiffs’ and defendants’ attorneys in
expanding the scope of the class action, the amendments to the federal rules of civil
procedure proposed by the Advisory Committee on Civil Rules earlier this year,
and the granting of certiorari in the Georgine case.

Our purpose in holding this conference is to broaden the context in which
consideration of the class action and proposed amendments to Rule 23 occurs.