Berwyn, PA – June 12, 2025 – Sauder Schelkopf LLC is honored to announce that it has been named Litigation Department of the Year in the Class Action category by The Legal Intelligencer as part of its 2025 Pennsylvania Legal Awards. This recognition highlights the firm’s exceptional achievements in high-impact litigation and its unwavering commitment to justice.
The Legal Intelligencer’s Professional Excellence Awards celebrate law firms and attorneys across Pennsylvania and Delaware who have made a significant and positive impact on the legal profession. Sauder Schelkopf’s recognition reflects a landmark year of success across a wide array of class actions, including precedent-setting victories in federal courts and multimillion-dollar settlements impacting millions of consumers nationwide.
“We’re deeply honored to receive this award, which reflects the extraordinary dedication of our team and the trust of the clients we serve,” said partners Joseph Sauder and Matthew Schelkopf. “This recognition reinforces our mission to hold powerful institutions accountable and ensure access to justice for individuals harmed by corporate misconduct.”
The firm achieved standout results in 2024–2025, including:
- $934 Million Settlement Approved in In re: Hyundai and Kia Engine Litigation II for consumers facing premature engine failure and fire risk.
- National Class Action Settlements in cases against Volkswagen, Delta Air Lines, iFIT Health and Fitness, Generac, and NVR, Inc., delivering relief to millions affected by product defects, unfair charges, and service failures.
- Pioneering Litigation challenging arbitration clauses that limit consumer rights, with key wins in Baus v. Ford Motor Co. and other ongoing efforts to restore access to courts.
- Sexual Misconduct Litigation Leadership, including groundbreaking institutional reform settlements in cases against the University of Michigan, Ohio State University, and on behalf of individuals sexually abused as minors.
- TSP System Failure Litigation in Bridges v. Accenture Federal Services, representing federal employees and military members denied access to their retirement accounts and benefits due to widespread failures in the Thrift Savings Plan system.
- Student Loan Accountability Litigation in Joy v. MOHELA, representing public servants denied debt forgiveness under the PSLF program.
In addition to national recognition in U.S. News & World Report – Best Law Firms, the National Law Journal’s Elite Trial Lawyers, and Lawdragon 500, Sauder Schelkopf has also been recognized for its Fellowship Program and public interest partnerships.
“Our work is about more than litigation—it’s about advocacy, systemic reform, and delivering real-world impact for our clients,” said the firm’s partners. “This award affirms the strength of our team and the values that drive us every day.”
About Sauder Schelkopf
Sauder Schelkopf has a nationally recognized litigation practice. The firm currently serves as court-appointed lead counsel in courts across the country. The attorneys at Sauder Schelkopf have recovered over $1 billion on behalf of their clients and class members. LawDragon has recognized our attorneys in its list of the “500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers” for 2022. Mr. Schelkopf was named to Pennsylvania’s Best Lawyers® 2022 for Class Actions/Mass Tort Litigation. The American Lawyer named Mr. Sauder to its 2021 Northeast Trailblazers. The honor recognizes 60 lawyers who are “truly agents of change.” It “recognizes professionals in the Northeast who have moved the needle in the legal industry.” The Legal Intelligencer named Mr. Sauder and Mr. Schelkopf in its 2020 Pennsylvania Trailblazers list recognizing 31 lawyers who “have taken extra measures to contribute to positive outcomes . . . and who are truly agents of change.” Our attorneys have also consistently been recognized by their peers being named to Pennsylvania SuperLawyer, a distinction held by the top 5% of attorneys in Pennsylvania. The National Trial Lawyers Association has also selected our attorneys as the Top 100 Trial Lawyers in Pennsylvania.