Welcome to Critical Mass, Law.com's new briefing on class actions and mass torts. I'm Amanda Bronstad in Los Angeles. A federal judge who has pushed hard to settle the opioid cases is allowing lawyers to litigate in hopes of resolving a bucket of legal issues. The 9th Circuit revived a data breach class action that had been tossed on standing grounds. And find out what makes today's appellate arguments in a class action against VCA Animal Hospitals a milestone for Akin Gump's Rex Heinke.

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A 'Bucket List' in Opioid MDL

After two months of settlement talks in the opioid litigation, a federal judge is allowing the lawyers some discovery, motion practice and even bellwether trials. Here's my story on a minute order that U.S. District Judge Dan Polster issued this week asking lawyers to come up with a plan for a “litigation track.” It's a marked change for Polster, who has focused all his energies on a settlement in 2018. (see here.)