▁only ▁ 1 1 ▁cases ▁were ▁directly ▁before ▁the ▁J P ML , ▁it ▁also ▁noted ▁that ▁the ▁parties ▁had ▁not ified ▁it ▁of ▁more ▁than ▁ 1 0 0 ▁potentially ▁related ▁cases , ▁which ▁can ▁also ▁be ▁cons olid ated ▁as ▁so - called ▁" tag - al ong " ▁cases . ▁ ▁As ▁to ▁why ▁Judge ▁Sel na , ▁the ▁P anel ▁explained , ▁" J ud ge ▁Sel na ’ s ▁ 2 8 ▁years ▁of ▁private ▁law ▁practice ▁at ▁the ▁very ▁highest ▁levels ▁and ▁in ▁some ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁complex ▁cases ▁leaves ▁him ▁well ▁prepared ▁for ▁a ▁case ▁of ▁this ▁magnitude ." ▁Under ▁federal ▁mult id istrict ▁lit ig ation ▁law , ▁any ▁cases ▁that ▁are ▁not ▁dismiss ed ▁or ▁settled ▁during ▁the ▁cons olid ated ▁pre tri al ▁process ▁will ▁be ▁rem and ed ▁to ▁their ▁original ▁district ▁court ▁for ▁trial . ▁ ▁The ▁following ▁week , ▁Judge ▁Sel na ▁set ▁a ▁May ▁ 1 3 ▁initial ▁sched uling ▁conference ▁at ▁his ▁court room ▁in ▁Santa ▁Ana , ▁California . ▁ ▁He ▁also ▁appointed ▁C ari ▁Daw son , ▁chair w oman ▁of ▁Al ston ▁& ▁Bird ' s ▁class ▁action ▁department , ▁as ▁lead ▁coun sel ▁for ▁defend ants . ▁ ▁On ▁May ▁ 1 4 , ▁after ▁review ing ▁subm issions ▁from ▁do z ens ▁of ▁pla int iffs ' ▁att or ne ys , ▁Judge ▁Sel na ▁issued ▁an ▁order ▁establish ing ▁which ▁att or ne ys ▁would ▁be ▁granted ▁the ▁potentially ▁luc r ative