What is the difference between a plaintiff and a lead plaintiff?
A plaintiff is the person or entity named in a lawsuit as the person making a claim. In a class action, there may be a number of plaintiffs who each file their own lawsuit covering the same claim. In that case, the court will appoint one or more of the plaintiffs to be in charge, i.e., the lead plaintiff. It is the lead plaintiff, through its counsel, that controls the litigation on behalf of the class.
