Class actions are a means of leveling the playing field between large corporations or other entities on one hand and individuals or relatively small institutions or businesses on the other hand. Class actions enable small claimants to band together to fight back against large corporations in situations where the individuals by themselves may not have a sufficient stake or the financial resources to justify litigation. In a class action, one or more named plaintiffs stand up for the entire group of similarly harmed persons during the course of the litigation since all have been injured by a common act or set of actions.