Mayer Brown has assumed a leading role defending Volkswagen against consumer lawsuits in the U.S. arising from its emissions scandal, according to one of the plaintiffs lawyers spearheading a lawsuit against the company.

John Quinn of Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan told The American Lawyer that he learned Tuesday that Neil Soltman, a partner in Mayer Brown’s Los Angeles office, will head a team defending VW in the quickly escalating U.S. litigation.