WASHINGTON, D.C.—A Louisiana small business owner facing more than 100 mass action lawsuits is recounting his legal ordeal as part of a national campaign called Faces of Lawsuit Abuse, which exposes the negative effects of abusive lawsuits on small businesses and individuals. Mike Carter, owner of Monroe Rubber and Gasket in Monroe, LA, tells his story in a short video featured on www.FacesofLawsuitAbuse.org, sponsored by the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform (ILR). Read More
A case study from the Wall Street Journal:
State Attorneys General regularly hire private plaintiffs lawyers on a contingency-fee basis to prosecute cases. The trial bar returns the favor with campaign donations to state office holders. And despite the inherent conflicts of interest and questionable ethics of the practice, corporate defendants have rarely challenged such arrangements. Which is why a motion pending before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court is so remarkable -- and deserves more public attention....Under terms of the contingency-fee contract, Bailey Perrin receives up to 15% of any settlement or judgment. Even better for the lawyers, the state is barred from settling for nonmonetary relief "unless the settlement also provides reasonably for the compensation of [Bailey Perrin] by [Janssen] for the services provided by the law firm under this contract." Read More
Friday’s guilty verdict in the case of William Gallion and Shirley Cunningham Jr. and today’s decision to disgorge $30 million wrongfully gained should send a message to some in the plaintiffs’ bar that justice is about putting their clients’ interests first, not about advancing their own self-interest. Read More
WASHINGTON, D.C.—A Downey, CA, restaurant owner who was sued for a bathroom mirror set two inches too high is recounting his legal ordeal in a national campaign called Faces of Lawsuit Abuse, which exposes the negative effects of abusive lawsuits on small businesses and individuals. Restaurant owner Ron Piazza tells his story in a short video featured on www.FacesofLawsuitAbuse.org, sponsored by the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform (ILR). Read More
WASHINGTON, D.C.—An Eagle, CO, couple whose seven-year-old son was sued over a minor accident on a ski slope is recounting its legal ordeal as part of a national campaign called Faces of Lawsuit Abuse, which exposes the negative effects of abusive lawsuits on small businesses and individuals. Robb and Susan Swimm, parents of Scott Swimm, tell their story in a short video featured on www.FacesofLawsuitAbuse.org, sponsored by the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform (ILR). Read More
When it comes to setting standards for the safety of medical devices, the American public trusts academic researchers, and Food and Drug Administration scientists and physicians much more than they do lay juries or trial lawyers, according to a poll conducted by the independent research firm Harris Interactive and released today by the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform (ILR). Read More
As Congress once again attempts to pass legislation that would potentially nullify hundreds of millions of arbitration agreements in consumer contracts, they should carefully review the mounting evidence that verifies the benefits of arbitration.
This week, the Searle Civil Justice Institute, a unit of the Northwestern University School of Law, released an independent study confirming that the 84-year old arbitration system remains a fair, inexpensive and unbiased option for millions of American consumers. Read More
The findings released by the Searle Civil Justice Institute today helps prove that arbitration continues to provide consumers with fair, inexpensive, and unbiased access to justice across the broadest spectrum of consumer disputes. Read More
Inclusion of the provision in the federal Omnibus Appropriations Act of 2009 authorizing state attorneys general to enforce the federal Truth-In-Lending Act with private civil lawsuits will create a patchwork quilt of conflicting authorities and interpretations of federal laws dealing with home loans and other types of consumer finance transactions. Read More
The Ohio attorney general's decision to drop this ill-conceived lawsuit thwarts the latest attempt by the plaintiffs' bar to turn lead paint into its next cash cow.
In abandoning the suit, Attorney General Cordray follows the legal pattern set by the Supreme Courts of Missouri, New Jersey, and Rhode Island, each of which repudiated the application of a novel, but improper, use of the centuries old public nuisance theory to establish liability for alleged lead paint injuries. Read More
The U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform (ILR) today urged the Senate to eliminate from the stimulus package a provision in both the House and Senate proposals that give state attorneys’ general, working with private plaintiffs’ lawyers, broad authority to bring civil lawsuits.
The House-passed stimulus bill authorizes state AGs to bring lawsuits for statutory damages and attorneys fees on behalf of their respective states for violations of the federal Health Insurance Privacy and Accountability Act (HIPAA) statute. Read More
Statement of Lisa A. Rickard, president, U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform, on the plaintiffs’ trial lawyer legislative agenda and goals for 2009: Read More
WASHINGTON, DC—A Jacksonville, Fla., small business owner threatened with a lawsuit by a driver ticketed for crashing into a company vehicle is speaking out against the litigation system on www.FacesOfLawsuitAbuse.org. The video story of Chase Air owner Charles Terrizzi is part of a nationwide public awareness campaign by the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform (ILR) designed to show that abusive lawsuits affect real people in very real ways. Read More
WASHINGTON, DC—The U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform (ILR) today offered to work with President-elect Barack Obama and his Administration to revive the nation’s economic vitality by reforming America’s litigation system. Read More
WASHINGTON, DC—The following statement from Lisa Rickard, president of the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform (ILR), is a response the D.C. Court of Appeals’ rejection of a new trial for Roy Pearson against a Washington, D.C., dry cleaner. Read More
WASHINGTON, DC—The following statement from Lisa Rickard, president of the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform (ILR), is a response to the Judicial Hellholes 2008/2009 report released today by the American Tort Reform Association (ATRA):
“While the majority of Americans understand there are too many frivolous and unfair lawsuits in our country, the Judicial Hellholes report reveals that lawsuit abuse remains alive and well in many jackpot jurisdictions. Read More
“The way you run your business—you start to second guess how you do business, because you're worried about the next lawsuit. And that's not the way to run a company.” – Howard Weiss
Reading this quote, you might think Howard is the CEO of a large corporation that has problems with mega class action lawsuits.
It is true that Howard owns a company that was sued. But his business—Contemporary Watercrafters of Rockville, Maryland—is a locally-owned swimming pool maintenance and supply company that employs about twenty people. Read More
WASHINGTON, DC—A Rockville, Maryland, pool supply store owner sued in the infamous “goose lawsuit” is telling the story of his legal ordeal on www.FacesOfLawsuitAbuse.org. The video story of Contemporary Watercrafters owner Howard Weiss and business manager Kelly Reed is part of a nationwide public awareness campaign by the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform (ILR) designed to show that abusive lawsuits affect real people in very real ways. Read More
WASHINGTON, DC—A Chester, New Jersey, family sued after an adult bicyclist hit their eleven year old daughter is telling the story of their legal ordeal on www.FacesOfLawsuitAbuse.org. The video story of Jon, Janet, and, Lauren Ellis is part of a nationwide public awareness campaign by the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform (ILR) designed to show that abusive lawsuits affect real people in very real ways. Read More
WASHINGTON, DC—A Waynesville, North Carolina, youth baseball coach sued by the parents of one of his players is telling the story of his legal ordeal on www.FacesOfLawsuitAbuse.org. Mike Meissner’s video story is part of a nationwide public awareness campaign by the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform (ILR) designed to show that abusive lawsuits affect real people in very real ways. Read More