CHARLESTON, WV.-Sixty percent of West Virginia small business owners say they are very or somewhat concerned about the impact of frivolous lawsuits on their businesses, and many alter business decisions as a result, according to a study by the nonpartisan market research firm Harris Interactive. Read More
America's broken lawsuit system is hurting our nation's small businesses.
That statement won't surprise anyone who has heard the saga of the D.C. judge and his $65 million pants suit. If ever there was a frivolous lawsuit, this is it.
But is the Drycleaner case a curious anomaly? Unfortunately, no.
The Institute for Legal Reform has just released two new studies showing the devastating effect frivolous lawsuits have on America's small businesses. Read More
WASHINGTON, D.C.-The tort system in the United States cost small businesses $98 billion in 2005, with the fear of lawsuits altering the way the small business owners make decisions, according to studies released at a Congressional hearing today by the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform (ILR). Read More
Statement of Lisa A. Rickard, President of the US Chamber Institute for Legal Reform, upon President Bush signing an Executive Order barring all contingency fee arrangements with outside plaintiffs' lawyers and expert witnesses who work on behalf of the United States Government: "Today's Executive Order banning contingency fee arrangements for outside trial lawyers and expert witnesses who work on behalf of the U.S. Government is a major step forward in the fight to change America's out-of-control lawsuit climate. Read More
Is your state a good one in which to do business?
How you answer that question could be affected by a number of factors, but in our increasingly lawsuit-happy society, many companies are looking at the fairness of a state's court system when deciding where to do business. Their decision affects jobs, tax revenue, and other economic development opportunities.
Each year, the Institute for Legal Reform joins with Harris Interactive to survey practicing corporate attorneys and general counsel, asking them a comprehensive battery of questions to determine what they think of each state's lawsuit climate. And once again this year the majority of our respondents affirmed that the litigation environment in a state is likely to impact their important business decisions, such as where to do business or locate their facilities. Read More
WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform (ILR) released a study today showing that Delaware has the best legal climate in the country, and West Virginia has the worst. Those are among the findings of Lawsuit Climate 2007: Ranking the States, an annual assessment of state liability systems conducted by the nonpartisan polling firm Harris Interactive. Read More
Washington, DC-U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform President Lisa A. Rickard released the following statement in conjunction with today's hearing on judicial pay by the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property: Read More
Washington, DC-U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform President Lisa A. Rickard released the following statement today on the lawsuit filed against paint manufacturers by Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann: "Lawsuits that rely on the novel legal theory of 'public nuisance' are a classic case of overreaching by a state attorney general. Attorney General Dann's lawsuit twists the purpose of public nuisance law and misapplies it because he can't make a case under traditional product liability law. Read More
WASHINGTON, DC - Statement of Lisa A. Rickard, President of the US Chamber Institute for Legal Reform, on the passage of legislation by the Michigan House of Representatives vastly expanding the ability of trial lawyers to bring lawsuits against drug manufacturers: Read More
Washington, DC - Statement by Lisa Rickard, President of the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform on today's opinion by Judge Harry Hanna of the Court of Common Pleas, Cuyahoga County, Ohio (Jack Kananian, et al., vs. Lorillard Tobacco Company, Case No. 442750): Read More
Washington, D.C. -- The US Chamber Institute for Legal Reform has begun an aggressive advertising campaign highlighting the electorate's strongly held view that Congress should fix America's broken lawsuit system. "Congress would enjoy overwhelming support from voters if Democrats and Republicans work together to curb frivolous lawsuits and to address abusive practices of the plaintiffs' bar like fraudulent medical screenings and excessive discovery," said ILR president Lisa A. Rickard. Read More
WASHINGTON, D.C.-U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform President Lisa A. Rickard issued the following statement on the Judicial Hellholes 2006 report released today by the American Tort Reform Foundation (ATRF): Read More
WASHINGTON, D.C.-U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform President Lisa A. Rickard issued the following statement on the lawsuit filed by California Attorney General Bill Lockyer against automobile manufacturers for allegedly creating the "public nuisance" of global warming: Read More
WASHINGTON, D.C.-The U.S. Chamber today endorsed the Federal Judicial Fairness Act (S.2276) as a key ingredient for attracting and retaining top quality federal judges. The endorsement was made by Lisa A. Rickard, President of the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform (ILR), as part of her remarks at the ILR's State of the American Judiciary conference. Read More
Statement of Lisa A. Rickard, president of the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform, on the Association of Trial Lawyers of America's vote to change its name to the American Association for Justice: "Today's vote by the Association of Trial Lawyers of America to change its name to the American Association for Justice is an astounding admission of the unpopularity of trial lawyers in America. Read More
Statement of Lisa A. Rickard, President of the US Chamber Institute for Legal Reform, on the U.S. House of Representatives Financial Services Committee hearing on H.R. 5491, the "Securities Litigation Attorney Accountability and Transparency Act". "Chairman Baker's proposal to reform the securities litigation process is a needed first step in repairing a system that has become broken down due to trial lawyer fraud and abuse largely at the expense of American investors. Read More
Statement of Lisa A. Rickard, President of the US Chamber Institute for Legal Reform, on the Center for Science in the Public Interest class actionlawsuit against KFC, a division of Louisville, Kentucky-based Yum! Brands: "The class action lawsuit filed today by the Center for Science in the Public Interest against KFC is a troubling example of a narrow interest group and their self-serving trial lawyer allies using a "regulation through litigation" strategy, rather than making their case where it belongs--the public policy arena. Read More
Lisa Rickard, president of the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform, issued the following statement today regarding the filing of a motion by asbestos defendants to dismiss all claims from the federal asbestos multi-district litigation in Philadelphia: Read More
Lisa Rickard, president of the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform, issued the following statement today regarding the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee's hearing on silicosis litigation and tomorrow's Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on asbestos legislation: "ILR commends both the House and Senate for turning their attention this week to silicosis fraud and asbestos legislation - both important steps toward improving America's legal system. Read More
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Lisa Rickard, president of the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform, today released the following statement regarding legislation that would authorize the Louisiana Attorney General to enter into contingency fee contracts with outside counsel (S.B. 750/H.B. 1397): "This law is not only unnecessary, but if enacted, will be at the expense of hard-working Louisianans. Read More