WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform (ILR) today applauded President George W. Bush, who has made reform of America's civil justice system a centerpiece of this week's White House Economic Summit. Read More
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The United States Chamber of Commerce's Institute for Legal Reform (ILR) today applauded the American Tort Reform Association's (ATRA) release of its new report, "Bringing Justice to Judicial Hellholes." Read More
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The United States Chamber of Commerce devoted manpower and money in key U.S. House and Senate races in a successful effort to elect pro-business candidates - putting 215 people on the ground in 31 states, sending 3.7 million pieces of mail, placing 5.6 million phone calls, and sending more than 30 million emails. Read More
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The United States Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform (ILR), on behalf of the Legal Reform Now Coalition, today launched a new information clearinghouse on the World Wide Web. Read More
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The United States Chamber of Commerce's Institute for Legal Reform today released a report showing that some state attorneys general have created a conflict of interest by accepting campaign contributions from plaintiffs' attorneys who were then rewarded with state contracts as outside counsel. Read More
WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform (ILR) today hailed the passage of H.R. 4571, the Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act of 2004, by the U.S. House of Representatives."The Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act will help put an end to the abuses of our civil justice system by unscrupulous trial lawyers," said ILR President Lisa Rickard. "The House has taken an important step toward providing much-needed relief to small business owners and consumers who are footing the bill for America's legal crisis." Read More
WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform (ILR) today marked the start of "Tort Reform Week" in the U.S. House of Representatives by renewing its call for the House to quickly pass H.R. 4571, the Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act of 2004. "Frivolous lawsuits are hitting hard-working Americans where it hurts most - in their pocketbooks," said ILR President Lisa Rickard. "Lawsuit abuse threatens jobs and raises prices for all consumers. I urge Congress to boost our economy and protect American jobs by taking swift action to pass the Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act." Read More
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The United States Chamber of Commerce announced it would participate in two new political initiatives to educate voters about the devastating impact of a runaway legal system on the American way of life during this fall's presidential campaign. Read More
WASHINGTON, - D.C. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce today launched a South Dakota statewide education campaign designed to inform voters about Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle s national political agenda in Washington an agenda that is vastly different from the needs of the state. Read More
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The United States Chamber of Commerce condemned a complaint filed today in federal district court by several state attorneys general and the New York City Office of Corporation Counsel and called the action an attempt to circumvent Congress and federal and state regulatory agencies in setting U.S. policy. Read More
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The United States Chamber of Commerce today expressed disappointment at the U.S. Senate's 44-43 vote against invoking cloture (60 votes are needed to invoke cloture) on S. 2062, the Class Action Fairness Act. Read More
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The United States Chamber of Commerce called upon the members of the Senate to quickly consider and pass the Class Action Fairness Act (S. 2062), a bill aimed at curbing class action lawsuit abuse in state courts. Senate debate on the bill begins today. Read More
WASHINGTON, DC -- In written testimony, the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform today urged the U.S. House of Representatives to quickly pass H.R. 4571, the Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act of 2004. The legislation would help curb frivolous litigation by strengthening the enforcement provisions of Rule 11 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedures. The bill also contains important additions to Rule 11 that would reduce forum shopping by plaintiff s attorneys. The key provisions of the Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act would: Read More
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The United States Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform (ILR) today released a study showing the tort system costs U.S. small businesses $88 billion a year. Read More
WASHINGTON, D.C. - United States Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Thomas J. Donohue today praised Governor Haley Barbour and the Mississippi Legislature for passing a comprehensive legal reform bill that will dramatically improve the state's unfair legal system and encourage business development and expansion. This is an important victory for the people of Mississippi," said Donohue. "Governor Barbour, Lt. Governor Tuck and the leaders of both houses of the legislature are to be commended for doing the right thing." Read More
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The United States Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform (ILR) today hosted a strategy forum with America's top legal experts on new strategies to curb excessive punitive damage awards that threaten the vitality of U.S. businesses. "The huge amount of money pocketed by unscrupulous trial lawyers is destroying businesses, raising consumers' costs, and threatening the jobs of thousands of workers," said Lisa Rickard, president of ILR. "Last year's success calls for more work to solidify our victory, or we risk being undone by half-measures and misguided rulings." Read More
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The United States Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform (ILR) today launched a new coalition to curb global forum shopping, a rising litigation trend in which foreign plaintiffs file lawsuits in U.S. courts to take advantage of the more permissive features of the American judicial system. Read More
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The United States Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform (ILR) today commended U.S. Treasury Secretary John Snow for his comments in support of comprehensive legal reform to halt the negative economic impact of excessive litigation. Read More
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The United States Chamber of Commerce's Institute for Legal Reform asked the Securities and Exchange Commission to investigate certain short sellers and the Milberg Weiss law firm, following a recent California ruling that the firm's clients appeared to have participated in a fraud on shareholders. The court ruling removed these short sellers as lead plaintiffs in a class action. Read More
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The United States Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform's annual State Liability Systems Ranking Study found a wide gap between the best and worst states in legal fairness - a difference that underscores the need for both federal and state-based legal reform. "Opportunistic trial lawyers are flocking to courts in a handful of out-of-the-way places that are stacked in favor of plaintiffs' attorneys and that have shown a willingness to dole out huge awards in frivolous cases," said Thomas Donohue, U.S. Chamber President and CEO. Read More