fbpx
Press Releases
Chamber Urges Mississippians To Reform Flawed Legal System
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The United States Chamber of Commerce today urged the people of Mississippi to do everything they can to change the state's deeply flawed legal system that targets out-of-state businesses with frivolous lawsuits and outrageous verdicts. The Chamber also shared its concerns about the significant risks its members and all companies face when doing business in Mississippi. Read More
May 7, 2002
Press Releases
Chamber Praises House For Class Action Reform; Focus is Now on the Senate
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The United States Chamber of Commerce praised the U.S. House of Representatives today for passing the Class Action Fairness Act, by a vote of 233 to 190, and urged the Senate to follow suit. "For too long, America's legal system has made trial lawyers richer at the expense of innocent consumers, shareholders and businesses," said James M. Wootton, president of the Institute for Legal Reform, an affiliate of the U.S. Chamber. "Today lawmakers have sent a strong signal that the days of class action abuse are numbered." Read More
March 12, 2002
Press Releases
Chamber Praises Passage Of Class Action Reform Bill
WASHINGTON, D.C., March 7, 2002 - The United States Chamber of Commerce praised the House Judiciary Committee for favorably reporting out the Class Action Fairness Act, by a vote of 16 to 10, and urged the full House to act swiftly."Those who voted for class action fairness have the vision necessary to bring about real change in a legal system greatly needing repair," said James M. Wootton, president of the Institute for Legal Reform, an affiliate of the U.S. Chamber. "This action is welcome news for consumers, shareholders and businesses of all sizes." Read More
March 6, 2002
Press Releases
Chamber Releases Report Card on State Liability Systems
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The United States Chamber of Commerce today released a poll, conducted by HarrisInteractive, assessing the liability systems of all 50 states and ranking them on the perceived fairness or reasonableness of their litigation environments. Read More
January 21, 2002
Press Releases
Chamber Chides Senate for Inaction on Terrorism Insurance
WASHINGTON, D.C., Dec. 20, 2001 - The United States Chamber of Commerce today expressed its frustration over the Senate's failure to enact legislation to ensure the availability of terrorism insurance coverage for millions of businesses and provide modest liability protections. Read More
December 19, 2001
Press Releases
Chamber Survey Shows Business Insurance Gap Could Spell Disaster in Lawsuits, Catastrophic Claims
WASHINGTON, D.C., Dec. 4, 2001 - The United States Chamber of Commerce today highlighted the need for more affordable and reliable insurance options to help businesses cope with increased risks, releasing a survey showing business owners are concerned that major lawsuits or uninsured claims could drive them out of business. "Businesses are worried about increased liability, but many remain underinsured," said Chamber President and CEO Thomas Donohue. "In post-911, companies large and small are reexamining their insurance needs, and many current strategies are coming up short." Read More
December 3, 2001
Press Releases
Chamber Praises House Action on Terrorism Insurance, Urges Senate to Follow Suit to Avert Econo
WASHINGTON, D.C., Nov. 29, 2001 - The United States Chamber of Commerce today praised House passage of the Terrorism Risk Protection Act (H.R. 3210) to protect the availability of terrorism insurance coverage for millions of American businesses and limit lawsuits that seek to blame businesses for terrorist acts. The U.S. Chamber urged the Senate to follow suit quickly, as the heightened risk of future attacks threatens to undermine primary insurers' and reinsurers' ability to provide adequate future commercial insurance coverage. Read More
November 28, 2001
Press Releases
Chamber Urges Federal Energy Regulators to Preempt State Litigation on CA Power Dispute
WASHINGTON, D.C., Nov. 26, 2001 - The United States Chamber of Commerce urged the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to exercise its full and exclusive authority to preempt state courts from dictating how power companies determine electricity rates and compensate customers for overcharges. Read More
November 25, 2001
Press Releases
Chamber Group Hails Election of LA Supreme Court Justice
WASHINGTON, DC, Nov. 19, 2001 - James Wootton, president of the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform, hailed the election of Democratic Judge John Weimer to the Louisiana Supreme Court.Weimer, a State Circuit Court of Appeals Judge, defeated State District Court Judge Mary Hotard Becnel in a special run-off election on Saturday, November 17. Weimer will represent the Sixth Judicial District on the high court. Read More
November 18, 2001
Press Releases
Chamber Applauds Senate Introduction Of Bill Curtailing Class Action Abuses
Washington, D.C., Nov. 16, 2001 - The U.S. Chamber of Commerce today applauded introduction of a Senate bill - S. 1712, "The Class Action Fairness Act of 2001" - that would allow complex national class actions to be tried in federal instead of state courts, where the rules are the same for all Americans. Read More
November 15, 2001
Press Releases
Chamber Seeks Information About St. Louis Culpability on Lead Paint
WASHINGTON, D.C., Nov. 14, 2001 - The United States Chamber of Commerce's Institute for Legal Reform (ILR) today filed Public Records Requests to determine the culpability of the city of St. Louis and Missouri's government agencies in the context of their legal action against the former manufacturers of lead pigment and lead-based paint. Read More
November 13, 2001
Press Releases
Chamber Group Hails Election of Virginia Attorney General and Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justic
WASHINGTON, D.C., Nov. 9, 2001 - James Wootton, President of the US Chamber Institute for Legal Reform, hailed the election of two pro-legal reform candidates on Tuesday, November 6 - Jerry Kilgore, who won the Virginia Attorney General race, and Judge Mike Eakin, who earned a seat on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Read More
November 8, 2001
Press Releases
Chamber Commends Trial Lawyers For Resisting Urge to Sue
WASHINGTON, D.C., Oct. 19, 2001 - The United States Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform today commended the trial lawyer community for its willingness to handle claims free of charge through the Victims' Compensation Fund, but expressed concern about potential 'bait and switch'. Read More
October 18, 2001
Press Releases
Statement by James Wootton regarding the death of ILR Board Member Barbara Olson
Statement by James Wootton, President of the US Chamber's Institute for Legal Reform (ILR), regarding the death of ILR Board Member Barbara Olson, who perished Tuesday, September 11, 2001, on American Airlines Flight 77, which crashed into the Pentagon. Read More
September 14, 2001
Press Releases
Chamber Urges Congress to Pass Class Action Reform
Washington, D.C. - The United States Chamber of Commerce today applauded the introduction of legislation that would reform the nation's class action system to prevent abusive and frivolous lawsuits from overloading the legal system and to ensure that all parties are treated fairly. Read More
June 26, 2001
Press Releases
Chamber Affiliate Launches Ad Campaign To Oppose Kennedy-McCain Legislation
Washington, D.C. - The United States Chamber Institute for Legal Reform, an affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, is launching a television and print media campaign to highlight the potentially devastating impact that the Kennedy-McCain Patients' Bill of Rights legislation would have on health care coverage in America. Read More
June 14, 2001
Press Releases
Chamber Calls For Swift Action On Small Business Liability Reform Bill
WASHINGTON, D.C., May 10, 2001 - The United States Chamber of Commerce called the introduction today of legislation that would help to prevent lawsuit abuse that targets small businesses, while protecting the rights of those with legitimate claims, long overdue "Small businesses too often settle lawsuits for large sums regardless of the merits, in fear of being crushed by the weight of unlimited punitive damage awards," said Thomas Donohue, Chamber President and CEO. "The legal fees alone from one lawsuit - frivolous or not - can put a small company out of business." Read More
May 9, 2001
Press Releases
Chamber Seeks Information About Providence, R.I., Culpability on Lead Paint
WASHINGTON, D.C., March 26, 2001 - The United States Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform (ILR) filed Public Records Requests late Friday to determine what culpability the city of Providence, Rhode Island, and state government agencies have in the context of legal action against the former manufacturers of lead pigment and lead-based paint. Read More
March 25, 2001
Press Releases
Chamber Targets Excessive Legal Fees
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The United States Chamber of Commerce and the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform (ILR) filed Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests in 21 states today, seeking all documents and contracts pertaining both to the hiring of outside counsel in tobacco litigation and to the size of the attorneys' fees. The Chamber also called on Congress to investigate the excessive legal fees. Read More
March 13, 2001
Press Releases
Chamber Warns of
WASHINGTON, D.C., Feb. 6, 2001 - The United States Chamber of Commerce warned lawmakers on Capitol Hill that Americans need better access to health care, not legislation that could potentially force employers to pull the plug on coverage for their workers. "Americans need more access to doctors, not lawyers," said Bruce Josten, Chamber executive vice president. "Opening the door to more health care litigation only invites more out-of-control lawsuits and staggering prices at a time of near-record health care cost inflation." Read More
February 5, 2001