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 AG Announces Law to Limit Use of Contingency Fees in State LitigationMay. 21,2013 |
| Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange, who recently joined us Washington as a guest speaker at LCJ’s May 6-7, 2013 Membership Meeting, applauded on Tuesday the passage of legislation that limits the state’s use of private attorneys on a contingency fee basis. Read More . . . |
| LCJ Announces New Openings for Defense Law Firms May. 20,2013 |
| Lawyers for Civil Justice (LCJ) has a handful of openings for associate membership and is currently accepting applications from defense firms around the country. Read More . . . |
| LCJ Class Action and FRCP Committees Welcome New Members May. 20,2013 |
| Committee members include members of LCJ and LCJ supporters who are committed to promoting excellence and fairness in the civil justice system by producing correspondence, comments, white papers, memos briefs and other tangible resources. Read More . . . |
| Congressional Leaders, Judges and State AGs Tackle Legal Reform Issues at LCJ Meeting May. 19,2013 |
| LCJ’s May 6-7 Membership Meeting in Washington, DC featured an exciting program and an outstanding array of distinguished, special guest speakers including judges, attorneys general and members of congress. Read More . . . |
| LCJ and Defense Orgs. Advocate Reasonable Discovery Reforms Apr. 02,2013 |
| LCJ and Defense Organizations Advocate Reforms to Minimize Costs and Burdens of Discovery Read More . . . |
| April 2: LCJ and Defense Orgs. Advocate "Requester Pays" Discovery Rule Apr. 02,2013 |
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| April 2: LCJ and Defense Orgs. Support Proposed Rule 37(e) and "Duke Proposals" Apr. 01,2013 |
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| Feb. 2013: LCJ Opposes "No Fault Exception" Feb. 10,2013 |
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| United States: Shifting Sands In Class Action Litigation Feb. 04,2013 |
| Last November 5, the Supreme Court Justices spent the morning listening to two important class action cases that may offer the opportunity for the Court to impose stricter standards for the certification of class actions. Read More . . . |
| Class Action Case Could Have Big Impact On U.S. Businesses Jan. 15,2013 |
| When Philadelphia-area consumers filed a class action lawsuit against cable provider Comcast Corp., they inadvertently set in motion a legal battle that could have major implications for big businesses across the United States. Read More . . . |
| LCJ and Defense Bar Orgs. Promote Meaningful Rules Reforms at the Federal Level Jan. 08,2013 |
| In recent months, Lawyers for Civil Justice has submitted several formal comments to the U.S. Judicial Conference detailing the ways in which America’s civil justice system should be reformed. Read More . . . |
| LCJ is Pleased to Have Welcomed Many New Corporate and Associate Members in 2012! Jan. 08,2013 |
| LCJ is pleased to have welcomed many new corporate and associate members in 2012! Read More . . . |
| MCC Features LCJ Panel Discussion on the Future of Class Action Reform Jan. 07,2013 |
| Panelists from LCJ’s 25th Anniversary Meeting in New York City were featured in the Metropolitan Corporate Counsel, a leading publication in the corporate counsel community. Read More . . . |
| Class action lawyers game the system for personal gain Jan. 01,2013 |
| Recently, the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decided an interesting case involving big-money lawyer fees in class actions, U.S. v. Gallion, et al. Read More . . . |
| Study analyzes e-discovery trends in 2012 Dec. 31,2012 |
| Kroll Ontrack, the technology services division of risk consulting company Kroll Inc., released an analysis earlier this month of all the reported e-discovery decisions in 2012. Read More . . . |
| Delaware Supreme Court Allows Class Action Opt-Outs Dec. 27,2012 |
| The Delaware Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that a large investor should be allowed to opt out of a shareholder class action settlement, making it potentially more difficult for companies to end litigation. Read More . . . |
| Dec. 2012: LCJ and Defense Orgs. Comment on Rule 37(e) and Other Proposals Dec. 27,2012 |
| LCJ and the three defense organizations comment on Rule 37(e) and other proposals. Read More . . . |
| Supreme Court Could Limit Scope for Class Arbitration Dec. 07,2012 |
| The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear an appeal that gives the nine justices a chance to limit the ability of consumers and businesses to litigate disputes as a class. Read More . . . |
| Oct 2012: LCJ Comments on Duke Subcommittee Proposals - More Work to Be Done Oct. 31,2012 |
| LCJ submitted a formal comment on October 31, 2012 applauding the Duke Subcommittee. Read More . . . |
| Oct 2012: LCJ Submits Comment Urging Meaningful Change to the FRCP Oct. 30,2012 |
| LCJ submitted a formal comment on October 30, 2012 to once again express its views regarding the need for meaningful change in the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Read More . . . |
| Judge decertifies class of black mortgage borrowers in light of 'Wal-Mart' Sep. 19,2012 |
| A Boston federal judge has decertified a class of African-American mortgage borrowers, finding that evidence of their statistically higher payments isn't enough to establish commonality in light of the Supreme Court's ruling in Wal-Mart v. Dukes. Read More . . . |
| LCJ Meeting Details Are Now Available! Sep. 06,2012 |
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| WSJ: More Lawsuits, Less Growth Aug. 21,2012 |
| A majority of voters say that lawsuit abuse hurts economic growth and job prospects, according to a poll being released today by the American Tort Reform Association and a group called "Sick of Lawsuits." Read More . . . |
| Big Servings of Class Action Litigation for Food Companies Aug. 20,2012 |
| Attorney Kristen Polovoy has three words for any food company counsel caught up in snowballing class action litigation over marketing and labeling: Take it seriously. And for those who haven’t been slapped by a suit yet, she added two more: Get smart. Read More . . . |
| Microsoft Joins the Electronic Discovery Institute's Leadership Summit Aug. 09,2012 |
| Microsoft Will Be Joining Discussions With Leading Jurists, Lawyers and Technical Experts on Legal Issues Related to Advances in the Use of Technology and Digital Information; The Electronic Discovery Institute's Leadership Summit in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on October 17-19, 2012, Is a Unique Opportunity for Thought-Leaders and Decision-Makers From Leading Organizations to Interact, Collaborate and Form Relationships in a Casual Setting Read More . . . |
| H. Mills Gallivan of Gallivan, White & Boyd, P.A. Elected President of National Foundation for Judicial Excellence Jul. 25,2012 |
| The law firm of Gallivan, White & Boyd, P.A. is pleased to announce that H. Mills Gallivan, senior shareholder at Gallivan, White & Boyd, P.A., has been elected to serve as the President of the National Foundation for Judicial Excellence (NFJE). Read More . . . |
| Rick Richardson and Barbara Johnson Lead 5-4 Opinion Affirming 9th Circuit’s Affirmance of District Court of Arizona’s SJ for GSK Jul. 05,2012 |
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| Supreme Court Takes Up Appeal of $187.6 Mil. Wal-Mart Worker Class Action Jul. 05,2012 |
| The state Supreme Court will hear an appeal on whether a $187.6 million class action award against retail titan Wal-Mart over allegations that its Pennsylvania employees were not properly compensated for off-the-clock work and missed rest breaks violated Pennsylvania law. Read More . . . |
| Legislation to Blunt 'Concepcion' Is Killed in State Assembly Jul. 04,2012 |
| A trial lawyer-backed bill that sought to reassert class action rights in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court's 2011 ruling in AT&T Mobility v. Concepcion died in legislative committee on Tuesday. Read More . . . |
| WSJ: New Business Cases Await High Court Jul. 03,2012 |
| Little-noticed amid the fanfare over last week's decisions on health care and immigration, the Supreme Court added several new business cases to its docket for the fall that will offer the court more opportunities to cement its generally pro-business reputation. Read More . . . |
| Obama Administration Files Amicus Calling for Restrictions on Alien Tort Statute Jun. 27,2012 |
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| LCJ Class Action Subcommittee Set to Meet on Friday - Join The Call!! Jun. 27,2012 |
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| Purchase Nov. 28th Broadway Tickets for LCJ's 25th Anniversary in NYC! Jun. 26,2012 |
| LCJ has reserved group tickets to three of this year’s hottest Broadway musicals for theater night at LCJ’s 25th Anniversary Meeting in New York City! Read More . . . |
| LCJ Members: Fill Out Your LCJ Contributed Services Form Jun. 25,2012 |
| LCJ is conducting its yearly internal audit and LCJ members are requested to notify us of time expended in support of LCJ activities or projects Read More . . . |
| Dems look to reverse Supreme Court ruling on class-action suits Jun. 22,2012 |
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| Computers Harnessed for Pretrial Work Jun. 19,2012 |
| Predictive coding isn't expected to replace this new breed of low-rent lawyer, but it could significantly reduce their numbers during one of the worst employment markets in nearly 20 years, industry experts say. Read More . . . |
| As LCJ Forms Class Action Subcommittee, Congress Takes Closer Look at CAFA Jun. 14,2012 |
| Congress held a hearing to take a closer look at CAFA and its effect on the civil justice system Read More . . . |
| LCJ Welcomes Altria Client Services as a Corporate Member Jun. 13,2012 |
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| LCJ is Set to Celebrate its 25th Anniversary at Membership Meeting in New York City Jun. 13,2012 |
| LCJ's 25th Anniversary Meeting is set to take place in New York City this November Read More . . . |
| LCJ's New Subcommittee on FRCP 23 Class Actions Conducted Its First Meeting on Friday, June 15th Jun. 13,2012 |
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| LCJ Special Report: Update on May Meeting in Washington, DC & More Jun. 13,2012 |
| A special report from Lawyers for Civil Justice Read More . . . |
| New SCOTUS Brief: Keep international human rights cases in U.S. courts Jun. 11,2012 |
| Are the high seas the legal equivalent of foreign soil? Read More . . . |
| State Supreme Court Adopts New Rules On E-Discovery, Rejects Federal Model Jun. 08,2012 |
| The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has adopted changes to state e-discovery rules Read More . . . |
| Maxeiner: What America Can Learn From Germany's Justice System Jun. 07,2012 |
| Judges need to become more actively involved in each case -- throwing out ridiculous claims, conferring with each side, and explaining their decisions. Read More . . . |
| Everything an Employer Could Ask For in One Decision on Class Action Waivers Jun. 06,2012 |
| A California Court of Appeal issued a sweeping pro-employer decision on class action waivers. Read More . . . |
| June 2012: LCJ and Defense Orgs. Comment on Duke Subcommittee Proposal Jun. 05,2012 |
| LCJ and the three defense bar organizations - DRI, FDCC and IADC - submitted a comment concerning "Preliminary Views on the Duke Subcommittee Proposals." Read More . . . |
| LCJ and Defense Organizations Promote Bold Rule Reforms in a Comment on Duke Subcommittee's Proposed Amendments Jun. 05,2012 |
| LCJ and the defense bar organizations - DRI-The Voice of the Defense Bar, the Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel, and the International Association of Defense counsel submitted a formal comment on June 5th to both the Advisory Committee on Civil Rules and Standing Committee on Civil Rules. Read More . . . |
| Update: SB-153 Dies in Senate Judiciary Committee May. 15,2012 |
| Colorado's Anti-Protective Orders Legislation SB-153 Died in Senate Judiciary Committee Read More . . . |
| Apr. 2012: LCJ Submits Formal Comment to Address Numerous Proposals Under Consideration Apr. 30,2012 |
| LCJ submitted a formal comment on April 30, 2012 to highlight and summarize views expressed in a previous comment from March 2012 Read More . . . |
| WSJ: An FCPA Debate For The Ages Mar. 30,2012 |
| One of the architects of modern Foreign Corrupt Practices Act enforcement squared off Wednesday against two of the most outspoken proponents of changing the FCPA. Read More . . . |
| WSJ: DOJ Asks to Drop FCPA Convictions Mar. 29,2012 |
| The Department of Justice has asked a federal judge to dismiss the convictions of three men who have already pleaded guilty to conspiring to violate a U.S. antibribery law, the final blow to a case the government had portrayed as an example of its efforts to get tough on foreign corruption but which ultimately collapsed after setbacks in the courtroom. Read More . . . |
| Congressman Franks Encourages Rules Committee to Reform Discovery, Preservation and Cost Allocation Rules Mar. 21,2012 |
| Congressman Trent Franks submitted a letter today to the Advisory Committee on Civil Rules stressing that the House Judiciary Committee’s Constitution Subcommittee has gathered information that demonstrates the need to improve the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Read More . . . |
| WSJ: Third Circuit - WInners Still Have to Shoulder Most E-Discovery Costs Mar. 20,2012 |
| In civil suits, the prevailing party is entitled to recover certain costs. The Third Circuit wrestled with the question of whether (and to what extent) the winner’s electronic discovery costs can be transferred over to the loser. Not many courts have considered the issue. Read More . . . |
| WSJ: A New Class-Action Battle Mar. 20,2012 |
| Should investors be allowed to bring class-action lawsuits against brokerages? Read More . . . |
| LCJ and Defense Bar Organizations Submit Formal Comment on FRCP Mar. 16,2012 |
| LCJ submitted a formal comment this week to the Advisory Committee on Civil Rules advocating straightforward, broad-based amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, which are needed now more than ever. The comment, Now Is the Time for Meaningful New Standards Governing Discovery, Preservation and Cost Allocation, was submitted in advance of the Committee’s upcoming March 22-23, 2012 meeting. Read More . . . |
| Mar 2012: LCJ Submits Formal Comment to Address the Need for Major Rule Reforms Mar. 15,2012 |
| LCJ submitted a formal comment on March 15, 2012 to highlight the solutions to the problems of excessive and unnecessary discovery and over-preservation of information currently plaguing civil litigation. Read More . . . |
| Alert: Oppose SB-153, Anti-Protective Orders Legislation Mar. 14,2012 |
| We are encouraging you to take action now to oppose SB-153, an anti-protective orders bill in Colorado. The Colorado Senate Judiciary Committee may soon schedule a hearing on this bill and the full Senate may vote soon thereafter. Read More . . . |
| FL Supreme Court Hears Oral Argument on FDLA/LCJ Proposed E-Discovery Amendments Mar. 07,2012 |
| The Supreme Court of Florida heard an oral argument today regarding e-discovery rule amendments that were proposed on October 13th 2011 by the Florida Defense Lawyers Association (FDLA) and Lawyers for Civil Justice (LCJ). Read More . . . |
| Feb. 2012: LCJ Submits Comment to Promote Bold Rule Reforms Feb. 29,2012 |
| LCJ submitted an official comment on February 29, 2012 to address the solutions to the problems of excessive and unnecessary discovery and over-preservation of information currently plaguing civil litigation. Read More . . . |
| WSJ: Conservative Justices Suggest Foreign Organizations Can't Be Sued in the U.S. Feb. 29,2012 |
| Torture victims faced skepticism at the Supreme Court Tuesday, where justices questioned whether foreign organizations, including the oil giant Royal Dutch Shell PLC and the Palestinian Authority, could be sued for violating international law under U.S. statutes dating to the 18th century. Read More . . . |
| LCJ Welcomes BP and Honeywell as Corporate Members; New PepsiCo Representative Designated Feb. 27,2012 |
| Lawyers for Civil Justice is pleased to announce two new corporate members - BP and Honeywell International, Inc. Read More . . . |
| Update: SB5054 Killed on Senate Floor Feb. 24,2012 |
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| Economist: Over-regulated America, Excessive and Badly Written Regulation Feb. 18,2012 |
| The problem is not the rules that are self-evidently absurd. It is the ones that sound reasonable on their own but impose a huge burden collectively. America is meant to be the home of laissez-faire. Unlike Europeans, whose lives have long been circumscribed by meddling governments and diktats from Brussels, Americans are supposed to be free to choose, for better or for worse. Yet for some time America has been straying from this ideal. Read More . . . |
| Alert: Take Action Now - Oppose SB5054, Anti-Protective Orders Legislation Feb. 14,2012 |
| We are encouraging you to take action now to oppose SB. 5054, an anti-protective orders bill that come up for a vote on the floor of the Washington State Senate at any time. Read More . . . |
| Role of plaintiffs lawyers in Dodd-Frank debated at House hearing Feb. 09,2012 |
| Whether state attorneys general should be allowed to hire private attorneys on a contingency fee to enforce federal law was debated last week before a House subcommittee. Read More . . . |
| Dealpolitik: Transatlantic, Carlyle, Score Two for the Plaintiffs’ Bar Feb. 08,2012 |
| If you are troubled by the way class-action securities litigation seems to favor the lawyers and cost shareholders money with rare financial benefits, two events last week will make you unhappy. Read More . . . |
| Judges already citing Wal-Mart ruling in environmental cases Feb. 07,2012 |
| A major Supreme Court ruling from last year that is widely predicted to reduce the number of successful class-action claims against big companies is already being cited in environmental cases. Read More . . . |
| LCJ Advances its Initiative to Clarify Rule 45 Feb. 07,2012 |
| LCJ submitted a formal comment on Thursday in support of the Civil Rules Advisory Committee’s proposed amendments to Federal Rule 45. Read More . . . |
| KPMG Loses E-Discovery Appeal in 'Pippins' Labor Case Feb. 07,2012 |
| Auditing firm KPMG has lost its appeal of a controversial e-discovery ruling in the Pippins v. KPMG labor case. Read More . . . |
| LCJ Members May Now Reserve a Hotel Room at the Mayflower for LCJ's May 3-4 Meeting! Feb. 07,2012 |
| LCJ has reserved a block of rooms at the Mayflower Renaissance hotel in Washington, DC. All of LCJ’s meetings will take place at the Mayflower, which is located at 1127 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20036, near the historic Dupont Circle. All meeting attendees must make their own hotel reservations and may do so now by following the instructions below. Read More . . . |
| LCJ's May 3-4 Meeting to Feature Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood Feb. 07,2012 |
| LCJ’s May 3-4, 2012 legal conference in Washington, DC will feature distinguished guest speakers from across the nation including Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation Ray LaHood. Read More . . . |
| No SOX protection for whistleblowers working for contractors of public companies Feb. 06,2012 |
| Employees of privately held contractors or subcontractors of public companies are not eligible for whistleblower protection under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit has ruled in a case of first impression. Read More . . . |
| Voom Decision Underscores Need for E-Discovery Reform Feb. 02,2012 |
Read More . . . |
| LCJ E-Discovery Team Member John Jablonski Co-Authors Must-Have Guidebook on Legal Holds Feb. 01,2012 |
| . In 7 Steps for Legal Holds of ESI and Other Documents, however, Jablonski and Isaza explain how organizations large and small can develop credible business processes to deal with legal holds and, in doing so, can minimize both the difficulty and expense of preserving documents for litigation. Read More . . . |
| NY Appeals Court Ignores E-Discovery Tumult Feb. 01,2012 |
| New York's most consequential intermediate appellate court on Tuesday adopted the widespread "Zubulake standard" for determining when defendants must begin to preserve electronically stored information. As my colleague Joseph Ax reported for Reuters, the state Appellate Division, First Department, agreed with a 2004 ruling by U.S. District Judge Shira Scheindlin of Manhattan federal court in Zubulake v. UBS IV, which held that defendants must act to preserve e-discovery once they reasonably expect they'll be a party to litigation Read More . . . |
| Tentative Schedule for LCJ's May 3-4 Spring Meeting in Washington Now Available Jan. 31,2012 |
| LCJ's Spring 2012 Membership Meeting in Washington DC will take place on May 3-4 at the Maylfower Hotel in Dupont Circle. Read More . . . |
| Businesses Oppose Proposed Ohio Fraud Legislation Jan. 30,2012 |
| Some Ohio businesses are opposing a bill backed by the attorney general that would create tougher penalties on fraud and give whistle-blowers a slice of the damages or repayments. The proposed legislation, known as the Ohio “false claims act” in a reference to its federal counterpart, would apply to any contracts issued by the state and the money paid out for them, the Dayton Daily News reported. Read More . . . |
| The Story Behind Delaware's Default E-discovery Standard Jan. 28,2012 |
| Delaware is known as "The First State" because it was the first to ratify the U.S. Constitution in 1787. In that same trailblazing spirit, the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware has been at the forefront of electronic discovery innovation. LTN's article "Delaware's Default E-Discovery Developments," reported the Delaware federal court's adoption of its December 8, 2011, "Default Standard for Discovery, Including Discovery of Electronically Stored Information ('ESI')," which traces its lineage back more than seven years. Read More . . . |
| State Dept. Files Amicus Favoring Corporate Liability Jan. 27,2012 |
Read More . . . |
| Whistleblowers earn a record $532 million in 2011 Jan. 09,2012 |
| Whistleblowers earned more than $532 million in 2011 through lawsuits alleging fraud against the U.S. government, a record for such payouts, according to a law firm study published on Friday. Read More . . . |
| No Bad Faith, No Spoliation, 3rd Circuit Rules Jan. 09,2012 |
| Producing copies of documents instead of originals can be spoliation, the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled, though a finding of bad faith is "pivotal" to a spoliation determination. Read More . . . |
| Will Richard Cordray's Recess Appointment to CFPB Hurt Obama? Jan. 06,2012 |
| In a bold act of political defiance, President Obama installed Richard Cordray as head of a new consumer watchdog agency Wednesday, bypassing Republican opposition in the Senate that derailed his nomination last month. Read More . . . |
| CPFB'S First Move With Director in Place: Confront Jan. 06,2012 |
| One day after President Obama appointed Richard Cordray as director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau over the objections of Senate Republicans, the bureau announced the launch of a new “nonbank supervision program.” Read More . . . |
| Jan 2012: LCJ Support Amendments to FRCP 45 Jan. 05,2012 |
| LCJ submitted an official comment on January 5, 2012 to support proposed amendments to FRCP 45. Read More . . . |
| Class action lawyers game the system for personal gain Jan. 01,2012 |
| Recently, the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decided an interesting case involving big-money lawyer fees in class actions, U.S. v. Gallion, et al. Read More . . . |
| House Subcommittee Approves Amendment Modifying Whistle Blower Rules Dec. 28,2011 |
| Republicans members of a House subcommittee have approved a bill that would modify the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act requirement that whistle-blowers to report potential misconduct to their company before going to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Read More . . . |
| Delaware's Default E-Discovery Amendments Dec. 28,2011 |
| On Dec. 8, 2011, the Federal District Court for the District of Delaware posted two new default standards for litigation: the Default Standard for Discovery, Including Discovery of Electronically Stored Information ("ESI") and the Default Standard for Access to Source Code. Read More . . . |
| WSJ: An Early Christmas for Some Lawyers, $300 million in Fees for Shareholder Case Sets Off Debate Dec. 28,2011 |
| The week before Christmas, two plaintiffs law firms got word that together they were awarded $300 million in fees for their work challenging a takeover deal. Read More . . . |
| Save the Dates for LCJ's 2012 Membership Meetings Dec. 28,2011 |
| Save the Dates for LCJ's 2012 Membership Meetings Read More . . . |
| Congress Holds Landmark Hearing to Consider Costs and Burdens of Discovery Dec. 19,2011 |
| A group of LCJ members and allies supporting procedural rule reform gathered on Capitol Hill last Tuesday for a hearing conducted by the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution to examine the need for meaningful amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Read More . . . |
| FL Supreme Court to Hear Oral Argument on FDLA/LCJ Proposed E-Disc Amendments Dec. 08,2011 |
| The Supreme Court of Florida has scheduled an oral argument regarding proposed civil procedure rules amendments on e-discovery for Wednesday, March 7, 2012 at 9:00 am. Thirty minutes has been allocated for the argument. Read More . . . |
| Law.com - Reset to Neutral: Rethinking EDD Preservation Protocol Dec. 07,2011 |
| Our regimen for preservation of electronically stored information (ESI) at the federal level — and in particular the "reasonable anticipation of litigation" test for when parties must begin affirmative preservation efforts — is the creation of decisions in "bad facts" cases. As a result, and despite its widespread reach, our current preservation protocol is deeply flawed in critical ways. Read More . . . |
| Examiner: Sprung From Prison, Tort-Bar King Back Raising Money for Democrats Dec. 06,2011 |
| When Lerach finished serving his brief time in the federal pen, he returned to his Cliffside estate in San Diego to enjoy a fortune estimated at $200 million. And as evidenced by the upcoming fundraiser there, he picked up right where he left off as a key cog in the Democratic money machine. But considering that much of Lerach's fortune was earned by breaking the law, why would any Democratic incumbent, candidate or committee accept his tainted money? Read More . . . |
| John Jablonski: Raising the Bar on Proportionality? Dec. 05,2011 |
| John Jablonski of Goldberg Segalla LLP examines perspectives on lowering the burden of preserving data in civil litigation. Read More . . . |
| Congressional Hearing on Costs and Burdens of Discovery Scheduled for Next Week Nov. 10,2011 |
| A hearing has been scheduled for Tuesday, December 13, 2011, at 1:20 p.m. by the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution on The Costs and Burden of Civil Discovery. Read More . . . |
| Law Bulletin: Law Division's New Expert Rule Faces Fight Nov. 08,2011 |
| A hospital wants the Illinois Supreme Court to stop a pilot program in the Cook County Circuit Court Law Division that requires plaintiffs and defendants to reveal their expert witnesses at the same time. Read More . . . |
| Defense Organizations Join LCJ to Promote E-Discovery Rulemaking Solutions Nov. 02,2011 |
| On October 31st, Lawyers for Civil Justice (LCJ) took action to end the era of endless preservation by submitting the official comment, The Time is Now: The Urgent Need for Discovery Reform, to the Advisory Committee on Civil Rules, which is responsible for providing recommendations on rule reform to the Federal Judicial Conference. Read More . . . |
| WSJ: Court to Rule If Abuses Abroad Can Lead to Suits Oct. 20,2011 |
| The Supreme Court said Monday it will consider a lawsuit against Royal Dutch Shell PLC to decide whether corporations can be sued in U.S. courts for allegedly aiding human-rights abuses overseas. Read More . . . |
| The MCC Unveils New, Interactive Website Oct. 14,2011 |
| The MCC unveiled a new, interactive website to complement its monthly print publication Read More . . . |
| FDLA, LCJ and Coalition of Corporate Counsel Advocate Improvements to Florida's Flawed E-discovery Rules Oct. 14,2011 |
| The Florida Defense Lawyers Association (FDLA) and Lawyers for Civil Justice (LCJ) submitted an official comment yesterday - October 13, 2011 – with proposed amendments to Rules 1.280 and 1.380 of the Florida Rules of Civil Procedure that would affect necessary changes in the way discovery of information is conducted. Read More . . . |
| Oct. 2011: FDLA, LCJ Advocate Critical Florida E-discovery Amendments Oct. 14,2011 |
Read More . . . |
| Register Now for LCJ's Fall 2011 Membership Meeting in NYC! Sep. 26,2011 |
Read More . . . |
| WSJ: For Profit Lawsuits - Government Enlists Plaintiff's Bar Against For-Profit Colleges Sep. 14,2011 |
| Where there's money, there are trial lawyers, and their latest hope for a jackpot is a lawsuit against an industry in political disfavor with the Obama Administration: for-profit colleges. Read More . . . |
| WSJ: Consumer-Bureau Nominee Richard Cordray on Hot Seat Sep. 07,2011 |
| The new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will use many tools other than lawsuits to do its job, Richard Cordray, President Barack Obama's pick to run the agency, plans to tell senators at his confirmation hearing Tuesday. Read More . . . |
| LCJ Submits Formal Comment to Support Beneficial Revision of E-Discovery Rules Sep. 01,2011 |
| LCJ took action last week to improve the e-discovery rules to which corporate defendants are held accountable. In an official comment to the Advisory Committee on Civil Rules, LCJ argued that problems with discovery and electronic discovery have become so pervasive in recent years that rule makers must immediately consider meaningful amendments that would substantially improve the federal rules of civil procedure. Read More . . . |
| Aug. 2011: LCJ Formal Comment Supports Beneficial E-discovery Rules Sep. 01,2011 |
| LCJ took action last week to improve the e-discovery rules to which corporate defendants are held accountable. Read More . . . |
| The Daily Record: J. McIntyre Machinery An important case for corporate counsel Sep. 01,2011 |
| J. McIntyre gives corporations in the United States and abroad powerful tools to avoid being compelled to appear in courts, state and federal, in jurisdictions, far-flung or near, where there is no purposeful availment. The plaintiffs’ bar is very unhappy with the decision — a measure of the justice finally, and appropriately, accorded defendants. Read More . . . |
| Texas Tribune: New Tort Reform Law Takes Effect This Week Aug. 29,2011 |
| A new tort reform law taking effect this week will enable the Texas Supreme Court to make rules to expedite lawsuits with claims under $100,000 and to allow judges to dismiss those without merit early on. It also will grant legal costs to prevailing parties under certain circumstances. Read More . . . |
| E-Discovery Sanctions, Evidence Preservation On Committee Agenda Aug. 23,2011 |
| On Sept. 9, the Civil Rules Advisory Committee of the U.S. Judicial Conference will meet in Dallas to consider changing the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure on evidence preservation and sanctions related to electronic discovery. As part of the discussion, the committee — made up of judges, law professors and attorneys — will consider an exhaustive report prepared by Andrea Kuperman, chief counsel to the rules committee. Read More . . . |
| Examiner: Lawsuit Reform Coul Be Big in 2012 Aug. 22,2011 |
| One of the factors Perry repeatedly cites as playing a central role in the Texas economic success is lawsuit reform. Insuring equity and fairness for all defendants and plaintiffs, he argues, is essential to creating a business environment that encourages job creation and economic growth. Read More . . . |
| Justice Department in "Full-Court Press" to Tackle E-Discovery Aug. 21,2011 |
| New technology means that less and less is done on paper and that’s presented challenges for DOJ officials, who are struggling with ways to
manage electronic evidence, such as e-mails and text messages. Read More . . . |
| December 1-2 Meeting Schedule and Hotel Information Now Available Aug. 16,2011 |
| A tentative schedule for LCJ's December 1-2 Meeting in New York City is now available Read More . . . |
| Law.com: E-Discovery Drives $576K Costs Levied on Plaintiffs Aug. 10,2011 |
| For plaintiffs, the cost of losing a case is skyrocketing in antitrust and other complex, document-intensive litigation now that the federal courts are routinely approving hefty bills for e-discovery services in the standard taxation of costs. Read More . . . |
| US Discovery in a German Lawsuit? Aug. 05,2011 |
| The Seventh Circuit's new opinion has opened the door for parties litigating in non-US courts to use the U.S. federal court system for the purposes of obtaining discovery that is otherwise not available in courts outside the US. Read More . . . |
| Texas Enacts Loser Pays Tort Reform Jul. 28,2011 |
| In a unanimous vote last week, the Texas senate adopted ‘loser pays’ tort-reform legislation, which says that a plaintiff must pay the winning party’s legal fees if their complaint is judged to be groundless. Read More . . . |
| Broad Spectrum of In-House Corporate Experience at Legal Technology Leadership Summit Jul. 26,2011 |
| Senior leaders from some of the world’s leading corporations featured on panels at Legal Technology Leadership Summit at Amelia Island. Read More . . . |
| Committee Ponders EDD Changes to Federal Rules of Civil Procedure Jul. 26,2011 |
| Discussions about possible e-discovery-related changes to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure are now being circulated by a subcommittee of the Judicial Conference of the United States Read More . . . |
| WSJ: The Senate's Lawsuit Factory - Trial lawyers use a controversial case to undermine the arbitration system Jul. 22,2011 |
| WSJ Journalist Kimberly Strassel discusses how the course of the alleged rape case of former Kellogg, Brown & Root worker Jamie Leigh Jones exemplifies a "textbook trial lawyers style" in which lawyers use congress to publicize certain cases and change laws to their liking. Read More . . . |
| Insurance Industry Prevails in RI Supreme Court Decision Jul. 20,2011 |
| The Rhode Island Supreme Court has decided that insurance carriers who face competing claims for limited policy amounts should only be penalized if they fail to use reasonable care in resolving the competing claims. The law firm of Zelle, McDonough & Cohen, LLP represented Travelers Insurance Company in achieving this victory. Read More . . . |
| LCJ To Lead E-Discovery Panel at 2011 Legal Technology Leadership Summit Jul. 18,2011 |
| Lawyers for Civil Justice (LCJ) will lead a panel on corporate preservation of electronically stored information at the 2011 Legal Technology Leadership Summit on September 6-8. Read More . . . |
| Movie Critical of Trial Lawyers Debuts Jul. 13,2011 |
| A TV movie highlighting some of the most embarrassing moments of the past decade for the nation's trial lawyers premiered on July 11, 2011. Read More . . . |
| LCJ's FRCP Committee Meeting Scheduled For July 14th Jul. 13,2011 |
| The conference call will take place at 4:30 pm EDT Read More . . . |
| LCJ Members' Blog Referenced in New York Times Jun. 27,2011 |
| Abnormal Use, a blog from LCJ member Gallivan, White & Boyd P.A., was referenced on Monday in the New York Times for its critique of documentary film maker Susan Saladoff's controversial film "Hot Coffee." The film tells the story Stella Liebeck, who in 1992 spilled a cup of McDonald’s coffee into her lap and took legal action that "became a symbol of frivolous lawsuits." Read More . . . |
| BOA General Counsel O’Keefe to Speak at LCJ’s Fall 2011 Meeting Jun. 22,2011 |
| LCJ is pleased to announce that Edward P. O’Keefe, General Counsel for Bank of America, has accepted an invitation to speak at LCJ’s Fall 2011 Membership Meeting in New York City. Read More . . . |
| Update: SC Tort Reform Bill Becomes Law Jun. 22,2011 |
| South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley signed into law on Tuesday June 14th H. 3375, a tort reform bill concerning appeal bonds and punitive damages. Read More . . . |
| UPI: States Reform Civil Justice Jun. 22,2011 |
| At least 18 states have passed legislation this year tipping the civil justice system to favor business, a U.S. group that lobbies for such changes said. Read More . . . |
| Bloomberg: Wal-Mart Case Another Loss for Trial Lawyers Jun. 22,2011 |
| The Supreme Court's ruling is the latest in a series of decisions that make it clear the justices aim to curb mass litigation Read More . . . |
| AP: Supreme Court Limits Wal-Mart Sex Bias Case Jun. 20,2011 |
| The Supreme Court on Monday blocked a massive sex discrimination lawsuit against Wal-Mart on behalf of women who work there. Read More . . . |
| Save The Dates! LCJ's Fall 2011 Membership Meeting is Set for Dec. 1-2 in NYC Jun. 19,2011 |
| Please save the dates for LCJ’s December 1-2, 2011 Membership Meeting in New York City. December’s meeting will be a joint meeting of LCJ and the Civil Justice Resource Group (CJRG). Read More . . . |
| LCJ Welcomes Rachel Kolokoff as Communications Coordinator Jun. 18,2011 |
| LCJ is pleased to announce that Rachel Kolokoff has joined its staff as Communications Coordinator. Read More . . . |
| Tennessee Governor Signs Sweeping Tort Reform Bill Jun. 16,2011 |
| Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam signed on June 16, 2011 Tennessee Civil Justice Act of 2011, a broad tort reform bill. Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris (R-Collierville) and Senator Brian Kelsey (R-Germantown) sponsored the legislation as a way to provide businesses with certainty and predictability in litigation while ensuring that injured plaintiffs are compensated for their suffering. Read More . . . |
| Examiner: Amid Budget Sacrifice, Let the Lawyers Go First Jun. 14,2011 |
| Clearly, taxpayers have more than enough on their plates already. So -- should they also be made to pay $600-per-hour legal fees of environmentalists who sue the government? Read More . . . |
| Update: South Carolina Tort Reform Advances to Governor With Defense Bar Support Jun. 02,2011 |
| The South Carolina House of Representatives Passed H. 3375, the South Carolina Fairness in Civil Justice Act of 2011 Read More . . . |
| Update: South Carolina Tort Reform Passes Senate Jun. 02,2011 |
| The South Carolina state Senate approved on Wednesday H. 3375, the South Carolina Fairness in Civil Justice Act of 2011 Read More . . . |
| Alert: Oppose S. 623 May. 24,2011 |
| LCJ is encouraging you to take action now to oppose S. 623, the Sunshine in Litigation Act of 2011, which was passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on a 12 to 6 vote on May 19, 2011. Read More . . . |
| Major Tort Reform Potentially on Horizon for Pennsylvania Apr. 15,2011 |
| The Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed House Bill 1 (the "Fair Share Act") by a vote of 112 to 88 on April 11, 2011. If enacted, it would greatly limit the doctrine of joint and several liability in Pennsylvania, with narrow exceptions. Read More . . . |
| LCJ Takes Action On E-Discovery, Supports Clear, Reasonable Standards Apr. 08,2011 |
| LCJ took significant action last week to clarify and improve the e-discovery standards to which corporate defendants are held accountable. Read More . . . |
| April 2011: Amicus Brief to the NY Supreme Court Appellate Division Apr. 08,2011 |
| This Amicus Brief was submitted in support of the defendant/appellant in the case of Voom v. Echostar Read More . . . |
| April 2011: Comment to the Civil Rules Advisory Committee Apr. 08,2011 |
| This comment is titled “Preservation – Moving the Paradigm.” Read More . . . |
| NYT: When a Lawsuit Is Too Big Apr. 06,2011 |
| Can a class-action lawsuit be too sprawling to deliver old-fashioned justice? Justice Antonin Scalia seems to think so, judging by his comments on Tuesday... Read More . . . |
| 2011 Spring Membership Meeting Brochure Now Available Apr. 06,2011 |
| LCJ’s May 1-3, 2011 legal conference will feature a star-studded cast of guest speakers from across the nation. Read More . . . |
| LCJ Supports the Appeal of New York State Supreme Court Decision Apr. 01,2011 |
| New ruling on preservation sets unclear, unreasonable standards Read More . . . |
| LCJ Advocates Beneficial Revision of Rule 45 Mar. 31,2011 |
| As part of its ongoing initiative to improve the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, LCJ has advocated revision of Rule 45, which concerns subpoenas Read More . . . |
| Renowned Legal Experts Set to Speak at LCJ’s Meeting Mar. 14,2011 |
| LCJ’s 2011 Spring Membership Meeting will feature distinguished guest speakers from across the nation. Read More . . . |
| LCJ Opposes Expansion of ALF Mar. 13,2011 |
| An expansion of alternative litigation financing, or ALF, would undermine the integrity of the U.S. judicial system by turning courts into investment markets, according to the national organization Lawyers for Civil Justice (LCJ). Read More . . . |
| March 2, 2011: Letter to the ABA Commission on Ethics Mar. 02,2011 |
| On Thursday, LCJ submitted a letter to the ABA Commission on Ethics urging its members to consider that an expansion of ALF, particularly in the class action arena, threatens the judicial system by upsetting the balance of power between plaintiffs and defendants, creating ethical quandaries for lawyers, increasing the potential for general abuse of the system and more. Read More . . . |
| Corporate and Defense Bar Leaders Coalesce Around New Procedural Rules Reform Initiative Jan. 31,2011 |
| A nationwide chorus of academics, corporate counsel and defense counsel are joining in efforts to fundamentally reform the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Excessive costs and delays, they say, are diminishing the quality of justice provided by the current system. Read More . . . |
| U.S. Opening Product Safety Records to Public Jan. 10,2011 |
| The federal government is poised for the first time to make public thousands of complaints it receives each year about safety problems with various products, from power tools to piggy banks. Read More . . . |
| HJC to Play Key Role in Health Care Debate Jan. 10,2011 |
| House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) today outlined the Committee’s role in the upcoming debate on the vote to repeal Democrats’ misguided government takeover of health care. Read More . . . |
| Chairman Smith Announces Subcommittee Chairmen Jan. 10,2011 |
| Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) today announced the House Judiciary Committee’s subcommittee chairmen for the 112th Congress. Read More . . . |
| WSJ: Loser Pays, Everyone Wins Dec. 27,2010 |
| Governor Perry, of Texas, is proposing a British-style "loser pays rule, which would require plantiff's to pick up the legal costs of their targets if they lose their suits. Read More . . . |
| Nov. 12, 2010: Comment to the Rules Advisory Committee Nov. 12,2010 |
| This formal comment, Preservation: Moving The Paradigm, was submitted to the Advisory Committee on Civil Rules regarding problems related to preservation of information in litigation. Read More . . . |
| Oct. 2010: White Paper on Procedural Rules Oct. 25,2010 |
| LCJ submitted the final version of its FRCP White Paper on Reshaping the Rules of Civil Procedure for the 21st Century to the 2010 Duke Law School Litigation Review Conference. Read More . . . |
| Update: Provisions That LCJ Opposed Were Stricken From Oil Spill Bill Oct. 25,2010 |
| Provisions in the federal Oil Spill legislation (HR 5503) that would have placed severe restrictions on judges from issuing protective orders and diminished the impact of the Class Action Fairness Act have been stricken from the legislative proposal before the bill reaches the U.S. House of Representatives. Read More . . . |
| Blog: The American Bar Association Exposes its Liberal Bias Once Aagain Oct. 25,2010 |
| Power Line Blog discusses leftist law professor nominated by Obama for a position on the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Read More . . . |
| Defense Bar Calls for Major Changes to FRCP, MCC Reports Oct. 25,2010 |
| Submission of "WHITE PAPER" Represents Major Initiative by Organized Defense Bar to Support Procedural Rule Reform Read More . . . |
| LCJ Provides Impetus for FRCP Amendments with White Paper Oct. 25,2010 |
| LCJ provided new impetus for a fundamental review of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure by submitting the FRCP White Paper on Reshaping the Rules of Civil Procedure for the 21st Century to the 2010 Duke Law School Litigation Review Conference. Read More . . . |
| Sept. 2, 2010: Comment to the Civil Rules Advisory Committee on Discovery Oct. 18,2010 |
| On Thursday, September 2nd, LCJ submitted the Comment To The Civil Rules Advisory Committee, A Prescription for Stronger Medicine: Narrow the Scope of Discovery that focused on the scope of discovery. Read More . . . |
| Sept. 15, 2010: LCJ Joins Coalition to Oppose Deductibility of Contingency Fees Sep. 15,2010 |
| LCJ was just one of over 85 organizations that oppose the reversal of a federal tax law and were able to participate in a letter to the Department of the Treasury. Read More . . . |
| DRI - Tax Breaks for Trial Lawyers: Making the Government a Partner in Litigation Aug. 25,2010 |
| In a PointOfLaw.com article, former LCJ Board Member, Marc Williams discusses the American Association for Justice, the Obama Administration, and financial benefits for members of the AAJ. Read More . . . |
| FASB Extends Comment Period for Disclosure of Certain Loss Contingencies Exposure Draft Aug. 23,2010 |
| The Financial Accounting Standards Board has voted to extend it's deadline for comments by 30 additional days. Their chairman extended it because it "was difficult to meet becuase of quarterly reporting deadlines." Read More . . . |
| John Stossel: Parasitic Tort Lawyers Hurt Clients Too Jul. 08,2010 |
| John Stossel investigates how lawyers and the cases they argue rarely make their client's lives better. They make life much worse. Read More . . . |
| Article By LCJ Associate Member, H. Mills Gallivan - Bluejays and Mockingbird Jul. 08,2010 |
| Around the anniversary of "To Kill A Mockingbirg, associate member, Mills Gallivan blogs for Abnormal Use regarding the amending of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, ten times over the last 50 years. Read More . . . |
| Seize The Opportunity - Reduce The Costs And Burdens Jul. 08,2010 |
| A representative from one of LCJ's Corporate Member organizations writes an article for Metropolitan Corporate Counsel concerning the "opportunity to make fundamental changes in the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure." Read More . . . |
| June 28, 2010: Letter from CT and SC District Judges to House Speaker Jun. 28,2010 |
| This letter concerns Section 6 of H. 5503, the Oil Spill bill. Read More . . . |
| June 28, 2010: Letter to U.S. House of Representatives on H.R. 5503 Jun. 15,2010 |
| This letter concerns LCJ's opposition to Section 6 of H. 5503, the Oil Spill bill. Read More . . . |
| Oil's Well That Ends Well: Parting Shots From Chevron's Charles James Mar. 02,2010 |
| Chevron's EVP to go to Arizona State University's College of Law Read More . . . |
| Feb. 2010: Statements Regarding LCJ's 2010 Procedural Rules Project Feb. 28,2010 |
| General counsel, senior corporate representatives from several US leading corporations expressed their support for the LCJ/CJRG Procedural Rules Project at LCJ Meeting in NYC. Follow up statements by the corporate representatives listed below appear in February issue of Metropolitan Corporate Counsel. Read More . . . |
| WSJ: How the Plaintiffs Bar Bought the Senate Feb. 09,2010 |
| James Copland of the Manhattan Institute discusses Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, and how it permits independent campaign expenditures by corporations. Read More . . . |
| WSJ: Trial Lawyers Contribute, Shareholder Suits Follow Feb. 03,2010 |
| WSJ article on Trial Lawyers and Shareholders Read More . . . |
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