The soaring cost of litigation has become a heavy burden. Litigation costs create a barrier to entry into our courts, forcing litigants to opt out of the U.S. courts in favor of other forms of dispute resolution or, unfortunately, to settle cases without regard to the merits of the claims. 

LCJ members, preeminent corporations, law firms, and defense bar organizations, collaborate to provide compelling reasons for judges, Congress, and rule makers to give serious consideration to meaningful reforms.  

INITIATIVES

RULES FOR MDLS 

​Although MDLs were designed to be efficient mechanisms for coordinating pretrial discovery and motions, in many instances they have become one-sided forums for settlement pressure.  LCJ advocates for FRCP amendments that would help balance the process by bringing the same transparency and guardrails the rules provide in non-MDL cases. 

"requester pays" Discovery Rules

LCJ supports rules that require parties to pay some or all of the expenses incurred to comply with their discovery requests. Such a rule would permit parties to access information that will enable fact finders to determine the outcome of civil litigation – while aligning well-proven economic incentives with the reality of modern litigation.​

FIX AND FOLLOW FEDERAL RULE of evidence 702

LCJ advocates for an amendment to Rule 702 that would encourage judges to be effective “gatekeepers,” allowing only admissible expert evidence to be presented to the finder of fact.

modernize privilege log requirements

​LCJ advocates for reform of privilege log practices to end the requirement for “document-by-document” logs when alternatives such as categorical logging would be more cost efficient.

AMICUS BRIEFS

​LCJ files amicus briefs focused on key questions within our unique area of expertise in procedural rules.  When most people hear the word “amicus,” they think trial court proceedings are over – but not LCJ.  We apply our expertise wherever needed, including discovery disputes in trial courts.

protect the right to seal proprietary and confidential information

LCJ works to protect litigants’ ability to file documents under seal, which is under attack by free press advocates who are proposing a new rule to the Advisory Committee on Civil Rules that would end the practice of stipulated sealing orders and make it overly difficult for courts to seal proprietary information.

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lcj advocates for MDL REFORMS

The rule of law requires predictable and transparent rules, and the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure need to be updated to ensure that appropriate rules apply not only to individual cases but also to cases consolidated in MDLs, which now constitute seventy percent of the federal civil caseload.
​-Dan Steen
Executive Director
Lawyers for Civil Justice

 Click here to read the press release and visit www.rules4mdls.com to learn more.

LAW FIRM members

corporate members

DEFENSE BAR MEMBERS