Homepage
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Lisa A. Rickard, president of the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform (ILR), made the following statement denouncing the Oklahoma Supreme Court’s ruling this week striking down the state’s landmark 2009 legal reform law. “The Oklahoma Supreme Court’s ruling invalidating the state’s bipartisan landmark legal reform law from 2009 is deeply troubling. “Despite the leadership and commitment of...
Yesterday, the Nevada Supreme Court heard a challenge involving a case that could tank $127 million worth of settlements between a mortgage processing company and 49 states and the District of Columbia. The case stems from the controversial hiring of plaintiffs’ lawyers by the Nevada attorney general to represent the state on a contingency fee basis, a practice that the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform...
Please finish this lead sentence in a May 9 story in the Louisiana Record: “A New Orleans woman who was allegedly injured when she fell after stepping on a moving treadmill is____.”A. grateful the fitness club staff came to her aid swiftly.B. embarrassed that she didn’t understand how to use such a simple machine correctly.C. suing her fitness club.If you answered anything but C, then you clearly...
Last week, Alabama Governor Robert Bentley signed a law promoting transparency and capping contingency fees when the state attorney general, a state agency, or elected officials hire outside private plaintiff attorneys to represent the state. Through this new “sunshine” law, Alabama has taken a significant step to rein in the troublesome practice of awarding contingency fee contracts to plaintiffs’ lawyers who are...
Yesterday, Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin signed the nation’s first law to curb lawsuit lending abuses. Lawsuit lenders commonly offer plaintiffs “up front” cash to cover immediate living or medical expenses while they are engaged in a lawsuit, often at sky-high interest rates of over 100%. Lawsuit lending diminishes recoveries for injured consumers, prolongs litigation, and distorts the fundamental...
Today in Legal Reform
On Thursday, the Alabama Supreme Court agreed to revisit a controversial ruling that held a brand-name drugmaker liable for the generic version of one of its products. The ru...
“The plaintiffs bar loves state attorneys general, who often hire the lawyers for a contingency fee and get campaign cash in return,” writes the Wall Street Journal. One such...
Featured
