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New Compliance Guidance Shows The DOJ's Continued Commitment to Defending Rule of Law

October 18, 2018

While some of the U.S. is caught up in post-season baseball, the legal community is paying close attention to the Department of Justice (DOJ), which keeps knocking out policy home runs.

  1. In the News Today - November 19, 2018

    November 19, 2018 | News

    "Class Cy Pres Settlements Are A Troubling Practice"... Read More

  2. Insurance Lawyer: Litigation Funding and Class Actions Creating "Perfect Storm" in New Zealand

    November 19, 2018 | News

    An insurance lawyer from New Zealand told the Lawfuel blog that third party litigation funding and class action lawsuits can generate "a perfect storm for the insurance market in New Zealand."... Read More

  3. In the News Today - November 16, 2018

    November 16, 2018 | News

    A New Trend That May Add "Significant Cost and Complexity to the World of M&A Litigation"... Read More

  4. Recent Settlement Could Be First Test of Northern California's New Settlement Rules

    November 16, 2018 | News

    Lawyers have submitted new information to the Northern District of California judge that oversaw the $85 million Yahoo data breach settlement in what National Law Journal says could be the "first test case" for the court's new class settlement guidance. ... Read More

  5. In the News Today - November 15, 2018

    November 15, 2018 | News

    Is the Scope of Illinois' Biometric Privacy Law Expanding?; California Jury Clears Johnson & Johnson in Talc Case... Read More

  6. SCOTUS "May Upend TCPA Litigation Landscape"

    November 15, 2018 | News

    A pending decision from the U.S. Supreme Court may "change the way plaintiffs and defendants frame key issues that have fueled an explosion of litigation" under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), Law360 reports.... Read More

  7. In the News Today - November 14, 2018

    November 14, 2018 | News

    NHL Settles Concussion Lawsuit with Former Players for $19 Million... Read More

  8. European Union Data Protection Law Stymies Mergers, Complicates Deals

    November 14, 2018 | News

    Over half of the 539 mergers and acquisitions professionals surveyed by business services provider Merrill Corp. indicate that they have worked on merger deals that have fallen apart because...... Read More

  9. In the News Today - November 13, 2018

    November 13, 2018 | News

    Bipartisan Lawmakers, Tech Industry Leaders Advocate ‘Thoughtful' Tech Regulation ... Read More

  10. Proxy Advisors Push Politics in Boardrooms

    November 13, 2018 | News

    An alliance of fund managers and proxy advisors are doing their best to inject partisan politics into corporate decision-making, according to an op-ed in The Hill...... Read More

  11. In the News Today - November 12, 2018

    November 12, 2018 | News

    Loughry Resigns From Supreme Court; Harris/Finn Partners Survey Reveals Data Privacy is Top Concern...... Read More

  1. In the News Today - November 19, 2018

    November 19, 2018 | News

    "Class Cy Pres Settlements Are A Troubling Practice"... Read More

  2. Insurance Lawyer: Litigation Funding and Class Actions Creating "Perfect Storm" in New Zealand

    November 19, 2018 | News

    An insurance lawyer from New Zealand told the Lawfuel blog that third party litigation funding and class action lawsuits can generate "a perfect storm for the insurance market in New Zealand."... Read More

  3. In the News Today - November 16, 2018

    November 16, 2018 | News

    A New Trend That May Add "Significant Cost and Complexity to the World of M&A Litigation"... Read More

  4. Recent Settlement Could Be First Test of Northern California's New Settlement Rules

    November 16, 2018 | News

    Lawyers have submitted new information to the Northern District of California judge that oversaw the $85 million Yahoo data breach settlement in what National Law Journal says could be the "first test case" for the court's new class settlement guidance. ... Read More

  5. In the News Today - November 15, 2018

    November 15, 2018 | News

    Is the Scope of Illinois' Biometric Privacy Law Expanding?; California Jury Clears Johnson & Johnson in Talc Case... Read More

  6. SCOTUS "May Upend TCPA Litigation Landscape"

    November 15, 2018 | News

    A pending decision from the U.S. Supreme Court may "change the way plaintiffs and defendants frame key issues that have fueled an explosion of litigation" under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), Law360 reports.... Read More

  7. In the News Today - November 14, 2018

    November 14, 2018 | News

    NHL Settles Concussion Lawsuit with Former Players for $19 Million... Read More

  8. European Union Data Protection Law Stymies Mergers, Complicates Deals

    November 14, 2018 | News

    Over half of the 539 mergers and acquisitions professionals surveyed by business services provider Merrill Corp. indicate that they have worked on merger deals that have fallen apart because...... Read More

  9. In the News Today - November 13, 2018

    November 13, 2018 | News

    Bipartisan Lawmakers, Tech Industry Leaders Advocate ‘Thoughtful' Tech Regulation ... Read More

  10. Proxy Advisors Push Politics in Boardrooms

    November 13, 2018 | News

    An alliance of fund managers and proxy advisors are doing their best to inject partisan politics into corporate decision-making, according to an op-ed in The Hill...... Read More

  11. In the News Today - November 12, 2018

    November 12, 2018 | News

    Loughry Resigns From Supreme Court; Harris/Finn Partners Survey Reveals Data Privacy is Top Concern...... Read More

  1. New Compliance Guidance Shows The DOJ's Continued Commitment to Defending Rule of Law

    October 18, 2018 | Blogs

    While some of the U.S. is caught up in post-season baseball, the legal community is paying close attention to the Department of Justice (DOJ), which keeps knocking out policy home runs.... Read More

  2. Over a Dozen Business Groups Sign Joint Statement Against EU Collective Action Proposal as Drafted

    October 08, 2018 | Blogs

    Today, my organization, the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform, joined 12 other European business associations to petition EU policymakers to make meaningful, commonsense changes to the European Commission's collective action proposal before they create a litigation industry across the Europe. ... Read More

  3. Did the Telephone Consumer Protection Act Just Get Even Worse for Small Businesses?

    September 17, 2018 | Blogs

    Though it may have started as a well-intentioned law from 1991, we now know how plaintiffs' lawyers and professional plaintiffs have twisted the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) for financial gain... Read More

  4. Department of Justice Guides the Way on Enforcement

    September 14, 2018 | Blogs

    In January, the Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a memo by then-Associate Attorney General Rachel Brand which prevents DOJ attorneys from turning agency guidelines into binding legal rules in enforcement actions. This was a welcome-and much needed-development for businesses, and a signal the DOJ is committed to promoting the rule of law. ... Read More

  5. House Diversity Bill Would Create Fair Treatment for All

    September 12, 2018 | Blogs

    The Judiciary Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives has the chance to close a loophole in our court system on a favored tactic of plaintiffs' lawyers: forum shopping. This allows plaintiffs' lawyers to "shop" their lawsuits around to different states in search of a friendly court that will award big settlements. Often, the lawsuits have no ties to the state where the case is eventually filed. ... Read More

  6. Mission Drift at the American Law Institute

    August 28, 2018 | Blogs

    The American Law Institute (ALI) is drifting further away from its original mission of crafting clear Restatements of the Law for use by judges and legislators. ... Read More

  7. 20 Years of Tech: How ILR Has Led the Legal Conversation on Emerging Technologies

    August 21, 2018 | Blogs

    ILR continues to confront new issues by identifying trends and applying the latest strategies and tactics to advocate for key legal reforms. ... Read More

  8. A Big Win for Integrity: New York City Bar Association Rules Out Splitting Fees With Investors

    August 16, 2018 | Blogs

    One of the most influential bar associations in the country has voiced a full-throated condemnation of a core element of the litigation funding business model: promising a percentage of anticipated fees in exchange for cash.... Read More

  9. Why is a Securities Class Action Lawsuit In Massachusetts Causing a Stir in the Arkansas Legislature?

    August 06, 2018 | Blogs

    Boston and Little Rock are more than 1,200 miles apart, but a $300 million settlement in a securities class action lawsuit has developments in the former causing concerns in the latter. ... Read More

  10. From Theory to Practice: DOJ Asserts Its Rightful Authority

    August 01, 2018 | Blogs

    For more than 30 years, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has largely declined to take action against frivolous litigation under the False Claims Act (FCA)-but that's starting to change.... Read More

  11. 20 Years of ILR Accomplishments: Lending a Helping Hand to a Local Business

    July 23, 2018 | Blogs

    On May 3, 2005, the Chung family opened up their dry cleaning store in Washington, D.C. for what should have been a normal day of business. Thirteen years later, the District of Columbia Board on Professional Responsibility recommended one of the Chung's customers from that day be suspended from his profession.... Read More

  1. U.S. Chamber Comments on New York Lawsuit Against ExxonMobil

    October 24, 2018 | Press Release

    Lisa A. Rickard, president of the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform (ILR) made the following statement about the lawsuit filed today by New York State against ExxonMobil using the Martin Act:... Read More

  2. Study: U.S. Tort System Costs $429 Billion

    October 24, 2018 | Press Release

    WASHINGTON, D.C. - A new report released today by the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform (ILR) shows that the cost and compensation paid in the U.S. tort system totaled $429 billion-or 2.3 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product (GDP)-in 2016.... Read More

  3. U.S. Chamber Honors Advocates for Legal Reform

    October 24, 2018 | Press Release

    WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform (ILR) presented its 2018 Legal Reform Award to two distinguished individuals and one organization at its Summit XX: Law, Policy, Politics event.... Read More

  4. U.S. Chamber Welcomes DOJ Action to Prevent Asbestos Fraud

    September 13, 2018 | Press Release

    Lisa A. Rickard, president of the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform (ILR), made the following statement about the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) statement of interest in asbestos bankruptcy trust creation:... Read More

  5. Survey: Only 13 Percent of Consumers Support European Commission's Current Collective Action Lawsuit Proposal

    July 11, 2018 | Press Release

    ... Read More

  6. Report: U.S. Supreme Court Ruling Can Help Businesses Defend Against Lawsuit 'Forum Shopping'

    June 04, 2018 | Press Release

    ... Read More

  7. Consumers Overwhelmingly Say Lawsuits Should Not "Regulate" New Technologies

    April 18, 2018 | Press Release

    SEATTLE, WA - During an event today the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform (ILR) will release a new survey finding that, contrary to the claims of many plaintiffs' lawyers, nearly 82 percent of consumers believe that filing lawsuits is not the best way to regulate emerging technologies, such as cars that operate without a human driver. ... Read More

  8. U.S. Chamber: Proposal Could Make EU a Major Global Hub for Abusive Litigation

    April 11, 2018 | Press Release

    Lisa A. Rickard, president of the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform (ILR), issued the following statement today about the European Commission's proposal to rescind and replace the EU's "Injunctions Directive." The proposal would create a new European Union-wide framework for collective redress (class action lawsuits): ... Read More

  9. U.S. Chamber: D.C. Circuit Ruling a Positive Step, But Congress Should Modernize the Telephone Consumer Protection Act

    March 16, 2018 | Press Release

    Lisa A. Rickard, president of the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform (ILR), issued the following statement today about the D.C. Circuit Court's ruling vacating portions of the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) 2015 Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) declaratory order:... Read More

  10. Report: Asbestos Bankruptcy Trusts Running Short of Money to Pay Future Claimants, System Lacks Safeguards

    March 08, 2018 | Press Release

    WASHINGTON, D.C. -- A new report released today by the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform (ILR) highlights that asbestos bankruptcy trusts are being depleted, jeopardizing their ability to fully compensate future claimants.... Read More

  11. Lawsuit Claiming Consumer was "Deceived" About Sugar in Jelly Beans Named Most Ridiculous of 2017

    December 21, 2017 | Press Release

    Annual List of Top 10 Most Ridiculous Lawsuits Released Today... Read More

  1. West Virginia's Climb: Lawsuit Climate Progress in the Mountain State and the Path Ahead

    January 10, 2018 | Research

    West Virginia has begun shedding its reputation for having one of the worst civil justice systems in the nation. The state's lawsuit climate ranked dead last or second to last in surveys of business executives and attorneys conducted eleven times over the past fifteen years--until 2017. This report explores the beginning of the state's encouraging transformation and highlights areas where it may continue this progress.... Read More

  2. ILR Research Review - Fall 2017

    November 30, 2017 | Research

    This special double-issue of the ILR Research Review features a wealth of insight and analysis on the world's rapidly changing litigation environment. The research contained in this issue targets exploitative litigation at home and abroad, examining numerous developments ranging from hyper-aggressive trial lawyer advertising in the U.S. to the imminent expansion of class actions in Europe.... Read More

  3. Unstable Foundation:
    Our Broken Class Action System and How to Fix It

    October 24, 2017 | Research

    Unstable Foundation examines the pervasive flaws afflicting the United States' class action system. Class actions rarely provide meaningful compensation for class members, and are poorly suited to deterring wrongful conduct.... Read More

  4. Collective Redress Tourism:
    Preventing Forum Shopping in the EU

    October 24, 2017 | Research

    The EU is experiencing a wave of new "collective redress" or "class action" mechanisms being introduced in the Member States. However, there is little consistency across the EU regarding when or how actions may be brought, and the features... Read More

  5. Bad for Your Health:
    Lawsuit Advertising Implications and Solutions

    October 24, 2017 | Research

    This paper documents the proliferation of alarmist, misleading ads soliciting the public to file lawsuits against prescription drug and medical device companies. The report explores how these ads exaggerate product risks, minimize benefits... Read More

  6. Recipe for Reform:
    A Proposal for Improving Canadian Class Action Procedures

    October 24, 2017 | Research

    There are serious concerns that many aspects of and developments in the class action regimes in Canada impose unwarranted burdens on defendants and the courts, at the ultimate expense of shareholders, taxpayers and consumers.... Read More

  7. Supporting Safeguards:
    EU Consumer Attitudes Towards Collective Actions
    and Litigation Funding

    September 27, 2017 | Research

    As the Commission of the European Union prepares to make a significant policy decision on collective actions (known as class actions in the United States), it is important to assess how European consumers feel about the development of these mechanisms. This survey captured 6,177 consumers in six EU Member States... Read More

  8. 2017 Lawsuit Climate Survey: Ranking the States

    September 12, 2017 | Research

    The 2017 Lawsuit Climate Survey: Ranking the States was conducted for the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform by Harris Poll to explore how fair and reasonable the states' liability systems are perceived to be by U.S. businesses.... Read More

  9. 101 Ways to Improve State Legal Systems: A User's Guide to Promoting Fair and Effective Civil Justice - FIFTH EDITION 2017

    September 12, 2017 | Research

    A user's guide to state legal reforms, providing policymakers with a compendium of options available to foster a sound legal system and promote state economies. This resource also offers a compilation of recently-enacted legal reforms to show how legislators can move the proposals described in the guide from theory into practice.... Read More

  10. TCPA Litigation Sprawl: A Study of the Sources and Targets of Recent TCPA Lawsuits

    August 31, 2017 | Research

    TCPA Litigation Sprawl is a macro-level analysis of Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) litigation that reviews all TCPA federal complaints and a segment of electronically-available state complaints from a 17-month period after the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) issued its July 2015 Omnibus Declaratory Ruling.... Read More

  11. On the Edge: New York County Asbestos Litigation at a Tipping Point

    August 03, 2017 | Research

    This report examines the history and current state of the New York County Asbestos Litigation (NYCAL) unit of New York City's state trial court. The analysis concludes that the procedural features that have driven verdicts and settlements higher than those in other jurisdictions are likely to continue under the Revised Case Management Order, absent fresh judicial interpretation and methods of implementation that correct current problems.... Read More

  1. Bristol-Myers Squibb Battlegrounds: Personal Jurisdiction, A Year Later

    June 12, 2018 | Video | Watch

  2. 2018 Emerging Technologies and Torts of the Future

    April 18, 2018 | Video | Watch

  3. Through the Binoculars: Global Problems, Universal Solutions

    October 25, 2017 | Video | Watch

  4. Special Remarks: Thomas J. Donohue

    October 25, 2017 | Video | Watch

  5. Opening Remarks: Lisa Rickard

    October 25, 2017 | Video | Watch

  6. Faces of Lawsuit Abuse 2017 – West Virginia

    September 12, 2017 | Video | Watch

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