BACK
Get Updates

News & Blog

  • Home >
  • News & Blog
Happening Now
Blog

Virginia Should Pump the Brakes on Increasing Auto Insurance Rates

February 13, 2019

Drivers in the Commonwealth of Virginia enjoy some of the lowest auto insurance rates in the U.S. But its House of Delegates is considering giving the green light to a bill that could potentially raise insurance rates for drivers and give the trial bar an E-Z Pass to file more lawsuits.

  1. In the News Today - February 19, 2019

    February 19, 2019 | News

    "Disputes Heating Up Over Gov't Qui Tam Dismissal Authority... Read More

  2. ILR's Harold Kim: Florida Lawmakers Must Fix Assignment of Benefits Crisis

    February 19, 2019 | News

    ILR'S COO Harold Kim and Fla. Chamber of Commerce CEO Mark Wilson have a joint op-ed in the Tallahassee Democrat calling on state lawmakers to fix the growing assignment of benefits (AOB) crisis... Read More

  3. In the News Today - February 15, 2019

    February 15, 2019 | News

    Former West Virginia Chief Justice Sentenced to 2 Years in Prison... Read More

  4. Bill Barr Confirmed as Next Attorney General

    February 15, 2019 | News

    The U.S. Senate has confirmed Bill Barr to be the next U.S. Attorney General by a 54-45 vote yesterday, the National Law Journal reports.... Read More

  5. In the News Today - February 14, 2019

    February 14, 2019 | News

    Missouri Lawmakers Aim to Limit Out-Of-State Plaintiffs in Their Courts... Read More

  6. Senators Introduce The Litigation Funding Transparency Act

    February 14, 2019 | News

    National Law Journal reports that Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), John Cornyn (R-TX), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Ben Sasse (R-NE) reintroduced the Litigation Funding Transparency Act, which would require third party litigation funding arrangements to be disclosed in litigation.... Read More

  7. Virginia Should Pump the Brakes on Increasing Auto Insurance Rates

    February 13, 2019 | Blogs

    Drivers in the Commonwealth of Virginia enjoy some of the lowest auto insurance rates in the U.S. But its House of Delegates is considering giving the green light to a bill that could potentially raise insurance rates for drivers and give the trial bar an E-Z Pass to file more lawsuits. ... Read More

  8. In the News Today - Februrary 13, 2019

    February 13, 2019 | News

    "Cooperation, Not Lawsuits, Right Way Forward for Florida on Climate"... Read More

  9. "ALI Shouldn't 'Teach' Insurance Restatement In A Courthouse"

    February 13, 2019 | News

    In a Law360 expert analysis piece, the chair and founder of the Mintz Levin law firm's Insurance Practice said the American Law Institute (ALI) should not ask judges "to lend the prestige of their office to aid" the group's marketing campaign of its controversial Restatement of the Law on Liability Insurance (RLLI). ... Read More

  10. Senators Move to Shine a Light on the Litigation Funding Industry

    February 13, 2019 | Blogs

    Billions of dollars are being invested in lawsuits by sophisticated hedge funds that, according to some of these firms, yield huge money for them. Yet neither the defendant, nor in many cases the actual plaintiffs, have any idea that this is happening.... Read More

  11. In the News Today - February 12, 2019

    February 12, 2019 | News

    Settlement Rejection Shows Courts Are Hesitant to Approve Deals "Thin on Details But Rich in Attorney's Fees"... Read More

  1. In the News Today - February 19, 2019

    February 19, 2019 | News

    "Disputes Heating Up Over Gov't Qui Tam Dismissal Authority... Read More

  2. ILR's Harold Kim: Florida Lawmakers Must Fix Assignment of Benefits Crisis

    February 19, 2019 | News

    ILR'S COO Harold Kim and Fla. Chamber of Commerce CEO Mark Wilson have a joint op-ed in the Tallahassee Democrat calling on state lawmakers to fix the growing assignment of benefits (AOB) crisis... Read More

  3. In the News Today - February 15, 2019

    February 15, 2019 | News

    Former West Virginia Chief Justice Sentenced to 2 Years in Prison... Read More

  4. Bill Barr Confirmed as Next Attorney General

    February 15, 2019 | News

    The U.S. Senate has confirmed Bill Barr to be the next U.S. Attorney General by a 54-45 vote yesterday, the National Law Journal reports.... Read More

  5. In the News Today - February 14, 2019

    February 14, 2019 | News

    Missouri Lawmakers Aim to Limit Out-Of-State Plaintiffs in Their Courts... Read More

  6. Senators Introduce The Litigation Funding Transparency Act

    February 14, 2019 | News

    National Law Journal reports that Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), John Cornyn (R-TX), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Ben Sasse (R-NE) reintroduced the Litigation Funding Transparency Act, which would require third party litigation funding arrangements to be disclosed in litigation.... Read More

  7. In the News Today - Februrary 13, 2019

    February 13, 2019 | News

    "Cooperation, Not Lawsuits, Right Way Forward for Florida on Climate"... Read More

  8. "ALI Shouldn't 'Teach' Insurance Restatement In A Courthouse"

    February 13, 2019 | News

    In a Law360 expert analysis piece, the chair and founder of the Mintz Levin law firm's Insurance Practice said the American Law Institute (ALI) should not ask judges "to lend the prestige of their office to aid" the group's marketing campaign of its controversial Restatement of the Law on Liability Insurance (RLLI). ... Read More

  9. In the News Today - February 12, 2019

    February 12, 2019 | News

    Settlement Rejection Shows Courts Are Hesitant to Approve Deals "Thin on Details But Rich in Attorney's Fees"... Read More

  10. "Securities Class Action Filings Show No Signs Of Abating"

    February 12, 2019 | News

    Three partners with the Skadden Arps law firm said in a Law360 expert analysis piece that they "anticipate the ever-increasing number of securities filings to continue into 2019."... Read More

  11. In the News Today - February 11, 2019

    February 11, 2019 | News

    "Driverless Car Bill Stalls In Congress, So States Gear Up"... Read More

  1. Virginia Should Pump the Brakes on Increasing Auto Insurance Rates

    February 13, 2019 | Blogs

    Drivers in the Commonwealth of Virginia enjoy some of the lowest auto insurance rates in the U.S. But its House of Delegates is considering giving the green light to a bill that could potentially raise insurance rates for drivers and give the trial bar an E-Z Pass to file more lawsuits. ... Read More

  2. Senators Move to Shine a Light on the Litigation Funding Industry

    February 13, 2019 | Blogs

    Billions of dollars are being invested in lawsuits by sophisticated hedge funds that, according to some of these firms, yield huge money for them. Yet neither the defendant, nor in many cases the actual plaintiffs, have any idea that this is happening.... Read More

  3. 30 General Counsel Urge Transparency for Litigation Funding

    January 31, 2019 | Blogs

    As bone-chilling cold grips a large part of the country, a group of 30 general counsel and senior litigators from major U.S. companies gave a cool reception to third party litigation funding (TPLF) in a letter sent today to the Advisory Committee on Civil Rules. The letter supports a petition to the Committee, led by the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform (ILR) and co-signed by 29 other trade associations, advocating a rule requiring transparency for funding agreements in federal civil lawsuits. ... Read More

  4. A New Day for the Florida Supreme Court

    January 09, 2019 | Blogs

    It won't be long before Major League Baseball's spring training is in the air, and teams flock to Florida to begin tuning up for the regular season...... Read More

  5. Hey UK, Don't Follow in Our Footsteps on Collective Actions

    December 20, 2018 | Blogs

    In June 2019, a UK court will decide if two different huge collective actions will be allowed to move forward, giving plaintiffs' lawyers and litigation financiers massive paydays, while consumers get next to nothing.... Read More

  6. Guest Post: While Congress Tackles Opioid Crisis, Lawyers Seek Payday

    December 19, 2018 | Blogs

    Bipartisanship is rare in Washington these days but there was overwhelming bipartisan support as Congress adopted and the President signed legislation in October to address the opioid epidemic. ... Read More

  7. FCC Takes Important Step to Curb Abusive TCPA Litigation

    December 14, 2018 | Blogs

    The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) has been in the spotlight a lot in 2018. From an increased number of frivolous lawsuits, to stories of outrageous fines for minor infractions, it's clear the TCPA desperately needs to be updated. ... Read More

  8. Statement from Lisa A. Rickard, president of the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform, on passage of a collective redress proposal out of the European Parliament Legal Affairs Committee (JURI)

    December 06, 2018 | Blogs

    "A new collective action directive will create a whole new world of litigation in Europe and it is crucial that EU lawmakers get it right the first time."... Read More

  9. The U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform Commends Judicial Hellholes for Highlighting Nation's Worst Civil Justice Jurisdictions

    December 05, 2018 | Blogs

    Lisa A. Rickard, president of the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform (ILR),made the following statement on the release of the American Tort Reform Association's (ATRA) Judicial Hellholes 2018/2019:... Read More

  10. New U.S. Tort Costs Study May Show What's Coming for Europe

    December 04, 2018 | Blogs

    The U.S. tort system can be extremely inefficient, and now a new report shows just how expensive that system is-something the EU institutions should note as they consider the proposed directive on representative actions. ... Read More

  11. American Law Institute: Elite Group of Legal Experts Exerts Growing Influence Over State Law

    December 03, 2018 | Blogs

    This kind of thing isn't supposed to happen. A private group of legal experts has influenced a court to ignore a majority rule and change their application of state law. And it won't be the last time.... Read More

  1. Lawsuit Over Coffee Warning Labels Named Most Ridiculous of 2018

    December 18, 2018 | Press Release

    A lawsuit targeting California coffee houses for not including warning labels on their products tops the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform's (ILR) list of the Top 10 Most Ridiculous Lawsuits of 2018. ... Read More

  2. 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

  3. 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

  4. 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

  5. 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

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

    July 11, 2018 | Press Release

    ... Read More

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

    June 04, 2018 | Press Release

    ... Read More

  8. 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

  9. 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

  10. 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

  11. 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

  1. The Great Myths of State False Claims Acts

    February 28, 2018 | Research

    The 2018 update to "Great Myths of State False Claims Acts" shows that the whistleblowers' bar is continuing to capitalize on state qui tam False Claims Acts (FCAs), harvesting windfall awards from states and the federal government. The paper also points out that the dubious benefits of implementing a state FCA turn into a clear financial net negative when states allow their FCAs to fall out of compliance with federal standards.... Read More

  2. 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

  3. 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

  4. 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

  5. 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

  6. 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

  7. 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

  8. 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

  9. 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

  10. 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

  11. 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

  1. 2018 Legal Reform Summit Video Showcase

    October 24, 2018 | Video | Watch

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

    June 12, 2018 | Video | Watch

  3. 2018 Emerging Technologies and Torts of the Future

    April 18, 2018 | Video | Watch

  4. Through the Binoculars: Global Problems, Universal Solutions

    October 25, 2017 | Video | Watch

  5. Special Remarks: Thomas J. Donohue

    October 25, 2017 | Video | Watch

  6. Opening Remarks: Lisa Rickard

    October 25, 2017 | Video | Watch

  • Get Updates
    on Legal Reform
    Delivered Straight
    to Your Inbox

    Sign Up

    Sign Up