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	In All Fairness: Cartoons Spark Outrage By Dan Popeo, Chairman Washington Legal Foundation February 27, 2006 As printed in The New York Times View Op-Ed
WLF Releases Two New Papers February 2006 Plaintiffs, Lawyers, And Short-Sellers: The Legal Status of “Dump & Sue” By Professor Moin A. Yahya, an assistant Professor of Law at the University of Alberta.   Followers of the stock market are familiar with such illegal schemes as “pump and dump” and “cyber-smear”. Hot on their heels and in need of serious regulatory study and oversight, this WLF Legal Backgrounder is the tactic of “dump and sue.” The author, law professor Moin Yahya, explains how this type of market manipulation works, how short-selling market participants and plaintiffs’ lawyers might benefit, and what existing rules and laws regulators could employ to protect investors from it.   Click HERE to Download PDF   Judge Offers Frank Assessment of Lawyer-Driven Securities Suits By Joseph De Simone, a litigation partner and Andrew J. Calica, a litigation associate in the New York office of Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw LLP.   In a rare public expression of frustration with the lawyer-driven nature of securities fraud suits, a federal judge recently launched a targeted broadside of criticism at plaintiffs’ lawyers in one of his written opinions. While the placement of the criticism – in a footnote – may seem innocuous, the authors of a new WLF Legal Opinion Letter argue, the message should be heard loud and clear by other judges and policy makers who must deal with private securities suits and their abuses.   Click HERE to Download PDF
WLF Releases Two New Papers August 29, 2005 Illinois Supreme Court Rejects Class Action Abuse  by Commissioner Lawrence H. Mirel On August 18, the Illinois Supreme Court handed down its long awaited decision in Avery v. State Farm. The Court agreed with State Farm - and disagreed with the rulings of the trial and appellate courts - that there was no basis for certifying a class action.   Read More   Michigan Court Ruling Advances Trend in Medical Monitoring by Mark Herrmann and Brian Ray "The Michigan Supreme Court’s decision last month in Henry v. Dow Chemical Company, No.125205 (July 13, 2005), highlights the growing resistance in the state courts to claims for medical monitoring."   Read More
WLF Webast: held July 27, 2005	The Next Wave of State Tort Litigation? Liability Risks Under Consumer Protection Laws and Public Nuisance Theories J. Russell Jackson, Skadden, Arps and Victor Schwartz, Shook, Hardy & Bacon, two highly respected national experts on tort law, discuss emerging litigation issues arising from state laws. Click to Hear Webcast Sponsored by:  Washington Legal Foundation
WLF Releases Five New Papers   July 29, 2005 - Washington Legal Foundation released five new papers today, each focusing on a distinct civil justice issue or court ruling. AJP participant Leah Lorber of Shook, Hardy & Bacon authored a paper on the Michigan Supreme Court’s recent ruling rejecting medical monitoring as a remedy (see above).  The other four papers focus on the timely topics of class action litigation and reform at the federal and state levels; the use of consumer protection laws to sue food companies and restaurants; and the abuse of the bankruptcy process by asbestos lawyers.     View Papers
WLF Files Misconduct Complaint Against Alabama Judge Regarding $60,000 in Campaign Contributions
June 21, 2005 -Today, the Washington Legal Foundation (WLF) filed a judicial misconduct complaint against Alabama Circuit Judge John Rochester with the Alabama Judicial Inquiry Commission in Montgomery regarding his receipt of $60,000 in campaign contributions during his unsuccessful 2004 campaign for a seat on the Alabama Supreme Court.   The Associated Press reported on April 23, 2005 that the source of those contributions was the Montgomery law firm of Beasley Allen, P.C., a major trial law firm which has a product liability lawsuit against Merck & Co. pending before Judge Rochester regarding the pain-reliever Vioxx. The $60,000 in contributions were apparently routed to Judge Rochester from October 7-24, 2004, through the use of 12 political action committees which were established and controlled by the same person.   In its 22-page complaint with a dozen exhibits, WLF alleged that Judge Rochester violated the Alabama's Canons of Judicial Ethics for not disqualifying himself from hearing the Merck/Vioxx case and for other conduct related to his handling of campaign contributions. According to the AP story, Judge Rochester defended his receipt of the contributions, stating that the contributions do not, in fact, influence his decisions.  View Full Release

 

Gov. Jeb Bush New!  May 25, 2005   Washington Legal Foundation releases its newest edition of "Conversations With...." Gov. John Engler Gov. Dick Thornburgh Featuring moderator Gov. Dick Thornburgh and participants Gov. Jeb Bush, Gov. John  Engler and Steve Hantler, Chrysler LLC. Steve Hantler View News Release

The corrosive effect of litigation on America’s entrepreneurial spirit and culture, and the measures needed to restore balance to the legal system, was the subject of a recent discussion among three leading business executives and former Attorney General and Pennsylvania Governor Dick Thornburgh.  This CONVERSATIONS WITH project brought Governor Thornburgh, who is Counsel to Kirkpatrick & Lockhart and WLF’s Legal Policy Advisory Board Chairman, together with Bernie Marcus, co-founder of the world’s largest home improvement retailer, The Home Depot, Inc.; Maurice (“Hank”) Greenberg, Chairman and CEO of American International Group, the world’s leading financial services organization; and Steven Hantler, Assistant General Counsel to Chrysler LLC and one of the nation’s leading experts on legal reform. Download PDF

The first CONVERSATIONS WITH focuses on one of the most pressing and controversial issues facing America’s civil justice system — asbestos liability. Former U.S. Attorney General and WLF Legal Policy Advisory Board Chairman Dick Thornburgh moderated the dialogue. Participating were Victor Schwartz, one of America’s leading scholars on tort law and civil justice reform and a partner with Shook, Hardy & Bacon; Robert Vagley, President of the American Insurance Association; and William Gallagher, Senior Vice President, Secretary, and General Counsel of Crown Cork & Seal. The participants discuss the massive impact that asbestos liability is having on our economy and the legal system, and how Congress and the courts should deal with the situation. Download PDF

Op-Eds by Daniel J. Popeo, WLF Chairman

 

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