Bill on Bankruptcy: The Market's Unquenchable Thirst for Junk
Amidst mounting per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) regulation and litigation, the Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) judge overseeing the federal litigation related to firefighting foam has scheduled a “Science Day.”...more
On Jan. 6, a Pittsburgh jury concluded a month-and-a-half long trial involving a suit asserting that decedent Michaeleen Lee developed mesothelioma from exposure to asbestos-containing talcum powder products made by Johnson &...more
In a landmark 5-4 decision in Harrington v. Purdue Pharma that will significantly reshape corporate bankruptcy practice, the U.S. Supreme Court resolved a circuit split regarding the authority of a bankruptcy court to approve...more
Asbestos, a naturally occurring mineral, has been the subject of mass tort litigation for several decades. While recent trends show a steady reduction in the number of traditional asbestos claims, influx of claims alleging...more
The national asbestos litigation machine is running at full speed even though the system is more than five decades old. The machine is national in scope, but it only operates in relatively few state and county jurisdictions....more
On September 19, 2022, a panel of three judges for the Third Circuit heard oral argument in In re LTL Management LLC, Case No. 22-2003. Before the Court is Johnson & Johnson’s (J&J) use of Chapter 11 to resolve...more
While trials and in person court conferences are starting to trickle in, some jurisdictions such as New York still managed to hold its position as a judicial hellhole in 2021. According to American Tort Reform Foundation...more
Pump manufacturer Nash Engineering Company appears to have recently become the latest casualty of asbestos litigation. On October 19, 2021, Nash Engineering filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in the United States Bankruptcy Court...more
The meteoric rise in class actions over the past decade has been well-documented. Nowadays even mac & cheese is under attack, with two proposed nationwide class actions filed this month alone claiming labels such as “The...more
A New Jersey District Court recently addressed several issues in connection with the appointment of a future claims representative (“FCR”). In light of the recent increase in mass-tort bankruptcy cases, exploring these issues...more
In 2019, significant developments are expected on issues that have been percolating in the mass tort and class action litigation arena for several years. The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule on cases relating to...more
In the wake of asbestos bankruptcies brought on by mass tort liabilities, reorganization plan structures, like that in Johns-Mansville, often funneled asbestos-related claims into a settlement trust, while a “channeling...more
In a recent decision involving the adequacy of publication as a means of notice to creditors, the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York reaffirmed the importance of a thorough bar date noticing...more
On March 2, 2016, the Indiana Supreme Court struck down Section 2 of the Indiana Product Liability Act and held that its statute of repose “does not apply to cases involving protracted exposure to an inherently dangerous...more