TortsProf Blog

Torts Professor Named to Queen's Bench in Alberta

Professor Russ Brown of the University of Alberta has been appointed as a Justice to the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench.  Brown taught Torts, Civil Procedure, Property and Wills.  His research focused within tort law on economic loss and causation. 

- SBS

Perspectives on Mass Tort Litigation at Widener

On April 16, 2013, Widener's Harrisburg, PA Campus will host Perspectives on Mass Tort Litigation.  The brochure (pdf) is here:  Download Mass Tort Symp bro 2013.  Please make plans to join us to discuss mass torts with a Pennsylvania flavor.  The schedule is as follows:

Introduction -- Dean Linda Ammons (9:00 to 9:15 a.m.)

 Panel 1 – Mass Tort Theory (9:15 to 10:30 a.m.)

• Moderator – Professor Christopher Robinette (Widener University School of Law)
• Professor Michael Green (Wake Forest School of Law)
• Professor Deborah Hensler (Stanford Law School)
• Professor Linda Mullenix (University of Texas School of Law)
• Professor Aaron Twerski (Brooklyn Law School)

Panel 2 – Emerging Issues in Mass Tort Practice (10:30 to 11:45 a.m.)

• Moderator – Professor Mary Kate Kearney (Widener University School of Law)
• Hon. Thurbert Baker (McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP; Atlanta, GA)
• John Beisner (Skadden Arps; Washington, DC)
• Tobias Millrood (Pogust Braslow & Millrood; Philadelphia, PA)
• Victor Schwartz (Shook, Hardy & Bacon; Washington, DC)

Lunch & DistinguishedAddress – (12:00 to 1:15 p.m.)

Introduction by Professor Christopher Robinette (Widener University School of Law)

Hon. Eduardo Robreno (E.D. Pa.) Federal Asbestos Litigation:  Black Hole or New Paradigm?

Panel 3 – Keystone State Civil Justice Issues (1:30 to 2:45 p.m.)

• Moderator –  Amaris Elliott-Engel (Legal Intelligencer)
• Nicholas Vari (K&L Gates; Pittsburgh, PA)
• Nancy Winkler (Eisenberg, Rothweiler, Winkler, Eisenberg & Jeck, P.C.; Philadelphia, PA)
• Mark Behrens (Shook, Hardy & Bacon; Washington, DC)
• Scott Cooper (Schmidt Kramer; Harrisburg, PA) 

Panel 4 – Asbestos-Related Bankruptcy Issues (3:00 to 4:00 p.m.)

• Moderator –  Professor Susan Raeker-Jordan (Widener University School of Law)
• Professor S. Todd Brown (SUNY Buffalo Law School)
• Bruce Mattock (Goldberg, Persky & White, P.C.; Pittsburgh, PA)
• William Shelley (Gordon & Rees, LLP; Philadelphia, PA) 

Panel 5 – Mass Torts Ethics (4:00 to 5:00 p.m.)

• Moderator – Professor Randy Lee (Widener University School of Law)
• Professor Sheila Scheuerman (Charleston School of Law)
• Professor Byron Stier (Southwestern Law School) (via Skype)

--CJR

JOTWELL Torts: Goldberg on Cardi, Penfield, & Yoon

Over at JOTWELL, John Goldberg likes lots the paper Does Tort Law Deter? by Jonathan Cardi, Randy Penfield, & Albert Yoon.  His full remarks are here.

--CJR

Mass Tort Filings Down 70% in Philly

The Pennsylvania Record reports that rules changes to the mass torts program at the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas have resulted in a 70% drop in mass tort filings. 

- SBS

Georgia Proposes Tort Reform Bill

On Friday, Georgia state Senator Brandon Beach introduced a bill that would create a hearings-system to handle medical malpractice claims.    The proposed system would be similar to the worker's comp system:

[The bill] would create a system in which patients take complaints of doctor or hospital mistakes to a panel of physicians for hearings rather than filing lawsuits in court. If the panel concludes compensation is warranted, it pays out of a fund all providers pay into, like the no-fault system that covers on-the-job injuries.

The Augusta Chronicle has more.

- SBS