SEALS Mass Tort Related Panels

The Southeastern Association of Law Schools (SEALS) has released a draft of its 2008 meeting program, which is at the Ritz Carlton in West Palm Beach from July 27-August 2, 2008. (If you haven't been before, it's a wonderful conference.)  There are several panels that may be of interest to mass tort scholars on Friday, August 1. Tom Metzloff (Duke) has put together a civil procedure workshop that includes a luncheon where Francis McGovern (Duke) will speak about Handling Hurricanes and Other Mass Litigation Problems: Lessons from Katrina, and, later that evening, Bob Klonoff (Lewis & Clark), Lonny Hoffman (Houston), Scott Dodson (Arkansas) and I will speak about Frontier Issues in Civil Procedure. My talk will be on Aggregate Procedural Justice, a piece that’s currently in its nascent stages but is largely directed toward mass torts. Here’s the full tentative civil procedure line up for many of you with broader civil procedure interests. And thanks to Tom Metzloff for all of his efforts in organizing the workshop.

Workshop on Civil Procedure

10:15- 10:25 Welcome and Overview

Workshop Organizers: Professor Thomas B. Metzloff, Duke University School of Law (& SEALS President-Elect); Professor Michael P. Allen, Stetson University College of Law (& SEALS Board of Directors)

10:25- Noon Reflections on the Federal Rules at 70

This panel will address varying perspectives on the history behind and the impact of the adoption of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure in 1938. Among other issues, the panelists will discuss whether the Rules have been a "success" as well as where they may be headed in the future.

Moderator: Professor Michael Kelly, University of San Diego School of Law.

Speakers: Professor Paul Carrington, Duke University School of Law; Professor Richard Freer, Emory University School of Law; Professor Carl Tobias, University of Richmond School of Law?

Noon- 1:30 Luncheon: Handling Hurricanes and Other Mass Litigation Problems: Lesson from Katrina (ticket required)

This program will be a moderated discussion among academics, practitioners and judges concerning the role of the legal system when facing mass litigation.

Speaker: Professor Francis McGovern, Duke University School of Law.

1:30 - 3:00 Challenges (and Solutions) Teaching Civil Procedure

This panel will discuss the challenges associated with teaching Civil Procedure. The Panelists will suggest innovative means to deal with the topic.

Moderator: Professor Carol Andrews, University of Alabama School of Law.

Speakers: Professor Mary Alegro, Loyola University, New Orleans, School of Law; Professor David Hricik, Mercer University Law School; Professor Benjamin Madison Regent University School of Law; Professor A. Benjamin Spencer, Washington & Lee University School of Law.

3:00-3:15 Break (Sponsored by Aspen Publishing Co.)

3:15-4:45 "The Devil is in the Details" -- The Rules in Operation

This panel will focus on the detailed operation of the Rules as interpreted by the federal courts in a number of contexts including pleadings, discovery and resolution.

Moderator: Professor Trina Jones (invited)

Speakers: Professor Dwight Aarons, University of Tennessee College of Law; Professor Michelle Slack, Southern Illinois University School of Law; Professor Suzette Malveaux, Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law.

4:45-5:00 Break (Sponsored by Aspen Publishing Co.)

5:00- 6:30 Frontier Issues in Civil Procedure

This panel will address cutting-edge issues in Civil Procedure today. Among such issues are developing class action practice, issues associated with electronic discovery, potential development in notice pleading standards, and personal jurisdiction to just name a few.

Moderator: Professor Louis Virelli, Stetson University College of Law.

Speakers: Professor Beth Burch, Samford University, Cumberland School of Law; Professor Scott Dodson, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Leflar Law Center; Professor Lonny Hoffman, University of Houston Law Center; Dean Robert Klonoff, Lewis & Clark Law School.

ECB