Big Business Uses BKSH for Tort Reform

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April 29, 2003

BIG BUSINESS USES BKSH
FOR TORT REFORM

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is using Burson-Marsteller's BKSH & Assocs. lobbying unit to press its Congressional fight for tort reform. Charlie Black and Mark Disler, a former chief counsel for the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, are handling the Institute for Legal Reform account.

Jim Wootton, president of the Institute, believes the Republican-controlled Congress offers the "best opportunity in a generation to reform an important aspect of our democracy that's gone awry–class action suits."

He labels class action suits "chokepoints on the entire civil justice system" and a "feeding trough for those seeking a fast buck." The Institute, citing a Tillinghast-Towers Perrin survey, says the estimated $205 billion spent annually on damages, legal fees and court-related costs "undermines America's social and economic infrastructure." It is pushing for passage of the "Class Action Fairness Act" to protect companies against "coercive" class action suits.

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Thinkman2 (5/2):
There is little doubt that tort reform is needed in some fashion. But that should also include the billions charged off to shareholders for the legal activities among corporations themselves that result in huge fees, payouts and other expenses. We never hear or read about these for some reason. The unfortunate and often misused class action reality is that ordinary consumers have so little other means to contend with the big corporate entities. Moreover, while the big "awards" get the headlines, fact is that expensive and lengthy appeals see to it that most who sue seldom collect those awards.

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