“Efficient and equitable.” That is the phrase industrial manufacturing conglomerate 3M used four times within 600 words in a statement announcing a move to use bankruptcy to settle an ever-growing torrent of claims against it in In Re: 3m Combat Arms Earplug Products Liability Litigation, the largest multidistrict litigation in history. In doing so, the … 3M Pursues Bankruptcy: What Does it Mean for Combat Earplugs Plaintiffs?  Read More ..read more

Keeping abreast of the latest news and information in mass tort requires organizing your sources of information and using a combination of court filings, news alerts, and networking to track developments. One of the easiest ways to monitor a litigation is to add PACER’s Real Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds to your e-mail account. PACER users … Mass Tort Selection Tips: Using PACER To Stay Current Read More ..read more

A tort is an act or omission other than a breach of contract that causes injury or harm to an individual and constitutes a civil wrong that allows courts to impose liability. Torts fall into three general categories: intentional tort negligent torts strict liability torts e.g., liability for making and selling defective products. Product liability … Proof of Use v. Proof of Injury in Mass Torts Read More ..read more

Working in the legal field as a paraprofessional can be a rewarding career but can also be very demanding. Paraprofessionals have a multitude of duties depending on whom they work for and what their specific jobs entail. On any given day, a paraprofessional can be asked to research case law, communicate with clients, draft and … Control in Chaos: 7 Top Tips for Task Management Read More ..read more

Part 1 – The Whys and the Hows The goals of a mass tort practice in selecting and litigating specific multidistrict litigation are to achieve a successful outcome for clients, optimize the settlement payouts those clients receive—and maximize your firm’s profit. Remember, as MTI often says, “Think business, not law.” However, mass tort attorneys and … Cui Bono?: Understanding Common Benefit Fees Read More ..read more

Most mass tort firms juggle multiple dockets, single event cases, and other legal matters all at once. Paraprofessionals at law firms are often required to work on different dockets with competing needs and deadlines which can lead to mismanagement of their time and resources. By using a daily task list, paraprofessionals and their supervisors can … The Daily Task List: How to organize mass tasks in mass torts Read More ..read more

Mass Tort Institute founder Terry Dunken has literally written the book on how to succeed as a mass tort attorney. Mass Tort Secrets provides end-to-end guidance for attorneys who want to build their own mass-tort practice, and for current mass tort practitioners who hope to become more artful businesspeople: better profits, not just better results. … Mass Tort Secrets # 2 – Learn, Then Earn: Studying Your Opponent Read More ..read more

Courts have worked to develop the best procedural tools to resolve mass litigations over the past several decades. The way these claims have been handled is ever-evolving; from class-action lawsuits to collateral estoppel to case management consortia. One prominent way mass tort claims are handled is through multidistrict litigation (“MDL”). An MDL comprises a set … Multidistrict Litigation vs. Bankruptcy Claims: Different Paths Lead to Similar Results Read More ..read more

Mass Tort Institute founder Terry Dunken has literally written the book on how to succeed as a mass tort attorney. Mass Tort Secrets provides end-to-end guidance for attorneys who want to build their own mass tort practice, and for current mass tort practitioners who hope to become more artful businesspeople: better profits, not just better … Mass Tort Secrets #1: Selecting Cases—Think Business, Not Just Law Read More ..read more

In American team sports, a 7th battle in a playoff series is always the deciding affair, the last game where the winner breaks the 3 games to 3 tie and takes all. In mass tort law? As it turns out, it’s not as conclusive. In some instances, it’s nowhere near conclusive.   Such is the … 3M Update: After Seven Games, the Winner is … ??? Read More ..read more