This “invitation only” conference hosted by Baylor Law School was held at the St. Regis in Aspen, Colorado. In attendance nearly 50 judges, over 80 lawyers, 13 corporate GCs and 5 Special Masters along with 7 academicians.
America’s Lawyer Mike Papantonio spoke on many different topics including:
· The Manual for Complex Litigation addresses the obligations of transferee judges in connection with appointing steering committees. What should that include regarding the inquiry associated with a lawyer’s ability to finance the litigation and provide the requisite expertise and infrastructure?
· Can the Court simply accept attestations from the lawyers regarding their financial status?
· What documentation should or must a lawyer present regarding financial status?
· Can the court on a regular basis continue to seek information regarding the lawyer’s current financial status?
· Must a lawyer provide loan documents including whether the loan is non-recourse along with the applicable interest rates and what if any control the lender has over the lawyer?
· What control will non-lawyers have over lawyers that are in the same firm?
· How will the Courts control non-lawyers?
· Should states adopt the Arizona model of eliminating its version of Rule 5.4 entirely and allow firms to be owned by non-lawyers?
PANELISTS INCLUDED:
1. Judge David Proctor, Former JPML Panel; USDC Northern District of Alabama
2. Judge Carl Barbier, USDC Eastern District of Louisiana
3. Judge Jane Milazzo, USDC Eastern District of Louisiana
4. Prof. Robert Klonoff, Lewis & Clark Law School
5. Mark Lanier, Plaintiff, Lanier Law Firm
6. Mike Papantonio, Plaintiff, Levin Papantonio Rafferty
7. Eric Holland, Plaintiff, Holland Law Firm
8. Ashley Keller, Plaintiff, Keller Postman
9. Lori Cohen, Defense, Greenberg Traurig
10. Lana Varney, Defense, King & Spalding
11. James Holston, Merck
12. Elizabeth Cabraser, Plaintiff, Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein
13. Adam Hoeflich, Defense, Bartlit Beck
14. Joe Petrosinelli, Defense, Williams & Connolly
