National Association of Manufacturers’ (NAM) Manufacturers’ Accountability Project (MAP) released principles for reform to protect both the manufacturing industry and the integrity of the legal system against frivolous public nuisance lawsuits.
“Manufacturing workers, taxpayers and our legal system are all harmed by the ongoing baseless litigation against manufacturers,” said NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons. “Manufacturers want to be part of the solution in ending these frivolous lawsuits and political stunts. These common-sense reform principles—transparency in contingency-fee agreements, pre-emptive legislation and immediate withdrawal of the lawsuits offer a path forward. We cannot continue to allow trial attorneys and headline-seeking politicians to abuse the nation’s legal system for their own personal gain.
“The courts have already ruled against this strain of frivolous litigation, most recently when a federal judge dismissed the lawsuit brought by San Francisco and Oakland. Judge William Alsup’s decision in that case should be required reading for other jurisdictions contemplating similar lawsuits. This form of jackpot justice isn’t the answer, and it diverts time and resources that could be better spent working towards real solutions, as manufacturers do every day.”