Mass Torts

In the 2022 and 2023 Supreme Court terms, there have been three or four bankruptcy cases on the docket in each term, as opposed to the more normal one case every year or even every other year. Cases have included both very significant issues that may have far-ranging effects, as in Harrington v. Purdue Pharma L.P.

Join Bill Rochelle as he provides us with the highlights we need to know about emerging cases from the Supreme Court, Tenth Circuit and more!

Under the SDNY ruling in Purdue, the extent of consideration paid to third-party releases is a factor in approving such releases. This panel will explore current trends in valuing contributions by affiliates, insurers and other guarantors in mass tort cases.

This panel will discuss the current status of nonconsensual third-party releases (Purdue, Aearo, Boy Scouts, LTL), good faith and financial distress, alternatives to nonconsensual releases, international comparisons, preservation and impact of insurance, and case administration issues that include obtaining consent, conflicts among claimants represented by a single firm, and preservation of a claimant’s “day in court.”