Mass

High-Profile Attorney Mikal Watts Resigns, Triggering Office Closure and Mass Layoffs

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Watts Guerra, a prominent law firm known for representing clients in major tort cases, is facing significant changes after co-founder Mikal Watts announced his departure due to health reasons. As a result, the firm’s Puerto Rico office will be shutting down, leading to widespread layoffs. According to internal emails shared by an employee, at least 50 employees, or approximately 33% of the workforce, will be affected by the mass layoffs. The Puerto Rico office, which employs around 110 people responsible for managing many of the firm’s cases, is expected to … Read more

Foreign Funding of Mass Tort Litigations Raises National Security Concerns and Threatens American Innovation

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Washington, D.C. – Innovation is a critical asset for the United States, but it is facing a growing threat. Foreign competitors and adversaries are increasingly engaging in industrial espionage against American companies, posing a significant risk to national security. One emerging avenue through which foreign entities can gain access to sensitive information and manipulate the American economy is the third-party funding of mass tort litigation. To address this issue, a change in the law is necessary. Mass tort litigations involve lawsuits filed by lawyers who specialize in suing large corporations for damages caused by their … Read more

Landmark Trial Continues: Parent Facing First-Ever Sentencing for Child’s Mass School Shooting

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PONTIAC, Mich. – As the jury in Jennifer Crumbley’s involuntary manslaughter trial enters its second day of deliberations, the nation watches closely. Crumbley stands accused of four counts of involuntary manslaughter in relation to the tragic deaths of four students at Oxford High School. The students lost their lives when Crumbley’s son, Ethan, opened fire in November 2021. If found guilty, Crumbley would become the first parent to be sentenced for a mass school shooting committed by their own child. In a separate development, James Crumbley, the father of the accused school shooter, is scheduled … Read more

Dechert Appoints Douglas Fleming and Jay Bhimani as Co-Chairs of Product Liability and Mass Torts Practice, Enhancing Nationwide Litigation Leadership

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New York, NY – Dechert, a global law firm, announced the appointment of Douglas Fleming and Jay Bhimani as co-chairs of their product liability and mass torts practice. This move provides the firm with bi-coastal leadership, with Fleming based in New York and Bhimani in Los Angeles. According to Dechert co-chair Mark Thierfelder, Fleming and Bhimani are well-suited to lead the national team in advising clients on navigating high-stakes litigation. This includes complex product liability and toxic tort cases, consumer class actions, and litigations brought by government plaintiffs. The firm’s product liability and mass torts … Read more