A splintered privilege; two judges have taken exception to tobacco's confidentiality claims
Article Abstract:
Tobacco company attorneys may have trouble claiming attorney-client privilege after a court ordered that records of The Liggett Group Inc. be released because they were deemed to meet a crime-fraud exception to that privilege. On Mar 20, 1997, Liggett agreed as part of a global settlement to many lawsuits against it, to release many tobacco industry documents, as well as payinng 25% of its annual income for 25 years. Liggett also agreed to the admission that cigarette companies had aimed to sell tobacco to minors and that smoking was addictive, carcinogenic and caused other diseases.
Publication Name: The National Law Journal
Subject: Law
ISSN: 0162-7325
Year: 1997
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Fear at an Oct. meeting spurs Liggett settlement; parties step up talks after news of congressional plan
Article Abstract:
The Liggett Gp's Mar 1997 global settlement with 22 states was entered into by Liggett Director Bennett S. LeBow because he feared the unpredictable outcome of the federal government's consideraton of legislative immunity for the tobacco industry, and the state attorneys general feared that such a deal would moot their litigation against the industry as well as eliminating their leadership position in seeking reimbursement from the industry for the cost of the treatment of diseased smokers.
Publication Name: The National Law Journal
Subject: Law
ISSN: 0162-7325
Year: 1997
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State AGs look for new targets; tobacco was unique team effort, but they will be going after Microsoft and hospitals
Article Abstract:
The article forecasts a new era of clout for state attorneys general in molding other consumer protection efforts after their 1999 success with the proposed $368.5 billion tobacco settlement. The attorneys general found multistate litigation to give them more resources and a more powerful dynamics, and that cooperation is justified when dealing with issues that do no stop at borders.
Publication Name: The National Law Journal
Subject: Law
ISSN: 0162-7325
Year: 1998
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