In this IIL marine and energy webinar, Jenny Michel discusses United States marine and energy litigation including the reptile theory, social inflation, and climate change litigation in the United States.

Description

This presentation addresses recent litigation in the United States, including the recent phenomenon of social inflation, which is the gradual increase of ‘runaway’ jury verdicts relative to economic inflation. Possible drivers of social inflation include reptile theory tactics by plaintiffs’ attorneys, desensitization to large sums of money by the public and growing anti-corporate sentiment. The speaker addresses some possible steps to combat social inflation.

In this session, recent litigation in the field of climate change, with a particular focus on cases filed by local and state governments against energy producers is also addressed. As is shown, at least one state supreme court has held that these types of cases do not allege an ‘accident’ as contemplated in a commercial general liability policy.

Learning objectives

• An update on case law regarding defence costs for a joint venture as limited by a scaled to interest clause
• Trends in social inflation and the steps to combat it
• Climate change litigation in the United States

Speaker

• Jennifer E Michel, Managing Partner, Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP