environmental law Archives

Climate Change, Property Rights, and Conservation: Highlights from a Decade of Environmental Law (2013–2023)
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Climate Change, Property Rights, and Conservation: Highlights from a Decade of Environmental Law (2013–2023)

Climate Change, Property Rights, and Conservation: Highlights from a Decade of Environmental Law (2013–2023)

June 16th, 2023|Categories: Emerging Litigation & Risk, HB Emerging Law Notes, Journal on Emerging Issues in Litigation, New Featured Post for Home Page|Tags: climate change litigation, emerging litigation, environmental law, environmental litigation, G77, hb litigation, journal on emerging issues in litigation, litigation articles, Victoria Kline|

The Author Victoria Kline (linkedin.com/in/victoria-kline) just graduated from the University of Miami School of Law, and is an incoming associate at Jones Day. She focused her studies on environmental law, which also will be her area of practice. (Congratulations to Victoria on her graduation and getting her start at Reed Smith!) Interviews with leading attorneys and other subject matter experts on new twists in the law and how the law is responding to new twists in the world. Climate Change, Property Rights, and Conservation: Highlights from a Decade of Environmental Law (2013–2023) Abstract: The author discusses nine recent decisions—all but one handed down by the Supreme Court—that demonstrate the ongoing debate over responsibility for the effects of climate change, how the courts are essentially asked to strike a balance between environmental protection and economic development, the intersection of [...]

Alleged Hair Product Injuries Impact Women of Color
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Alleged Hair Product Injuries Impact Women of Color

Alleged Hair Product Injuries Impact Women of Color

April 26th, 2023|Categories: HB Risk Notes|Tags: cancer, Chemical litigation, emerging litigation, environmental law, Hair products, hb litigation, L'OReal, litigation articles, litigation settlements, Tom Hagy, victoria maniatis|

L’Oréal Among Defendants in Litigation Over Hair Products. Dozens of hair straightener cases allege higher incidence of cancers and other diseases. Plaintiffs in dry shampoo litigation say products contain benzene. Seven companies control the U.S. hair product industry. L’Oréal has been hit hard in recent hair care litigation related to straighteners, relaxants, and dry shampoos. L’Oréal was named a defendant in nearly sixty complaints alleging that straightening products manufactured by the beauty giant have caused cancer in its consumers. L’Oréal has also been named a defendant in a proposed class-action for its Redken dry shampoo that allegedly contains the carcinogen benzene. Other large industry players such as Johnson and Johnson and Unilever have also been accused of selling dry shampoos with dangerous levels of benzene. Straighteners and Relaxers Litigation Dozens of cases have been consolidated in multidistrict litigation against L’Oréal for its [...]

Toxic Train Wreck Sparks Litigation
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Toxic Train Wreck Sparks Litigation

Toxic Train Wreck Sparks Litigation

April 7th, 2023|Categories: HB Risk Notes|Tags: climate change, east palestine train wreck, emerging litigation, environmental law, hb litigation, litigation articles, litigation settlements, Tom Hagy, toxic spill, victoria maniatis|

Legal News: Ohio AG Sues Norfolk Southern Over East Palestine Train Spill. Legal News On March 14, 2023, Ohio filed a lawsuit against Norfolk Southern Railway Company, a multi-billion dollar entity, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. The lawsuit stems from the East Palestine train derailment (the “Derailment”), which took place on February 3, 2023. The lawsuit seeks to “recover response costs, redress damages to natural resources, and receive an order for injunctive relief, civil penalties, and damages.” The Derailment The Derailment of train 32N occurred at approximately 9 PM in East Palestine, Ohio—roughly fifty miles northwest of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The accident is believed to have been caused by the overheating and failure of at least one wheel bearing. Twenty of the derailed cars contained hazardous materials, including vinyl chloride, butyl acrylate, ethylhexyl, acrylate, and ethylene glycol monobutyl ether. Chief [...]

European Court of Human Rights to Hear Case on Climate Change by Victoria Kline
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European Court of Human Rights to Hear Case on Climate Change by Victoria Kline

European Court of Human Rights to Hear Case on Climate Change by Victoria Kline

April 7th, 2023|Categories: HB Risk Notes|Tags: climate change, emerging litigation, environmental law, european court, hb litigation, human rights court, litigation articles, litigation settlements, Tom Hagy, Victoria Kline|

Guest Writer Victoria is a third-year student at the University of Miami School of Law, Juris Doctorate Candidate 2023, Law Review Staff Editor, and soon-to-be associate at Jones Day. European Court of Human Rights to Hear Case on Climate Change By Victoria Kline The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) is hearing a landmark case brought forward by the Senior Women for Climate Protection Switzerland, who are suing the Swiss government (the “State”) for human rights violations related to climate change. Verein KlimaSeniorinnen Schweiz and others v. Switzerland (“KlimaSeniorinnen”) is one of the first climate change matters the court has taken up. On Wednesday, March 29, 2023, the ECHR held a public hearing. History of the Case KlimaSeniorinnen began back in 2016, ignited by a group of women called KlimaSeniorinnen Schweiz, the Senior Women for Climate Protection Switzerland. The group filed [...]

Greenhouse Gases Cited in Suit to Invalidate Drilling Leases
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Greenhouse Gases Cited in Suit to Invalidate Drilling Leases

Greenhouse Gases Cited in Suit to Invalidate Drilling Leases

April 2nd, 2023|Categories: HB Risk Notes|Tags: BLM, emerging litigation, Environmental Damage, environmental law, environmental litigation, federal lands, FLPMA, hb litigation, hunter schmitz, litigation articles, litigation settlements, NEPA, social impact, Tom Hagy|

Environmentalists Argue Federal Government Failed to Analyze Social Costs of Fossil Fuel Emissions from Drilling Leases “Federal public lands used for fossil fuel extraction contribute 24% of the United States’ Greenhouse Emissions,” according to 10 environmental groups in their ongoing lawsuit against the U.S. Department of the Interior, Secretary of the Interior Debra Haaland, the Bureau of Land Management (BoLM), and BoLM Director Tracy Stone-Manning (Dakota Resource or Council, et al, v. U.S. Department of the Interior, et al., D. D.C., No. 1:22-cv-1853 ). Their lawsuit seeks to invalidate 173 oil and gas leases approved in June 2022 across eight states: Colorado, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, and Utah, and Wyoming. Plaintiffs include: Dakota Resource Center, Center for Biological Diversity, Citizens for a Healthy Community, Living Rivers & Colorado Riverkeeper, Montana Environmental Information Center, Rio Grande Waterkeeper, Sierra Club, Waterkeeper Alliance, Western [...]

Medical Monitoring and PFAS Litigation—A Significant Growing Trend
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Medical Monitoring and PFAS Litigation—A Significant Growing Trend

Medical Monitoring and PFAS Litigation—A Significant Growing Trend

February 24th, 2023|Categories: Emerging Litigation & Risk, HB Emerging Law Notes, Journal on Emerging Issues in Litigation, New Featured Post for Home Page|Tags: CMBG3, emerging litigation, environmental law, environmental litigation, hb litigation, john gardella, journal on emerging issues in litigation, litigation articles, mass torts, pfas|

The Author John P. Gardella (jgardella@cmbg3.com) is a shareholder with CMBG3 Law and a recognized thought leader on PFAS issues. In his environmental and toxic torts practice, he represents companies ranging in size from small shops to the Fortune 100. John is also a member of the Editorial Board of Advisors for the Journal of Emerging Issues in Litigation. Interviews with leading attorneys and other subject matter experts on new twists in the law and how the law is responding to new twists in the world. Medical Monitoring and PFAS Litigation—A Significant Growing Trend "The arguments in favor of medical monitoring as a cause of action in lawsuits stem from the notion that having such programs funded by allegedly tortious companies promotes the public health benefit of early detection, which in turn often results in lower health care [...]

PFAS Consumer Fraud Litigation
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PFAS Consumer Fraud Litigation

PFAS Consumer Fraud Litigation

January 4th, 2023|Categories: Emerging Issues Webinars, Emerging Litigation & Risk, Featured On-Demand, Tort Webinars, Torts-On-Demand-CLE|Tags: best practices, CLE, cle webinar, cle webinars, CMBG3, environmental law, environmental litigation, hb litigation, litigation settlements, pfas, Risk Management|

HB Litigation Conferences presents a CLE-eligible webinar PFAS Consumer Fraud Litigation and Regulation On August 26, 2022, yet another PFAS consumer fraud lawsuit was filed against a product manufacturer in which it is alleged that since the products contained PFAS and the company marketed the products as environmentally friendly and safe for use by consumers, a proposed class of consumers was deceived into buying the allegedly unsafe products. The lawsuit is not an isolated incident, as there have been over 20 such lawsuits, almost all of them filed in 2022. With the ever-increasing media, political and scientific attention being given to PFAS, the panelists predict that these lawsuits will continue to increase at an exponentially increasing rate moving forward against companies of all sizes that manufacture and supply products. Bringing together almost 20 years of product litigation experience and decades of scientific expertise in [...]

PFAS Consumer Fraud Litigation with John Gardella
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PFAS Consumer Fraud Litigation with John Gardella

PFAS Consumer Fraud Litigation with John Gardella

November 14th, 2022|Categories: ELP, Emerging Litigation & Risk, HB Emerging Law Notes|Tags: consumer fraud, consumer litigation, emerging litigation, emerging litigation podcast, environmental law, environmental litigation, hb litigation, john gardella, litigation articles, litigation settlements, pfas, Tom Hagy|

These stubborn chemicals are everywhere. But when they find their way into products, shouldn't someone tell consumers? Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (“PFAS”) are a family of more 12,000 manmade compounds. That's a huge family. Most people would recognize the brand names Teflon, produced by Dupont and Scotchgard produced by 3M. They also go by the nickname “forever chemicals” because they are highly persistent and mobile in the environment and the human body. In addition to bodily injury and environmental pollution litigation, plaintiffs are bringing suits against companies for claiming their products and the making of their products are safe and green. New consumer lawsuits seeking millions in damages are targeting oral hygiene products -- like a recent case involving dental floss -- cosmetics, apparel, and food packaging. Listen to my interview with environmental lawyer John Gardella of CMBG3 Law who discusses why PFAS concern citizens, media and legislators, what [...]

Wildfire Claims and Coverage
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Wildfire Claims and Coverage

Wildfire Claims and Coverage

June 14th, 2022|Categories: Emerging Litigation & Risk, HB Emerging Law Notes, HB Tort Notes, Journal on Emerging Issues in Litigation, New Featured Post for Home Page, Tort Litigation|Tags: emerging litigation, Environmental Claims, Environmental Damage, environmental law, environmental pollution, hb litigation, journal on emerging issues in litigation, litigation articles, mass torts, wildfire, wildfire litigation|

The Authors Scott P. DeVries (sdevries@huntonak.com) is a special counsel in the Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP’s Insurance Coverage group in the firm’s San Francisco office where he exclusively represents policyholder clients. An experienced trial and appellate lawyer who has served as lead counsel in landmark appeals in the field of insurance coverage in the California Supreme Court, the Ninth Circuit, and the California Court of Appeal, as well as high-value jury trials, Scott routinely represents clients throughout the country seeking recovery from their insurers on a wide range of insurance issues arising under first-party property policies, comprehensive general liability policies, directors and officers policies, EPLI policies, crime policies, crypto and digital asset policies, and cyber policies. Yosef Itkin is an associate in Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP’s Insurance Coverage group in the firm’s Los Angeles office. His practice focuses on representing and advising corporate policyholders [...]