Trial Magazine

Hanging on the wall in the main AAJ conference room is a plaque commemorating the life of Gordon Lewis Jones, a courageous young man who lost his life when the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico eight years ago.

That April 2010 explosion and the subsequent fire killed 11 people and seriously injured others. As the rig sank, oil began flooding into the Gulf of Mexico, leading to one of the worst ­environmental disasters in U.S. history.

I see that plaque each time I visit the Washington, D.C., office, and I am humbled by what it says: “May the memory of Gordon, and the other men who lost their lives, forever inspire our tireless advocacy to obtain justice on behalf of all of those who need it.”

In recent months, we have witnessed a large number of environmental hazards both natural and man-made, including hurricanes, floods, wildfires, and contaminated water and air. Sometimes we respond as friends, family, and concerned citizens, eager to help in any way we can.

When Hurricane Harvey hit the Texas coast last summer, members of AAJ’s Trial Lawyers Care (TLC) Committee began looking for ways to offer assistance. Knowing that several schools were hard-hit by flooding and would need help after reopening in the fall, TLC organized a school supply drive for seven schools in the Houston area. (Read more about TLC’s mission and work on p. 29.)

When we step up as lawyers after a disaster, we can do even more for our communities and clients. In this issue of Trial, find out how to help your clients navigate the insurance claims process after a natural disaster (p. 26) and how creating a business continuity plan to prepare your firm before a natural disaster can ensure your work continues and protect clients’ cases (p. 34). At the AAJ 2018 Winter ­Convention in Maui, members learned how to advocate for hurricane victims, and if you missed this fantastic session, you can find the recording at www.playbackaaj.com.

In December, AAJ created the Wildfires Litigation Group so trial lawyers could pool their resources to help those affected by last year’s California wildfires. AAJ also offers two Litigation Packets that will help you represent your clients affected by natural disasters: Flood Insurance Claims and Hurricane Claims.

These add to our growing list of resources for AAJ members on topics connected to environmental issues, such as water contamination, food supply safety (p. 38), and government regulation of toxic substances (p. 44). To learn more about responding to natural and ­man-made environmental hazards, the Section on Toxic, Environmental, and Pharmaceutical Torts (STEP) is a great place to start.

"Today’s hearing is an important first step toward creating true public awareness about the dangerous products many of us currently have in our homes and use on our bodies."

Nothing makes me prouder than being part of an organization that seeks not only to obtain justice for the injured but also to put in place mechanisms and policies to reduce future harm. I sincerely hope that AAJ members never have to represent victims affected by another Hurricane Harvey or another BP oil spill—but if we do, may those
people forever inspire our tireless advocacy.

Kathleen Nastri is an attorney at Koskoff, Koskoff & Bieder in Bridgeport, Conn. She can be reached at kathleen.nastri@justice.org.