The leadership and staff of Washington Legal Foundation mourn the passing of Victor E. Schwartz, a longtime friend and prolific contributor to our Legal Studies Division’s publications. Shook, Hardy & Bacon L.L.P. announced Victor’s passing yesterday. He was a partner for nearly 25 years at the firm, where he founded and led its Public Policy Group.
Victor’s name was synonymous with the term “tort reform,” and he was a driving force behind state and federal efforts to achieve a more balanced civil-justice system. Because he understood that court victories are essential to the larger goal of reining in the plaintiffs’ bar, Victor was a natural ally for WLF. Over the past three decades, he authored or co-authored over 40 WLF publications. Victor showcased a unique talent for presenting ideas and arguments in ways that both layperson and lawyer could easily grasp. Some of his most notable and influential WLF papers include:
- Who Should Make America’s Tort Law: Courts Or Legislatures?, 1997
- Conversations With…. An Interactive Discussion on How to Solve the Asbestos Litigation Crisis, 2003
- Why Some “Stop Signs” Are Needed: Civil Procedure Rules Must Balance Expediency With Rendering Justice, 2012
- Deep Pocket Jurisprudence: Where Tort Law Should Draw the Line, 2017
- Trial Lawyer Greed in Time of Need: The COVID-19 Tort Fest and How to Curb It, 2020
- New York’s Environmental Rights Constitutional Amendment Will Require Sound Judicial Interpretation, 2022