On September 23, 2019, WLF submitted comments to the Advisory Committee on Civil Rules in response to the Committee’s review of the procedures used in multi-district litigation proceedings (MDLs). Created by Congress in 1968 to promote efficiency and conserve finite judicial resources, MDLs have not always lived up to their initial promise. To address MDLs’ many deficiencies, WLF commends three concrete proposals to improve the efficiency and fairness of MDLs: (1) mandatory early vetting of claims, (2) the right of all parties to interlocutory appellate review, and (3) required disclosure of third-party litigation funding.

WLF comments