The Asbestos Over-Naming and Trust Transparency Problem: A Philadelphia Case Study


23 minute read | March.26.2024

As traditional asbestos manufacturers have been litigated into bankruptcy and have exited the tort system, plaintiffs’ lawyers have adapted their business model by casting a wide net for new companies to sue. In this paper published by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform, Orrick Partner Anne Malik zooms in on this development, examining a sample set of asbestos lawsuits filed in Philadelphia between 2017-2021.

Learn how this research reveals the numbers behind the trend, makes the case for reforms to curb the unfair practice of “over-naming,” and points out the need for more timely disclosures of asbestos trust claims and compensation entitlements during the pendency of tort claims.