Seminar on Long Tail Tort Liability - Do We Need Reform?

There has been considerable controversy and public concern in the aftermath of the James Hardie Inquiry over the adequacy of the law dealing with compensation payments by corporate groups to mass tort victims especially in cases where the injuries suffered as a result of the company’s negligence may not emerge for many years.

The Corporations and Markets Advisory Committee issued a recent Discussion Paper which considers whether the law dealing with long tail torts should be reformed to offer greater protection to tort victims.

The next seminar by the Corporate Law and Accountability Research Group will be presented by Peter Gordon and Leon Zwier and will address some of the key questions raised in the CAMAC Discussion Paper, providing different perspectives of expert practitioners in the areas of mass tort class actions and corporate insolvency.

Peter Gordon has been a partner at Slater and Gordon since 1989 and the Senior Partner since 1995. He is currently National Practice Group Leader, Asbestos heading the largest asbestos litigation team in Australia. Peter conducted the first successful asbestos related cancer claim in Australia in 1984 and represented the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) and asbestos victims groups at the James HardieInquiry.

Leon Zwier has been a partner at Arnold Bloch Leibler since 1991. He practises in commercial litigation, dispute resolution and corporate insolvency and reconstructions. Leon has acted in a number of high profile cases including Ansett Airlines voluntary administration, Sons of Gwalia insolvency, James Hardie dispute resolution and the litigation involving the Estate of Rolah McCabe against British American Tobacco.

Date: Wednesday 17 October 2007
Time: 5.30 – 7.30 pm
Venue: Slater & Gordon, 533 Little Lonsdale Street, Melbourne.
RSVP: leanne.hunt@buseco.monash.edu.au or 03 9903 4198 by Wednesday 10 October 2007

Further details about the Corporate Law and Accountability Research Group are available on its website: www.buseco.monash.edu.au/blt/clarg/ or contact CLARG’s Acting Director, Phillip Lipton email: phillip.lipton@buseco.monash.edu.au or phone 03 9903 2194.