Litigation

Around the web, September 23 (political edition)

By Carter Wood

The U.S. Chamber's Institute for Legal Reform has released results of a survey of 1,000 small business owners (conducted by the respected bipartisan team of Bill McInturff and Doug Schoen). Litigation is a concern. Highlights:

• One in three (35 percent) of all small businesses have been sued or threatened with a lawsuit.
• Sixty four percent say that lawsuits have been on the rise, and 68 percent believe that the number of lawsuits against companies will continue to increase over the next five years.
• If targeted in a lawsuit: 74 percent of small business owners say companies such as theirs would very likely have to pass those costs on to their customers; 68 percent say they would very likely have to reduce existing employees' benefits; and 71 percent say they would very likely have to hold back on hiring new employees.

Meanwhile, "trial lawyer" remains a potent accusation in campaigns around the country. More from the political world:

Full post as published by Point of Law on September 23, 2010 (boomark / email).