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Leadership | Message form the Chair | Newsletters | Publications | 2007/2008 Annual Report

Christopher S. Marks

Welcome to the Home Page of the Toxic Tort & Environmental Law Committee ("TTEL") of the TIPS Section of the American Bar Association. We hope you will find this site and the included resources useful.

In 2005, TTEL was honored as the first recipient of the annual TIPS General Committee Award for Excellence in Overall Membership Involvement. In 2006 and again in 2007, TTEL was recognized by TIPS with the Overall Membership Involvement Award.

Much of the credit for our Committee's success is attributable to the outstanding leadership we've had over the years. In particular, I must recognize and thank Richard Green, the immediate past Chair of the Committee for guiding the implementation of our Strategic Plan and his efforts to promote TTEL. And, just before Richard, there was Jim Kosch of LeClair Ryan, P.C in Newark, New Jersey (2006-2007), who further implemented TTEL's strategic plan. Most importantly, however, our success derives from the involvement of our more than 1,500 members who have developed and promoted numerous high quality CLE programs, social events and other opportunities for all members to become involved. TTEL members are spread out all over the country. You can be sure that a TTEL meeting, social event, or conference call brings together a wide diversity of perspectives on toxic tort and environmental law.

Our goal is to be the leading source for information, learning and innovation for a practice area in which cutting edge science regularly intersects the law and legal procedure. We are proud to have within our committee a diverse and active group of practitioners on the Plaintiff and Defense sides, as well as in-house personnel, risk managers, insurance company representatives and claims professionals, corporate representatives, judges and policy makers. Through our various activities, publications, and CLE opportunities, TTEL is able to enhance our members' practices and businesses, as well as their memberships in the American Bar Association and TIPS. We welcome and appreciate all of your contributions to the Committee.

The 2008-2009 ABA year is underway and, with your help, we hope to continue the TTEL's successful trajectory. Membership involvement has been expanded through our Strategic Plan and new subcommittee structure. We urge all interested ABA members to get involved. Please mark your calendars for TTEL's biggest event of the year:

• Annual Spring Meeting at the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix Arizona (April 2-4, 2009). We are continuing our very successful annual Spring Business Meeting and CLE program, now in its 18th year to be held April 2-4, 2009 at the Arizona, Biltmore Resort & Spa in Phoenix, Arizona. The program will include panels covering ethical issues related to genetic testing; interstate air quality issues; hot topics in nanotechnology; signature diseases; a mock jury panel deliberating over causation evidence; and two panels dealing with cross-border environmental disputes, one focusing on the US-Canada and the other dealing with US-Mexico.

Many of our members make this an annual "must attend" CLE. We have a business meeting on Saturday morning for members to voice ideas and get involved. There are also hiking, golf, swimming, tennis, shopping in Scottsdale, the Phoenix Botanical Garden, great restaurants, and many other attractions. The brochure will be available in the near future. We encourage you to review the brochure when it appears on our website and plan to join us in Phoenix for what promises to be an outstanding CLE program. Our Spring Meeting is well known for the high quality of the CLE presentations. It is also as one of the most fun events on the ABA calendar. "Work hard, play harder," as a prior Chair is reported to have said!

TTEL is pleased to present its first ever Webinar in February 2008 covering the handling of toxic and environmental claims on tribal lands.

There will be other TTEL activities this year. TTEL is planning a program for the ABA's Annual Meeting in Chicago. We will have a business meeting there as well. Details will be available soon. The Spring Business Meeting in Phoenix and the Annual Meeting are wonderful opportunities to get involved and take on leadership roles in TTEL. We always welcome participation from all members in putting together newsletters, teleconference CLEs, regional CLEs, and articles for the TIPS publications (The Law Journal, The Brief, TortSource)

.If you are a member of TTEL, I hope that you have found your membership and work with the Committee to be of continuing value to your daily practice or business. If you are not a member, I hope to meet you at one of our upcoming meetings and I encourage you to consider joining us.

In closing, on behalf of the Toxic Tort & Environmental Law Committee, we thank you for visiting our home page, and hope that you find the resources and information helpful. Please visit us again in the future.For enrollment in a committee of the Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section, simply fill out the on-line committee application form.

Please note: If you are already a Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section member, you may join up to three (3) committees at no additional cost. However, if you are not a Section member, you must join the Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section first.

If you have any questions regarding participation in TIPS Committees, please contact Sonia Schroeder, our Committees Administrator at schroeders©staff.abanet.org or by phone at 312/988-6229.

Christopher S. Marks
Attorney at Law
601 Union Street, Suite 4100
Seattle, WA 98101-2380
Direct: 206-628-6616
Fax: 206-628-6611
Cell: 206-227-5744
cmarks@williamskastner.com