Chamber Ranks States' Lawsuit Climates

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Institute for Legal Reform commissioned a poll of "1,599 senior attorneys"), asking them to grade states on 12 factors affecting states' tort liability systems. Chamber Study Ranks Best, Worst Lawsuit Climates, press release, April 25, 2007.

Washington is #25 among the states (up from #28 in 2006 but down from #15 in 2005). Washington's detailed report card (based on responses of 130 of those "senior attorneys") is here.

The full report has more information about methodology. It was a phone survey, among "a nationally representative sample of senior attorneys, in-house general counsel, senior litigators and senior attorneys who are knowledgeable about litigation matters at companies with annual revenues of at least $100 million." Five persent of respondents were from insurance companies. 2007 U.S. Chamber of Commerce State Liability Systems Ranking Study at 6. "The goal was to explore how reasonable, fair and balanced the tort liability system is perceived to be by U.S. business." Id.