Chris Martin of Houston's Martin Disiere Jefferson & Wisdom will share his insights with respect to emerging public attitudes to the COVID-19 pandemic, attitudes that may dramatically affect juror attitudes in the litigation that is already emerging from this crisis.

In the aftermath of natural catastrophes such as Hurricane Katrina, jurors in hardest hit areas demonstrated a willingness to disregard both judicial instructions and trial evidence in order to render verdicts against property insurers in favor of local businesses and local citizens damaged by the catastrophic event for at least the first 18 months following the event. Is there is a risk of similar reactions across the country in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic? Do the devastating consequences of the economic shutdown caused by the coronavirus create national risks for jury nullification in insurance litigation at levels never seen before?  

Since April, Chris surveyed more than 10,000 potential jurors in every corner of the U.S. concerning their attitudes to the pandemic, government, and the insurance industry.  The results of his research have the potential to transform the insurance industry and its reaction to virus-related litigation.  

Join us to hear Chris present the initial results of his nationwide survey for our Fellows before his research is published.​

As always, these calls are for ACCC Fellows and are not open to clients or non-members. Participants are encourage to pose questions to the discussion leaders and offer insights of their own as this tragedy unfolds across our country.