Paul McInnes Attorney to Give Discussion on Syngenta GMO Corn Litigation at American Association for Justice Conference
27 January 2015 - 8:49AM
Business Wire
On February 24, 2015, Paul McInnes LLP founder and managing
partner, Richard M. Paul III, will present the status of litigation
by U.S. corn producers and exporters against Syngenta AG (NYSE:
SYT) to members of the American Association for Justice (AAJ),
including the status of MDL 2591, the Multidistrict Litigation
formed by U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation on
December 17, 2014. MDL 2591 consolidates more than 200 pending
civil actions by U.S. corn producers and exporters against Syngenta
in connection with Syngenta’s alleged premature release of its
genetically modified – MIR 162 (Viptera) – corn seed that allegedly
caused China to ban all U.S. corn imports in February 2014
(Syngenta Litigation) and caused a drastic drop in corn prices.
“This litigation raises the critical public-policy question of
when an agricultural-biotechnology company can responsibly release
into the stream of commerce a new genetically-modified seed,” said
Mr. Paul. “Syngenta’s decision to release its Viptera – seed before
China and other U.S. trade partners approved the seed for import
was unreasonable. U.S. corn producers harvested more than 87
million crop acres of corn in 2013, and Syngenta’s decision
impacted those producers and exporters. According to the National
Grain and Feed Association and North American Export Grain
Association, Syngenta’s decision has already cost the U.S. grain
industry between $1 billion and 2.9 billion.”
Mr. Paul noted, “It is my hope and expectation that this
litigation will culminate in a black-letter, industry standard
regarding when an ag-biotechnology company may responsibly release
a new genetically-modified seed.”
About Paul McInnes LLP: Paul McInnes currently represents corn
producers in Arkansas, Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, and
Nebraska. Mr. Paul is a recognized expert in the Syngenta
Litigation and MDL 2591, and he has been meeting with corn
producers throughout the Midwest in 2014-15 to answer their
questions regarding the Syngenta Litigation and MDL 2591. Paul
McInnes is a national law firm that concentrates on commercial,
contingent-fee litigation. The firm is located in Kansas City,
Missouri.
About MDL 2591: MDL 2591 is pending before the Honorable John W.
Lungstrum, U.S. District Court judge in the Distract of Kansas.
About AAJ: The American Association for Justice, formerly the
Association of Trial Lawyers of America, is the world's largest
trial bar with more than 50,000 members. The mission of the
American Association for Justice is to promote a fair and effective
justice system and to support the work of attorneys in their
efforts to ensure that any person who is injured by the misconduct
or negligence of others can obtain justice in America’s courtrooms,
even when taking on the most powerful interests.
Paul McInnes LLPAshlea Schwarz,
816-984-8100ashlea@paulmcinnes.comwww.paulmcinnes.com