Missouri attorneys aid victims of terrorism

Missouri lawyers have joined lawyers nationwide to help victims of the Sept. 11 terrorism attack.

One way they are helping is by contributing to the American Trial Lawyers of America's ATLA-911 Heroes fund, ac-cording to Lynn Henry of West Plains, a member of the executive committee of the Missouri Association of Trial Lawyers board.

"MATA is pleased to participate," Henry said. The board of governors passed a resolution at its Sept. 21-22 meeting to support the fund.

"MATA is an association of about 1,400 lawyers across the state that do primarily trial work," Henry said. There are nearly 25,000 attorneys in Missouri, he added.

The ATLA-911 fund assists the families of firefighters, po-lice and rescue workers who lost their lives as a result of the terrorist attack. MATA already has contributed close to $15,000, and donations still are coming in, Henry said.

More than $250,000 has been pledged nationwide by trial lawyers.

ATLA pays all the administration costs, so every dollar that is donated goes to help families in need.

Missouri trial attorneys also have joined individually with the national Association of Trial Lawyers of America in Trial Lawyers Care Inc. TLC is a nonprofit corporation set up in New York by volunteer lawyers to coordinate the assistance of free legal services to victims of the terrorism attack.

Those victims may want to seek compensation for their injuries or loss through the Fed-eral Victims Compensation Pro-gram.

Henry said the program was established by an act of Congress as a result of the Sept. 11 tragedy.

"Procedures are being set in place between now and the end of the year and there will be time constraints," Henry said, which is why victims need lawyers' help to file timely claims.

The board of directors of TLC includes experienced personal injury and product liability law-yers from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachu-setts and suburban Washington, D.C., according to an Oct. 15 story in the New York Times.

MATA members who volunteer will be matched up according to their expertise with victims who seek legal assistance. More information is available at www.911LawHelp.org.

"Missouri's trial lawyers join the nation in mourning the horrific loss caused by coordinated terrorist acts against America," said Steven W. White, MATA president. White practices in Independence.

"We see the ATLA-911 He-roes Fund and the Trial Lawyers Care program as ways that we can help and we are honored to be able to offer our services to the victims and their families," White added.

According to the Times story, it is estimated that there could be as many as 15,000 cases, if every family eligible to sue decided instead to file a claim with the federal fund. It requires no proof of liability and promises a decision within 120 days.

It also was estimated that each case could require up to 200 hours of legal work otherwise, or between $40,000 to $60,000 per case at the typical rates of $200 to $300 per hour. Participating volunteer lawyers would be giving up fees close to $900 million, the Times stated.

Larry S. Stewart, a Miami trial lawyer who specializes in catastrophic injury cases and serves as board president told the Times that he believes TLC's contribution will help debunk the negative stereotyping of lawyers.

Meanwhile, in addition to the efforts of the state's trial attorneys, the Missouri Bar Asso-ciation has created "Operation Standby" to provide legal help to the men and women who have been called to active duty.

Lawyers who volunteer will be contacted by a member of the Judge Advocate General Corps and paired with one or more reservists or National Guard members who need legal help.

Lawyers who specialize in only one area will receive information to help them get up to speed on the legal subjects likely to require their help, includingthe Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act and the Federal Re-employment Rights Act.