General Discussion

n2doc

(47,953 posts) Sat May 11, 2013, 08:00 PM May 2013

One of the nastiest fights in Big Oil just got nastier

By Steve LeVine

The plaintiffs pulled actress Darryl Hannah into the fight against Chevron. AP Photo/Dolores Ochoa

This story has been updated with a statement from Patton Boggs.

One of the world’s largest, longest and nastiest courtroom battles was escalated today by Chevron, which sued Patton Boggs, the powerhouse law firm, for alleged fraud and malicious prosecution in an Ecuadoran pollution case.

The suit seeks to make the Washington firm—one of the fiercest litigators in a city known for gloves-off gladiators—financially responsible for at least part of Chevron’s tens of millions of dollars in legal costs to fight a $19 billion pollution judgment in Ecuador.

The suit does not name a damage figure, which would be decided by the judge if it is successful. But the fraud component could put Patton Boggs on the hook for triple damages, potentially making the suit worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

more
http://qz.com/83402/chevron-ecuador-fight-with-patton-boggs-just-got-nastier/

1 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

One of the nastiest fights in Big Oil just got nastier (Original Post) n2doc May 2013 OP

God, I was almost shaking pangaia May 2013 #1

pangaia

(24,324 posts)

1. God, I was almost shaking

Reply to n2doc (Original post)

Sat May 11, 2013, 09:54 PM

May 2013

realizing the power companies like Chevron have over people...
I can't imagine the threats they and their lawyers made against everyone to get them to drop out..
Frightening!!!

I'll tell you, I am just a very tiny small business and I once was threatened with a cease and desist order from a BIG, VERY BIG, famous Japanese company. (Hint-- they make musical instruments and motorcycles, among other things) I was so pissed I could spit, and I was ready to go after the fuckers. I was no threat to them at all, Just corporate bullshit.

My lawyer told me that I could probably win but the cost would be astronomical and if I DID lose, no way could I pay the expenses.. His advice was to drop it.

So I gave in. It was no big deal at all to 'cease and desist.' I didn't really lose anything. But it was the principal of the thing and they knew they had me by the balls..

Reply to this discussion