In an article published in The Legal Intelligencer, Hayes Hunt, a member of Cozen O'Connor's Commercial Litigation Department and Arthur Fritzinger, an associate in the Commercial Litigation Department, discuss the increasing use of the discovery process to leverage favorable settlements and resolutions.
With fewer trials and an increasing focus on using the discovery process to leverage a favorable settlement or resolution, it is common for litigation counsel to be obstructionist during discovery. For example, counsel may interpose depositions with unwarranted boilerplate objections or subtly (or not so subtly) coach the witness by clarifying or commenting on the pending question. While such conduct is often ignored, it has contributed to rising litigation costs throughout the last decade and, as a sanctions order issued at the end of July by a federal judge in the Northern District of Iowa demonstrates, it can severely diminish counsel's credibility before the trial judge. In light of the impact that discovery tactics can have on the cost and success of litigation, it is increasingly important for general counsel to set clear expectations when retaining attorneys to represent the company in litigation.
To read the article, click here.