ATRA Applauds John Adams for Signing 2017 Transparency Code Pledge

Press Releases | August 23, 2017

WASHINGTON, D.C., August 23, 2017 – The American Tort Reform Association (ATRA) today praised Virginia attorney general candidate John Adams for embracing good-government principles by signing ATRA’s 2017 Transparency Code pledge and for his promise to support some version of the Transparency in Private Attorney Contracting (TiPAC) model legislation supported by ATRA.

“By signing our pledge, John Adams proved that he is committed to transparent, accountable government,” said ATRA president Tiger Joyce. “We are still awaiting a response from the incumbent Attorney General Mark Herring and are hopeful we will receive a favorable one soon,” added Joyce.

ATRA developed the Transparency Code as a collection of model policies that should govern the use of outside counsel by state attorneys general. ATRA is committed to working with state and local leaders to improve national competitiveness by removing the excessive barriers our civil justice system poses to economic developments and job creation. Naturally, attorneys general play an important role in these efforts as states’ chief legal officers.

Such legal officers need the discretion and independence to enforce the laws of their respective states free from the influence of parties that may have a private interest in the outcome of litigation. Therefore, the American Tort Reform Association (ATRA) has asked both candidates in the Virginia attorney general race to sign a transparency code pledge.

“In every instance, the attorney general should seek to provide the highest quality services at the best value to state citizens when contracting with outside counsel,” said Joyce. “The signing of this pledge is critical to bringing transparency and accountability to the post of attorney general in the Commonwealth of Virginia.”

“Many states have already passed laws which reflect the principles of the Transparency Code,” said Joyce. “We hope to build on these best practices by working with the next Attorney General of Virginia to support enactment of this important reform in 2018.”

The American Tort Reform Association, based in Washington, D.C., is the only national organization dedicated exclusively to tort and liability reform through public education and the enactment of legislation. Its members include nonprofit organizations and small and large companies, as well as trade, business and professional associations from the state and national level.

-ATRA-