President’s


Message by Bruce M. Plaxen


The tragedy that struck America on September 11 has profoundly affected all of us, both as American citizens and as members of the legal community. I am calling on the generosity of Maryland attorneys, MTLA members and nonmembers, to participate in Trial Lawyers Care. This organization offers pro-bono legal assistance to the families of victims needing help with the claims process established under the federal Victim Compensation Fund. Many of you have volunteered, but if you have not done so yet and would like to, please go to the Trial Lawyers Care website at www.911LawHelp.org or send email to: volunteers@911LawHelp.org. A message from TLC President, Larry S. Stewart and Vice President, Leo V. Boyle is reprinted below.


Trial Lawyers Care By Larry S. Stewart & Leo V. Boyle


Like all Americans, trial lawyers were horrified by the terrorist attacks on our nation. And, like so many other Ameri- cans, we acted with compassion, character and out of a sense of profound patriotism by stepping up to help the unwitting vic- tims of those monstrous deeds. To put in perspective what the com- munity of trial lawyers did, consider that, without hesitation, within 36 hours of the attacks ATLA urged restraint and respect for the victims by calling for a morato- rium on lawsuits—honored to this day. Across the nation thousands of trial lawyers rushed to join their fellow Ameri- cans to give blood for the victims. In the days following the attacks,


ATLA, with the support of state trial law- yer associations throughout the land established a 911 Hero’s Fund and trial lawyers generously responded with over four hundred thousand dollars for the families of the rescuers who lost so much when their loved ones rushed into the buildings to save the lives of strangers. When the airline industry asked for help from Congress, trial lawyers encour- aged and lobbied for the creation of a national September 11th Victim Com- pensation Fund so that, as the airline industry was getting help, the families would not be left behind. When Congress created the Victim


Fund and President Bush signed it into law, ATLA pledged to do what trial law- yers do best - represent the victims - and to do so for free. For the past month numerous trial law-


yers and ATLA staff — in concert with the trial lawyer associations in New York,


Fall 2001


New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Virginia, Maryland, the District of Co- lumbia and around the nation — have mounted an around-the-clock effort to create what will be the largest private pro bona effort ever, Trial Lawyers Care. Al- though much remains to be done, TLC, Inc. opened for business on October 15th. And, in just the first full day, more than a thousand trial lawyer volunteers signed up with Trial Lawyers Care, pledging their time and effort to give free legal services to the injured and the families of victims who are eligible and choose to pursue claims under the Victim Fund. In the days and weeks ahead, many thousands more will join. Over a month has now passed since the attacks, and the magnitude of loss is still difficult to grasp. Over 5,000 people were crushed in the attacks on and col- lapse of the World Trade Center buildings, including hundreds of firefighters, police officers and paramedics who rushed into the burning buildings in a heroic effort to save the occupants. Hundreds of others were killed in the


Pentagon attack and the aborted hijack that ended with the crash in Pennsylva- nia. Many thousands more were injured. The majority of the dead will never be found, and it will take at least a year of around-the-clock work to clear the rubble from “ground zero.”


As a nation, we have been told that


the best response to these attacks is to re- turn to our normal lives. Yet the best estimate is that at least 15,000 children lost a mother or father and some lost both. There could be more than 10,000 claims


Trial Reporter


for injury or death. For the victims and the families, nothing will ever be normal again. For the rest of us, it may take years to realize the full magnitude of the losses. We trial lawyers can only help. And


help we will. As trial lawyers, we strive to keep families safe and help them when they have been injured. It is our mission as professionals. Now, with helping those who need help as our only incentive, trial lawyers will be shepherding the September 11th victims through the claim process that will involve countless stories of unimaginable pain and loss.


The heroes of September 11th were found not just in those who rushed into the buildings but also in the hundreds of others who stopped to help friends, co- workers and complete strangers, many doing so at the cost of their own lives. Many other stories are of everyday lives and unfathomable pain and loss. Most of the families have yet to come to grips with what their lives will be like without their loved ones. Other victims have had their lives destroyed by horrible burns and horrific injuries.


These are stories that the victims want told and that must be told as part of the healing process. They are the stories of people horribly and irreparably wounded through no fault of their own. As those stories unfold in the coming months, and the victims and families re- ceive awards to repair and rebuild their lives, America will see who trial lawyers really are and what we really do. It will be our finest hour!


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