Dave Domina appeared in the U.S. District Court, SD, Illinois for a scheduling conference and preliminary matters in regard to Syngenta litigation. The hearing generated two orders, which require all lawyers who are in leadership positions to confer about appointment of a Special Master who will work solely on settlement discussions. This is the first order of its kind issued in the Syngenta litigation nationwide. Although we could not predict this would occur, Domina Law Group strategically chose Illinois to file our producer cases and this order validates that decision.
The duties of the Special Master will include conduct of settlement negotiations, and before negotiations begin, organization of periodic meetings (probably monthly) for the purpose of discussing structural issues that might affect settlement, and then settlement itself when the time comes.
Again, the appointment of a Special Master to solely focus on settlement discussions in Syngenta matters has only happened in the U.S. District Court, SD, Illinois to date – the court in which Domina Law Group chose to file. If you have not yet protected yourself by joining a group, we strongly encourage you to do so, and to do so with a firm whose approach is already proving itself to be working.