The impact of frivolous lawsuits on our economy in undeniable. America's legal crisis is putting employees out of work, raising consumer prices, driving down shareholder value and bankrupting companies. Many plaintiffs' lawyers are exploiting flaws in our legal system in search of jackpot justice. Meanwhile frivolous lawsuits clog our courts, denying those most deserving of justice their right to a speedy trial.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Institute for Legal Reform (ILR) are determined to change this. ILR was founded by the Chamber in 1998 to address the country's litigation explosion. We share ILR's goal of making America's legal system simpler, fairer and faster for everyone. That's why our legal reform priorities include:

Class Action Reform: Join us to ensure that settlements are in the best interst of the class members -- as opposed to their attorneys. When properly used, class action lawsuits can be a valuable part of the legal system. In recent years, however, the class action system has become severely abused.

Healthcare Liability/Damages: Your insurance premiums and overall healthcare costs are soaring, partly due to an increase in the number of medical malpractice lawsuits being filed against healthcare professionals and organizations. Couple this with a rise in the jury awards in the past decade, and it's clear that the situation has reached crisis proportions.

Trial Lawyers' Influence: While trial lawyers have long claimed to champion "the little guy," their clients are often drawn into a legal process that primarily just expands their lawyers' finances and political power. Personal injury lawsuits and other tort claims represent a $40 billion per year industry, and you'll continue to pay the price until trial lawyers' abuses are reined in once and for all.

State Attorneys General: Some state attorneys general, often working in tandem with personal injury lawyers, have become increasingly overreaching in recent years, initiating crusades against one industry after another. These alliances raise significant concerns about conflict of interest, favoritism, use of a public entity for personal gain, and fairness in prosecutions. Help us promote reforms that ensure these relationships are open for public scrutiny.