Law firms could reap a massive windfall from climate lawsuits that have been filed in numerous Democrat-leaning jurisdictions across the U.S., a Daily Caller News Foundation review of legal contracts found.
Several state and municipal prosecutors across the country have signed agreements with private law firms to help with lawsuits against major energy corporations. These contracts, known as contingency-fee agreements, reward law firms with a percentage of the payout if the parties reach a settlement—but do not require substantial up-front payments from local governments.
These agreements create incentives for activist law firms and Democratic prosecutors to collaborate on litigation against American energy companies in pursuit of hefty settlements. Prospective settlements could vary in size, ranging from tens of millions of dollars to billions, depending on how the…
