What happened: Law firms across the country collected millions in forgiven taxpayer-funded Paycheck Protection Program loans during the COVID-19 pandemic—funds primarily intended to keep small businesses afloat during the public health emergency. Soon after, some of the nation’s largest personal injury firms started spending big on billboards, campaign contributions and luxury perks, raising ethical questions about the intended use of the relief funds.

By the numbers: 

• During the pandemic and just after it, legal advertising spending surged across the country from roughly $1.89 billion in 2020 to over $2.35 billion by 2022.
• In the 2020 election cycle, according to OpenSecrets.org, Morgan & Morgan was responsible for $2,632,578 in campaign donations primarily to Democratic candidates. That was up from $651,179 in 2018 and up from $1,595,742 in the 2016 presidential cycle.
• In 2023, Las Vegas attorney Steven Dimopoulos posted a video on Instagram of him eating caviar and drinking from a bottle of Louis XIII Cognac, which retails for more than $5,000 a bottle, with the caption “another day, another 900k.” The Dimopoulos Law firm had its nearly $400,000 PPP loan forgiven in 2021. 

TLR Thoughts: This pattern shows once again how certain personal injury trial lawyers exploit loopholes and take advantage of the system for their own personal and political gain. TLR will continue advocating for reforms that serve hardworking Texas families—not the plaintiffs’ bar’s pocketbook.

Read the full article here.

What happened: President Donald Trump’s second-term agenda is facing an aggressive campaign of “lawfare” from Democrat-aligned, activist attorneys who are working to block key reforms in the courts—all while collecting oversized legal fees.

Tell me more: Most recently, trial lawyers’ deliberate weaponization of the law has come for an Executive Order (EO) signed by President Trump back in August. The EO, which aims to democratize access to alternative assets in 401(k) plans, would greatly benefit everyday Americans who save for retirement through traditional 401(k) plans. 

• Trial lawyers, however, are already plotting against this meaningful reform in an effort to extract multimillion dollar settlements. A prominent plaintiffs’ lawyer stated recently to Bloomberg Law: “I would joke and say that I hope employers add alternative investments, because I have some kids I need to put through college.”

TLR Thoughts: The plaintiffs’ bar’s well-coordinated effort threatens to undermine President Trump’s conservative, policy revolution—which is squarely focused on delivering for the working women and men whose interests have been long ignored. In Texas, TLR will continue to advocate for commonsense reforms that stop lawsuit abuse from being used as a political weapon, and which protect Trump’s consumer-first agenda.

Read the full article here.

What happened: Banks and financial institutions are rapidly expanding their presence in Texas, attracted by low taxes, business-friendly regulations and a lower cost of living.

Tell me more: Financial firms are building large campuses, regional offices and headquarters in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, bringing thousands of jobs and modern amenities to the region.

• This growth reflects a broader trend of major financial institutions moving operations away from traditional hubs like New York and Chicago.

TLR Thoughts: Texas’s growing financial sector shows how states can attract investment by fostering a competitive, business-friendly environment. During the 2025 Texas Legislative Session, Governor Greg Abbott signed into law a series of pro-growth business legislation aimed at keeping Texas the reining and repeating champion for doing business in the US. Among the meaningful reforms enacted was TLR-supported Senate Bill 29, which ensures that Texas courts will not second-guess corporate boards and limits the ability of lawyers to pursue abusive shareholder derivative actions.

Read the full article here.

What happened: Less than a year after being labeled a “Judicial Hellhole,” Georgia has earned recognition as a “Tort Reform Trailblazer” following the passage of major lawsuit reforms.

Tell me more: Signed into law by Georgia Governor Brian Kemp (R), Georgia Senate Bills (SB) 68 and 69 clamped down on abusive litigation practices and established disclosure requirements for third-party litigation funding. 

• Specifically, SB 68 restricted “phantom damages” and jury anchoring—so that plaintiffs’ attorneys can no longer suggest arbitrary, excessive medical damage amounts.
• SB 69 establishes comprehensive regulations for third-party litigation funding, increases transparency and bans foreign influence in Georgia’s courts.

In his own words: “Gov. Kemp exhibited bold leadership this year by working with lawmakers to tackle abusive litigation practices and increase transparency. Georgia is sending a clear message that it is open for business and committed to protecting both its citizens and job creators.” — Tiger Joyce, President of the American Tort Reform Association

TLR Thoughts: Georgia’s reforms highlight how quickly meaningful change can restore balance to the civil justice system. TLR will continue advocating for reforms in Texas that rein in lawsuit abuse and prioritize Texas families and the job creators—the backbone of the Lone Star State.

Read the full article here.

What happened: The number of U.S. public companies has fallen by roughly 50% over the past 30 years as many fast-growing businesses choose to remain private instead of going public. The culprit: public company governance.

Tell me more: Public company governance refers to a system in which many different groups—all pursuing their own agendas—issue a discordant set of advisory opinions, rules, norms and regulations for how a company should be managed. These groups are outsiders who have only a passing acquaintance with the public company’s operations, yet they are interfering with managers’ decision making. 

Worth noting: Hundreds of empirical studies have found that the explosion of rules, regulations, legislation and voting policies have been ineffective or even counterproductive. Notably, the installation of independent directors on boards has not increased corporate performance.  

TLR Thoughts: Overregulation and misguided governance practices are steering companies away from public markets, limiting opportunity and stifling for everyday investors.

TLR will continue to advocate for legislation that ensures that managerial and other company leadership decisions are given their due deference. During the most recent Texas legislative session, TLR supported SB 29, which guarantees that board decisions are not second-guessed by Texas courts by 1) codifying the business judgment rule and 2) allowing corporations to establish a minimum ownership threshold as a prerequisite to bringing a shareholder derivative lawsuit. SB 29 is fighting back against the growth of public company governance by empowering companies to run themselves. 

TLR will continue advocating for commonsense reforms that make Texas the best place in the nation to run a business. 

Read the full article here.

What happened: September 1 marked one year since the launch of the Texas Business Court. In total, 10 business court judges saw 185 cases filed and issued 42 opinions. 

Remind me: The Texas Business Court was created to streamline high-dollar, complex business-to-business cases and to reduce backlogs in state district courts. 

In his words: “I think the judges have shown that they’re going to follow the statute to a T, and therefore they’re predictable. They’re going to follow Texas Supreme Court authority. They’re going to act fairly quickly especially given the size of the dockets they currently have.” – Jared Wilkerson of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius.

TLR Thoughts: TLR helped spearhead the effort to create the first-of-its-kind specialized business court in Texas, and the result has been a resounding success. During the recent 2025 Texas Legislative Session, TLR advocated for two bipartisan pieces of legislation to further enhance the Texas Business Court and to enhance Texas’s corporate governance laws, respectively. The TLR-supported bills, House Bill 40 and Senate Bill 29, collectively are helping to position the Lone Star State as the preeminent jurisdiction for relocation and reincorporations.

Read the full article here.

What happened: Responsible for transporting over 70% of all domestic freight tonnage, the trucking industry is the backbone of the nation’s supply chain. Unfortunately, trucking companies are facing a surge in litigation – which threatens the viability of the industry and the broader economy.

By the numbers: According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform …

• there was a total verdict value of over $5.5 billion in trucking nuclear verdicts between 2013 and 2022, before any appeals or reductions.
• the average plaintiffs’ award in trucking litigation exceeded $27 million from June 2020 to April 2023.
• trucking cases resulting in verdicts over $1 million increased by 235% when comparing the 2005–2011 to 2012–2019 periods.
  

TLR Thoughts: Excessive litigation and nuclear verdicts are threatening the trucking industry and the economy it supports. TLR will continue to advocate for common-sense reforms that curb the frequency of disproportionate jury awards while protecting the rights of injured Texans.

Read the full article here.

What happened: In 2023, Florida enacted a series of reforms targeting runaway attorney fees and the exploitative claims practices turning courtrooms into casinos. Now, the Sunshine State is reaping the benefits. 

By the numbers: Florida’s five largest auto insurers, which collectively cover nearly 80% of the market, are cutting premiums by an average of 6.5% this year. Before these reforms, premiums had been skyrocketing by up to 30% in a single year.

Worth noting: Reforming an out-of-control legal environment is not just about insurance or the “tort tax” that is baked into virtually every good and service Americans buy. Predatory litigation not only primes the court system to reward volume lawsuits, but it also threatens the spaces where communities live and play.

• One Pennsylvania town closed all of its playgrounds last year because of its insurance company’s fear of potential lawsuits. Other cities are following suit—shutting down sledding hills on public property and closing public pools because the cost of defending a single lawsuit could sink a city budget.

TLR Thoughts: Florida’s tangible success in the tort reform space proves that there is a way to stop the madness. Clamping down on predatory legal practices is vital to keeping courts fair and helping ensure that resources go to city infrastructure and families—not trial lawyers’ pockets.

Read the full article here.

​​What happened: A recent filing with the Arizona Supreme Court revealed that a company linked to a major investment firm acquired a 20% stake in personal injury law firm Esquire Law, signaling Wall Street’s growing influence in the legal market. 

Tell me more: Billboard lawyers are exploiting Arizona’s permissive rules to scale their firms like businesses, increasing advertising, case volume and profit potential.

• One billboard lawyer predicted that law firms will be publicly traded in the next 5 to 10 years. 

TLR Thoughts: Arizona’s approach shows the risk of letting Wall Street and outside investors profit from personal injury law unchecked. Without transparency and reform, this model could normalize lawsuit abuse, incentivize unnecessary treatments and put consumers at financial risk—making it critical for states like Texas to strengthen protections against predatory legal practices.

Read the full article here.

What happened: In August, President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order directing the Department of Labor to provide regulatory safeguards that would allow private sector employers to offer 401(k) plans with expanded investment options for employees. This will ultimately give some 90 million Americans access to higher-return alternatives historically reserved for public pension funds and the wealthy. 

Tell me more: Trump’s Executive Order could increase lifetime retirement income by thousands of dollars annually, while also boosting U.S. GDP by an estimated $35 billion.

Worth noting: Democrat-aligned trial attorneys remain a major obstacle, filing frivolous class action lawsuits against employers who try to innovate in retirement plan design. These lawsuits have created a climate of fear that discourages businesses from offering diversified, high-return portfolios to their employees. 

• The Department of Labor may issue a formal rulemaking to address this predatory behavior.

TLR Thoughts: Expanding 401(k) access to alternative investments is a smart move for working Americans, but protecting small businesses from abusive litigation remains critical. Without legal safeguards, trial lawyers will continue to enrich themselves while retirees get peanuts.

Read the full article here.

What happened: Governor Greg Abbott rang the Closing Bell at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) to celebrate the launch of NYSE Texas in Arlington.

In his own words: “With Texas’s tremendous business success, we have NYSE coming here, growing here, and putting deeper roots in the state of Texas. This is the home of the economy, and it is going to be the home of financial exchanges going forward.” — Gov. Greg Abbott

TLR Thoughts: The launch of NYSE Texas highlights the state’s continued economic growth and leadership in job creation. Pro-business reforms, such as Senate Bill 29 and House Bill 40, have positioned Texas as the premier destination for investment, innovation and growth.

Read the full article here.

What Happened: Trial attorneys are modernizing their marketing tactics to reach the next generation, transforming their flashy billboard advertising into TikTok reels, podcasts and other social media content. 

Remind me: Trial attorneys have long used traditional television and billboard advertising to entice potential clients. Now, they are proactively ingratiating themselves with younger audiences through social media and other modern platforms to ensure a steady pipeline of future clients.

In their own words: “When we’re going after someone who’s in high school listening to a podcast on the way to school, that person might not be a client of ours until 20 years later. It’s really about planting seeds and making sure people know about us. The next generation is crucial.” — Daniel Morgan, managing partner at Morgan & Morgan

TLR Thoughts: Trial attorneys have always crowded the airwaves—now they’re emerging on our phone screens too. Be a smart legal consumer. Next time you see a billboard attorney on TikTok, be sure to do your homework before hiring.

Read the full article here.