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CONNECTICUT MOVERS JULY 27, 2020 ¦ 3

Virtual Expansion at Tort Law Museum;
Hartford Firm Joins Antiracism Alliance

By Michael Marciano

Tort Law Museum Expanding Online
Ralph Nader’s Winsted, Connecticut-based
American Museum of Tort Law, the first museum
of its kind in the nation, has turned the COVID-19
pandemic and associated social distancing into an
opportunity to enhance its online presence with a
new virtual tour and expanded video presentations.
Museum Director Richard Newman said this
week that he has conducted a number of new inter-
views with legal experts discussing a range of topics
related to tort law. Video recordings of the talks are
being actively posted on the museum’s website. Exhibit at the American Museum of Tort Law in Winsted,

Among the featured thought leaders is Northeast- Connecticut.

ern University’s Deborah Ramirez, who proposes According to the organization’s charter, “recent
that an effective answer to police violence against events have affirmed and highlighted the need and
citizens would be requiring officers to maintain in- responsibility for law firms to do more in partner-
dividual liability insurance. Increased policy rates ship with legal services organizations to identify and
for officers who incur bad records would be a disin- dismantle structural or systemic racism in the law.”
centive to mistreating civilians. Launched in June, the LFAA recognizes that the
Additional programs in the works include a collaborative efforts have the potential to create
comparison between tort law and Sharia law and a deeper and more lasting change than do firms acting
presentation on the dangers of contaminated drink- independently. The alliance’s objective is to “leverage
ing water. “We can add infinite content,” Newman the resources of the private bar in partnership with
said, “and we are getting permission to put some of legal services organizations to amplify the voices of
the legal opinions online. There will be new cases communities and individuals oppressed by racism,”
in areas such as police violence, sexual assault, per- and to use the law to assist communities of color and
sonal privacy and facial recognition.” promote racial equity.
Newman said a three-dimensional tour of the “Robinson & Cole is proud to participate in the
museum will soon be available, giving online visi- LFAA,” said Stephen E. Goldman, managing partner.
tors access to the tort law museum’s actual exhibits “We look forward to participating in this coordinat-
covering dangerous products, the famous Nader vs. ed effort to promote inclusion and challenge racial
General Motors case and a range of other historic, and social injustice.”
precedent-setting rulings. Law firm Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom is
keeping a running list of law firms participating in
the alliance.
Robinson & Cole Joins Antiracism Alliance ¦
Robinson & Cole is one of more than 225 firms
that have joined the recently established Law Firm Michael Marciano is bureau chief of the Con-
Antiracism Alliance, (LFAA), an organization that necticut Law Tribune. He can be reached at
is coordinating large-scale, pro bono projects to ad- [email protected] or call 646-957-3022. On
dress systemic racism. Twitter: @BreakingCTLaw

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