But what has happened to them since our film ended?

Just lie Melvyn “Mel” Weiss, Bill Lerach was a partner in the firm Milberg Weiss, which made their reputation filing securities class action lawsuits against some of Wall Street’s biggest companies. Lerach left Milberg Weiss in 2004 to help form the San Diego-based firm Coughlin Stoia Geller Rudman and Robbins.  Lerach left the firm in August of 2007.

Lerach was indicted and eventually pled guilty to one felony count of conspiracy to commit obstruction of justice and making false declarations under oath related to his involvement in the Milberg Weiss kickback scheme. He was sentenced to two years in federal prison, two years probation, fined $250,000, and ordered to complete 1,000 hours of community service on February 11th, 2008.

After his incarceration at the Federal Correctional Facility in Stafford, Arizona, Lerach was released to a halfway house in San Diego, before serving the final two-and-a-half months in home confinement.

Lerach’s license to practice law was suspended in December 2008, and he was disbarred by the California State Bar in March of 2009.

Interviewed by Bloomberg in 2011, Lerach commented that he had no regrets, stating, “I wouldn't change anything I did. I’m proud of my life and what we achieved for people.” He went on to characterize the illegal kickback scheme that led to his and Mel Weiss’ indictment and conviction as a “defect” in their work, adding, “We chose to lead a life in a certain way, at a certain level of confrontation, and in most respects it was enormously successful. But it had a defect in it that was exploited by people who were happy to go after us.”

Lerach is now a regular on the public speaking and lecture circuit. In 2010, he was hired at the University of California at Irvine to teach on the regulation of free market capitalism at the university’s law school.

But what has happened to them since our film ended?

Melvyn “Mel” Weiss and his firm, Milberg Weiss, made their reputation filing securities class action lawsuits against some of Wall Street’s biggest companies. On March 20th, 2008, Weiss pled guilty to making illegal client kickbacks in exchange for an 18- to 33-month prison sentence and fines and restitution of $10 million.

On June 2nd, 2008, Weiss was sentenced to 30 months in prison. He served half of his sentence at Morgantown, West Virginia’s minimum security Federal Correctional Institution, with the remainder served under home confinement. Since the end of his home confinement, Weiss has been on probation. He was scheduled to complete his three years of supervised release on February 5th, 2013.

In 2009, it was revealed that Weiss, along with fellow Milberg Weiss partner David Bershad, were customers of Bernie Madoff and among the many who were victims of Madoff’s multi-billion dollar Ponzi scheme.

In 2010, Weiss formed MIW Consulting, LLC, in Boca Raton, Florida, where he is available as a mediator or arbitrator in complex disputes.

In late December of 2012, Weiss had another run-in with the law. This time, Weiss was arrested on charges of driving under the influence during a traffic stop in Boynton Beach, Florida.

Weiss potentially faces more time in prison for violating the terms of his release, and was expected back in court on May 3rd, 2013.

• Ashland, Oregon (November 28) — Hosted by the Oregon Taxpayers Association
• Baton Rouge, Louisiana (November 28) - Hosted by the Pelican Institute for Public Policy
• San Antonio, Texas  (November 27) — Hosted by the Alamo Pachyderm Club
• Dallas, Texas (November 27) — Hosted by the Greater Dallas Pachyderm Club

Here is a photo of the Dallas Pachyderm Club screening:

 

Here is a photo of the screening hosted by the Alamo Pachyderm Club:

 

Check out our events section for more upcoming screenings in InJustice, including programs in Austin, TX, and Minneapolis, MN!

 

• "Documentary About Legal System Has Screening in Charleston" (WV Record) 
• "Movie Focuses on Class Actions" (Charleston Daily Mail) 

Greed. Corruption. Political Intrigue.

In this first-ever, feature-length film about the American legal system, InJustice showcases how the class action lawsuit, born from the Civil Rights Act of 1964, was skillfully managed by a small group of trial attorneys who manipulated legal rules, procedures — and even their own clients — to become an international enterprise that rivals the scope and profits of Fortune 500 corporations.

InJustice, the winner of the 2011 Peer Award for Best Documentary, takes a shockingly candid look-under-the-hood of the American legal machine. The film takes the viewer on an epic journey through the dark corridors of lawsuit scams and abuses, including: asbestos and silicosis litigation, the Fen-Phen diet scandal, the bizarre truth behind the mega-million dollar tobacco settlements, and the shakedown operations in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina."

Steve Forbes, chairman and editor in chief of Forbes Media, has called InJustice "riveting" and "fascinating" and says the film is a "revealing look under the hood of the American lawsuit industry."

You can own InJustice today by clicking here to purchase a download or DVD.

The new documentary "Injustice" reviews how trial lawyers maneuvered their way into millions and billions by scamming the judicial system via class action lawsuits. Stories are told as to how trial attorneys set up for huge fees, luring ill or fearful plaintiffs into filing suit after suit. Eventually, the scams were discovered and wiretapped conversations revealed evidence that sent three of the involved lawyers to federal prison. Still, the practice continues as more and more law firms get rich on suffering, trusting but sometimes naive, gullible victims. ...

If you're thinking of starting a business, becoming a doctor, lawyer or simply living in the state of Illinois for any length of time, "Injustice" is a film you should see. But be prepared - you'll come away angry, frustrated and bewildered. Despite all that, you'll be informed.

You can click here to read more from Illinois Review.

If you're in the Chicagoland area and missed the Homer/Lockport Tea Party screening of our film, you'll have another opportunity to see it on Wednesday, September 19th when we screen the film along with America's Future Foundation - Chicago and the Heartland Institute.  You can get all the details on that screening here.

"Riveting. Fascinating. A revealing look under the hood of the American lawsuit industry. Anything thinking of hiring a lawyer should see this movie”.
 

Thanks, Steve, for stopping by the booth!





 

"InJustice" spends less time (perhaps zero time) on civil litigation reform or policy, and instead draws attention to corruption and fraud perpetrated by specific individuals. Those on the tort reform side can promote the film, but that is something honest trial lawyers can support, too."

I did an additional interview with Brian yesterday. Keep an eye out for a follow-up column in the near future.