Following 16 months of litigation, and a grant of interlocutory review by the Alaska Supreme Court, a proposed settlement agreement resolving derivative claims against a major corporation was submitted to the superior court in Anchorage and received preliminary approval.
The firm took on representation of Renewable Resources Coalition in litigation arising out of RRC's efforts to place an initiative before Alaska voters ensuring that clean water standards are met by large scale mines in Alaska. The initiative was prompted by plans to develop Pebble Mine, which would be one of the largest mining operations in North America, adjacent to Bristol Bay, which supports the largest run of wild salmon in the world.
Ten years of litigation were brought to a close with the Alaska Suprme Court's decision in Murtagh v. State, a pro bono case which FELDMAN ORLANSKY & SANDERS challenged the constitutionality of Alaska statutes that restricted the investigation rights of defendants, and their counsel and investigators, in criminal cases. The firm prevailed at trial and on appeal, and substantial portions of the law were deemed unconcstitutional.
The Alaska Supreme Court issued its decision, striking down the state's law requiring parental consent for performance of an abortion on a minor. This was the third (and final) appellate proceeding in a pro bono case that the firm had litigated for a decade.
The firm resolved products liability and breach of contract claims asserted against Oracle Corporation, with the federal distrctic court in Anchorage granting Oracle's motion to dismiss.
The firm resolved a complex medical malpractice claim brought against Alaska's largest health care provider. The claim arose out of the death of a 56-year old lawyer following knee replacement surgery.
The firm obtained a ruling from the Alaska Public Offices Commission on behalf of the Alaska Democratic Party enjoining illegal campaign activity by a group in connection with Alaska's gubernatorial campaign. The Commission thereafter imposed one of the largest fines in Alaska's history on the group for its campaign activities.
The firm recovered $3.15 million for a 52-year old woman who was seriously injured in an automobile accident near Soldotna, Alaska. The client had a pre-existing disability and made no claim for lost income; the damages claim focused primarily on her need for medical services and attendant care in the future. The firm also recovered $500,000 for another passenger in the automobile.
FELDMAN ORLANSKY & SANDERS, in association with the firm of SULLIVAN & CROMWELL, undertakes the defense of a shareholder derivative suit filed in Alaska against a major energy corporation.
The firm resolved a personal injury claim on behalf of a teenage girl who sustained catastrophic injuries in a motor vehicle accident. The driver had the minimum insurance permitted by Alaska law, $50,000. But, because the driver's insurance policy lacked a valid endorsement limiting attorney fees under Alaska's Civil Rule 82, FELDMAN ORLANSKY & SANDERS successfully argued that the insurance policy's limits were approximately $2 million. The claim was settled for that amount. Claims against other liable parties are being pursued on behalf of the plaintiff and her family.
FELDMAN ORLANSKY & SANDERS, in association with the firm of ARNOLD & PORTER, successfully obtains dismissal of an antitrust case brought in connection with development of Alaska's North Slope natural gas reserves. The case is now before the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
FELDMAN ORLANSKY & SANDERS, in association with the firm of VINSON & ELKINS, undertakes the representation of a major oil company in connection with investigations by the U.S. Departments of Justice and Transportation, the Environmental Protection Agency, the State of Alaska Department of Law, and the U.S. Congress arising out of an oil spill on Alaska's North Slope.
Representing the Alaska Aerospace Development Corporation, the firm negotiated a $20 million contract for fibre-optic connections to the state rocket-launch site on Kodiak Island. The project also will link Kodiak and Kenai Peninsula communities to fibre optic lines elsewhere in Alaska and the continental United States.
FELDMAN ORLANSKY & SANDERS was retained by the State of Alaska to pursue claims against a major pharmaceutical manufacturer for harm sustained by Alaska Medicaid beneficiaries as a result of a defective drug.
FELDMAN ORLANSKY & SANDERS, in association with the firm of ARNOLD & PORTER, undertakes the defense of a major oil company in an antitrust case brought in connection with development of Alaska's North Slope natural gas reserves.
The firm, with co-counsel, recovered $2.25 million in an abritration proceding on behalf of a college student who was injured in an automobile accident in 2001.
FELDMAN ORLANSKY & SANDERS received the Alaska Civil Liberties Union’s award as Civil Libertarians of the Year. This is the sixth time that the firm’s members have received recognition for their pro bono and public service efforts.
Representing an Alaska North Slope oil producer, the firm obtained a dismissal of challenges brought by Greenpeace to an oil spill prevention and clean-up plan.
After several years of litigation against an Alaska air carrier and an aircraft manufacturer, FELDMAN ORLANSKY & SANDERS obtained a substantial settlement on behalf of the husband and children of an Alaska Native woman who died as a result of an aircraft accident in Dillingham, Alaska.
The firm resolved claims of trespass and breach of lease brought against a Dutch Harbor, Alaska business by Alaska Native allotment holders. With the assistance of Early Neutral Evaluation by Senior U.S. District Court Judge H. Russel Holland, the firm was able to obtain a global resolution of related claims that had been pending in federal and state courts and before the Interior Board of Indian Appeals.
FELDMAN ORLANSKY & SANDERS defended Providence Alaska Medical Center, Alaska’s largest health care provider, in a medical malpractice case arising out of the death of a young boy from a rare case of Epstein-Barr virus encephalitis. The matter was resolved and the case against the hospital dismissed shortly before trial.
Following a two-week trial, the firm won a ruling on behalf of criminal defense attorneys and investigators who challenged the constitutionality of state statutes that restrict defense investigative efforts in criminal cases.
On the eve of a six-week trial, the firm resolved claims brought against Alaska Communications Systems in a consumer class action case involving 23,000 long distance customers.
FELDMAN ORLANSKY & SANDERS successfully represented one of Alaska’s largest commercial property owners, Carr-Gottstein Properties, in a lease dispute with its largest tenant, Safeway. In a bifurcated trial, the firm first obtained a determination from the trial judge that Safeway had breached its lease, and, in a subsequent jury trial, obtained an award of damages.
In trial court proceedings and an appeal to the Alaska Supreme Court, FELDMAN ORLANSKY & SANDERS successfully represented a group of state legislators who challenged a decision by Alaska’s Lieutenant Governor to remove from the general election ballot an initiative that proposed to alter the way in which vacancies in United States Senate seats are filled in Alaska. After obtaining a reversal of the Lieutenant Governor’s decison, the initiative was placed on the ballot and approved by the voters in the November 2004 election.
The firm represented a major oil company in proceedings before the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission arising out of a well explosion on Alaska’s North Slope.
Firm members Jeff Feldman and Susan Orlansky traveled to Beaumont, Texas, to represent death row inmate Elroy Chester pro bono, challenging his capital sentence on the ground that Mr. Chester is mentally retarded and cannot lawfully be executed. Following a bench trial, the court ruled that Mr. Chester is not mentally retarded; the firm continues to represent Mr. Chester in his appeal to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.
Following a three-week trial, FELDMAN ORLANSKY & SANDERS obtained a defense verdict on claims of breach of contract, misrepresentation, and breach of good faith and fair dealing brought against DaimlerChrysler by a local automobile dealer.
After a four-month trial, FELDMAN ORLANSKY & SANDERS obtained a defense verdict on behalf of Trident Seafoods, Alaska’s largest seafood processor, in a $2 billion antitrust class action case brought against American and Japanese salmon processors and importers.