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Paul McInnes Attorney to Give Discussion on Syngenta GMO Corn Litigation at American Association for Justice Conference
[January 26, 2015]

Paul McInnes Attorney to Give Discussion on Syngenta GMO Corn Litigation at American Association for Justice Conference


On February 24, 2015, Paul McInnes LLP founder and managing partner, Richard M. Paul III, will present the status of litigation by U.S. corn producers and exporters against Syngenta AG (NYSE: SYT) to members of the American Association for Justice (AAJ), including the status of MDL 2591, the Multidistrict Litigation formed by U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation on December 17, 2014. MDL 2591 consolidates more than 200 pending civil actions by U.S. corn producers and exporters against Syngenta in connection with Syngenta's alleged premature release of its genetically modified - MIR 162 (Viptera) - corn seed that allegedly caused China to ban all U.S. corn imports in February 2014 (Syngenta Litigation) and caused a drastic drop in corn prices.

"This litigation raises the critical public-policy question of when an agricultural-biotechnology company can responsibly release into the stream of commerce a new genetically-modified seed," said Mr. Paul. "Syngenta's decisionto release its Viptera - seed before China and other U.S. trade partners approved the seed for import was unreasonable. U.S. corn producers harvested more than 87 million crop acres of corn in 2013, and Syngenta's decision impacted those producers and exporters. According to the National Grain and Feed Association and North American Export Grain Association, Syngenta's decision has already cost the U.S. grain industry between $1 billion and 2.9 billion."



Mr. Paul noted, "It is my hope and expectation that this litigation will culminate in a black-letter, industry standard regarding when an ag-biotechnology company may responsibly release a new genetically-modified seed."

About Paul McInnes LLP: Paul McInnes currently represents corn producers in Arkansas, Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska. Mr. Paul is a recognized expert in the Syngenta Litigation and MDL 2591, and he has been meeting with corn producers throughout the Midwest in 2014-15 to answer their questions regarding the Syngenta Litigation and MDL 2591. Paul McInnes is a national law firm that concentrates on commercial, contingent-fee litigation. The firm is located in Kansas City, Missouri.


About MDL 2591: MDL 2591 is pending before the Honorable John W. Lungstrum, U.S. District Court judge in the Distract of Kansas.

About AAJ: The American Association for Justice, formerly the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, is the world's largest trial bar with more than 50,000 members. The mission of the American Association for Justice is to promote a fair and effective justice system and to support the work of attorneys in their efforts to ensure that any person who is injured by the misconduct or negligence of others can obtain justice in America's courtrooms, even when taking on the most powerful interests.


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