Getting the gnomes of Zurich to cough up; lawyers pursuing Holocaust wealth face huge evidentiary obstacles, but they're unfazed

Article Abstract:

Two class actions have been filed in US federal court against the Swiss Bankers Ass'n seeking damages for Holocaust survivors who contend that their families secreted assets in Swiss banks before the Hitler takeover in Germany and that Switzerland failed to return these assets. The matter is complicated by Switzerland's Bank Secrecy Act, which it modified in 1987 to enable the country to cooperate with law enforcement. Switzerland thought the Holocaust matter was resolved in 1962 when it passed a law ordering its banks to identify Holocaust victims among its depositors and return their assets.

Switzerland, War crimes, Confidential communications, Bank secrecy, international

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Human rights crusader; Philly lawyer wins billions suing Marcos, Swiss banks

Article Abstract:

Robert A. Swift is lead attorney in three human rights class actions, including the collection phase of the Ferdinand Marcos case and the case pitting Holocaust victims against the Swiss banks who allegedly kept their assets. The Marcos case led naturally to representing the Holocaust victims as much of Marcos' fortune is in Swiss bank accounts. Swift established a human rights data base while pursuing the Marcos case which is available to all groups doing research on human rights violations in the Philippines.

Human rights, Swift, Robert A.

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When lawyers hire consultants, complaints sound oddly familiar

Article Abstract:

Lawyers' complaints about technology consultants include use of jargon, inability to stick to a budget, and billing by the hour giving the incentive to prolong projects. The professions resemble each other in that lawyers and technology consultants are both called when there is a problem, and a principal part of their job is the description of possible solutions. However, clients of both profesions complain that nobody can understand the jargon used.

Law firms, Business consultants, Management consultants

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