R. R. Standel, Jr. to Herbert M. Ball on the Members of the Asbestosis Defense Task Force (1968)

A three-page memo, marked confidential and privileged, of August 2, 1968, from R. R. Standel, Jr., of Johns-Manville's legal department to Herbert Morton Ball, the general counsel, describing the proposed "Asbestosis Defense Task Force." It would have five members: an experienced federal trial lawyer with a background in lung disease cases, a recognized medical expert on asbestosis, a person who knew J-M's and the industry's environmental control efforts, someone from J-M's Insulation Division, and a J-M lawyer as coordinator. Standel names candidates: Dr. George Wright as medical expert, C. L. Sheckler as "our overall asbestos expert," R. A. Stapleton for the Insulation Division, and himself as coordinator.

What it shows

The task force would meet with local defense lawyers to educate and guide them, and gather "the names of witnesses, expert or otherwise, best suited to testify on our behalf." For the Tomplait case Standel suggests John G. Tucker of Beaumont to help Gordon Pate, and he recommends working with "other manufacturers in the industry who also are defendants in these cases." He judges the cost "hardly substantial in terms of our potential overall exposure." It follows his July 25 memo and drew Dr. Wright's comments of August 20.

In Johns-Manville's chronology

Johns-Manville's own chronology of what the company knew describes this document as follows:

Memorandum to Herbert Morton Ball from R.R. Standel dated 8/2/68, re Asbestosis Defense Task Force, recommends five positions necessary for the asbestosis defense task force: (1) a highly competent and experienced federal trial lawyer; (2) a qualified and recognized medical expert on the disease of asbestosis; (3) a person with extensive knowledge of the environmental control efforts of Manville; (4) a person from Manville's installation division; and (5) a member of the J-M legal department to act as liaison and coordinator.

Editor's note: J-M's description says the fourth member would come from Manville's installation division. The memo says "our Insulation Division."

Related documents

• R. R. Standel, Jr. to Herbert M. Ball on Common Law Asbestosis Claims and the Tomplait Case (1968)