Columbia partner John Kuppens has been named Secretary-Treasurer of Lawyers for Civil Justice (LCJ). Kuppens will serve a one-year term as Secretary Treasurer, followed by one-year terms as Vice President, President-Elect, and President. LCJ is a national trade organization comprised of defense trial lawyer organizations, law firms and corporations, formed to promote excellence and fairness in the civil justice system to secure the just, speedy, and inexpensive determination of civil cases. LCJ focuses particular attention on the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and how those rules impact civil litigation and has advocated for reforms of MDLs, expert evidence, and corporate deposition procedures.

For Kuppens, serving in a leadership role for LCJ is a natural fit. From 2017 to 2018, Kuppens was President of DRI - The Voice of the Defense Bar, one of LCJ's partner organizations. He also served on the board of the South Carolina Defense Trial Attorneys' Association, and is a member of the International Association of Defense Counsel, the Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel, and the International Consumer Product Health & Safety Organization. Kuppens regularly writes and speaks on issue related to product liability, consumer products regulations, and the justice system.

To learn more about LCJ, please visit www.lfcj.com and www.rules4MDLs.com.