Area lawyers selected for BP lawsuits

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - The judge overseeing lawsuits filed against BP PLC has appointed two local attorneys to a committee steering the cases.

Mobile attorney Robert Cunningham, a senior partner at Cunningham Bounds, LLC, and Pensacola attorney Brian Barr are two of only fifteen attorneys appointed to the Plaintiffs' Steering Committee by Judge Carl J. Barbier.

The committee will manage, direct and control all of the cases filed against companies following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Hundreds of cases against BP and other defendants have been filed in courts across the United States. These cases include claims for wrongful death, personal injury, property damage, loss of income, environmental degradation and loss of tax revenue.

When this many cases are filed against the same defendants and all of the cases arise from the same incident, it's common for the court system to consolidate the cases through a process called multi-district litigation.

“I am humbled to have been selected as a member of the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee. I am grateful for this unique opportunity to help those who have suffered so terribly as a result of the oil spill. I understand the magnitude of the responsibility that I now have and I will do everything possible to ensure the best outcome on behalf of all the plaintiffs in this litigation,” said Cunningham.

The other attorneys selected include: Rhon Jones of Montgomery, Jeffrey Breit of Norfolk, Virginia, Elizabeth Cabrasar of San Francisco, Philip Cossich of Belle Chasse, Louisiana, Alphonso Espy of Jackson, Mississippi, Calvin Fayard of Denham Springs, Louisiana, Ervin Gonzalez of Coral Gables, Florida, Robin Greenwald of New York, Matthew Lundy of Lake Charles, Louisiana, Michael Palmintier of Baton Rouge, Pail Sterbcow of New Orleans, Scott Summy of Dallas and Mikal Watts of Houston.

More than 100 attorneys throughout the United States applied to serve on the committee.