Leading Retail Association Launches First Ever Retail Litigation Center

ARLINGTON, Va., March 2 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) announced today the launch of a first-of-its-kind Retail Litigation Center (RLC) to give voice to the retail industry on relevant legal issues.

"The Retail Litigation Center will bring together the industry's most talented and respected legal professionals to identify and meaningfully engage in legal proceedings affecting the retail industry," said RILA President Sandy Kennedy. "With guidance from the RLC's Board of Directors and participation from diverse representatives of the retail community, the Center will focus on producing better outcomes in litigation affecting the retail industry."

The RLC will participate in both state and federal cases, principally at the appellate level, giving the retail industry an opportunity to weigh in on important legal issues and highlight for courts the importance and potential industry-wide consequences of the legal issues before them.

RILA has participated in litigation in the past, including its successful challenge to the health care spending mandates in Maryland (RILA v. Fielder, 475 F. 3d 180 (4th Cir. 2007)).

RLC membership will be open to all retailers, and will invite participation from other retail-focused entities as well, including law firms.

The Retail Litigation Center will be guided by its own Board of Directors, chaired by Janet Dhillon, executive vice president, general counsel & secretary for J.C. Penney Company, Inc.  Also serving on the RLC Board of Directors are:

• Timothy Baer, Executive Vice President & General Counsel, Target Corporation
• David Goldston, Senior Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary, Jo-Ann Stores, Inc.
• Susan Lanigan, Executive Vice President & General Counsel, Dollar General Corporation
• Samuel Reeves, Senior Vice President & General Counsel, Walmart US, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
• Michael Veitenheimer, Senior Vice President, Secretary & General Counsel, Michaels Stores, Inc.

"The creation of a retail litigation center is welcome news to the retail-law community.  We will all benefit tremendously from an organization dedicated to presenting the retail industry's perspective on important legal matters. I am thrilled to be a part of this first-of-its-kind organization and look forward to working with my colleagues on the center's board of directors, my peers across the retail industry and RILA to establish the Retail Litigation Center as a respected legal voice for our industry," said Janet Dhillon, executive vice president, general counsel & secretary for J.C. Penney Company, Inc. and chair of the RLC Board of Directors.

"Walmart is looking forward to working with the Retail Litigation Center and joining other retailers, large and small, in addressing critical legal issues that affect the industry and our customers," said Samuel Reeves, senior vice president & general counsel, Walmart US, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

"In today's dynamic business environment major policy decisions affecting our industry are made every day, not only in Washington D.C. and in state capitals, but also in courtrooms across America. There is a pressing need to lend an informed perspective to litigation affecting our retail industry. The Retail Litigation Center's ability to express the industry's perspective on meaningful legal matters is sure to benefit retailers across the spectrum," said Michael Veitenheimer, senior vice president, secretary & general counsel, Michaels Stores, Inc.

Beginning this year, the RLC will co-sponsor with RILA an annual conference that will bring industry leaders together to focus on the most important legal issues affecting retailers and how best to address them. With an emphasis on ethics and retail focused law issues, sessions at the RILA Law Conference will be designed to qualify for continuing legal education (CLE) credits and be tailored toward retail and consumer product general counsels, senior legal executives and retail corporate counsel at all levels. The conference will be held November 8-10 at that Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach Resort & Spa in Clearwater, Florida.

RILA is the trade association of the world's largest and most innovative retail companies. RILA members include more than 200 retailers, product manufacturers, and service suppliers, which together account for more than $1.5 trillion in annual sales, millions of American jobs and more than 100,000 stores, manufacturing facilities and distribution centers domestically and abroad.

SOURCE Retail Industry Leaders Association