Indiana Law Review


Indiana JLa'w Revieiiv
Volume 10 1977 Number 4

SYMPOSIUM
1977 PRODUCTS LIABILITY INSTITUTE

Introduction

On March 11 and 12, 1977, the Indiana Continuing Legal Educa-
tion Forum, in cooperation with the Indiana State Bar Association

and the Indiana University School of Law — Indianapolis, presented a
Products Liability Institute in Indianapolis. The speakers at the In-
stitute were nationally-known practitioners and academicians, and
the topics discussed were areas of products liability law which are

of interest to scholars and practitioners alike because of their

timeliness and controversial nature. The Staff of the Indiana Law
Review is pleased to present this Symposium, comprised of articles
by participants at that Institute.

John F. Vargo, an attorney from Indianapolis, was the chairman
of the Institute and has contributed an article to this Symposium on
the subject of the standard for strict tort liability in Indiana. Pro-

fessor Thomas F. Lambert, Jr., who is the Editor-in-Chief of the
American Trial Lawyers Association Newsletter and teaches at Suf-
folk University Law School, gave an insightful overview of the sub-
ject for the participants. The next speaker, Dean Aaron Twerski,
has contributed an article to this Symposium on the same subject as
his presentation at the Institute: comparative negligence. Professor

David Owen discussed the implications to products liability actions
of a highly blameworthy manufacturer, and his article on the same
subject appears in this Symposium.

Professor Clifford Davis' topic was settlements in multiple-
defendant situations. His Symposium article expands on that topic
and discusses contribution and indemnity along with the settlement

issues. Professor Victor E. Schwartz, who teaches at the University
of Cincinnati College of Law, gave a briefing report of the In-
teragency Task Force on Product Liability, of which he is a member.
Professor Jerry J. Phillips, who teaches at the University of Ten-
nessee College of Law and is the Dean Emeritus at that shcool, com-
pared negligence and strict tort liability. He was unable to contribute
an article to this Symposium but has recently published an article in



754 INDIANA LAW REVIEW [Vol. 10:773

another law reivew, The Standard for Determining Defectiveness in

Product Liability.^ Professor Laurence H. Eldredge of the Universi-

ty of California, Hastings College of Law, contributed an enlighten-

ing review of the history of the Restatement of Torts in his presen-
tation at the Institute. The final speaker at the Institute was Dean
John W. Wade. His wrap-up has been adapted as the introductory
article in this Symposium.

The Review is grateful to the sponsors of the Institute for the
opportunity to publish the articles in this Symposium, and to the

authors for their time and cooperation.

^46 U. CiN. L. Rev. 101 (1977).