The September 11 attacks profoundly altered the way America goes about dealing with calamity. Within 10 days of the disaster, the United States Congress established the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund to assist the crippled airline industry and individual victims who, as a result of the attacks, suffered economic and non-economic losses. By its very nature, the fund has challenged previous notions of the role of government in victim recovery.

Kenneth Feinberg, who serves as special master of the fund, will give his assessment of how it impacts the law and society when he speaks at the DePaul University College of Law’s Clifford Symposium on Tort Law. “The September 11th Compensation Fund and the Future of Civil Justice” is a two-day event that will begin at 9:30 a.m. April 24 and at 8:45 a.m. April 25 at the DePaul Center, 1 E. Jackson Blvd., Room 8005. The event is free and open to the public. Feinberg will speak at 10:15 a.m. April 24. His address will touch on some of the challenges he faces as he works to translate a novel legislative initiative into an effective and fair government program.

In offering compensation to September 11 victims, the fund encouraged them not to sue the financially taxed airlines. This move marks a unique intervention of government in what would ordinarily be private litigation. In his discussion, Feinberg highlight some of the challenges this has posed with regard to pre-existing tort law, rules governing insurance and traditions regarding charitable relief.

A panel of more than 20 distinguished lawyers and scholars from around the country also will make presentations during the conference. They will explore such topics as the historical background of the present compensation effort, its success, how it will impact the future of civil justice and some of the practical problems it appears to pose.

“The fund could have a lasting impact on the way victims of major disasters are compensated,” said Stephen Landsman, a DePaul’s professor who holds the Robert A. Clifford Tort Law Chair in Tort Law and Social Policy. “This conference will look at the fund’s current impact on the law and the ways it will change the law in the future.

Each year, the Clifford Symposium explores a critical tort law issue. Past conferences have looked at such subjects as the American jury system, civil litigation and popular culture and the tobacco wars.

For more details about the conference or to reserve a space, call 312/362-5992.