The Judicial Conference Advisory Committee on Civil Rules has convened to review proposed changes to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 30(b)(6), the first major changes since the rule was first adopted in the early 1970s. The changes relate to pretrial identification and review of individuals designated by corporations to testify on the corporation’s behalf in civil lawsuits. The current amendment would require litigants to meet and confer about “the number and description of the matters for examination and the identity of each person the organization will designate to testify.” As detailed by AmLaw Litigation Daily, the plaintiffs bar is generally in favor of the change, though as the publication notes there are some plaintiff-side objections “to the call to limit the number of topics that can be covered.”

Lieff Cabraser Nashville Managing Partner Mark Chalos was among the attorneys on both sides that presented written comments on the proposed changes to the Advisory Committee, noting therein that revealing the witness identities ahead of testimony in depositions “promotes efficiency and is consistent with the letter and spirit of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.” But Mark also observed that placing limits on covered topics “is unnecessary, would potentially lead to inefficiencies, and would be unfair.”

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