Shades of Mass Summit Highlights Growing Representation Gap in Mass Tort Litigation

Event summary

  • Ben Crump, known as 'Black America's Attorney General,' concluded his two-year term as president of Shades of Mass, with Navin Ward announced as his successor.
  • Three state attorneys general—Raul Torres, Aaron Ford, and Rob Bonta—addressed the summit, highlighting the political stakes facing communities of color.
  • Baltimore City Solicitor Ebony Thompson revealed securing nearly $600 million for the city by opting out of the statewide opioid settlement and pioneering blockchain technology for property management.
  • The Altadena wildfire panel discussed the devastating impact of the January 2025 fire, with close to 10,000 homes destroyed and a trial date set for January 2027.
  • The summit featured a strong judicial presence, including active and retired judges, signaling recognition of the representation gap in mass tort litigation.

The big picture

The Shades of Mass Summit underscored the critical need for greater representation of Black and Brown attorneys in mass tort litigation, particularly in cases affecting communities of color. With state attorneys general stepping into the breach and municipalities adopting innovative legal strategies, the event highlighted the growing importance of local and state-level legal leadership in addressing corporate and governmental harm. The summit also demonstrated the potential for technology, such as blockchain, to play a role in community recovery and legal strategy.

What we're watching

Leadership Transition
How Navin Ward will steer Shades of Mass into its next phase, building on Ben Crump's legacy and expanding the organization's network of judicial allies.
Municipal Innovation
Whether other municipalities will follow Baltimore's lead in opting out of statewide settlements and adopting creative legal strategies to secure better outcomes for residents.
Disaster Recovery
The pace at which the Altadena community can rebuild after the devastating wildfire, given the contaminated soil, fractured infrastructure, and lack of federal relief.