Outsourcing is all the rage these days and some state attorneys general are no exception. Take the sprawling Vioxx litigation. More than one state attorney general has retained an outside law firm to help with efforts to recover money from Merck for allegedly defrauding the public over the heart risks associated with the painkiller, which was withdrawn in 2004. For instance, Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway two years ago filed a lawsuit contending the drugmaker violated the state consumer protection act (see this). The AG retained an outside law firm, Garmer & Prather, and agreed to a contingency-fee arrangement in which the attorneys will be paid a percentage of any penalties or other amounts recovered, according to this contract.
