My very close friend and partner, Bruce Hanley, now with the Rider, Bennett firm, asked me to help him with representing a family in the Lockerbie Air Disaster in 1988.

Bruce is the best criminal lawyer in the state, with a prestigious reputation to match. The family he was representing had lost a son and brother on his 21st birthday, when he died coming home to visit his father, who was having heart surgery.

His death was caused by the unfortunate combination of lax security procedures at London’s Heathrow airport, and an aggressive terrorist attack by Libya. Bruce and I, together with associated counsel in New York, have litigated this case for the past 14 years against Pan Am and Libya.

I have been absolutely honored to represent this family, and although this has been one of the longest cases I’ve ever litigated, it’s still not over.

I have learned quite a bit while working on this case, and it’s become increasingly relevant as the aftermath of 9/11 has caused tightening security throughout the world.

On September 12, 2003, the U.N. Security Council voted to lift the sanctions on Libya. The United States and France abstained from the vote. With the lifting of the U.N. sanctions, it has cleared the way for the payment of $4,000,000 to each of the families losing a loved one on Pan Am 103. The minimum Libya will pay will be $5,000,000, or another $1,000,000 within the next eight months. In the event the United States lifts sanctions against Libya, the families will receive another $4,000,000. If the United States removes Libya from its terrorists list, the families will receive another $2,000,000. The most Libya will pay will be $10,000,000 per death.

Some people will say that 4, or 5 or 10 million is a lot of money. The point is, such people have no frame of reference until and unless they have sustained the loss. The families of the victims of Pan Am 103 have no peace, not even today. September 12, 2003 is not a joyous day. Rather, it is another day in the process of bringing closure to these senseless and terroristic, needless, innocent deaths.

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