Customer Reviews

Cleaning Up

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Zestfully written, this survey of the Exxon Valdez oil catastrophe gives a good idea of what to expect from courts as the lawyers and judges work away on the Gulf of Mexico oil catastrophe, and on whatever is the next big one.

David Lebedoff is an excellent author. He goes to great lengths to portray factually and fairly the complicated story of the Exxon Valdez oil spill and ensuing trial. Despite the complex legal issues involved, Lebedoff skillfully makes the book read as though it were a novel. I would reccomend this book to anyone in need of a good read.

Excellent condition and seller had the item in my possession sooner than promised. Anyone who wants reading of interest to a friend or family member with a knowledge of the oil business or corporate litigation should get them a copy.

I picked up Lebedoff's book in search of background information on the Exxon defense attorneys. A quick scan revealed that the book focuses primarily on the plaintiffs' attorneys - but it hooked me from the start, and was so interesting that I read it anyway, and loved it. Great insight to Faegre & Benson and the unique team that led the charge in Alaska. Well written book, highly recommended for legal junkies or anyone interested in the background and fallout from this disaster.

On March 24, 1989, the 987 foot oil tanker Exxon Valdez ran aground on Bligh Reef, spilling 11 million gallons of North Slope crude oil into the once pristine waters of Prince William Sound, creating the largest oil spill in U.S. history. David Lebedoff offers a detailed account of the spill and the legal wranglings surrounding the record $5 billion judgment against Exxon, a judgment that is still under appeal. Lebedoff attempts to provide an even-handed look at the spill and the development of the legal case that grew out of it, but is hampered by the fact that Exxon refused to provide comment. This is not the author's fault, but readers should be advised that this book gives more insight into the perspectives of the victims and their attorneys than it does into public relations strategies that Exxon may have employed and so on.

_Cleaning Up_ is thorough and interesting. I have only two concerns about the book. First, while the author indicates that he gleaned information from thousands of pages of court documents, trial transcripts, and so on, these works are not cited in the text. As someone who is interested in research about the spill, I found the lack of a bibliography a bit frustrating. Second, as someone who resides in Alaska, I was put off by the misspelling of at least two locations in Alaska. The Robinson firm credited with providing the client base for the case should correctly be identified as located in Soldotna, Alaska, not "Soldatna." Moreover, the jurors identified as residing in the "Mar-Su Valley" should correctly be identified as living in the Mat-Su Valley, an abbreviation for Matanuska-Susitna, an area about an hour north of Anchorage. Whether the fault of the author or the editorial staff, these misspellings reflected a lack of attention to detail.

All in all, _Cleaning Up_ provides interesting insights into the legal dimensions of the Exxon Valdez spill. It should be of interest to those who want to learn more about corporate lawsuits and those with an interest in the spill itself. While Alaska Natives, those in commerical fishing, and others wait to receive money for damages caused by the spill, Exxon continues to earn interest on the money set aside to pay the judgment. In fact, the 8/4/1998 Anchorage Daily News (p. A1, A8) reported that the account is earning $9.40 per second in interest. At this rate, Exxon will have earned interest in the amount of the judgment long before they pay out a dime to the victims of the spill.

I picked this book up recently, and was surprised by how quickly and totally I was absorbed by it's tale. Everyone knows about the Exxon Valdez oil spill, but this book stands out because it delves into the court case, and the lives of the lawyers, in a clear, personal way. You feel like you know all these people, both their good and bad sides. Lebedoff is also very skilled at explaining the legal aspects in an interesting and clear way.