Previously those who sued Wal-Mart often found they had to spend more money litigating than they might recover in damages because the company fought claims to the bitter end, lawyers say. Wal-Mart has been punished more than 60 times in the last six years by judges for hiding evidence.
Company officials seem more concerned than their predecessors about the publicity of being sanctioned by judges for keeping evidence from customers and have made their legal department more pro-customer, according to Burt Flickinger, managing partner of Reach Marketing, a retail-industry consulting firm.
Moderator Comment: Will a less litigiously combative Wal-Mart produce positive or negative results for the retailer?
We suppose this shift in policy might appear to make Wal-Mart more consumer-friendly. We're not sure consumers care so much about that as long as they know they are getting the lowest price. This shift in position may also produce unintended consequences such as increase in nuisance suits brought against the retailer. [George Anderson - Moderator]