Law Firm Pitching Climate Suits Sought to Evade Detection by Open Records

Sher Edling, the law firm heading up a number of climate lawsuits brought by governments against oil producers like Exxon and BP, sought to move some of their conversations with the city of Miami Beach offline with the express concern of hoping to keep the discussion's details out of documents that might later be obtained through open records requests.

Sher Edling now represents several state and local governments, including San Francisco, Oakland, Rhode Island, and Baltimore, that are suing major energy producers for alleged damages from the effects of climate change.

This May, Charles Savitt with Sher Edling emailed two officials with the City of Miami Beach and while asking for an appointment said, "Given state law, let's talk rather than me send you anything."

A day after that original email, Savitt was more explicit when again talking with the same officials, writing, "Given public records laws it is much better for us to talk on the phone. Do you have time today or tomorrow?"

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