Conference of Western Attorneys General

Conference of Western Attorneys General
Name	Conference of Western Attorneys General
Abbreviation	CWAG
Formation	1960s
Type	Association
Region served	Western United States
Membership	State and territorial attorneys general

Conference of Western Attorneys General is a regional association of state and territorial chief legal officers from the western United States that facilitates coordination, policy development, and litigation strategy among members. Founded in the mid-20th century, the organization functions as a forum for collaboration on interstate litigation, regulatory enforcement, and multistate policy advocacy. Its activities intersect with federal agencies, tribal governments, nonprofit organizations, and academic institutions.

History

The organization traces roots to postwar regional collaborations similar to meetings involving the National Governors Association, American Bar Association, Conference of State Bank Supervisors, Council of State Governments, and regional groups such as the Southern Governors' Association. Early meetings included attorneys general from states represented at events like the Sun Belt Conference and regional legal gatherings linked to the Department of Justice, Federal Trade Commission, Environmental Protection Agency, and the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Conference evolved alongside institutions such as Harvard Law School, Stanford Law School, University of California, Berkeley School of Law, and legal scholars who worked with entities like the Brookings Institution and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Influences included major legal disputes involving the Supreme Court of the United States, multistate antitrust actions involving defendants like Microsoft Corporation and AT&T Inc., and environmental litigation echoing cases such as Massachusetts v. Environmental Protection Agency.

Membership and Governance

Membership typically comprises the elected or appointed attorneys general of states including California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, Hawaii, Alaska, and territorial representatives from entities like Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands. Governance structures mirror models used by the National Association of Attorneys General and include an executive committee, chairperson, treasurer, and various task forces, with procedural parallels to the Uniform Law Commission and the Council on Environmental Quality. Officers have included individuals who previously served in roles similar to those at the Federal Communications Commission, Office of the Solicitor General of the United States, and state cabinets.

Programs and Initiatives

The Conference runs programs addressing consumer protection, antitrust enforcement, environmental litigation, and tribal consultation. Initiative models reflect collaborations seen in programs by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Federal Trade Commission, U.S. Department of the Interior, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Bureau of Land Management. Project areas have included multistate opioid litigation akin to settlements involving Johnson & Johnson, pharmaceutical actions related to McKesson Corporation, data privacy projects echoing cases against Facebook, and Native American resource issues linked to precedent from the Cobell v. Salazar litigation. Training partnerships have involved law schools such as Yale Law School, Columbia Law School, University of Chicago Law School, and institutions like the American Law Institute.

Policy Positions and Legal Actions

The Conference adopts policy positions and coordinates multistate filings in federal courts and before administrative agencies such as the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, the Federal Trade Commission, and the Environmental Protection Agency. Positions have been asserted in areas paralleling litigation in cases like Chevron U.S.A., Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc. and regulatory debates involving the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and Endangered Species Act. The group has supported enforcement actions against corporations comparable to historic antitrust actions like United States v. Microsoft Corp. and consumer protection suits reminiscent of litigation against Equifax Inc.. It has filed amicus briefs in matters before the Supreme Court of the United States and coordinated with state attorneys general in actions similar to those led by figures connected to the United States Department of Justice Antitrust Division.

Funding and Partnerships

Funding sources typically include state appropriations, membership dues, grants, and contractual partnerships with foundations and nonprofit organizations such as the Ford Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, Heinz Endowments, and regional philanthropic entities. Collaborative partnerships extend to tribal governments like the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, research centers at universities such as the University of Arizona, Arizona State University, and private sector stakeholders including law firms with histories at institutions like Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Covington & Burling LLP. The Conference has engaged consultants and experts who previously worked at agencies like the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

Conferences and Meetings

Annual and interim meetings rotate among host sites in cities such as Sacramento, California, Phoenix, Arizona, Denver, Colorado, Seattle, Washington, Boise, Idaho, and Honolulu, Hawaii. Programs often feature panels with representatives from the United States Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and academic speakers from Georgetown University Law Center and the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law. Special topic sessions mirror symposiums hosted by the American Bar Association Section of Antitrust Law, the National Conference of State Legislatures, and the Institute for Legal Reform.

Impact and Criticism

Proponents credit the Conference with improving coordination in multistate litigation, shaping regulatory enforcement, and amplifying state voices in federal rulemaking, with outcomes comparable to multistate settlements in tobacco and opioid cases involving entities such as Purdue Pharma L.P. and Philip Morris USA Inc.. Critics argue the group can concentrate influence among offices with shared political priorities and raise concerns cited in analyses by organizations like the Cato Institute, Brennan Center for Justice, and American Civil Liberties Union regarding transparency and accountability. Academic critiques from scholars affiliated with George Mason University School of Law, Harvard Kennedy School, and New York University School of Law have examined the balance between state cooperation and competitive federalism exemplified in litigation against corporate defendants such as BP plc and Exxon Mobil Corporation.

Category:Legal organizations in the United States