The Gulf of Mexico oil spill generated an unprecedented volume of requests from litigants, Congress and governmental agencies—nearly 650 in a two-day period. The rulings of the district court and court of appeals, as well as the pending motions and appeals in the Macondo litigation, could dramatically impact the drilling and insurance industries. They present several issues of first impression with regard to jurisdiction, interplay between federal and state environmental law, liability under key federal environmental statutes, indemnity/risk allocation, fines and penalties, additional insured coverage and proper and ethical management of the hundreds of document and information requests in litigation and governmental investigations. Compliance is key. Parties and individuals who violate legal mandates will be held accountable. Learn how these rulings can be crucial to in-house litigators for crisis response and preparedness, and to transactional counsel who negotiate agreements within these evolving parameters.