Their only sane option, as Schlichtmann had realized after his sleepless night in New York, was to try to settle with W. R. Grace now, before the judge began dismissing leukemia claims. But to negotiate a settlement, they had to be prepared to go ahead with the trial. Grace had to believe they were willing to go ahead, and for Grace to believe that, they had to make themselves believe it, too. “You can’t settle without a commitment to going on,” said Phillips.

Jonathan Harr, A Civil Action, loc. 2447