Consumer Protection

  • September 09, 2024

    Lindt Can't Escape Suit Over Heavy Metals In Dark Chocolate

    Candymaker Lindt & Sprüngli can't escape claims that its dark chocolate contained dangerous levels of lead and cadmium, a Brooklyn federal judge has ruled, saying the consumers' claims that they paid a premium for allegedly defective products counts as an injury.

  • September 09, 2024

    SES, Intelsat Tell FCC They Need $3.1B Combo To Compete

    Satellite companies SES and Intelsat told the Federal Communications Commission they need regulators to approve their $3.1 billion merger, which was announced this spring, so they can better compete in a quickly advancing marketplace.

  • September 09, 2024

    FCC Is Asked To Allow Bonds As Backup For Funding Awards

    More interest groups are calling on the Federal Communications Commission to ease letter of credit requirements for recipients of the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund, with a coalition of bond producers telling the commission that their products would guarantee creditworthiness just as well as credit letters from U.S. banks.

  • September 09, 2024

    6th Circ. Affirms Ax Of '100% Raw' Honey-Labeling Fight

    The Sixth Circuit has affirmed a decision tossing consumers' proposed class action over Strange Honey Farm LLC's "100% raw Tennessee honey" labels, finding that while the appellate court has jurisdiction to hear the consumers' appeal, the lower court rightly dismissed the "conclusory" allegations without leave to amend.

  • September 09, 2024

    Navigation Co. Defends Plan To Deploy GPS Alternative

    A geolocation company's bid for an exclusive license for a portion of the lower 900 megahertz band to deploy mobile broadband and a navigation system to backstop the Global Positioning System has hit resistance at the Federal Communications Commission.

  • September 09, 2024

    X Corp. Could Expose Donors To Death Threats, Per Watchdog

    Watchdog Media Matters for America claims that for X Corp. to compel production of its donor lists would breach the First Amendment, saying in a Friday brief in a Texas federal court that if the documents go public, its donors would receive violent threats and other abuse.

  • September 09, 2024

    Generics Makers Want Mo. Sanctioned In Price-Fixing Case

    Teva Pharmaceuticals Inc., Mylan Inc. and other generic-drug makers accused by state enforcers of fixing prices have urged a Connecticut federal judge to punish the state of Missouri for failing to provide information requested by the drug companies.

  • September 09, 2024

    Philly Noncompete Ban Challenger Wants Case Paused

    A tree service company suing to block the Federal Trade Commission's noncompete ban in Pennsylvania — the only jurisdiction so far where the commission fended off a preliminary injunction — has asked the judge to pause its case after federal courts in other states put similar suits on hold.

  • September 09, 2024

    Conn. Bank Hit With Class Claims Over Overdraft Fees

    Fairfield County Bank improperly charged $37 overdraft fees on "authorize positive, settle negative," or APSN, transactions, according to a putative class action in Connecticut state court that claims a fee is triggered even if a customer's money is available at time of purchase.

  • September 09, 2024

    Handbag Market Probed As FTC's $8.5B Merger Hearing Starts

    A New York federal judge heard dueling narratives about the existence of an "accessible luxury" handbag market Monday, as the Federal Trade Commission seeks to halt a proposed $8.5 billion merger between the owners of Michael Kors and Coach.

  • September 09, 2024

    Ally Bank Hit With Negligence Suit Over Data Breach

    Ally Bank faces a proposed class action filed Saturday in North Carolina federal court by a customer who said its negligence and failure to implement basic data security practices led to the leaking of customers' sensitive information onto the dark web following a data breach earlier this year.

  • September 09, 2024

    Meta Wants Mike Huckabee's Fake CBD Ad Suit Tossed

    Facebook parent Meta Platforms Inc. asked a Delaware federal judge to throw out former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee's suit alleging it allowed false advertisements claiming he endorsed CBD gummies on its popular social media platform, arguing the claims are clearly barred by Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.

  • September 09, 2024

    Baltimore Strikes $80M Opioid Settlement With Teva

    Teva Pharmaceuticals will pay Baltimore $80 million to resolve claims that the company inflamed the city's opioid crisis, the city of Baltimore announced Monday ahead of a trial slated to begin next week against the remaining defendants in the Maryland state court litigation.

  • September 09, 2024

    Novo Nordisk Sues Over Ads For Diabetes, Weight Loss Drugs

    A New Jersey company violated trademark and false advertising laws by promoting drugs without a regulatory green light as being generic versions of Novo Nordisk's Ozempic and Wegovy medications, according to a lawsuit filed in New Jersey federal court.

  • September 09, 2024

    Apartment Cooperative Hits Chapter 11 Amid Takeover Fight

    The management of Success Village Apartments Inc. has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the District of Connecticut, citing between $1 million and $10 million in debt, amid court battles with local communities and utility companies that sought to force the 900-unit housing cooperative into receivership.

  • September 06, 2024

    Earthlink Investors Accept $85M Deal To End Merger Suit

    Earthlink investors who say they were duped into approving a $1.1 billion merger with failing telecommunications company Windstream Holdings Inc. told an Arkansas federal judge Friday that they've reached an $85 million deal to end the lawsuit two months before the case was scheduled to go to trial.

  • September 06, 2024

    Calif. Takes AI Reins With Looming Safety, Transparency Laws

    A pair of groundbreaking legislative proposals aimed at ensuring the safe and transparent deployment of artificial intelligence systems are headed to the California governor's desk, raising questions about whether lawmakers are taking the right approach to regulating the emerging technology and how the state's privacy regulator will respond. 

  • September 06, 2024

    TV Stations Fined $3.3M For Mixing Hot Wheels Shows And Ads

    The Federal Communications Commission on Friday confirmed fines totaling $3.33 million for Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc. and 18 other broadcasters for violating the Children's Television Act and commission rules by running Hot Wheels toy commercials during a Hot Wheels show on the air.

  • September 06, 2024

    Ex-CEO Of Defunct Solar Co. Seeks Sanctions In Fraud Suit

    The former CEO of a bankrupt solar energy firm filed a motion for sanctions Friday in Michigan federal court, alleging the plaintiffs' counsel misrepresented the ex-CEO's inability to produce information during a discovery meeting regarding claims he defrauded customers by selling faulty solar systems.

  • September 06, 2024

    Health-Ade Settles Suit Over 'Forever Chemicals' In Kombucha

    A consumer who filed a proposed class action against popular kombucha-maker Health-Ade LLC claiming the beverages contained "forever chemicals" has apparently settled her claims against the company, according to an order issued by a New York federal judge.

  • September 06, 2024

    DOT Probe Of Airlines' Rewards Spells Fresh Headaches

    A new U.S. Department of Transportation investigation into frequent flyer rewards programs at the so-called Big Four U.S. airlines will cause fresh regulatory headaches for an airline industry that's already smarting from a rash of Biden administration competition- and consumer-driven initiatives.

  • September 06, 2024

    DuPont Spinoff Must Explain Record Policy For Missing Docs

    A discovery referee for North Carolina's Business Court is ordering a DuPont spin-off to share its document retention policy with the attorney general after dozens of boxes of information the state wanted for a lawsuit over PFAS pollution were not made available from storage facilities.

  • September 06, 2024

    Top Groups Lobbying The FCC

    The Federal Communications Commission heard from advocates more than 100 times in August on issues such as revamping the 4.9 gigahertz spectrum band, using high-power surveillance devices in already crowded Wi-Fi airwaves, fixing mobile "dead zones," stopping scam texts, and more.

  • September 06, 2024

    EU Antitrust Chief Charts Path Forward After Illumina Setback

    The European Union's top antitrust official said a recent ruling that found enforcers lacked authority to probe Illumina's $8 billion acquisition of Grail put an end to an important merger review tool and suggested legislation may be needed to plug the gap.

  • September 06, 2024

    Abbott Hit With False Ad Suit Over Toddler Nutrition Drink

    A proposed class of consumers is suing Abbott Laboratories in California federal court, alleging that it misleads buyers by claiming its toddler drinks provide a number of health benefits when in fact they are harmful and contain added sugars.

Expert Analysis

  • Key Concerns To Confront In FDIC Brokered Deposit Proposal

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    Banks and fintech companies should note several fundamental issues with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.'s recent proposal to widen how it classifies brokered deposits, an attempt to limit prudential risk that could expose the industry and underbanked consumers who rely on bank-fintech apps to widespread unintended consequences, say attorneys at Gibson Dunn.

  • 4 Steps To Address New Sanctions Time Bar Extension

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    Recent guidance from the Office of Foreign Assets Control clarifies details of the newly extended statute of limitations for civil and criminal enforcement of U.S. sanctions law, so compliance teams should implement key updates, including to lookback periods and recordkeeping policies, say attorneys at Freshfields.

  • Notable Q2 Updates In Insurance Class Actions

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    Mark Johnson and Mathew Drocton at BakerHostetler discuss the muted nature of the property and casualty insurance class action space in the second quarter of the year, with no large waves made in labor depreciation and total-loss vehicle class actions, but a new offensive theory emerging for insurance companies.

  • Series

    Playing Golf Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Golf can positively affect your personal and professional life well beyond the final putt, and it’s helped enrich my legal practice by improving my ability to build lasting relationships, study and apply the rules, face adversity with grace, and maintain my mental and physical well-being, says Adam Kelly at Venable.

  • What To Expect From CFPB And DOT Card Rewards Inquiry

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    Following the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's announcement of joint efforts with the U.S. Department of Transportation to investigate credit card rewards points, credit card issuers and airlines should keep a close eye on potential regulatory and class action litigation risks stemming from the inquiry, say attorneys at DLA Piper.

  • Law Firms Should Move From Reactive To Proactive Marketing

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    Most law firm marketing and business development teams operate in silos, leading to an ad hoc, reactive approach, but shifting to a culture of proactive planning — beginning with comprehensive campaigns — can help firms effectively execute their broader business strategy, says Paul Manuele at PR Manuele Consulting.

  • Remedy May Be Google's Biggest Hurdle Yet In Antitrust Case

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    There are difficulties ahead in the remedies phase of the antitrust case against Google in District of Columbia federal court, including the search engine giant's scale advantage and the fast-moving nature of the tech industry, setting the stage for the most challenging of the proceedings so far, says Jonathan Rubin at MoginRubin.

  • 3 Ways To Limit Risks Of Black-Box AI In Financial Services

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    As regulators increasingly highlight the potential for artificial intelligence to make unfair consumer credit decisions, and require financial institutions to explain how these so-called black-box algorithms arrive at conclusions, companies should consider three key questions to reduce their regulatory risks from these tools, say Jeffrey Naimon and Caroline Stapleton at Orrick.

  • Takeaways From EU's 'Pay Or Consent' Advertising Probe

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    Anne-Gabrielle Haie and Charles Whiddington at Steptoe examine key points from the European Commission's recent investigation into Big Tech's use of "pay or consent" advertising models, as well as the European Data Protection Board’s opinion on how such models can comply with EU competition and data protection laws.

  • When Banks Unknowingly Become HIPAA Biz Associates

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    There appears to be significant confusion regarding the application of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act to financial institutions when serving healthcare-related clients, so these institutions should consider undertaking several steps as a starting point in the effort to achieve compliance, say attorneys at Vorys.

  • From Muppet Heads To OJ's Glove: How To Use Props At Trial

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    Demonstrative graphics have become so commonplace in the courtroom that jurors may start to find them boring, but attorneys can keep jurors engaged and improve their recall by effectively using physical props at trial, says Clint Townson at Townson Consulting.

  • Opinion

    The Big Issues A BigLaw Associates' Union Could Address

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    A BigLaw associates’ union could address a number of issues that have the potential to meaningfully improve working conditions, diversity and attorney well-being — from restructured billable hour requirements to origination credit allocation, return-to-office mandates and more, says Tara Rhoades at The Sanity Plea.

  • Opting In To CIPA Risk Mitigation After New Precedent

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    A recent California federal court decision, adopting a new, broad interpretation of the California Invasion of Privacy Act, will likely increase the volume of CIPA claims and should prompt businesses to undertake certain preventative measures, including adopting an opt-in approach to using third-party website advertising technologies, say attorneys at Thompson Hine.

  • Opinion

    It's Time For A BigLaw Associates' Union

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    As BigLaw faces a steady stream of criticism about its employment policies and practices, an associates union could effect real change — and it could start with law students organizing around opposition to recent recruiting trends, says Tara Rhoades at The Sanity Plea.

  • CFPB's Earned Wage Access Rule Marks Regulatory Shift

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    The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's newly issued interpretive rule on earned wage access products, classifying them as extensions of credit, marks a significant shift in their regulatory landscape and raises some important questions regarding potential fringe cases and legal challenges, say Erin Bryan and Courina Yulisa at Dorsey & Whitney.

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