Consumer Protection

  • September 10, 2024

    Free Speech Or Bad Medicine? The Abortion 'Reversal' Battle

    The marketing of abortion pill "reversal" — a treatment doubted by medical groups but touted by anti-abortion advocates — is facing increased scrutiny from state attorneys general, triggering legal skirmishes in at least four states centered on First Amendment rights and consumer protection laws.

  • September 10, 2024

    GM Can't Arbitrate Claims Engines Were 'Engineered To Fail'

    General Motors LLC cannot arbitrate class claims that certain engines were "engineered to fail," an Ohio federal judge has ruled, citing recent Sixth Circuit guidance on when a party waives the right to resolve disputes out of court.

  • September 10, 2024

    Top EU Court Upholds €2.4B Google Shopping Fine

    The European Court of Justice rejected an appeal from Google on Tuesday challenging a €2.4 billion ($2.7 billion) fine for steering users toward its own comparison shopping service, as the tech giant faces mounting pressure from antitrust enforcers at home and abroad.

  • September 09, 2024

    Yodlee Privacy Class Cert. Bid Faces Uphill Climb

    A California federal judge on Monday said she is "inclined" to find that three consumers claiming Yodlee Inc. unlawfully collected their banking data did not have standing to pursue claims or represent proposed classes alleging their transaction information was sold, even though the idea of the stored data is "creepy."

  • September 09, 2024

    DOJ Says 'Frustrated' Google Ad Tech Customers Are Stuck

    The U.S. Department of Justice urged a Virginia federal judge Monday to dismantle Google's hold over the technology used to place online display ads on website publishers' pages, asserting in opening arguments that the search giant has used its power to trap consumers and undermine competitors.

  • September 09, 2024

    Ex-Lender Says FDIC Can't 'Ignore' Key High Court Precedents

    A former small-business financier battling a multimillion-dollar Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. enforcement action has doubled down on his Washington, D.C., federal court challenge to the agency's use of administrative proceedings, saying the regulator must be held to U.S. Supreme Court precedents.

  • September 09, 2024

    Judge Again Says Yearbook Site Can't Force Arbitration

    A Washington federal judge has said the company behind Classmates.com can't force a privacy rights suit into arbitration, in a ruling that determined the plaintiff's attorney opted out of a terms-of-service provision.

  • September 09, 2024

    NC Dance Teachers Fend Off Injunction Bid In Trademark Feud

    A North Carolina charter school can't prevent two former teachers from soliciting students for their dance team using the name "Inspire" amid claims of trademark infringement and false advertising, a federal judge ruled Monday.

  • September 09, 2024

    Coinbase Notches Some Wins In SEC Discovery Battle

    A New York federal judge has granted, and tailored, the "substantial part" of the crypto exchange Coinbase's remaining discovery requests from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission after the firm abandoned its bid to review personal communications from the agency chair, Gary Gensler.

  • 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.

Expert Analysis

  • What Companies Should Consider Amid Multistate AG Actions

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    The rise of multistate attorney general actions is characterized by increased collaboration and heightened scrutiny across various industries — including Big Tech and gaming — and though coalitions present challenges for targeted companies, they also offer opportunities for streamlined resolutions and coordinated public relations efforts, say attorneys at Cozen O'Connor.

  • Series

    Glassblowing Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    I never expected that glassblowing would strongly influence my work as an attorney, but it has taught me the importance of building a solid foundation for your work, learning from others and committing to a lifetime of practice, says Margaret House at Kalijarvi Chuzi.

  • 3 Surprising Deposition Dangers Attorneys Must Heed

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    Attorneys often do not think of discovery as a particularly risky phase of litigation, but counsel must closely heed some surprisingly strict and frequently overlooked requirements before, during and after depositions that can lead to draconian consequences, says Nate Sabri at Perkins Coie.

  • Careful Data Governance Is A Must Amid Enforcement Focus

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    Federal and state regulators' heightened focus on privacy enforcement, including the Federal Trade Commission's recent guidance on consumer protection in the car industry, highlight the importance of proactive risk management, compliance and data governance, say Jason Priebe and Danny Riley at Seyfarth.

  • 5 Critical Factors Driving Settlement Values In Cyber Litigation

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    Recent ransomware incidents and their legal repercussions offer five valuable insights into the determinants of settlement values in cyberattack-related litigation, and understanding these trends and their implications can better prepare organizations for the potential legal fallout from future breaches, says Peter Kamminga at JAMS.

  • Opinion

    Paid Noncompetes Offer A Better Solution Than FTC's Ban

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    A better alternative to the Federal Trade Commission's recent and widely contested noncompete ban would be a nationwide bright-line rule requiring employers to pay employees during the noncompete period, says Steven Kayman at Rottenberg Lipman.

  • How Associates Can Build A Professional Image

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    As hybrid work arrangements become the norm in the legal industry, early-career attorneys must be proactive in building and maintaining a professional presence in both physical and digital settings, ensuring that their image aligns with their long-term career goals, say Lana Manganiello at Equinox Strategy Partners and Estelle Winsett at Estelle Winsett Professional Image Consulting.

  • Firms Must Rethink How They Train New Lawyers In AI Age

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    As law firms begin to use generative artificial intelligence to complete lower-level legal tasks, they’ll need to consider new ways to train summer associates and early-career attorneys, keeping in mind the five stages of skill acquisition, says Liisa Thomas at Sheppard Mullin.

  • High Court's BofA Ruling Leaves State Preemption Questions

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    A recent U.S. Supreme Court decision in Cantero v. Bank of America sheds light on whether certain state banking regulations apply to federally chartered banks, but a circuit split could still force the Supreme Court to take a more direct position, says Brett Garver at Moritt Hock.

  • Cyber Takeaways For Cos. From Verizon Data Breach Report

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    Camilo Artiga-Purcell at Kiteworks analyzes the key findings of the 2024 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report from a legal perspective, examining the implications for organizations' cybersecurity strategies and compliance efforts.

  • Think Like A Lawyer: Always Be Closing

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    When a lawyer presents their case with the right propulsive structure throughout trial, there is little need for further argument after the close of evidence — and in fact, rehashing it all may test jurors’ patience — so attorneys should consider other strategies for closing arguments, says Luke Andrews at Poole Huffman.

  • Lessons From Epic's Dutch Fine For Unfair Marketing To Kids

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    Dutch regulators' imposition of a €1.1 million fine on Epic Games for unfair commercial practices targeting children marks a significant moment in the ongoing scrutiny of digital market practices, and follows an increased focus on children's online safety in the U.S. and European Union, say attorneys at Crowell & Moring.

  • Opinion

    California Has A Duty To Curtail Frivolous CIPA Suits

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    As plaintiffs increasingly file class actions against companies for their use of website tracking cookies and pixels, the Legislature should consider four options to amend the California Invasion of Privacy Act and restore the balance between consumer privacy and business operational interests, say Steven Stransky and Jennifer Adler at Thompson Hine and Glenn Lammi at the Washington Legal Foundation.

  • Risks And Promises Of AI In The Financial Services Industry

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    Generative artificial intelligence has immense potential to revolutionize the financial services industry, but firms considering its use should first prepare to show their customers and the increasingly divided international regulatory community that they can manage the risks inherent to the new technology, say attorneys at Gibson Dunn.

  • Series

    Playing Chess Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    There are many ways that chess skills translate directly into lawyer skills, but for me, the bigger career lessons go beyond the direct parallels — playing chess has shown me the value of seeing gradual improvement in and focusing deep concentration on a nonwork endeavor, says attorney Steven Fink.

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