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Consumer Protection
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September 26, 2024
Arthur J. Gallagher To Pay $21M To End Data Breach Suits
Insurance broker Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. has agreed to pay $21 million to resolve several lawsuits consolidated in Illinois alleging that it failed to protect more than 3 million customers from a data breach that compromised their personally identifiable information, with an Illinois federal judge giving her initial blessing to the deal Thursday.
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September 26, 2024
4th Circ. Hints Rocket Mortgage Class Cert. Is On Shaky Ground
The Fourth Circuit on Thursday seemed skeptical that all potential class members who accused Rocket Mortgage of inflating their home values could prove they were injured under the U.S. Supreme Court's heightened pleading standard in TransUnion, putting the lower court's certification order on rocky footing.
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September 26, 2024
Apple Protests Atty Fee Bid In $35M Deal With Scam Victims
Apple Inc. urged a California federal court to limit the fee awarded to plaintiffs' attorneys from a $35 million settlement over allegations it did not stop scammers from tricking victims into using iTunes gift cards for payments, saying the 33% fee sought is too high for the "fair but unexceptional recovery."
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September 26, 2024
Atty Sheehan Owes $144K Fees For 'Frivolous' Big Lots Suit
Prolific New York-based consumer advocate attorney Spencer Sheehan of Sheehan & Associates PC must cover the approximately $144,000 tab for attorney fees incurred amid the "frivolous" coffee labeling suit he brought against national retailer Big Lots Inc., a Florida federal judge has ordered.
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September 26, 2024
Robinhood Arbitration Pact Not Obvious To Users, Judge Says
Robinhood Financial LLC cannot show that a user who claims the platform failed to notify him of important developments regarding his investments was made aware of an arbitration clause buried in the company's user agreement, a Massachusetts state court judge said.
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September 25, 2024
In-House Counsel To Play Central Role At AI Cos., VCs Say
Venture capital firms expect in-house counsel at artificial intelligence companies to play a bigger role in their businesses due to regulatory uncertainties around AI, while a professor who helped pioneer the technology warned that transparency of commercial AI businesses should be "top of mind," attorneys heard at the seventh annual Berkeley Law AI Institute Wednesday.
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September 25, 2024
DoorDash, Uber Eats, Grubhub Win NYC Diner Data Law Row
A New York federal judge on Tuesday granted DoorDash Inc. and other food delivery app companies a win in their lawsuit challenging a New York City law requiring delivery services to provide restaurants with certain customer info, ruling that the law is unconstitutional.
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September 25, 2024
8th Circ. Told Student Debt Relief Should Remain Blocked
Seven Republican-led states are asking the Eighth Circuit to finalize its court order blocking the Biden administration from implementing its second attempt at student loan forgiveness, accusing the White House of "hiding the ball" on the true cost of the plan.
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September 25, 2024
Developer's NorCal Spree Ends With Fraud Claims In Ch. 11
Northern California real estate company LeFever Mattson stockpiled more than $400 million in real estate, including several local landmarks in a small town north of San Francisco. The firm now seeks bankruptcy protection amid claims following an alleged scheme by one executive to pocket millions by selling bunk equity stakes to investors.
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September 25, 2024
Google 'Less Expensive' Than Ad Tech Rivals, Economist Says
A Yale economist told a Virginia federal judge Wednesday that the Justice Department's estimates of how much Google allegedly bilked website publishers using its online advertising placement technology don't add up.
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September 25, 2024
Wash. Judge Says Co., Firm Seem To Share Sanctions Blame
A Washington appeals court judge said Wednesday that a climbing equipment manufacturer and its former trial counsel, Sinars Slowikowski Tomaska LLC, appear to share blame for discovery violations in a product liability lawsuit and that a trial court appeared to have the authority to issue sanctions.
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September 25, 2024
8th Circ. Probes Lawmakers' Intent In FCC Anti-Redlining Rule
Eighth Circuit judges on Wednesday dissected exactly how far Congress wanted the Federal Communications Commission to go when carrying out a tightly drafted provision to prevent digital discrimination in the thousand-page infrastructure law three years ago.
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September 25, 2024
Kraken Seeks Quick Appeal Of Dismissal Denial In SEC Suit
Cryptocurrency exchange Kraken requested an immediate appeal of an order that declined to dismiss the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's registration claims, asking that the Ninth Circuit weigh in on whether an alleged investment contract can violate securities laws if it doesn't represent any pact between issuers and buyers.
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September 25, 2024
CFPB Gets Partial Win Over Debt Collector's Property Transfer
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and New York's attorney general secured a partial win in its suit over the head of a debt collection company's allegedly fraudulent transfer of a million-dollar property to his family members, with a New York federal judge ruling that they are only entitled to the daughter's share of the property's escrow proceeds.
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September 25, 2024
Target Can't Escape Claims Over Deceptive 'Clean' Label
A California federal judge on Wednesday said that Target Corp. still has to face class claims that its Target Clean range of beauty products actually contain chemicals that harm humans and the environment, saying the allegations are a bit "unique" and are not typical product liability claims.
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September 25, 2024
Baltimore Bridge Wreck: 6 Months Later, Claims Mount
A court deadline to challenge liability limits over Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse shows an intense legal battle brewing as the U.S. government, Maryland and private plaintiffs sharpen their claims for damages against the owner and manager of the cargo ship that slammed into the bridge six months ago.
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September 25, 2024
NY Judge Pauses Abortion 'Reversal' Case As AG Files Appeal
A New York federal judge has ruled that two more anti-abortion pregnancy centers are free to promote abortion pill "reversal" while a legal clash continues over whether the First Amendment protects their right to market the treatment, which is doubted by major medical groups.
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September 25, 2024
FTC Targets 'Robot Lawyer,' Others In AI Enforcement Sweep
The Federal Trade Commission on Wednesday revealed a flurry of recent enforcement actions aimed at cracking down on the use of artificial intelligence to "supercharge" harmful and deceptive business practices, including a case targeting "lofty" claims made about a service that promised to provide "the world's first robot lawyer."
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September 25, 2024
City's Public Crash Reports Defy Privacy Law, NC Judge Says
The city of Charlotte violated federal privacy law by making car accident reports public such that law firms could use the disclosed data for marketing purposes, a North Carolina federal judge said in granting summary judgment and certification to a class of drivers.
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September 25, 2024
3rd Circ. Preserves Monsanto's Win In Cancer Warning Suit
The Third Circuit refused to reconsider its ruling that federal law preempts a more stringent Pennsylvania statute that mandates cancer warnings on chemicals, preserving Monsanto's win against a man who alleged the company's Roundup herbicide caused his illness.
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September 25, 2024
Terrorism Victims Sue For Share Of $4.3B Binance Plea
The U.S. government must put the $4.3 billion it obtained in its money laundering and sanctions violations case against Binance toward a federal fund for victims of state-sponsored terrorism, a new lawsuit in D.C. federal court alleges.
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September 25, 2024
FCC Will Tackle Accessibility For Hearing Impaired Next Month
The Federal Communications Commission has not put much on its plate for October, revealing Wednesday that it had a light agenda planned for the agency's upcoming monthly meeting with only three items.
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September 25, 2024
Meta Wants 'License' To Cover Up Past Events, Justices Told
Meta Platforms Inc. shareholders say the U.S. Supreme Court should not be swayed by the social media company's attempt to shake off a proposed class action tied to the Cambridge Analytica data scandal, warning a high court ruling in favor of Facebook's parent company could give publicly traded companies "license to intentionally mislead investors."
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September 25, 2024
Wyden Pitches New Bill To Regulate Intoxicating Hemp
U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., introduced a new bill on Wednesday to more tightly regulate products with hemp-derived cannabinoids, with an emphasis on age gating, manufacturing standards and labeling requirements.
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September 25, 2024
Court Defers Ruling On Challenge To Arkansas Hemp Law
An Arkansas federal judge has deferred a final ruling on a challenge to a state law banning hemp-derived intoxicating products while a pending appeal plays out in the Eighth Circuit.
Expert Analysis
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Series
Rock Climbing Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Rock climbing requires problem-solving, focus, risk management and resilience, skills that are also invaluable assets in my role as a finance lawyer, says Mei Zhang at Haynes and Boone.
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Think Like A Lawyer: Dance The Legal Standard Two-Step
From rookie brief writers to Chief Justice John Roberts, lawyers should master the legal standard two-step — framing the governing standard at the outset, and clarifying why they meet that standard — which has benefits for both the drafter and reader, says Luke Andrews at Poole Huffman.
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What To Know As Children's Privacy Law Rapidly Evolves
If your business hasn't been paying attention to growing state and federal efforts to protect children online, now is the time to start — there is no sign of this regulation slowing down, and more aggressive enforcement actions are to be expected in the coming year, says Susan Rohol at Willkie Farr.
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What Cos. Should Know About New Global Plastics Regs
As the global regulatory landscape for plastics and recycling changes rapidly — with new policies coming into effect in California, at the federal level, in the European Union and at the United Nations — businesses that operate across jurisdictions must stay informed to remain compliant, mitigate legal risk and achieve stewardship goals, say attorneys at O'Melveny.
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Dissecting Treasury's Call For Input On AI In Financial Sector
The U.S. Department of the Treasury's request for comments on the potential benefits and challenges AI may pose to the financial services sector, which asks how stakeholders are addressing and mitigating increased fraud risks, reflects the federal government's continued interest in AI's effects across the economy, say attorneys at Hogan Lovells.
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Opinion
The FTC Needs To Challenge The Novo-Catalent Deal
Novo's acquisition of Catalent threatens to substantially lessen competition in the manufacturing and marketing of GLP-1 diabetes and obesity drugs, and the Federal Trade Commission should challenge it under a vertical theory of harm, as it aligns with last year's merger guidelines and the Fifth Circuit decision in Illumina, says attorney David Balto.
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Md. Deal Highlights Consumer Finance Program Regulations
Maryland regulators’ recent settlement with the Bank of Missouri and its consumer lending partners, Atlanticus and Fortiva, offers a reminder that it is important to properly structure such partnerships and conduct sufficient due diligence on state licensing requirements, says Tom Witherspoon at Stinson.
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Series
Being A Luthier Makes Me A Better Lawyer
When I’m not working as an appellate lawyer, I spend my spare time building guitars — a craft known as luthiery — which has helped to enhance the discipline, patience and resilience needed to write better briefs, says Rob Carty at Nichols Brar.
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Lead Like 'Ted Lasso' By Embracing Cognitive Diversity
The Apple TV+ series “Ted Lasso” aptly illustrates how embracing cognitive diversity can be a winning strategy for teams, providing a useful lesson for law firms, which can benefit significantly from fresh, diverse perspectives and collaborative problem-solving, says Paul Manuele at PR Manuele Consulting.
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3 Areas Of Enforcement Risk Facing The EV Industry
Companies in the EV manufacturing ecosystem are experiencing a boom in business, but with this boom comes increased regulatory and enforcement risks, from the corruption issues that have historically pervaded the extractive sector to newer risks posed by artificial intelligence, say attorneys at MoFo.
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Nat'l Security Considerations For Telecom Products Counsel
An increase in federal national security measures in the telecommunications space, particularly from the Federal Communications Commission, means that products counsel need to broaden their considerations as they advise on new products and services, says Laura Stefani at Venable.
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Chevron's End Puts Target On CFPB's Aggressive BNPL Rule
A recent interpretative rule by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, subjecting buy-now, pay-later loans to the same regulations as credit cards, is unlikely to survive post-Chevron challenges of the rule's partisan and shaky logic, say Scott Pearson and Bryan Schneider at Manatt.
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Boeing Plea Deal Is A Mixed Bag, Providing Lessons For Cos.
The plea deal for conspiracy to defraud regulators that Boeing has tentatively agreed to will, on the one hand, probably help the company avoid further reputational damage, but also demonstrates to companies that deferred prosecution agreements have real teeth, and that noncompliance with DPA terms can be costly, says Edmund Vickers at Red Lion Chambers.
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Unpacking The Increasingly Popular Fair Credit Billing Act
The Fair Credit Billing Act is receiving increased attention from regulators and consumers disputing credit card charges, so creditors should understand its procedural requirements — including the law's focus on the mechanics of a dispute and its potential to create civil liability, say David Gettings and Courtney Hitchcock at Troutman Pepper.
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Takeaways From EU's Initial Findings On Apple's App Store
A deep dive into the European Commission's recent preliminary findings that Apple's App Store rules are in breach of the Digital Markets Act reveal that enforcement of the EU's Big Tech law might go beyond the literal text of the regulation and more toward the spirit of compliance, say William Dolan and Pratik Agarwal at Rule Garza.