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Consumer Protection
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August 15, 2024
Fla.'s The Villages Exempted From FTC Noncompete Ban
A Florida retirement community's real estate broker will be exempt when the Federal Trade Commission's noncompete ban goes into effect next month, under a limited injunction imposed by a federal judge who recognized the agency's rulemaking powers but said they go too far here.
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August 15, 2024
Court Tosses Challenge To Wyoming's New Hemp Law
A Wyoming federal judge tossed a lawsuit Thursday brought by nearly a dozen hemp product retailers challenging the state's new hemp policy, saying most of the state defendants were entitled to immunity and that the retailers had not stated a claim for which relief could be granted.
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August 15, 2024
Connecticut Watchdog Calls For Action On Utility 'Rate Shock'
A Connecticut consumer rights watchdog agency has asked the state's utility regulator to reverse rate hikes that it recently approved for major energy companies or to take other actions to prevent future "rate shock" for state residents.
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August 15, 2024
Gemini Suit Raises Novel Question On Crypto Law, Court Told
A suit from a consumer advocacy organization claimed Gemini Trust Co.'s user agreement unfairly put the onus on consumers to protect themselves from scams, but the Winklevoss-led crypto exchange said the litigation raises a larger question of whether the federal statute at the heart of the claims applies to cryptocurrencies.
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August 15, 2024
Kerrygold, Customers Agree To End 'Pure' False Ad Suit
A consumer who sued Irish butter brand Kerrygold has agreed to end her proposed class action over claims that it falsely advertised its product as "pure" even though it might contain "forever chemicals" by way of its packaging.
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August 15, 2024
Fake Prescription Caper Yields $10.2M Fine For Bankrupt Co.
A Manhattan federal judge hit a defunct unit of bankrupt biotechnology concern DMK Pharmaceuticals Corp. with a $10.2 million fine Thursday, after the subsidiary admitted to criminally faking horse-drug prescriptions in a scheme that generated $4.2 million.
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August 15, 2024
Hemp Industry Rallies Against Calif. Bill
Hemp companies are coming out against a California bill that would impose new THC limits on consumables sold outside of licensed dispensaries, with some industry leaders calling it an "existential threat" to the entire state market.
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August 15, 2024
Samsung Knew About Range Knobs Fire Risk, Suit Says
Samsung Electronics was hit with a proposed consumer class action Wednesday in New York federal court in the wake of the company's announced recall program over a potential fire risk related to more than a million electric ranges with front-mounted knobs that can be turned on accidentally.
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August 15, 2024
Prof Rips DOJ, VW's 9th Circ. Bid To Shield Jones Day Docs
A Loyola Marymount University professor has urged the Ninth Circuit to shut down the U.S. Department of Justice and Volkswagen AG's relentless "obfuscation" in a long-running dispute over access to confidential Volkswagen documents that were part of a Jones Day investigation into the automaker's 2015 emissions-cheating scandal.
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August 15, 2024
Banking Groups Sue To Thwart New Ill. Swipe Fee Restrictions
The nation's largest bank trade association and other industry groups sued Thursday to block Illinois from implementing a new state law that prohibits financial intermediaries from charging so-called swipe fees on the sales tax and tip portions of payment card transactions, arguing it conflicts with federal law and risks broader "chaos."
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August 15, 2024
Delta Facing Second Customer Suit Over IT Outage Response
A Florida resident hit Delta Air Lines with a second proposed class action claiming the company failed to properly refund and reimburse passengers when their flights were canceled or significantly delayed in the wake of the global CrowdStrike computer outage.
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August 15, 2024
DraftKings Looks To Wipe Out Suit Over Voided NBA Bets
DraftKings fired back at an aggrieved bettor suing the online sportsbook over voided NBA bets that allegedly cost him a $150,000 payday, telling an Indiana federal judge that its rules plainly allow for the cancelation of wagers offered with obviously incorrect odds.
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August 14, 2024
T-Mobile Hit With $60M Fine Over National Security Risks
The Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. fined T-Mobile US Inc. $60 million for alleged national security failures, including failing to prevent the unauthorized access of "certain sensitive data" and to promptly report such incidents, according to news reports Wednesday and the agency's website.
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August 14, 2024
LinkedIn Can't Shake Privacy Suit Over DMV Data Collection
A California federal judge has refused to ax a proposed class action accusing LinkedIn Corp. of unlawfully obtaining users' personal disability information from the state's Department of Motor Vehicles website, rejecting the company's arguments that it was merely acting as a "recording service" for the DMV and that the dispute couldn't proceed without the agency being added as a defendant.
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August 14, 2024
CFPB Faces Call To Treat Housing Rental Leases As 'Credit'
A major consumer advocacy group has formally petitioned the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to write new rules that would require landlords to provide "adverse action" explanations when rejecting prospective renters who have applied for an apartment or other housing lease.
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August 14, 2024
New York Sues Lease-To-Own Fintech For 'Cheating' Users
New York state sued lease-to-own fintech company Acima on Wednesday, accusing the firm of taking advantage of consumers with deceptive practices around its lease agreements and interest rates that go far beyond the state's standard for usury.
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August 14, 2024
Costco Wants PFAS Kirkland Brand Baby Wipes Suit Tossed
Costco hit back at a proposed class action over its fragrance-free "natural" baby wipes filed earlier this summer in California federal court, saying that the suit is trying to scare parents by alleging the wipes are tainted with so-called forever chemicals.
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August 14, 2024
Apple Accused Of 'Privacy-Washing' Child Porn Problem
Apple Inc. has engaged in "privacy-washing" by using a purported commitment to users' privacy as an excuse to ignore its "dire" problem with child sexual abuse material being uploaded to and stored on iCloud, according to a proposed class action filed in California federal court.
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August 14, 2024
Amazon's Kuiper Says Satellite Framework Needed Soon
Amazon's Kuiper Systems is pushing the FCC to "take expeditious action" to wrap up new rules dealing with spectrum sharing among non-geostationary orbit fixed-satellite service operators, comments regarding which have been filing into the docket for years.
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August 14, 2024
Tuna Price-Fixing Deal Comes With A Catch: $26M In Fish
Two groups of buyers accusing major canned tuna producers of price-fixing have asked a California federal judge to give the first seal of approval to settlements totaling more than $168 million in cash, plus $26 million in packaged tuna products.
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August 14, 2024
Google-Epic Antitrust Judge Vows To 'Tear The Barriers Down'
A California federal judge appeared impatient Wednesday with Google's arguments against Epic Games' proposed changes to the Google Play Store in the wake of Epic's antitrust jury win, saying the world created by its "monopolist conduct" is changing, and vowing "to tear the barriers down."
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August 14, 2024
DOJ Defends Boeing Plea Deal Over Families' Objections
The U.S. Department of Justice said Wednesday that Boeing's plea agreement is the best possible criminal resolution that holds the company accountable for defrauding regulators about the 737 Max 8's development, rejecting claims from crash victims' families that the "morally reprehensible" deal lets Boeing skirt culpability.
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August 14, 2024
Amazon Hit With $1.2M Suit Over Immersion Heater
Amazon is facing a lawsuit from a Colorado church's insurer alleging that the church suffered more than $1.2 million in damages after a fire caused by a 1500-watt immersion heater it bought off the e-commerce giant's platform that was being used to heat a baptismal font.
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August 14, 2024
4th Circ. Says Credit Card 'Offset' Ban Applies To HELOCs
Creditors are prohibited from withdrawing funds from a cardholder's deposit account to cover outstanding payments on a home equity line of credit without the borrower's consent, a divided Fourth Circuit panel ruled Wednesday.
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August 14, 2024
CFPB Probe Draws Bead On Sporting Goods BNPL Firm
Credova, a fintech firm that specializes in buy-now, pay-later loans and other financing options for firearms and outdoor recreational goods purchases, is facing scrutiny from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and a potential enforcement action, its parent company said Wednesday.
Expert Analysis
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Drip Pricing Exemption Isn't A Free Pass For Calif. Eateries
A new exemption relieves California bars and restaurants from the recently effective law banning prices that don't reflect mandatory fees and charges — but such establishments aren't entirely off the hook for drip pricing, due to uncertainty over disclosure requirements and pending federal junk fee regulations, say Alexandria Ruiz and Amy Lally at Sidley.
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How To Grow Marketing, Biz Dev Teams In A Tight Market
Faced with fierce competition and rising operating costs, firms are feeling the pressure to build a well-oiled marketing and business development team that supports strategic priorities, but they’ll need to be flexible and creative given a tight talent market, says Ben Curle at Ambition.
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Opinion
Data Breach Reporting Requirements Must Change In AI Age
Outdated data breach reporting laws are inadequate to protect consumers in the age of artificial intelligence, as AI’s ability to determine relationships coupled with its improvements to deepfake technology mean that the very definitions used in breach reporting laws are no longer sufficient, says Collin Walke at Hall Estill.
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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.