Consumer Protection

  • October 29, 2024

    4th Circ. Quizzes Drugmaker Challenging W.Va. Abortion Law

    An attorney arguing that West Virginia is preempted by federal law from restricting access to an abortion medication faced skeptical questions Tuesday from two judges who suggested it's entirely normal for states to regulate the practice of medicine.

  • October 29, 2024

    Texas Judge Rejects Early Win In Water Pollution Dispute

    A Texas federal judge denied on Tuesday an insurer's bid for an early win in its lawsuit against a water supply company accused of providing contaminated water to Cameron County residents, despite the insurer's argument that pollution exclusions in multiple policies bar coverage for the underlying claims.

  • October 29, 2024

    Google Seeks To Toss Yelp's 'Self-Preferencing' Case

    Google urged a California federal court Monday to toss Yelp's case accusing the search giant of giving preference to its own local search offerings over Yelp and others, saying the review site has been "peddling these same claims to antitrust authorities around the world for over a decade."

  • October 29, 2024

    Sports Betting Co. Sued For Spamming Consumers With Texts

    The Sports Prophets, a company that provides stats and predictions for sports gamblers to aid them in betting, has been slapped with a proposed class action accusing it of continuing to pelt customers with marketing text messages after they opted out.

  • October 29, 2024

    FCC Denies Another Bid To Shelve Prison Phone Rate Caps

    The Federal Communications Commission has rejected another bid to delay new prison phone rate caps, this time from a company that sought a narrow hold while the FCC weighs its request to reconsider certain limitations on provider revenue.

  • October 29, 2024

    Court Closure Sought Over Taunts By Florida Gun Shop Owner

    The Connecticut Attorney General's Office urged a state judge to protect the identity of its investigator in filings and to close the courtroom during their testimony at trial in a lawsuit alleging a Florida company deceptively sold do-it-yourself gun kits, saying anonymity is needed because of the owner's online taunts.

  • October 29, 2024

    UK, EU Finish Negotiations Over Antitrust Cooperation Pact

    The U.K. government announced Tuesday that it had concluded negotiations with the European Union on a deal to boost cooperation between British and European competition enforcement authorities.

  • October 29, 2024

    1st Circ. Scraps Securities Fraud Case Against 3D Printing Co.

    The First Circuit has affirmed a ruling throwing out a securities fraud lawsuit against 3D printing business Desktop Metal, finding the investor behind the action abandoned one of her claims and failed to adequately allege the other. 

  • October 28, 2024

    JPMorgan CEO Says Banks Must 'Fight Back' As Regs Mount

    JPMorgan Chase & Co. CEO Jamie Dimon said Monday that it's time for the banking industry to "fight back" against aggressive federal regulators, criticizing what he described as an "onslaught" of unnecessary, overly harsh rulemaking.

  • October 28, 2024

    Apple Withholding Docs In Monopoly Row, Epic Says

    Epic Games and Apple continued on in a discovery dispute in Epic's suit accusing Apple of monopolizing the iOS app distribution and in-app payment processing markets, with the video game company saying in a joint letter filed Friday that Apple is withholding "tens of thousands" of responsive documents.

  • October 28, 2024

    Hershey's 'Bubble Yum' Contains PFAS, Consumer Alleges

    The existence of "forever chemicals" in The Hershey Co.'s Bubble Yum brand bubblegum undermines the multinational candy company's commitment to transparency about the ingredients in its products, a new proposed false advertising class action filed in California state court alleges.

  • October 28, 2024

    Crypto Co. Operator Faces Money Laundering, Tax Charges

    Federal prosecutors accused an Indiana property owner of laundering the proceeds of a crypto money transmitter — AurumXchange — that they say should have been licensed and of failing to file tax returns despite realizing six figure gains from investing the proceeds.

  • October 28, 2024

    CFPB Asks DC Circ. To Topple PayPal's Wallet Disclosure Win

    The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has urged the D.C. Circuit to reverse PayPal's latest win against an agency rule that subjected Venmo-style digital wallets to some of the same fee disclosure requirements as reloadable prepaid cards, defending its basis for regulating the two products similarly.

  • October 28, 2024

    Tech Groups Target Fla. Law To Restrict Kids On Social Media

    A pair of tech industry trade associations are pressing a Florida federal court to strike down a new state law that would ban children under 13 and restrict 14- and 15-year-olds from social media, arguing that the measure would unconstitutionally stifle free speech and create new "honeypots" of personal data for hackers to exploit.  

  • October 28, 2024

    Sterigenics Says Residents Can't Tie Harms To Ethylene Oxide

    Medical sterilization company Sterigenics US LLC and its parent, Sotera Health LLC, are asking a Georgia state judge to exclude expert testimony put forward by Peach State residents alleging their ethylene oxide emissions harmed them, and to dismiss the residents' claims against them.

  • October 28, 2024

    Mass. Pole Attachment Regs Stymie Broadband, FCC Told

    Internet provider GoNetspeed is again asking the Federal Communications Commission to step in and tell Massachusetts to straighten out its regulations for broadband pole attachments, saying the state's current regime is delaying deployment.

  • October 28, 2024

    Handbag Cos. Turn To 2nd Circ. Over Pause On $8.5B Merger

    The owners of Michael Kors and Coach plan to ask the Second Circuit to review a New York federal judge's order granting the Federal Trade Commission's bid to halt an $8.5 billion merger between the companies while the agency conducts an in-house merger challenge, according to a notice filed Monday.

  • October 28, 2024

    Wash. AG Candidates Clash On Consumer Protection, Guns

    The candidates vying to replace Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson, who carved out a national reputation as an antitrust champion, present starkly different visions on whether to build upon his tenure or reverse course, clashing not just on consumer protection, but also gun safety and access to reproductive care.

  • October 28, 2024

    Monsanto Attys Fined $20K For Late Reports In PCB Trial

    A Washington state judge has ordered eight attorneys defending Monsanto in a Seattle PCB poisoning trial to pay $2,500 each to the local bar foundation for late disclosure of expert reports, saying the "sting" of personal sanctions should deter any future bad behavior causing "chaos and disruption."

  • October 28, 2024

    Where's The Beef? Subway Customer Sues Over Meaty Ads

    Subway was hit with a putative class action Monday in New York federal court claiming ads for the popular chain's Steak & Cheese sandwich show the product with at least 200% more meat than the subs that are handed to customers.

  • October 28, 2024

    9th Circ. Nixes Arbitration In Live Nation Ticket Sale Suit

    The Ninth Circuit affirmed Monday that Live Nation and Ticketmaster can't force consumer litigation over allegedly exorbitant ticket prices into arbitration, ruling in a published opinion that the underlying arbitration agreement linking to "borderline unintelligible" arbitral rules is unenforceable.

  • October 28, 2024

    Hermes Wants Antitrust Suit Over Birkins Tossed For Good

    Hermes again urged a California federal judge on Friday to toss a proposed class action accusing the French luxury design house of tying its exclusive Birkin and Kelly bags to the purchase of other items, saying the plaintiffs did not come close to proving antitrust law violations in a complaint now twice amended.

  • October 28, 2024

    Apple Says Section 230 Dooms ICloud Child Porn Claims

    Apple urged a California federal judge to throw out a proposed class action Friday alleging it has engaged in "privacy-washing" by ignoring a problem with child sexual abuse material on its iCloud storage platform, arguing that the claims are barred by Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.

  • October 28, 2024

    For-Profit College Says Colo. Can't Show Broad Public Harm

    A defunct for-profit college told a Colorado judge Monday that the state hasn't shown enough students were directly impacted by its allegedly deceptive trade practices for consumer protection claims to survive, in a decade-old case that is now back before a trial judge after years of appeals.

  • October 28, 2024

    Philip Morris Nicotine Pouch Suit Not About Labels, Court Told

    A lawsuit accusing Philip Morris International of misleading customers of its ZYN nicotine pouches asserts claims under business practices and false advertising statutes, but not the federal labeling law the tobacco giant is invoking in its dismissal bid, the suing consumer told a Connecticut federal court. 

Expert Analysis

  • How To Deploy AI In A Dangerous Threat Landscape

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    Businesses are feeling immense pressure to deploy generative artificial intelligence tools to accelerate profits and demonstrate their technological superiority to investors and consumers, and there are a few steps they can take when using AI tools to mitigate liability risks, say B. Stephanie Siegmann and Julianna Malogolowkin at Hinckley Allen.

  • Addressing The Growing Hazards Of Mass Arbitration

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    Though retail companies typically include arbitration provisions in their terms of service, the recent trend of costly mass arbitrations filed by plaintiffs may cause businesses to rethink this conventional wisdom, say attorneys at BCLP.

  • CFPB's Medical Debt Proposal May Have Side Effects

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    The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s recent proposal to prevent medical debt information from appearing on consumer reports and creditors from basing lending decisions on such information may have initial benefits for some consumers, but there are potential negative consequences that should also be considered, say attorneys at Cooley.

  • Series

    Teaching Scuba Diving Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    As a master scuba instructor, I’ve learned how to prepare for the unexpected, overcome fears and practice patience, and each of these skills – among the many others I’ve developed – has profoundly enhanced my work as a lawyer, says Ron Raether at Troutman Pepper.

  • Lawyers Can Take Action To Honor The Voting Rights Act

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    As the Voting Rights Act reaches its 59th anniversary Tuesday, it must urgently be reinforced against recent efforts to dismantle voter protections, and lawyers can pitch in immediately by volunteering and taking on pro bono work to directly help safeguard the right to vote, says Anna Chu at We The Action.

  • Decoding CFPB Priorities Amid Ramp-Up In Nonbank Actions

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    Based on recent Consumer Financial Protection Bureau enforcement actions and press releases about its supervisory activities, the agency appears poised to continue increasing its scrutiny over nonbank entities — particularly with respect to emerging financial products and services — into next year, say attorneys at Wiley.

  • How 3rd Circ. Raised Bar For Constitutional Case Injunctions

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    The Third Circuit's decision in Delaware State Sportsmen's Association v. Delaware Department of Safety & Homeland Security, rejecting the relaxed preliminary injunction standards many courts have used when plaintiffs allege constitutional harms, could portend a shift in such cases in at least four ways, say attorneys at Gibson Dunn.

  • 7th Circ. Ruling Expands CFPB Power In Post-Chevron Era

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    The Seventh Circuit’s recent ruling in Consumer Financial Protection Bureau v. Townstone Financial interprets the Equal Credit Opportunity Act broadly, paving the way for increased CFPB enforcement and hinting at how federal courts may approach statutory interpretation in the post-Chevron world, say attorneys at Saul Ewing.

  • Opinion

    Expert Witness Standards Must Consider Peer Review Crisis

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    For nearly two decades, the so-called replication crisis has upended how the scientific community views the reliability of peer-reviewed studies, and it’s time for courts to reevaluate whether peer review is a trustworthy proxy for expert witness reliability, say Jeffrey Gross and Robert LaCroix at Reid Collins.

  • What's In NYDFS Guidance On Use Of AI In Insurance

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    Matthew Gaul and Shlomo Potesky at Willkie summarize the New York Department of Financial Services' recently adopted circular letter on the use of artificial intelligence in insurance underwriting and pricing, and highlight the material changes made to it in response to comments on the draft circular letter.

  • Drip Pricing Exemption Isn't A Free Pass For Calif. Eateries

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    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.

  • How To Grow Marketing, Biz Dev Teams In A Tight Market

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    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.

  • Opinion

    Data Breach Reporting Requirements Must Change In AI Age

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    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.

  • Series

    Rock Climbing Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    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.

  • Think Like A Lawyer: Dance The Legal Standard Two-Step

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    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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