Consumer Protection

  • August 21, 2024

    Contractor, Manager Settle Hartford HealthCare No-Poach Suit

    A New Jersey company that manages a sleep clinic in a Connecticut hospital has settled a former clinic manager's lawsuit alleging the company improperly prevented him from getting a job with the hospital's new owner after it fired him.

  • August 21, 2024

    Car Buyers Say Claims Are Tolled Because GM Hid Defects

    A proposed class of car buyers is urging a Michigan federal court not to dismiss their suit claiming General Motors sold vehicles with defective transmissions, saying the automaker hid the defect, so they couldn't have discovered it until recently.

  • August 21, 2024

    FTC Can't Stop $8.5B Merger, Handbag Cos. Say

    The owners of Coach and Michael Kors urged a New York federal court not to pause their planned $8.5 billion merger, saying a challenge from the Federal Trade Commission ignores the hundreds of options consumers have when shopping for handbags.

  • August 21, 2024

    Paxton Issues Warrants To Texas Counties In Election Inquiry

    Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said Wednesday that his office had executed multiple search warrants in Frio, Atascosa, and Bexar counties as part of an ongoing investigation into election integrity.

  • August 21, 2024

    Calif. AG Secures Rite Aid Deal Ensuring Pharmacy Access

    California Attorney General Rob Bonta has announced a settlement with Rite Aid Corp. that will allow his office to oversee any changes in ownership of the company's retail pharmacy outlets across the state.

  • August 21, 2024

    BofA Gag Clause Suit Heads For 9th Circ. After 2nd Dismissal

    A group of consumers who sued Bank of America for allegedly using improper nondisparagement clauses in its online service agreements moved Tuesday to take their case to the Ninth Circuit after a California federal judge threw it out for a second time last month.

  • August 20, 2024

    Mango Markets Crypto Platform Voting On SEC Settlement

    The entity behind cryptocurrency exchange Mango Markets appears to be gearing up to propose a settlement to resolve an inquiry from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission after a more than $100 million exploit on the trading platform drew regulators' attention.

  • August 20, 2024

    SEC Fines Equiniti Trust After Cyberattacks Stole $6.6M

    New York-based Equiniti Trust Co. has agreed to pay a $850,000 fine over claims it did not safeguard clients' funds from two cyber intrusion incidents that resulted in over $6 million in total losses, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission announced Wednesday.

  • August 20, 2024

    9th Circ. Revives Google Chrome Users' Data Privacy Suit

    The Ninth Circuit on Tuesday reversed the dismissal of a proposed class action accusing Google of surreptitiously collecting Chrome users' data, finding that the lower court had relied on the incorrect standard in determining whether a "reasonable" consumer would think they had consented to the disputed practice.

  • August 20, 2024

    FCC Urged To Boost Middle-Mile Support For Alaska Telecoms

    Alaskan telecoms are telling the Federal Communications Commission that their state needs special rules for middle-mile support, saying that Alaska's short construction season, roadless areas and other unique challenges mean that more support will be needed to achieve widespread connectivity.

  • August 20, 2024

    Don't Nix 'Band Manager' Approach In 4.9 GHz, FCC Told

    Public interest groups have urged the Federal Communications Commission to preserve its original plan to use a national band manager to oversee a 4.9 gigahertz spectrum revamp rather than turning it over to FirstNet through a nationwide license.

  • August 20, 2024

    USDOT Floats Vehicle-To-Everything Deployment Plan

    The U.S. Department of Transportation is setting out an aspirational timeline for vehicle-to-everything infrastructure deployment, saying it wants to see the technology deployed on 50% of the nation's highways by 2031.

  • August 20, 2024

    Apple Says iCloud Monopoly Suit Can't Stay Afloat

    Apple has told a California federal judge that it's time to boot a proposed class action that accuses it of flouting federal antitrust laws by blocking third-party cloud storage services from accessing and storing certain files on its smartphones.

  • August 20, 2024

    Realtek Suit Is Just 'Litigation Over Litigation,' IP Biz Says

    Litigation business Future Link says the latest version of an antitrust lawsuit in California federal court from Taiwanese chipmaker Realtek over claims of a conspiracy with a different Taiwanese chipmaker to fund purported "patent troll" lawsuits is just more "litigation over litigation."

  • August 20, 2024

    NC Panel Nixes Black Property Owners' Revived Bias Fight

    A North Carolina state appeals court handed the city of Kinston a win Tuesday for a second time in a discrimination lawsuit that the state Supreme Court recently revived, finding that Black property owners' claims that the city unfairly demolished their properties aren't viable because they never completed an "adequate" administrative appeals process.

  • August 20, 2024

    SF Police Can't Sue Navy Over Toxic Shipyard, 9th Circ. Says

    A group of San Francisco police officers cannot pursue their suit alleging the U.S. Navy misled the city into leasing a former naval shipyard that was not properly decontaminated following its use during the Cold War, which led to the officers suffering health problems, the Ninth Circuit ruled Tuesday.

  • August 20, 2024

    Fireball Maker Fights Class Cert. In Malt Labeling Suit

    The makers of Fireball have urged a California federal judge not to grant class certification to buyers who claim the single-serving Fireball malt beverages mislead consumers into thinking they're buying Fireball's Cinnamon Whisky product, saying their experts' proposed surveys don't show wide-ranging deception.

  • August 20, 2024

    Energy Department Says Dishwasher Case Lacks Jurisdiction

    The U.S. Department of Energy says anyone who wants to challenge a new rule governing how efficiently household appliances need to manage water usage must do so in a circuit court, claiming a Texas federal court lacks jurisdiction to hear the case.

  • August 20, 2024

    Amgen's Drug Price Suit An Issue For Legislature, Judge Told

    A Colorado nonprofit that advocates for the poor told a federal judge Tuesday that Amgen's lawsuit over the state's drug price cap system is little more than a disagreement with lawmakers' policy choices disguised as a constitutional issue.

  • August 20, 2024

    Wash. Judges Won't Upend Tobacco Payout Ruling

    A Washington appellate court on Monday rejected attempts by Philip Morris and other tobacco companies to pay the state less under a 1998 master settlement agreement, upholding an arbitrator's determination that the state was enforcing a law covering payment.

  • August 20, 2024

    Boat-Maker Sued Over Anchor Issue Stranding Owner

    A Tennessee boat-maker, Malibu Boats Inc., was hit with a proposed class action claiming its anchor systems are poorly designed, causing one boater to become stranded and require rescue by the U.S. Coast Guard.

  • August 20, 2024

    FCC Says No To 8 Nonprofit Stations In Texas

    The Federal Communications Commission says it is not approving eight applications for new low power FM stations because the Christian entities that applied for them appear to actually all be part of the same organization, which does not qualify as an educational nonprofit.

  • August 20, 2024

    LOT Polish Airlines Objects To DOJ-Boeing 737 Max Plea Deal

    LOT Polish Airlines has urged a Texas federal judge to reject Boeing's plea agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice, saying the deal deprives restitution to airline customers that incurred millions in losses because Boeing defrauded regulators about the 737 Max 8's development.

  • August 20, 2024

    Split 6th Circ. Revives FCRA Claims Against Experian

    A partially divided Sixth Circuit has reversed a lower court's decision to toss a consumer's Fair Credit Reporting Act claims against Experian concerning alleged delinquent spousal support payments, ruling in part on Monday that Experian failed to properly investigate court orders acknowledging the man's compliance with the payments.

  • August 20, 2024

    Verizon Customer Says Stalker Got Her Info, Arrived With Knife

    A Verizon Communications Inc. customer alleges in a North Carolina federal court complaint that the telecom violated federal privacy law when it gave her private information to a stalker who was threatening to kill her, allowing him to arrive at her house with a knife.

Expert Analysis

  • Lean Into The 'Great Restoration' To Retain Legal Talent

    Author Photo

    As the “great resignation,” in which employees voluntarily left their jobs in droves, has largely dissipated, legal employers should now work toward the idea of a “great restoration,” adopting strategies to effectively hire, onboard and retain top legal talent, says Molly McGrath at Hiring & Empowering Solutions.

  • Unlocking Blockchain Opportunities Amid Legal Uncertainty

    Author Photo

    Dozens of laws and legal precedents will come into the fore as Web3, metaverse and non-fungible tokens gain momentum, so organizations need to design their programs with a broader view of potential exposures — and opportunities, say Teresa Goody Guillén and Robert Musiala at BakerHostetler and Steve McNew at FTI Consulting.

  • 4 Ways Businesses Can Address Threat Of Mass Arbitration

    Author Photo

    Attorneys at DLA Piper examine the rise of mass arbitration in light of JAMS' new procedures and guidelines, and provide four steps e-commerce businesses can take when revising their dispute resolution provisions to maximize the chances those revisions will be held enforceable.

  • The Uncertain Scope Of The First Financial Fair Access Laws

    Author Photo

    With Florida and Tennessee soon to roll out laws banning financial institutions from making decisions based on customer traits like political affiliation, national financial services providers should consider how broadly worded “fair access” laws from these and other conservative-leaning states may place new obligations on their business operations, say attorneys at Sullivan & Cromwell.

  • Live Nation May Shake It Off In A Long Game With The DOJ

    Author Photo

    Don't expect a swift resolution in the U.S. Department of Justice's case against Live Nation, but a long litigation, with the company likely to represent itself as the creator of a competitive ecosystem, and the government faced with explaining how the ticketing giant formed under its watch, say Thomas Kliebhan and Taylor Hixon at GRSM50.

  • Boeing Saga Underscores Need For Ethical Corporate Culture

    Author Photo

    In the wake of recent allegations about Boeing’s safety culture, and amid the U.S. Department of Justice’s new whistleblower incentives, business leaders should reinvigorate their emphasis on compliance by making clear that long-term profitability requires ethical business practices, says Maxwell Carr-Howard at Dentons.

  • Debate Over CFPB Definition Of Credit Is Just Beginning

    Author Photo

    The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has recently worked to expand the meaning of credit, so anyone operating on the edges of the credit markets, or even those who assumed they were safely outside the scope of this regulatory perimeter, should pay close attention as legal challenges to broad interpretations of the definition unfold, says John Coleman at Orrick.

  • Why Jurors Balk At 'I Don't Recall' — And How To Respond

    Author Photo

    Jurors often react negatively to a witness who responds “I don’t remember” because they tend to hold erroneous beliefs about the nature of human memory, but attorneys can adopt a few strategies to mitigate the impact of these biases, say Steve Wood and Ava Hernández at Courtroom Sciences.

  • How Federal And State Microfiber Pollution Policy Is Evolving

    Author Photo

    Growing efforts to address synthetic microfiber pollution may create compliance and litigation issues for businesses in the textile and apparel industries, so companies should track developing federal and state legislation and regulation in this space, and should consider associated greenwashing risks, says Arie Feltman-Frank at Jenner & Block.

  • Series

    Fishing Makes Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    Atop the list of ways fishing makes me a better lawyer is the relief it offers from the chronic stress of a demanding caseload, but it has also improved my listening skills and patience, and has served as an exceptional setting for building earnest relationships, says Steven DeGeorge​​​​​​​ at Robinson Bradshaw.

  • 10 Tips To Build Trust With Your Witness During Trial Prep

    Author Photo

    Preparing a witness for deposition or trial requires more than just legal skills — lawyers must also work to cultivate trust with the witness, using strategies ranging from wearing a hat when conducting mock cross-examination to offering them a ride to court before they testify, say Faye Paul Teller and Sara McDermott at Munger Tolles.

  • A Look At US-EU Consumer Finance Talks' Slow First Steps

    Author Photo

    The unhurried and informal nature of planned discussions between the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the European commissioner for justice and consumer protection suggests any coordinated regulatory action on issues like AI and "buy now, pay later" services is still a ways off, say attorneys at DLA Piper.

  • 5th Circ. Venue-Transfer Cases Highlight Mandamus Limits

    Author Photo

    Three ongoing cases filed within the Fifth Circuit highlight an odd procedural wrinkle that may let district courts defy an appellate writ: orders granting transfer to out-of-circuit districts, but parties opposing intercircuit transfer can work around this hurdle to effective appellate review, says Charles Fowler at McKool Smith.

  • A Healthier Legal Industry Starts With Emotional Intelligence

    Author Photo

    The legal profession has long been plagued by high rates of mental health issues, in part due to attorneys’ early training and broader societal stereotypes — but developing one’s emotional intelligence is one way to foster positive change, collectively and individually, says attorney Esperanza Franco.

  • Calif. Web Tracking Cases Show Courts' Indecision Over CIPA

    Author Photo

    Several hundred cases filed to date, and two recent conflicting rulings, underscore California courts' uncertainty over whether the use of web analytics tools to track users' website interactions can give rise to a violation of the California Invasion of Privacy Act, says Patricia Brum at Snell & Wilmer.

Want to publish in Law360?


Submit an idea

Have a news tip?


Contact us here
Can't find the article you're looking for? Click here to search the Consumer Protection archive.
Hello! I'm Law360's automated support bot.

How can I help you today?

For example, you can type:
  • I forgot my password
  • I took a free trial but didn't get a verification email
  • How do I sign up for a newsletter?
Ask a question!