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Consumer Protection
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October 18, 2024
Hemp Industry Group Sues Louisiana Officials Over New Law
Louisiana hemp interests on Friday filed a federal lawsuit against the governor and attorney general challenging a new state law meant to rein in intoxicating hemp products, alleging the new policy runs afoul of the federal law that legalized hemp nationally.
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October 18, 2024
FTC Faces More Pressure To Block $16.5B Novo-Catalent Deal
A dozen advocacy groups are pushing the Federal Trade Commission to block Novo Holdings' planned $16.5 billion purchase of Catalent, arguing that the deal would stifle competition for certain obesity and gene therapy drugs — and that no remedy can fix that.
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October 18, 2024
JPMorgan Says Trial 'Needless' After Couple Loses $20M Suit
JPMorgan Chase Bank NA told a Massachusetts federal judge Thursday there is no need for a two-week trial on the bank's counterclaims after it scored a pretrial win in a suit brought by an elderly couple who said bad investments cost them $20 million.
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October 18, 2024
Tesla Car's Pedestrian Crash Opens NHTSA Death Probe
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Friday said that it is investigating Tesla's self-driving systems after several accidents, including one that struck and killed a pedestrian.
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October 17, 2024
Apple's $20M Watch Defect Deal Lacks Info, Judge Says
A California federal judge has declined to preliminarily approve Apple's $20 million deal to resolve a proposed class action alleging certain Apple Watches have a battery defect that can cause serious injuries, ordering counsel to submit additional information, including details on the lawsuit's maximum value if consumers win at trial.
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October 17, 2024
Monsanto Again Seeks Pause As Seattle PCB Trial Begins
Monsanto is continuing its appellate bid to put off a chemical poisoning trial already underway in Washington state court as the plaintiffs told a Seattle jury on Thursday the company owes them more than $450 million, in the 10th such trial tied to an Evergreen State school.
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October 17, 2024
SEC Fines Broker-Dealer PHX, Sues Rep Over Reg BI Claims
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has fined broker-dealer PHX Financial Inc. and sued one of its registered representatives over claims that the representative improperly advised a handful of retail clients to engage in a trading strategy that caused them massive losses but generated significant fees and commissions for the firm and the representative.
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October 17, 2024
E-Cig Regs Are Congress' Job, Not FDA's, GOP Pols Tell Justices
Republican lawmakers told the U.S. Supreme Court that Congress, not the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, should regulate flavored e-cigarettes, and that the regulator overstepped its authority by banning the sale of the vape products.
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October 17, 2024
'It's The First Amendment, Stupid': Judge Blasts Fla.'s Threats
A Florida federal judge on Thursday blocked the state from threatening television stations with criminal prosecution if they did not pull a campaign ad promoting an abortion rights ballot initiative, calling the ads political speech that "is at the core of the First Amendment."
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October 17, 2024
Acadia Hid Wrongful Detainment Of Patients, Investor Claims
Behavioral healthcare provider Acadia Healthcare was hit with a proposed securities class action in Tennessee federal court alleging that investors were damaged after The New York Times published an investigative report saying the company detained patients in its psychiatric facilities for financial gain rather than out of medical necessity.
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October 17, 2024
CFPB Sues Vocational School Lender Climb Credit, VC Backer
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau on Thursday sued an online private student lender and its venture capital backer in New York federal court, alleging borrowers have been duped into taking out loans for coding school and other vocational programs with false claims about their educational "return-on-investment."
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October 17, 2024
CFTC Says Court 'Erred At Every Turn' In Election Betting Suit
The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission told the D.C. Circuit that the district court "erred at every turn" when it allowed trading platform KalshiEx LLC to offer event contracts based on the outcome of U.S. elections.
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October 17, 2024
DC Circ. Scrutinizes New TSA Worker Screening Rule
D.C. Circuit judges on Thursday sought an explanation from municipal airport operators challenging new federal screening rules as a costly burden that saddles them with unconstitutional liabilities, questioning them on how the new rules differ from other requirements for airports.
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October 17, 2024
NTIA Drops 1st List Of Self-Identified 'Build America' Makers
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration has released the first list of self-identifying manufacturers complying with the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment program's Build America, Buy America waiver.
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October 17, 2024
Consumer Groups Back DOT In Airline Fees Rule Fight
Consumer advocates have told the Fifth Circuit that a U.S. Department of Transportation rule requiring airlines to more clearly disclose add-on fees upfront would curtail the industry's trickery in airfare marketing, foster competition and save individual travelers frustration, time and money.
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October 17, 2024
Golf Course Co. Data Breach Claimants Want 4 Cases Merged
The plaintiffs in four separate proposed class actions alleging an Illinois-based operator of golf courses failed to protect customers' information following a data breach have asked an Illinois federal court to consolidate their cases, arguing that their claims arise from the same operative facts.
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October 17, 2024
Wash. Library Says Insurers Undervalued $4.8M Damage
A Washington island library district blamed its insurers for undervaluing damages caused by frozen sprinkler pipes that burst during a snowstorm by more than $2.9 million in a case removed to Washington federal court.
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October 17, 2024
DOJ Defends States' Right To Recoup Live Nation Overcharges
The federal government and 40 states are urging a New York federal court not to trim their antitrust case against Live Nation, arguing that states have the right to go after overcharges customers allegedly paid for concert tickets and also defending a tying claim based on venues and promotion services.
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October 17, 2024
Oregon Appeals Court Says E-Cig Rules Violate Free Speech
Oregon's intermediate appellate court ruled Wednesday that a state law governing how e-cigarettes and cannabis vapes can be packaged violated guarantees of free speech enshrined in the state's constitution.
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October 17, 2024
FTC Admits Federal Court Merger Fights Are Usually Decisive
Federal Trade Commission complaint counsel has admitted a reality that the agency has long resisted: While federal court preliminary injunction fights are ostensibly meant only to pause a merger while a merits case plays out through an in-house court, the federal court case usually decides the transaction's fate.
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October 17, 2024
FCC OKs New Rules Mandating Georouting For 988 Calls
Calls that come into the 988 suicide and crisis hotline will now be routed to centers based on where the call is coming from, following the Federal Communications Commission's decision to adopt rules requiring georouting on Thursday.
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October 17, 2024
3rd Circ. Undoes Arbitration Denial In Experian Row
The Third Circuit on Thursday clarified its standard for when courts should order discovery into whether a dispute should be arbitrated, in an opinion that said a New Jersey woman had admitted she signed an arbitration agreement with an affiliate of Experian that could apply to her Fair Credit Reporting Act lawsuit.
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October 17, 2024
Solar Site Settles Conn. AG's Claims Over Social Media Ads
The Connecticut attorney general's office has reached a settlement with EnergyBillCruncher.com to resolve claims that it ran deceptive social media ads falsely claiming that the "government will cover the cost" of solar panel installation and improperly displaying the state seal.
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October 17, 2024
FCA Blames Supplier For Defective Parts Leading To Recalls
FCA US LLC is suing one of its parts suppliers in Michigan federal court, alleging that it sold the automaker air heater grid relays for its Ram pickup trucks with a defect that can cause fires even when the vehicles are turned off and caused multiple recalls.
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October 17, 2024
Sen. Report Slams Insurers For Medicare Advantage Denials
A trio of major Medicare Advantage insurers are driving profits by denying coverage for patient stays at "costly but critical" facilities for those recovering from injuries and illnesses, according to a report issued Thursday by a Congressional committee.
Expert Analysis
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Addressing The Growing Hazards Of Mass Arbitration
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.
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CFPB's Medical Debt Proposal May Have Side Effects
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.
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Series
Teaching Scuba Diving Makes Me A Better Lawyer
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.
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Lawyers Can Take Action To Honor The Voting Rights Act
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.
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Decoding CFPB Priorities Amid Ramp-Up In Nonbank Actions
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.
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How 3rd Circ. Raised Bar For Constitutional Case Injunctions
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.
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7th Circ. Ruling Expands CFPB Power In Post-Chevron Era
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.
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Opinion
Expert Witness Standards Must Consider Peer Review Crisis
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.
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What's In NYDFS Guidance On Use Of AI In Insurance
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.
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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.