Consumer Protection

  • January 03, 2025

    Energy Cos. Ask Top Calif. Court To End Climate Change Suits

    A half-dozen global energy giants urged California's top court Thursday to review a lower court's decision allowing climate change suits against them to proceed, arguing that California courts don't have jurisdiction over claims stemming from global fossil fuel use.

  • January 03, 2025

    FTC Dems Eye Merger Review, Noncompete Legacy

    Federal Trade Commission Democrats started the new year with legacy on the brain, urging the soon-to-be Republican majority in a pair of statements to preserve their more "stringent approach" to merger review and their currently blocked ban on employment noncompete agreements, despite heavy criticism both received from their GOP peers.

  • January 03, 2025

    PBMs 'Wasting' Time in Opioid MDL Discovery Spat: Judge

    An Ohio federal judge overseeing multidistrict opioid litigation on Friday denied pharmacy benefit managers a stay to appeal a discovery order and said he believed the PBMs were "wasting" the court's time.

  • January 03, 2025

    Pool Co. Denied New Trial On TM Claims After Winning $16M

    A North Carolina pool parts supplier can't retry trademark infringement claims after securing a $16 million false advertising and unfair business practices judgment against a rival Chinese company accused of misleading customers, a federal judge ruled this week.

  • January 03, 2025

    Meta Wants Advertising Monopoly Suit Nixed

    Meta said that a group of advertisers accusing the company of monopolizing the social media advertising market have nothing more than its profits to point to in their damages bid, writing in a new summary judgment motion that extensive discovery has only shown how baseless the suit is.

  • January 03, 2025

    Honeygrow Accused Of Taxing Bottled Water At Pa. Location

    Philadelphia-based restaurant chain Honeygrow unjustly profited from charging 6% sales tax for bottled water at one of its locations in violation of Pennsylvania law, a new class action lawsuit filed in state court alleged.

  • January 03, 2025

    PayPal's Minority Program Biased Against Asians, Suit Says

    A lawsuit filed in New York federal court alleges that PayPal's $535 million investment program for Black- and minority-led businesses is racially biased against Asian Americans and violates federal civil rights laws. 

  • January 03, 2025

    Victims Say Crypto Isn't Money, Safeco Must Cover Hack

    A Washington couple is accusing Safeco Insurance Co. of illegally refusing coverage for $600,000 in cryptocurrency stolen by hackers, saying in a complaint removed to Seattle federal court on Thursday that the tokens should be classified as personal property, not money, which has a $250 loss limit on the pair's homeowners' policy.

  • January 03, 2025

    CPSC, Apple Reach Agreement Over AirTag Battery Warnings

    The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission on Thursday said Apple AirTags imported after March 2024 didn't have federally required warnings about the harms of swallowing the tracking devices, but the company has agreed to include warnings.

  • January 03, 2025

    FCC Republicans Slam Marketplace Report As Falling Short

    Republicans who are set to take control of the Federal Communications Commission blasted an agency report on the state of the communications marketplace, saying it fails to take into account the convergence of various broadband technologies.

  • January 03, 2025

    Bank's Refund Doesn't End Proposed Class Action Over Fees

    A bank's "apparent attempt" to "pick off" a plaintiff in a proposed class action by refunding overdraft fees that are the basis for the complaint "will not be permitted," a Massachusetts judge said in denying the bank's bid to dismiss the case.

  • January 03, 2025

    Suits Allege California Law Firm Committed Debt Relief Fraud

    Two people filed lawsuits this week against a California law firm, alleging that it had promised to fix their debt problems but instead took hundreds of dollars from their bank accounts each month and did nothing to help.

  • January 03, 2025

    AIG Seeks $302K For Water Damage At NFL Player's NJ Home

    An AIG insurer said it's entitled to recover nearly $302,000 from a contractor and plumbing company for flood damage to a Philadelphia Eagles player's Garden State home, telling a New Jersey federal court that the companies improperly installed the wrong piece of hardware when renovating the property.

  • January 03, 2025

    Hemp Cos. Tell 10th Circ. New Law Is Unconstitutional

    A group of hemp companies challenging a new Wyoming law restricting their products told the Tenth Circuit on Thursday the policy is unconstitutional and their appeal is ripe despite the lower court dismissing their suit.

  • January 03, 2025

    $15M Flea Collar MDL Deal Scores Swift Approval By Ill. Judge

    An Illinois federal judge gave his final blessing on Friday to a $15 million settlement in multidistrict litigation targeting adverse side effects that Bayer and other companies behind certain flea and tick collars allegedly failed to warn about.

  • January 03, 2025

    FCC Hits Broadband Co. With $56K Fine For Default

    The Federal Communications Commission has ordered an Illinois broadband provider to shell out more than $56,000 for allegedly defaulting on obligations under a federal program to expand high-speed internet service in unserved regions.

  • January 03, 2025

    FCC Says Cash On Way Soon For 'Rip And Replace'

    The Federal Communications Commission says the additional $3.08 billion for its "rip and replace" program to get Chinese telecommunications equipment out of the nation's networks is on its way and will soon close a wide gap between what was originally allocated for the program and what telecoms say they need.

  • January 03, 2025

    Pa. Homebuyers Say Broker Misled Them On Chicken Ban

    A pair of Pennsylvania homebuyers told a state court on Jan. 2 they have buyer's remorse after being misled by broker Coldwell Banker Real Estate Services LLC about a homeowners association's ban on chickens living on their property.

  • January 03, 2025

    Texas City, Sheriff Say Retailers' Suit Should Go Up In Smoke

    The city of Allen, Texas, and the Collin County sheriff are asking a Texas federal court to throw out a suit alleging they illegally raided a smoke shop selling hemp products, arguing in separate motions that the complaint falls far short of supporting its claims.

  • January 03, 2025

    Insurers Ordered To Pay $165M For Deceptive Marketing

    Insurance companies banned from selling policies in Massachusetts due to alleged deceptive marketing practices have been ordered to pay $165 million for selling the plans anyway and using similar false advertising in their pitches to consumers, a state judge has ruled.

  • January 02, 2025

    Calif. Judge Ices Social Media Addiction Law For 30 Days

    A California federal judge Thursday blocked the state from beginning its enforcement of a new law designed to bar online platforms from using algorithms to deliver addictive feeds to children, finding there was "great value" in giving the Ninth Circuit 30 days to consider his decision to largely uphold the measure. 

  • January 02, 2025

    Ex-Bank Chair Asks 7th Circ. To Halt FDIC Enforcement Order

    An Illinois community bank's onetime chairman has asked the Seventh Circuit for an emergency stay of professional sanctions ordered by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. after an in-house proceeding that he argues was unconstitutional and wrongly decided.

  • January 02, 2025

    DC Kept Disabled People In Restrictive Care Too Long: Ruling

    After 15 years of litigation, a D.C. federal judge ruled this week that the District of Columbia has been violating a federal law that prohibits the segregation of people with disabilities by refusing to remove people from Medicaid-funded nursing homes into less restrictive forms of care.

  • January 02, 2025

    NTIA Clarifies Use Of Broadband Funds For Alternative Techs

    The National Telecommunications and Information Administration has dropped more information to make the way forward clearer for states that want to use their federal broadband dollars to fund alternative means of connecting people, such as satellites.

  • January 02, 2025

    Stanley Cup Maker Sued Over Alleged Lid Hazard

    The Seattle-based maker of the trending Stanley-brand tumbler has been hit with a proposed class action in Washington federal court by a New York consumer accusing the manufacturer of failing to adequately compensate customers for a lid defect that led to the recall of 2.6 million travel mugs.

Expert Analysis

  • Series

    Playing Ultimate Makes Us Better Lawyers

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    In addition to being fun, ultimate Frisbee has improved our legal careers by emphasizing the importance of professionalism, teamwork, perseverance, enthusiasm and vulnerability, say Arunabha Bhoumik and Adam Bernstein at Regeneron. 

  • Call For Input Shows How Banks, Fintechs Can Address Risks

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    A recent request for information by federal banking regulators suggests that watchdogs are zeroing in on the bank-fintech partnerships they have long perceived as risky to consumers, but analyzing the publication can help companies anticipate regulators’ chief concerns and take steps to avoid becoming enforcement targets, say attorneys at K&L Gates.

  • Curious Case Of FTC's Amicus Brief In Teva Fed. Circ. Appeal

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    Attorneys at BCLP explore the Federal Trade Commission's backing of Amneal's Orange Book-delisting efforts on Teva ahead of a key Federal Circuit hearing in a case between the two pharmaceutical companies, and wonder if the FTC amicus brief indicates a future trend, especially in the next administration.

  • E-Discovery Quarterly: Recent Rulings On Metadata

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    Several recent rulings reflect the competing considerations that arise when parties dispute the form of production for electronically stored information, underscoring that counsel must carefully consider how to produce and request reasonably usable data, say attorneys at Sidley.

  • How New OCC Priorities Will Affect Bank Compliance

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    With the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency recently releasing a new bank supervision plan for fiscal year 2025, all banks, not only those primarily supervised by the OCC, should consider how compliance with its guidelines creates opportunities and challenges, says Andrew Karp at Cadwalader.

  • Comparing Antitrust Outlooks Amid Google Remedy Review

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    As the U.S. Justice Department mulls potential structural remedies after winning its recent case against Google, increased global scrutiny of Big Tech leaves ex post and ex ante antitrust approaches ripe for evaluation, say Nishant Chadha at the Indian School of Business and Manisha Goel at Pomona College.

  • Website Accessibility Ruling Leaves Circuit Split Unresolved

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    A New York federal court's recent decision in Mejia v. High Brew Coffee, holding that stand-alone websites are not "public accommodations" subject to the Americans with Disabilities Act, further complicates a long-running circuit split on this question — even as courts are burdened with thousands of similar lawsuits, say attorneys at Mandelbaum Barrett.

  • What FTC's 'Bitcoin ATM' Report Tells Us About Crypto Scams

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    The Federal Trade Commission's recent insights into bitcoin ATM scams highlight the technical evolution of fraudsters, the application of old scams to new technology, and the persistent financial impact on victims, say attorneys at DLA Piper.

  • A Look At Grewal's Record-Breaking Legacy After SEC Exit

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    Gurbir Grewal resigned as director of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's Division of Enforcement last month after more than three years on the job, leaving behind a legacy marked by record numbers of penalties and enforcement actions, as well as mixed results in aggressive lawsuits against major crypto players, say attorneys at Debevoise.

  • Striking A Balance Between AI Use And Attorney Well-Being

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    As the legal industry increasingly adopts generative artificial intelligence tools to boost efficiency, leaders must note the hidden costs of increased productivity, and work to protect attorneys’ well-being while unlocking AI’s full potential, says Ed Sohn at Factor.

  • Empathy In Mediation Offers A Soft Landing For Disputes

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    Experiencing a crash-landing on a recent flight underscored to me how much difference empathy makes in times of crisis or stress, including during mediation, says Eydith Kaufman at Alternative Resolution Centers.

  • A Look At The Increased Scrutiny Of Cash Sweep Programs

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    Financial industry regulators have increasingly probed the adequacy of so-called cash sweep disclosures and policies, underscoring the heightened risk faced by investment advisers and broker-dealers, as well as the importance of adequately disclosing material conflicts of interest, say attorneys at Dechert.

  • Series

    Being An Artist Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    My work as an artist has highlighted how using creativity and precision together — qualities that are equally essential in both art and law — not only improves outcomes, but also leads to more innovative and thoughtful work, says Sarah La Pearl at Segal McCambridge.

  • Election Outcome Could Reshape Financial Industry

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    The policies of the next presidential administration and Congress will shape the landscape of financial services in the U.S. — including banking, mortgage, investment and credit services — for years to come, affecting Wall Street investors and aspiring homeowners alike, say Alexander Hecht and Frank Guinta at Mintz.

  • Consider The Impact Of Election Stress On Potential Jurors

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    For at least the next few months, potential jurors may be working through anger and distrust stemming from the presidential election, and trial attorneys will need to assess whether those jurors are able to leave their political concerns at the door, says Ken Broda-Bahm at Persuasion Strategies.

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