Consumer Protection

  • October 01, 2024

    Ford Must Face Trimmed Suit Over Alleged Truck Roof Defects

    A Michigan federal judge trimmed a proposed class action alleging Ford Motor Co. knowingly sold defective trucks with weak roofs that collapse in a rollover, tossing certain claims brought on behalf of unrepresented states, but rejecting other defense arguments — including Ford's statute-of-limitations defense — for being premature.

  • October 01, 2024

    Google Ad Tech Trial: 15 Days On The Rocket Docket

    The Justice Department wrapped an extraordinary antitrust trial last week that left a Virginia federal judge pondering whether Google is even dominant in the display advertising placement technology market or just another player.

  • October 01, 2024

    Phone 'Tax' For FCC Programs Unconstitutional, Justices Told

    Groups challenging the Federal Communications Commission's universal service system urged the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday to throw out the program's funding base, arguing it amounts to an illegal tax on consumers.

  • October 01, 2024

    Chancery Tosses Class Suit Over TransUnion CFPB Violations

    Observing that "imperfect compliance is not bad faith," a Delaware vice chancellor dismissed on Tuesday a stockholder derivative suit seeking damages on behalf of consumer credit reporting company TransUnion for alleged board and officer failures to comply with a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau order issued in 2017.

  • October 01, 2024

    Apple Users Win Partial Cert. In Storage False Ad Suit

    A California federal judge granted class certification Monday in a suit accusing Apple Inc. of falsely advertising the storage capacity of older mobile devices, but only for a subclass of certain individuals who purchased 16-gigabyte devices preinstalled with Apple's iOS 8 operating system in the Golden State.

  • October 01, 2024

    CFPB, NY Pan Subprime Auto Lender's 'Attempt To Distract'

    The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the state of New York have fired back at subprime auto lender Credit Acceptance Corp.'s bid to exit its predatory lending lawsuit in New York federal court, slamming its move as a Wizard of Oz-like effort to escape scrutiny "behind the curtain."

  • October 01, 2024

    Binance GC Is Building The Firm's Future, One Atty At A Time

    Binance general counsel Eleanor Hughes says she inherited "probably one of the most stressful situations a lawyer can face" when she entered her role as the company negotiated a $4.3 billion settlement with U.S. authorities, but since then her focus has been on building the right team to guide the firm's compliance forward.

  • October 01, 2024

    Verdict Stands In Fifth Third Bank Cash Advance Suit

    An Ohio federal judge refused to override a jury's verdict that Fifth Third Bank breached its contracts with the class of borrowers who participated in its Early Access loan program, and also said he would not order a partial new trial for the borrowers after that same jury denied them damages.

  • October 01, 2024

    Crowne Plaza Gets Out Of Ohio Sex Trafficking Liability Suit

    An Ohio federal magistrate judge released Crowne Plaza LLC from an anonymous plaintiff's lawsuit seeking to hold lodging entities liable for sex trafficking injuries, after the survivor said the hotel chain's presence in the case "adds nothing" to her chances of winning damages.

  • October 01, 2024

    TikTok Petitions 3rd Circ. To Review Section 230 Ruling

    TikTok asked for another crack in the Third Circuit on Tuesday, requesting an en banc rehearing of the appeals court's decision holding that its "For You Page" algorithm doesn't enjoy Section 230 immunity and reviving a suit accusing the app of recommending a "blackout challenge" that led to a 10-year-old's death.

  • October 01, 2024

    Enviro Group Sues Over PFAS In Carefree Menstrual Liners

    Makers of the Carefree brand of menstrual liners, Edgewell Personal Care Co., on Monday were sued by an environmental group in California state court over allegations that the personal care products contain a type of so-called forever chemicals.

  • October 01, 2024

    EBay Beats Gov't Claims Over Sale Of Polluting Products

    A New York federal judge Monday tossed a government lawsuit accusing eBay Inc. of hawking illegal automotive, paint removal and pesticide products, holding that the e-commerce giant does not meet the definition of a "seller" and has Section 230 immunity as a publisher of third-party content.

  • October 01, 2024

    NC Hospital Hit With More Class Claims Over Data Breach

    Columbus Regional Healthcare System's legal woes have worsened with more privacy breach claims filed against it by patients whose personal information was exposed by a May 2023 cyberattack on the healthcare provider's network.

  • October 01, 2024

    Doctors Were 'Bamboozled' By $160M Health Fraud, Jury Told

    A Houston man accused of defrauding the government out of $160 million by submitting false claims for diabetes medication is only guilty of creating a competitive business model, his attorney said Tuesday, telling a Texas federal jury it was "ridiculous" to say doctors across the country were "bamboozled" by an alleged scheme.

  • October 01, 2024

    Monthly Merger Review Snapshot

    European enforcers saw a key merger policy cut down by the bloc's high court, while Kroger and Albertsons defended their planned $24.6 billion grocery store mega-merger from challenges in multiple venues, and the Federal Trade Commission pushed a bid to block a merger between the owners of Coach and Michael Kors.

  • October 01, 2024

    Arkansas AG Says YouTube Addicts And Harms Youth Users

    The Arkansas attorney general has sued YouTube LLC, Google LLC and their parent company in state court, alleging that the YouTube platform is deliberately designed to addict youth users and shows them harmful content, leading to a mental health crisis that has cost the state hundreds of millions of dollars.

  • October 01, 2024

    Insurer Says Polaris Gave Late Notice Of Death, Burn Suits

    An excess insurer for a manufacturer of off-road vehicles said it should recover the $10 million it spent to help settle two lawsuits against the manufacturer over a fatal vehicle fire, telling a Minnesota federal court it was "severely prejudiced" by the manufacturer's claim notice delay.

  • October 01, 2024

    Apple, Amazon Hint Hagens Berman Lacked Client's OK

    Amazon and Apple blasted Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP for seeking to withdraw as counsel for the no-show original lead plaintiff in an antitrust suit targeting iPhone and iPad sales, hinting that the firm continued to pursue the case even after knowing its client wished to drop out.

  • October 01, 2024

    Delta Wants Suit Over IT Outage Response Thrown Out

    Delta Air Lines is asking a Georgia federal judge to toss a proposed class action brought by customers who claim its botched response to a massive IT outage left them stranded and on the hook for numerous expenses, arguing their claims are barred by a federal deregulation law and its ticket terms.

  • October 01, 2024

    FanDuel Sued For $250M By Convicted Ex-Jaguars Employee

    A former employee of the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars who's in federal prison for embezzling millions to spend on online gambling sued FanDuel for $250 million in New York federal court Tuesday, accusing the betting platform of preying on his addiction to encourage him to continue.

  • October 01, 2024

    Nostrum Labs Hits Ch. 11 A Year After Medicaid Settlement

    Nostrum Laboratories, a New Jersey drugmaker that paid millions to settle allegations that it underpaid Medicaid drug rebates for its bladder infection drug after it hiked the price more than 400%, filed for Chapter 11 protection with nearly $68.3 million in debt.

  • September 30, 2024

    FTC's Amazon Monopolization Suit Partly Tossed, For Now

    A Washington federal judge on Monday agreed to trim the Federal Trade Commission's landmark monopolization case against Amazon and split the trial into two parts, although the order itself remains sealed, according to an entry on the case docket.

  • September 30, 2024

    AI Safety Bill Veto Shows Calif. Taking Regulatory 'Baby Steps'

    The California governor's rejection of sweeping legislation to ensure the safe deployment of large-scale artificial intelligence models — and his simultaneous embrace of more targeted proposals to regulate the technology — is likely to result in the wider creation of regimes that favor "baby steps" over broad strokes, experts say. 

  • September 30, 2024

    Apple Says Epic's Injunction Can't Survive New Precedent

    Apple Inc. asked a California federal judge Monday to vacate or at least narrow the injunction won by Epic Games Inc. against the iPhone maker's anti-steering rules, arguing that two recent rulings suggest that the judge got the state antitrust law wrong.

  • September 30, 2024

    Colo. Says Kroger Merger Would Divest To 'Retail Liquidator'

    Colorado enforcers told a state judge Monday that Kroger Co.'s plan to inoculate against the anticompetitive effects of its $25 billion merger with Albertsons is doomed to fail because the company that would acquire hundreds of stores is a "liquidator" with no intention of running the stores long term.

Expert Analysis

  • Takeaways From EU's 'Pay Or Consent' Advertising Probe

    Author Photo

    Anne-Gabrielle Haie and Charles Whiddington at Steptoe examine key points from the European Commission's recent investigation into Big Tech's use of "pay or consent" advertising models, as well as the European Data Protection Board’s opinion on how such models can comply with EU competition and data protection laws.

  • When Banks Unknowingly Become HIPAA Biz Associates

    Author Photo

    There appears to be significant confusion regarding the application of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act to financial institutions when serving healthcare-related clients, so these institutions should consider undertaking several steps as a starting point in the effort to achieve compliance, say attorneys at Vorys.

  • From Muppet Heads To OJ's Glove: How To Use Props At Trial

    Author Photo

    Demonstrative graphics have become so commonplace in the courtroom that jurors may start to find them boring, but attorneys can keep jurors engaged and improve their recall by effectively using physical props at trial, says Clint Townson at Townson Consulting.

  • Opinion

    The Big Issues A BigLaw Associates' Union Could Address

    Author Photo

    A BigLaw associates’ union could address a number of issues that have the potential to meaningfully improve working conditions, diversity and attorney well-being — from restructured billable hour requirements to origination credit allocation, return-to-office mandates and more, says Tara Rhoades at The Sanity Plea.

  • Opting In To CIPA Risk Mitigation After New Precedent

    Author Photo

    A recent California federal court decision, adopting a new, broad interpretation of the California Invasion of Privacy Act, will likely increase the volume of CIPA claims and should prompt businesses to undertake certain preventative measures, including adopting an opt-in approach to using third-party website advertising technologies, say attorneys at Thompson Hine.

  • Opinion

    It's Time For A BigLaw Associates' Union

    Author Photo

    As BigLaw faces a steady stream of criticism about its employment policies and practices, an associates union could effect real change — and it could start with law students organizing around opposition to recent recruiting trends, says Tara Rhoades at The Sanity Plea.

  • CFPB's Earned Wage Access Rule Marks Regulatory Shift

    Author Photo

    The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's newly issued interpretive rule on earned wage access products, classifying them as extensions of credit, marks a significant shift in their regulatory landscape and raises some important questions regarding potential fringe cases and legal challenges, say Erin Bryan and Courina Yulisa at Dorsey & Whitney.

  • What 7th Circ. Samsung Decision Means For Mass Arbitration

    Author Photo

    The Seventh Circuit's recent decision in Wallrich v. Samsung highlights the dilemma faced by mass arbitration filers in the face of nonpayment of arbitration fees by the defending party — but also suggests that there are risks for defendants in pursuing such a strategy, says Daniel Campbell at McDermott.

  • How Justices Upended The Administrative Procedure Act

    Author Photo

    In its recent Loper Bright, Corner Post and Jarkesy decisions, the U.S. Supreme Court fundamentally changed the Administrative Procedure Act in ways that undermine Congress and the executive branch, shift power to the judiciary, curtail public and business input, and create great uncertainty, say Alene Taber and Beth Hummer at Hanson Bridgett.

  • FTC Drives Crackdown On Connected Cars' Data Privacy Risk

    Author Photo

    After the Federal Trade Commission's warning to automakers about data privacy, which continues to emerge as a national concern, automakers must carefully examine their data collection, use and retention practices, say Catherine Castaldo and Michael Rubayo at Reed Smith.

  • Jarkesy May Thwart Consumer Agencies' Civil Penalty Power

    Author Photo

    The U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission v. Jarkesy not only implicates future SEC administrative adjudications, but those of other agencies that operate similarly — and may stymie regulators' efforts to levy civil monetary penalties in a range of consumer protection enforcement actions, say attorneys at Holland & Knight.

  • How Courts Split On Damages Analysis In Automotive Suits

    Author Photo

    As high-profile vehicle recalls and lawsuits alleging vehicle defects surge, many plaintiffs are turning to choice-based conjoint analysis to calculate damages, but a review of federal district court decisions reveals a range of views on the validity of this methodology, say Joshua Hochberg and Shireen Meer at Berkeley Research.

  • Considerations As State AGs Step Up Privacy Enforcement

    Author Photo

    As new state privacy laws take effect, businesses are facing an increasingly complex patchwork of compliance obligations and risk of scrutiny by attorneys general, but companies can gain a competitive edge by building consumer trust and staying ahead of regulatory trends, say Ann-Marie Luciano and Meghan Stoppel at Cozen O’Connor.

  • 2 Vital Trial Principles Endure Amid Tech Advances

    Author Photo

    Progress in trial technologies in the last 10 years has been transformative for courtroom presentations, but two core communication axioms are still relevant in today's world of drone footage evidence and 3D animations, say Adam Bloomberg and Lisa Walters at IMS Legal Strategies.

  • Lessons From Rising Fake Discount Consumer Class Actions

    Author Photo

    Ellen Robbins and Scott Allbright at Akerman discuss the rise of false reference price consumer class actions and outline key strategies to minimize legal risk and protect businesses.

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!