Consumer Protection

  • November 27, 2024

    Better, Faster, Stranger: What Attys Think Of Our AI Future

    Law firms are increasingly embracing the use of artificial intelligence, wary of its limitations but enchanted by its potential to transform the practice of law through smaller headcounts and cheaper litigation.

  • November 26, 2024

    Sundance Can't Ditch Suit Over Purchase Data Disclosures

    A Utah federal judge has refused to toss a proposed class action accusing specialty retailer Sundance of unlawfully sharing its customers' private information with various third parties, finding that a ban on class actions contained in the state law being relied on by the plaintiffs didn't doom the dispute. 

  • November 26, 2024

    X Partially Revives Lawsuit Against Israeli Data Scraping Firm

    X Corp. partially revived its lawsuit Tuesday against Israeli data scraping firm Bright Data after a California federal judge allowed the social media company to amend some of its claims and add new ones, finding X now plausibly alleges the defendant's "sophisticated efforts" to access the platform caused harm.

  • November 26, 2024

    Customers Sue Fintech Partner Banks After Processor Failure

    Five banks holding funds for customers of fintech platforms face proposed class action claims of gross mismanagement after "significant ledger irregularities" totaling $85 million were discovered in the wake of an intermediary software company's bankruptcy.

  • November 26, 2024

    Amazon Not Liable For Chemical Used In Suicides, Panel Says

    A Washington state appeals court on Monday said Amazon can't be sued for the online sale of a chemical that four people used to kill themselves, in an opinion that said the state's product liability law has not caught up with the "previously unfathomable accessibility to instrumentalities of death."

  • November 26, 2024

    Tossing Uri Consumers' Claims Stifles 'Growth,' Justice Says

    A Texas appellate court justice said Tuesday that a decision by the court finding that power plants owed nothing to consumers for damages resulting from outages during Winter Storm Uri stifles "growth" in common law, dissenting from his colleagues who denied a motion for the whole court to rehear the case.

  • November 26, 2024

    NY Groups, Truckers Say Congestion Pricing Unconstitutional

    A New York teachers union, and coalitions of residents and truckers have told a federal judge that Manhattan's recently resurrected congestion pricing is still unconstitutional and discriminatory, and federal and state transportation agencies shouldn't be allowed to shake their claims just because the tolls will be reduced.

  • November 26, 2024

    NAR Buyer-Broker Settlement Approved Over DOJ Concerns

    A Missouri federal judge granted final approval Tuesday to the National Association of Realtors' antitrust settlement with home sellers, signing off on a $418 million payment and changes to broker commission rules, as NAR and the plaintiffs assailed the U.S. Department of Justice for raising last-minute concerns about the deal. 

  • November 26, 2024

    Smart Devices Fail To Disclose Security Lifespan, FTC Says

    As holiday shopping gets underway, the Federal Trade Commission is raising alarm about smart device update disclosures, saying an overwhelming majority of devices – from hearing aids to home security cameras and fitness devices — come without clear information on how long the manufacturer will keep them protected from security risks.

  • November 26, 2024

    Crypto Miner Can't Get Quick Appeal In SEC Fraud Suit

    A Utah man accused of defrauding crypto mining investors out of $18 million must face the claims that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission brought against him after a lower court judge on Tuesday declined his request to send the case to the Tenth Circuit.

  • November 26, 2024

    Atty Sanctioned In Privacy Suit Over Dodgy Prejudice Claims

    A Texas federal judge chided a plaintiffs' attorney during a Tuesday hearing in a privacy-related proposed class action, saying the lawyer needs a "refresher" on local rules and fining him $150 for seemingly pushing his own self-interests.

  • November 26, 2024

    Gilead Gets $31.8M In Calif. Case Over Counterfeit HIV Drugs

    Gilead Sciences Inc. has won nearly $32 million in a case involving a scheme to wrongfully repackage HIV treatments and sell them off as counterfeit Gilead products, a California federal judge has ruled.

  • November 26, 2024

    Google Search Judge Says AI Will Affect Remedy Phase

    The judge overseeing the government's search monopolization case against Google suggested Tuesday in D.C. federal court that artificial intelligence is shifting the market and will likely play a role in the remedies the court imposes on Google for allegedly violating antitrust law.

  • November 26, 2024

    T-Mobile, Sprint Slam FCC Privacy Fine At DC Circ.

    T-Mobile and Sprint are asking the D.C. Circuit to knock down $92 million in fines the FCC slapped them with for selling users' sensitive location data, saying that a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision backs their contention they deserved a jury trial.

  • November 26, 2024

    Don't Undermine Existing CBRS Users, Wireless Cos. Tell FCC

    Businesses that rely on the Citizens Broadband Radio Service want the Federal Communications Commission to refrain from making any changes that could disrupt existing business users of the tiered access spectrum.

  • November 26, 2024

    Report Floats Indoor-Only Sharing For Federal Spectrum

    A public interest group is urging federal agencies to consider indoor-only use by new users across five spectrum bands currently occupied by federal users in order to allow sharing by private users without compromising the needs of military and other incumbent networks or risking interference.

  • November 26, 2024

    Hemp Org. Warns Farm Bill Would Ban Some Legal Products

    A major hemp trade organization said Tuesday the Senate Democrats' version of the Farm Bill has some "concerning" implications for hemp that could result in product bans.

  • November 26, 2024

    Mohawk Sues PFAS Manufacturers For Fraud

    The world's largest flooring manufacturer has sued 3M Co., E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Co., The Chemours Co., and Daikin America Inc. in Georgia state court, alleging the chemical manufacturers lied about the dangers of so-called forever chemicals in order to trick the company into purchasing their products.

  • November 26, 2024

    EchoStar, Navajo Push FCC For Fixed Wireless In 12 GHz

    EchoStar Corp. and other 12 gigahertz license holders said they can provide the Navajo Nation part of that spectrum band to help deploy broadband on tribal lands if the Federal Communications Commission paves the way for fixed 5G wireless services.

  • November 26, 2024

    5th Circ. Says CFPB Payday Rule Can Take Effect Next Year

    The Fifth Circuit said Monday that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau can begin requiring compliance with its payday lending rule in just a few months as planned, sidestepping a request from lender trade groups to keep a court-ordered stay in place for longer. 

  • November 26, 2024

    Autodesk Wants Out Of Investor Suit Over Internal Controls

    Autodesk Inc. asked a California federal judge on Tuesday to toss a proposed class action alleging the software company's stock price dropped after investors learned it lacked proper internal controls due to issues with its free cash flow and operating margin practices, saying its business plan statements at issue were "forward-looking" and accompanied by "cautionary" language.

  • November 26, 2024

    BofA Blames ID Fraudsters For Fake Accounts Behind Suit

    Bank of America told a North Carolina federal court that third-party identity theft is to blame for the alleged fake accounts that prompted proposed class claims, and cited Wells Fargo's escape from a similar suit as a reason to toss the case.

  • November 26, 2024

    Maine Launches Climate Fraud Suit Against Oil Giants

    Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey slapped Exxon, Shell, Chevron and other oil giants with a complaint in state court Tuesday, echoing claims asserted by other states and municipalities across the country that the companies carried out a successful climate deception campaign for decades.

  • November 26, 2024

    California's Top Bank, Fintech Regulator To Exit At Year's End

    The top banking and fintech regulator for California is departing from the state's Department of Financial Protection and Innovation in a little more than a month, an agency spokesperson told Law360 on Tuesday.

  • November 26, 2024

    Chemical Co. Demands Defense Coverage In PFAS Foam MDL

    Specialty chemical company Clariant Corp. is suing five of its insurers in the North Carolina Business Court seeking defense costs in a host of underlying mass tort lawsuits over forever chemicals found in firefighting foam products.

Expert Analysis

  • Service Providers Must Mitigate 'Secondary Target' Risks

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    A lawsuit recently filed in an Illinois federal court against marketing agency Publicis over its work for opioid manufacturers highlights an uptick in litigation against professional service providers hired by clients that engaged in alleged misconduct — so potential targets of such suits should be sure to conduct proper risk analysis and mitigation, say attorneys at Dechert.

  • 5 Ways SEC's Crypto Approach Could Change Under Trump

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    Given the Trump campaign's procrypto stance, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission could take a number of different approaches to crypto policy in the next administration, including pausing registration-only enforcement actions and proposing tailored rules that take into account the differences between crypto-assets and traditional securities, say attorneys at WilmerHale.

  • Opinion

    FTC Actions In Oil Cases Go Against Its Own Rulemaking

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    Two recent Federal Trade Commission actions concerning the oil and gas industry appear to defy its own merger guidelines, with allegations that fall far short of the commission's own standard — raising serious questions about the agency's current approach, say attorneys at Clifford Chance.

  • Series

    Flying Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Achieving my childhood dream of flying airplanes made me a better lawyer — and a better person — because it taught me I can conquer difficult goals when I leave my comfort zone, focus on the demands of the moment and commit to honing my skills, says Ivy Cadle at Baker Donelson.

  • 9th Circ.'s High Bar May Limit Keyword Confusion TM Claims

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    A recent Ninth Circuit ruling that a law firm did not infringe upon a competitor’s trademarks by paying Google to promote its website when users searched for the rival’s name signals that plaintiffs likely can no longer win infringement suits by claiming competitive keyword advertising confuses internet-savvy consumers, say attorneys at Mitchell Silberberg.

  • 'Reverse Redlining' Suit Reveals Language Risks For Lenders

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    The Justice Department's case against consumer finance provider Colony Ridge highlights the government's focus on lending to consumers with limited English proficiency and the risks of generating marketing materials in other languages while conducting actual transactions in English, say attorneys at Goodwin.

  • What Trump's Next Term May Mean For Biz Immigration

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    Leonard D'Arrigo at Harris Beach discusses the employment-based immigration policies businesses can potentially expect during President-elect Donald Trump’s second term, based on policies enacted during his first administration, statements made during his campaign and proposals in Project 2025.

  • Takeaways From Final Regulations For China Investment Ban

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    ​The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s final rule banning U.S. investment in emerging Chinese technology clarifies some key requirements, includes additional exceptions for covered transactions and attempts to address concerns that the rule will put U.S. businesses at a competitive disadvantage, say attorneys at Simpson Thacher.

  • Compliance Considerations Of DOJ Data Security Rule

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    Under the U.S. Department of Justice's proposed rule aiming to prevent certain countries' access to bulk U.S. sensitive personal data, companies must ensure their vendor, employment and investment agreements meet strict new data security requirements — or determine whether such contracts are worth the cost of compliance, say attorneys at Eversheds Sutherland.

  • Balancing Health Tech Advances And Clinical Responsibility

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    To maintain their clinical responsibilities and mitigate potential legal risk, health professionals should incorporate the benefits of new medical technology powered by artificial intelligence while addressing its risks and limitations, says Kathleen Fisher Enyeart at Lathrop GPM.

  • Defense Insights As PFAS Consumer Product Claims Rise

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    Amid the recent proliferation of lawsuits seeking damages for failure to disclose the presence of PFAS in consumer products, manufacturers, distributors and consumer product companies should follow the science and consider a significant flaw in many of the filings, say attorneys at Farella Braun.

  • AI Monitoring And FCRA: Employer Compliance Essentials

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    As the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Federal Trade Commission signal determination to treat AI-based workplace surveillance as a potential Fair Credit Reporting Act issue, employers must commit to educating HR and compliance staff on these quickly evolving regulatory expectations, say attorneys at Sheppard Mullin.

  • Series

    Circus Arts Make Me A Better Lawyer

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    Performing circus arts has strengthened my ability to be more thoughtful, confident and grounded, all of which has enhanced my legal practice and allowed me to serve clients in a more meaningful way, says Bailey McGowan at Stinson.

  • Crypto Cos. Add New Play In Their Offense Against SEC

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    Consensys and Crypto.com have adopted a novel strategy of preempting U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission enforcement actions by moving to crypto-friendly Texas and filing declaratory lawsuits challenging the SEC's jurisdiction to regulate crypto-assets — an aggressive approach that may pay off, say attorneys at Herrick Feinstein.

  • Recent Listeria Outbreaks Hold Key Compliance Lessons

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    Listeria outbreaks in ready-to-eat foods from Boar's Head and other companies, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Food and Drug Administration responses to these outbreaks, should be closely evaluated from an overall compliance and risk management perspective by food manufacturers, retailers and industry investors, say attorneys at Kirkland.

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