Consumer Protection

  • May 29, 2024

    Microsoft's Post-Merger Layoffs Cited In I-Told-You-So Appeal

    A private group of gamers is pointing to Microsoft's recent layoffs of 1,900 Activision and XBox employees as evidence of market harms stemming from Microsoft Corp.'s acquisition of Activision Blizzard Inc., as the group seeks to revive a private antitrust suit challenging the merger in the Ninth Circuit.

  • May 29, 2024

    Google, Apple Say Nothing New To Revive Search Pact Suit

    Google and Apple urged a California federal judge not to revive a private lawsuit accusing Google of paying Apple not to produce its own search engine, arguing the consumers have nothing new in citing months-old revelations from the Justice Department's search monopolization case against Google.

  • May 29, 2024

    FCC Chief Floats Plan To Cut Down On Orbital Satellite Debris

    The Federal Communications Commission's chair proposed new rules Wednesday aiming to reduce the chances of spacecraft explosions that leave debris in orbit.

  • May 29, 2024

    South Baltimore Citizens Call On EPA For Incinerator Relief

    Baltimore has turned a blind eye to South Baltimore residents suffering from respiratory diseases and persistently urging the city to transition away from Maryland's largest trash incinerator to zero-waste infrastructure for dealing with refuse, two environmental groups and a residents group say in an administrative complaint Wednesday.

  • May 29, 2024

    TikTok Ban Gets Expedited Sept. Hearing Date At DC Circ.

    The D.C. Circuit on Tuesday agreed to expedite the briefing schedule for a constitutional challenge against a federal law banning TikTok from the United States unless it severs its ties with its Chinese parent company, ByteDance Ltd., with oral arguments set to be heard this fall. 

  • May 29, 2024

    PJM Watchdog Challenges FERC's Meeting Roadblock

    Monitoring Analytics, the independent market monitor for regional transmission organization PJM Interconnection, is asking the D.C. Circuit to review a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission order from March allowing PJM to keep the monitor out of its liaison committee meetings.

  • May 29, 2024

    Nationwide Says Hyundai, Kia Owe $7.7M For Engine Claims

    Nearly a dozen Nationwide insurers told a California federal court Wednesday that Hyundai and Kia are on the hook for 829 engine failure and engine fire claims totaling over $7.7 million in damages resulting from alleged engine defects in certain 2011-2019 vehicle models.

  • May 29, 2024

    Makeup Co. BIPA Suit Trimmed As Arbitration Bid Denied

    An Illinois federal judge on Tuesday said plaintiffs accusing e.l.f. Cosmetics of violating the state's biometric privacy law with its online virtual try-on tool lacked standing to bring two of their claims, while rejecting the company's arguments that the remaining claim should be arbitrated.

  • May 29, 2024

    Handbag Cos. Seek FTC In-House Delay For Fed. Court Row

    Tapestry and Capri are asking the Federal Trade Commission to delay an in-house challenge to the planned $8.5 billion merger combining the parent companies of Coach and Michael Kors, arguing the FTC's separate request for a preliminary injunction in New York federal court should take precedence.

  • May 29, 2024

    9th Circ. Rejects Objections To $23M Monsanto Roundup Deal

    The Ninth Circuit on Wednesday affirmed a district court's approval of a $23 million MDL settlement to resolve claims that Monsanto failed to warn buyers of the carcinogens in its Roundup weed killer, finding there was no indication of collusion as argued by Missouri-based objectors.

  • May 29, 2024

    P&G Mislabels Tampax Products As 'Pure Cotton,' Suit Says

    Procter & Gamble's Tampax-brand "pure cotton" hygiene products are mislabeled and deceptive to customers since the tampons contain non-natural ingredients like polyester and titanium dioxide, according to a putative false advertising class action filed Tuesday in Illinois federal court. 

  • May 29, 2024

    Bankrupt BlockFi Agrees To $150k Penalty In Conn. Bond Row

    Bankrupt cryptocurrency lender BlockFi has reached a deal with Connecticut's banking regulator to pay a $150,000 civil penalty over claims the company failed to maintain a required surety bond, and a decision in November 2020 to halt account withdrawals from the platform.

  • May 29, 2024

    Barilla Pasta Buyers Win Class Cert. In Italy Labeling Suit

    A California federal judge on Tuesday certified a class action alleging Barilla falsely labels its pasta as being made in Italy after she rejected the company's argument the class is insufficiently defined since it removed the challenged representation in 2022, finding a well-defined class can include those who suffered no injury.

  • May 29, 2024

    No Sanctions Over Drone Video For Houston Cancer MDL Atty

    A state judge said Wednesday that she wasn't planning on sanctioning an attorney representing Houston residents living near a contaminated rail yard for allowing allegedly improper drone videos to be taken over the site despite telling the lawyer that the "miscommunication" with his staff is "really on you."

  • May 29, 2024

    6 Questions For FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez

    A year after she was nominated for the Federal Communications Commission's third Democratic seat, Anna Gomez says she's steadily progressing toward goals tied to connectivity, innovation, public safety and media localism in what she calls the "best job I've had in my career."

  • May 29, 2024

    Robinhood Reaches Deal To End 'Meme Stock' Investor Suit

    Robinhood Markets Inc. told a Florida federal judge Tuesday that it has reached a settlement with investors to resolve a suit over the trading platform's suspension of so-called meme stock purchases, saying it anticipates finalizing the deal within the next two weeks.

  • May 29, 2024

    Fire Chiefs Want FirstNet In Charge Of Revamped 4.9 GHz

    Firefighters across the country want the Federal Communications Commission to know that they're in favor of the agency's plan to turn the revamped 4.9-gigahertz public safety band over to a single, nationwide manager.

  • May 29, 2024

    Pool Co. Can't Avoid, Delay Paying $16M False Ad Verdict

    A North Carolina federal judge has cleared the way for an American swimming pool parts supplier to go after a $16 million judgment from its Chinese rival for false advertising and unfair business practices following a weeklong jury trial earlier this year.

  • May 29, 2024

    Acting Boston US Atty Says Fraud Cases Still High Priority

    Prosecuting a range of fraud cases despite finite resources will remain a priority for Massachusetts acting U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy as he enters his second year in the job, he told reporters on Wednesday in a question and answer session at his office.

  • May 29, 2024

    BofA Sued Over 'Confusing' Automatic Card Payment Terms

    Bank of America has been hit with a proposed class action in New York federal court over its "confusing" automatic credit card payment options that charge monthly interest even when a customer pays the balance in full.

  • May 29, 2024

    Ex-Calif. Atty Cops To Role In $9.5M Crypto Ponzi Scheme

    A disbarred California attorney has pled guilty in federal court to his role in promoting a $9.5 million cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme.

  • May 29, 2024

    BakerHostetler, Crowell On Verge Of Settling Client Scam Suit

    BakerHostetler and Crowell & Moring LLP appear close to settling a malpractice suit claiming the firms aided and abetted a network of predatory websites, just days after a Florida federal judge authorized discovery into the former client's Slack messages.

  • May 29, 2024

    The NFL's $6 Billion Question: Is Sunday Ticket A Racket?

    After nearly a decade of testy antitrust litigation, the NFL finds itself on the precipice of a trial that could put it on the hook for billions of dollars if a California jury finds that the league and its teams illegally colluded with DirecTV in pricing its Sunday Ticket broadcast package.

  • May 29, 2024

    5th Circ. Stays Transfer Of Suit Over CFPB's Late Fee Rule

    The Fifth Circuit on Wednesday halted the transfer of a banking industry lawsuit against the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's $8 credit card late fee rule, again intervening in the case less than a day after a Texas federal judge ordered it sent to Washington, D.C., for a second time.

  • May 28, 2024

    Amazon Can't Duck FTC's Prime Subscription Suit

    Amazon cannot escape the Federal Trade Commission's lawsuit alleging the e-commerce giant tricks consumers into enrolling in its Prime service and makes it difficult for members to cancel subscriptions, a Seattle federal judge ruled Tuesday, saying the commission has adequately alleged Amazon's Prime terms were not "clearly and conspicuously disclosed."

Expert Analysis

  • FDIC Bank Disclosure Rules Raise Important Questions

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    The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.'s new rules mandating disclosures for nonbanks offering deposit products leave traditional financial institutions in a no-man's land between fintech-oriented requirements and the reality of personal service demanded by customers, say Paul Clark and Casey Jennings at Seward & Kissel.

  • Setting Goals For Kicking Corruption Off FIFA World Cup Field

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    The unprecedented tri-country nature of the 2026 men's World Cup will add to the complexity of an already complicated event, but best practices can help businesses stay on the right side of anti-corruption rules during this historic competition, say Sandra Moser and ​​​​​​​Emily Ahdieh at Morgan Lewis.

  • Don't Use The Same Template For Every Client Alert

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    As the old marketing adage goes, consistency is key, but law firm style guides need consistency that contemplates variety when it comes to client alert formats, allowing attorneys to tailor alerts to best fit the audience and subject matter, says Jessica Kaplan at Legally Penned.

  • Takeaways From FDIC's Spring Supervisory Highlights

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    The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.'s spring 2024 consumer compliance supervisory report found that relatively few institutions had significant consumer compliance issues last year, but the common thread among those that did were inadequacies or failures in disclosures to consumers, says Matthew Hanaghan at Nutter.

  • Online Portal Helps Fortify Feds' Unfair Health Practices Fight

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    The Federal Trade Commission, U.S. Justice Department and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently launched an online portal where the public can report potentially unfair healthcare practices, effectively maximizing enforcers' abilities to police anti-competitive actions that can drive up healthcare costs and chill innovation, say attorneys at Seyfarth.

  • Series

    Walking With My Dog Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Thanks to my dog Birdie, I've learned that carving out an activity different from the practice of law — like daily outdoor walks that allow you to interact with new people — can contribute to professional success by boosting creativity and mental acuity, as well as expanding your social network, says Sarah Petrie at the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office.

  • Key Issues Raised By Colorado's Brain Data Privacy Bill

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    Colorado recently became the first state to provide consumer privacy protections for data generated from a person's brain waves, and despite the bill’s ambiguity and open questions introduced, the new law has helped turn the spotlight on neurodata, says Sara Pullen Guercio at Alston & Bird.

  • Birkin Bag Case Carries Competition Lessons For Retailers

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    A recently proposed antitrust class action alleging that Hermès violated federal and California law when selling its iconic Birkin and Kelly handbags highlights some issues that other brands and retailers should consider, particularly given a prevailing landscape that seems to prioritize antitrust scrutiny, say attorneys at Holland & Knight.

  • Expect Tougher Bank Exams 1 Year After Spring 2023 Failures

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    With federal banking agencies still implementing harsher examinations with swifter escalations a year after the spring 2023 bank failures, banks can gain insight into changing expectations by monitoring how the Federal Reserve Board, Office of the Comptroller of Currency and Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. are coordinating and updating their exam policies, say attorneys at Debevoise.

  • Think Like A Lawyer: Follow The Iron Rule Of Trial Logic

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    Many diligent and eager attorneys include every good fact, point and rule in their trial narratives — spurred by the gnawing fear they’ll be second-guessed for leaving something out — but this approach ignores a fundamental principle of successful trial lawyering, says Luke Andrews at Poole Huffman.

  • Breaking Down EPA's Rule On PFAS In Drinking Water

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    Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency finalized the first enforceable federal drinking water regulation for PFAS, which, along with reporting and compliance requirements for regulated entities, will have a number of indirect effects, including increased cleanup costs and the possible expansion of existing Superfund sites, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

  • The Art Of Asking: Leveraging Your Contacts For Referrals

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    Though attorneys may hesitate to ask for referral recommendations to generate new business, research shows that people want to help others they know, like and trust, so consider who in your network you should approach and how to make the ask, says Rebecca Hnatowski at Edwards Advisory.

  • The Drawbacks Of Banking Regulators' Merger Review Plans

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    Recent proposals for bank merger review criteria by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. share common pitfalls: increased likelihood of delays, uncertainties, and new hurdles to transactions that could impede the long-term safety and soundness of the banks involved, say attorneys at WilmerHale.

  • Opinion

    The FTC's Noncompete Rule Is Likely Dead On Arrival

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    The Federal Trade Commission's April 23 noncompete ban ignores the consequences to the employees it claims to help — but the rule is unlikely to go into effect provided the ideological makeup of the U.S. Supreme Court remains the same, say Erik Weibust and Stuart Gerson at Epstein Becker.

  • 'Beauty From Within' Trend Poses Regulatory Risks For Cos.

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    Companies capitalizing on the current trend in oral supplements touting cosmetic benefits must note that a product claim that would be acceptable for an externally applied cosmetic may draw much stronger scrutiny from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration when applied to a supplement, say Natalie Rainer and Katherine Staba at K&L Gates.

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