Consumer Protection

  • February 13, 2026

    Novel Calif. Data Deletion Tool Off To Hot Start, Director Says

    Despite a relatively quiet rollout, more than 170,000 California residents have signed up for a first-of-its-kind system that allows them to ask all registered data brokers to delete their personal information in a single request, positioning the tool as a strong model for other states similarly looking to boost consumer protections, the executive director of the state's privacy regulator told Law360.  

  • February 13, 2026

    States' Generic Drugs Antitrust Case Headed Toward Trial

    A Connecticut federal judge has mostly refused to side with pharmaceutical companies facing states' generic drug price-fixing litigation against them, ruling that there are genuine disputes of material fact as to drug distribution chains and the states' antitrust standing and teeing up the case for trial.

  • February 13, 2026

    'Acqui-Hires' In AI Drawing Antitrust Scrutiny, Tech Attys Say

    Attorneys with Nvidia, Google and Uber took the stage at a conference hosted by Baker McKenzie to discuss emerging trends in antitrust enforcement, including how booming AI investment has produced new regulatory scrutiny of "acqui-hires," in which large companies acquire startups primarily to hire their teams.

  • February 13, 2026

    FullBeauty Can't Nix Wash. Anti-Spam Suit As Unconstitutional

    A Seattle federal judge rejected an apparel retailer's arguments that a Washington state anti-spam law is unconstitutional and preempted by federal law, ruling that a consumer's proposed class action against FullBeauty Brands can move forward.

  • February 13, 2026

    Fintech's Home Equity Product Is Predatory Loan, Suit Says

    Fintech firm Hometap Equity Partners LLC faces class action claims in New Jersey federal court that its "complex, confusing and high-risk" home equity products are predatory loans in disguise that violate federal and state consumer protection laws and could cost consumers their homes.

  • February 13, 2026

    Banking, Fintech Groups Clash Over OCC Trust Rule Update

    Banking groups have warned the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency that it's overstepping its authority with a proposal to update the scope of national trust company operations, while fintech groups that the rule change would ostensibly benefit have applauded the measure.

  • February 13, 2026

    7th Circ. Forces Mercedes 3G Obsolescence Suit Into Arb.

    Mercedes-Benz drivers who sued the automaker after its subscription-based roadside assistance and other features became obsolete will have to take their claims to arbitration, the Seventh Circuit ruled on Friday, saying the customers agreed to deal with disputes outside court.

  • February 13, 2026

    4th Circ. Gives Models 2nd Shot At Suit Over Stolen Photos

    Several models who said a nightclub used their photos without permission will have another chance at pursuing their trademark infringement claims after the Fourth Circuit on Friday found that the models' failure to respond to the club's motion to dismiss within 14 days was no reason to toss the suit.

  • February 13, 2026

    Ex-Miami City Atty Seeks To Halt Real Estate Fraud Suit

    A former Miami city attorney has asked a Florida state court to pause a lawsuit alleging she and her husband engaged in a real estate fraud conspiracy, arguing she's entitled to a stay while challenging an order denying her immunity because the complaint was filed when she was a public official.

  • February 13, 2026

    State AGs Back Senate's Version Of Kids Online Safety Act

    Forty state attorneys general have joined in urging Congress to support the U.S. Senate's version of the bipartisan Kids Online Safety Act, a measure that would require online platforms to default to their most protective settings for children.

  • February 13, 2026

    Senate Leaders Agree To Bipartisan Satellite License Plan

    Senate commerce committee Republicans and Democrats have come together to make some changes to a bill that would speed up the review of satellite applications, allowing it to advance out of the committee and head to the Senate floor.

  • February 13, 2026

    FinCEN Opens Online Portal For Whistleblower Tips

    An enforcement arm of the U.S. Treasury Department on Friday launched a webpage for confidential whistleblower tips on fraud, money laundering and sanctions violations, touting financial awards for eligible tips.

  • February 13, 2026

    CFPB Calls State AGs' Suit Moot Now That It Has Funding

    The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has told an Oregon federal judge that a suit brought by several state attorneys general over acting Director Russell Vought's alleged refusal to replenish the agency's funding from the Federal Reserve is now moot since the CFPB "has requested and received funding for this quarter."

  • February 13, 2026

    Atty Fee Fight Brewing After Google's Chatbot Injury Settlement

    An Orlando, Florida, law firm has urged a federal court to grant it contingency fees from a pending settlement in a suit accusing Google LLC and a chatbot company of causing the suicide of a teen, saying the firm was left in the dark about the deal.

  • February 13, 2026

    FCC Pulls Equipment Lab Status From 4 Chinese Cos.

    The Federal Communications Commission said Friday it will no longer certify equipment labs run by four Chinese technology companies and opened formal action against a fifth to eventually revoke its accredited status.

  • February 13, 2026

    FTC Mulls Merger Rule Appeal, Blasts 'Left-Wing' Chamber

    After a Texas federal judge struck down a major overhaul of premerger reporting requirements, the Federal Trade Commission said Friday it would keep its options open for continuing the legal fight while also assailing the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the plaintiff in the case, as a "left-wing" organization.

  • February 13, 2026

    Chewy Settles Antitrust Claims Over Elanco Flea & Tick Meds

    Chewy has reached a settlement with consumers in a case accusing Elanco Animal Health Inc. of paying several pet supply retailers not to stock generic versions of its Advantix topical flea and tick prevention drugs.

  • February 13, 2026

    EU Approves Universal Music's $775M Deal For Downtown

    European enforcers have greenlighted Universal Music Group's $775 million purchase of Downtown Music Holdings, after the companies agreed to unload a royalty accounting platform that has access to sensitive information from rival music labels.

  • February 13, 2026

    Lifeline's $9.25 Only Makes Dent In Broadband Cost, FCC Told

    Advocates for the Lifeline subsidy program hope to convince the Federal Communications Commission that a $9.25 benefit for monthly telecom service does little to offset the cost of broadband since low-income consumers no longer receive any other federal aid for communications services.

  • February 13, 2026

    Pyure Hit With False Ad Suit Over Monk Fruit Sweetener

    Pyure Brands was hit with a proposed class action in California federal court Thursday alleging it falsely advertises its monk fruit sweeteners as being "free from artificial sweeteners," despite that they're predominantly sweetened with sugar alcohol known as erythritol, which is linked to increased risk of heart attacks and stroke.

  • February 13, 2026

    House Committee OKs Closer Look At Broadband 'Barriers'

    A bill that would direct agencies to take a closer look at the administrative barriers that stand in the way of broadband deployment has sailed through the House Committee on Natural Resources and now heads to the full House for consideration.

  • February 13, 2026

    FDA Removes Boxed Warnings From HRT Products

    Six menopause hormone therapies will no longer have warnings on their label about heart disease, breast cancer and dementia, after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said it removed them so that women can make decisions "free from exaggeration or fear."

  • February 13, 2026

    Olympus Slips Whistleblower Suit Over Testing Practices

    A Pennsylvania federal judge has dismissed a whistleblower lawsuit brought by the former head of product development for Olympus Corp. of the Americas, ruling that the ex-executive failed to show he was fired in retaliation for speaking out about what he alleged were company violations of the National Defense Authorization Act.

  • February 13, 2026

    Zillow, Redfin Say FTC Suit Fails To Show Antitrust Harm

    Zillow Group Inc. and Redfin Corp. backed up their attempt to escape a Virginia federal lawsuit from the Federal Trade Commission by arguing that the agency had overlooked the value to both renters and advertisers in a partnership between the companies not to compete for ads.

  • February 13, 2026

    CareDx Seeks High Court Review Of $45M False Ad Case

    Transplant diagnostics company CareDx has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review a Third Circuit decision that erased a nearly $45 million jury award against rival Natera in a false advertising case, arguing the appeals court is the only one that forbids juries from inferring consumer deception when determining damages.

Expert Analysis

  • Opinion

    A Uniform Federal Rule Would Curb Gen AI Missteps In Court

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    To address the patchwork of courts’ standing orders on generative artificial intelligence, curbing abuses and relieving the burden on judges, the federal judiciary should consider amending its civil procedure rules to require litigants to certify they’ve reviewed legal filings for accuracy, say attorneys at Shook Hardy.

  • Netflix Caps 2025 M&A Deals That Will Test Antitrust Strategy

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    The 2025 media consolidation trend culminated in Netflix's $82.7 billion Warner Bros. Discovery announcement, but the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice is likely to question whether remedies short of blocking the deal could credibly preserve competition, says Brian Pandya at Duane Morris.

  • AG Watch: Texas Junk Fee Deal Shows Enforcement Priorities

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    Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's recent $9.5 million settlement with online travel agency website Booking Holdings for so-called junk fee practices follows a larger trend of state attorneys general who have taken similar action and demonstrates the significant penalties that can follow such allegations, say attorneys at Kelley Drye.

  • Calif. AG's No-Poach Case Reflects Tougher Antitrust Stance

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    This month, California’s attorney general resolved the latest enforcement action barring the use of no-poach agreements, underscoring an aggressive antitrust enforcement trend with significant increases in criminal and civil penalties, say attorneys at Pillsbury.

  • A Look At The Wave Of 2025 Email Marketing Suits In Wash.

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    Since the Washington Supreme Court's ruling in Brown v. Old Navy in April, more than 30 lawsuits have alleged that a broad range of retailers across industries sent emails that violate the Washington Commercial Electronic Mail Act, but retailers are unlikely to find clear answers yet, says Gonzalo Mon at Kelley Drye.

  • Series

    The Law Firm Merger Diaries: Integrating Practice Groups

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    Enacting unified leadership and consistent client service standards ensures law firm practice groups connect and collaborate around shared goals, turning a law firm merger into a platform for growth rather than a period of disruption, says Brian Catlett at Fennemore Craig.

  • Tapping Into Jurors' Moral Intuitions At Trial

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    Many jurors approach trials with foundational beliefs about fairness, harm and responsibility that shape how they view evidence and arguments, so attorneys must understand how to frame a case in a way that appeals to this type of moral reasoning, says Steve Wood at Courtroom Sciences.

  • The Tricky Issues Underscoring Prediction Market Regulation

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    Prediction markets are not merely testing the boundaries of commodities law — they are challenging the conventional divisions between gambling regulation and financial market oversight, and in doing so, may reshape both, says Braeden Anderson at Gesmer Updegrove.

  • Opinion

    Supreme Court Term Limits Would Carry Hidden Risk

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    While proposals for limiting the terms of U.S. Supreme Court justices are popular, a steady stream of relatively young, highly marketable ex-justices with unique knowledge and influence entering the marketplace of law and politics could create new problems, say Michael Broyde at Emory University and Hayden Hall at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware.

  • Next Steps For Orgs. Amid Updated OpenAI Usage Policies

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    OpenAI's updates to its usage policies, clarifying that its tools are not substitutes for professional medical, legal or other regulated advice, sends a clear signal that organizations should mirror this clarity in their governance policies to mitigate compliance and liability exposure, say attorneys at Baker Donelson.

  • The SEC Whistleblower Program A Year Into 2nd Trump Admin

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    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's whistleblower program continues to operate as designed, but its internal cadence, scrutiny of claims and operational structure reflect a period of recalibration, with precision mattering more than ever, say attorneys Scott Silver and David Chase.

  • Key Crypto Class Action Trends And Rulings In 2025

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    As the law continued to take shape in the growing area of crypto-assets, this year saw a jump in crypto class action litigation, including noteworthy decisions on motions to compel arbitration and class certification, according to Justin Donoho at Duane Morris.

  • Tracking The Evolution Of AI Insurance Regulation In 2025

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    As artificial intelligence continues to transform the insurance industry, including underwriting, pricing, claims processing and customer engagement, state regulators, led by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, are increasing oversight to ensure that innovation does not outpace consumer protections, say attorneys at Fenwick.

  • Series

    Knitting Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Stretching my skills as a knitter makes me a better antitrust attorney by challenging me to recalibrate after wrong turns, not rush outcomes, and trust that I can teach myself the skills to tackle new and difficult projects — even when I don’t have a pattern to work from, says Kara Kuritz at V&E.

  • How 11th Circ.'s Qui Tam Review Could Affect FCA Litigation

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    On Dec. 12, the Eleventh Circuit will hear arguments in U.S. ex rel. Zafirov v. Florida Medical Associates, setting the stage for a decision that could drastically reduce enforcement under the False Claims Act, and presenting an opportunity to seek U.S. Supreme Court review of the act's whistleblower provisions, say attorneys at Epstein Becker.

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