Consumer Protection

  • April 30, 2025

    Consumer Says Illegal Gambling Claims Can't Be Arbitrated

    A consumer is fighting a bid by the Cypriot operator of online "social gaming platform" Stake.us to force him to arbitrate his attempt to shut down the website for purportedly offering illegal gambling, telling a California federal judge that criminal conduct can't be arbitrated.

  • April 30, 2025

    House GOP Bill To Cut CFPB Budget, Audit Board Clears Panel

    The U.S. House Financial Services Committee on Wednesday approved Republican budget legislation that would strip most funding from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and wind down an independent audit regulator for public companies.  

  • April 30, 2025

    VSL Probiotic Buyers Win Class Cert. In RICO Case

    A Maryland federal judge has certified 10 classes of customers who bought a knockoff version of a proprietary probiotic formula developed by a professor to treat gastrointestinal ailments, saying in an order unsealed Wednesday the customers all suffered the same alleged injury from buying a product that wasn't the one they expected. 

  • April 30, 2025

    CFPB Scraps More Cases, Curbs Small Biz Loan Rule Focus

    The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau on Wednesday abandoned more lawsuits, including its Fifth Circuit appeal over a Biden-era policy that expanded the agency's anti-discrimination scrutiny of financial firms, and said it will not focus on enforcing a contested small business lending rule.

  • April 30, 2025

    Calif. Privacy Agency Inks Cooperation Pact With UK Authority

    The California Privacy Protection Agency has taken its latest step toward boosting its collaboration with data protection authorities around the world, announcing Tuesday that it had reached an agreement with the U.K.'s privacy regulator to compare investigative methods, research into new technologies and other vital tools.

  • April 30, 2025

    CEO Asked How Rivals Can Possibly Match Google Money

    Google CEO Sundar Pichai testified Wednesday that the Justice Department's proposed monopolization fixes amount to a "de facto divestiture" of the company's entire search intellectual property, only for the D.C. federal judge to wonder how rival search engines could hope to match its financial resources.

  • April 30, 2025

    FCC Could Ban Foreign Adversaries' Testing Labs

    The Federal Communications Commission plans to vote in May on whether to ban U.S. operations of telecom equipment test labs owned by foreign adversaries.

  • April 30, 2025

    Joe Rogan-Backed 'Alpha Brain' False Ad Suit Dropped In NY

    A consumer is asking a New York federal judge to dismiss his proposed class action accusing Onnit Labs Inc. of falsely advertising its "Alpha Brain" cognitive supplement, which were previously promoted by podcaster Joe Rogan, as clinically proven to boost memory.

  • April 30, 2025

    Senate Bill Would Make FCC List Foreign Foes' Telecom Stakes

    The U.S. Senate will consider a bipartisan bill to direct the Federal Communications Commission to publish a list of foreign adversaries' ownership stakes in regulated companies.

  • April 30, 2025

    Anheuser-Busch Must Face Trial In $90M SpikedSeltzer Case

    Anheuser-Busch must face a jury in a multimillion-dollar contract claim surrounding its 2016 buyout of a hard seltzer product line from its inventors and their investors, a Connecticut trial court judge ruled Wednesday, partially declining the beverage giant's bid for a quick win.

  • April 30, 2025

    Judge Rejects $5M Fee Bid In Prospect Medical's Ch. 11

    Bankruptcy Code provisions that allow creditors who make substantial contributions to be reimbursed for costs don't cover Prospect Medical's pre-Chapter 11 investment banker, a Texas bankruptcy judge said Wednesday, rejecting a finance firm's bid for a $5 million sale fee.

  • April 30, 2025

    Agri Stats Gets Say In DOJ's Poultry Worker Wage-Fixing Case

    A Maryland federal court allowed Agri Stats Inc. to intervene Wednesday in the U.S. Department of Justice's case accusing Wayne-Sanderson Farms and George's Inc. of suppressing wages, after the government said the poultry companies need to stop using the agricultural data firm.

  • April 30, 2025

    Underwriters Seek Exit From $37M FTC Dispute With Loan Co.

    Underwriters asked a California federal court on Wednesday to find that they did not have to defend a company accused by the Federal Trade Commission of bilking consumers out of at least $37 million through a credit scheme designed to trick consumers into taking on debt.

  • April 30, 2025

    Website Operators Challenge $102M FTC Judgment

    Two former executives of On Point Global LLC urged the Eleventh Circuit to reverse a civil contempt sanction of $102 million for violating a prior injunction, arguing that the lower court should have held a hearing to allow them to present evidence in their favor.

  • April 30, 2025

    Fla. Lender Urges 11th Circ. To OK Arbitration In Fee Suit

    A Florida credit union urged an Eleventh Circuit panel Wednesday to overturn a lower court order denying arbitration in a proposed class action over wrongly assessed overdraft fees, saying failure to preregister with the American Arbitration Association isn't grounds for a default.

  • April 30, 2025

    Senate Bill Moves Ahead To Beef Up FCC Disaster Reports

    A bipartisan bill to require the Federal Communications Commission release more data on disaster-related network outage reports cleared a U.S. Senate committee Wednesday.

  • April 30, 2025

    TikTok Exec Calls Facebook, Instagram 'Complements'

    A TikTok executive said Wednesday that his company views Facebook and Instagram as "complements" to the Chinese-owned short-form video platform rather than direct competitors playing in the same market, in testimony that largely supported the Federal Trade Commission's claim that Meta dominates personal social networking services.

  • April 30, 2025

    Schools Say Norfolk Southern Ducked Postderailment Pledge

    The school district for East Palestine, Ohio, filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday against Norfolk Southern, claiming the railroad hasn't made good on its promises to help the district recover after a fiery derailment shook the town in 2023.

  • April 30, 2025

    Coinbase Urges Justices To Take User's IRS Data Seizure Suit

    Crypto exchange Coinbase on Wednesday urged the U.S. Supreme Court to firm up privacy rights around digital information stored with third parties, backing a petition by a Coinbase user who's challenging the Internal Revenue Service's seizure of his account records.

  • April 30, 2025

    9th Circ. Won't Revive Phone Number Privacy Suit Against X

    The Ninth Circuit on Wednesday declined to revive a Washington resident's putative class action that accused Twitter Inc., now called X, of deceptively obtaining his phone number, saying in an unpublished opinion that a state law he leaned on prohibited the fraudulent collection of telephone records, "not numbers."

  • April 30, 2025

    Akin Atty Returns To FCC To Lead Wireline Bureau

    After three years in private practice, the Federal Communications Commission has welcomed an Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP attorney back to the agency as the newest head of the commission's Wireline Competition Bureau.

  • April 30, 2025

    Lego Says Toy Co.'s Tiny Figurines Are Big IP Infringement

    Lego sued Veux Toys LLC in Connecticut federal court Tuesday, seeking to block the California-based toy retailer from selling figurines that are "substantially similar" to its copyrighted products, such as Spider-Man toy men.

  • April 30, 2025

    Fox, Smartmatic Trade Barbs In $2.7B Suit As Both Seek Win

    Both sides asked a New York state judge Wednesday to grant them victory in Smartmatic's $2.7 billion defamation lawsuit against Fox News, with the voting tech company accusing Fox of a malicious "betrayal of the truth" while the network argued there was no evidence its election fraud claims caused Smartmatic's "business failure."

  • April 30, 2025

    Feds Barred From Reviving 'Unlawful' Tornado Cash Sanctions

    A Texas federal judge has permanently barred the U.S. Department of the Treasury from enforcing its now-dissolved sanctions on crypto mixer Tornado Cash after the advocates who challenged the designation argued the government's removal of the sanctions wasn't enough.

  • April 30, 2025

    Local Gov'ts Say FCC Must Tread Lightly On Deleting Regs

    The FCC is flying by the seat of its pants a little too much as it seeks to slash unnecessary regulations, a coalition of local governments have come together to tell the agency, saying that the docket "does not meet the requirements of the Administrative Procedure Act."

Expert Analysis

  • Drug Pricing Policy Trends To Expect In 2025 And Beyond

    Author Photo

    Though 2025 may bring more of the same in the realm of drug pricing policy, business as usual entails a sustained, high level of legal and policy developments across at least six major areas, say attorneys at Ropes & Gray.

  • The Tides Are Changing For Fair Access Banking Laws

    Author Photo

    The landscape of fair access banking laws, which seek to prevent banks from denying services based on individuals' ideological beliefs, has shifted in the last few years, but a new presidential administration provides renewed momentum for advancing such legislation against the backdrop of state efforts, say attorneys at Latham.

  • Imagine The Possibilities Of Openly Autistic Lawyering

    Author Photo

    Andi Mazingo at Lumen Law, who was diagnosed with autism about midway through her career, discusses how the legal profession can create inclusive workplaces that empower openly autistic lawyers and enhance innovation, and how neurodivergent attorneys can navigate the challenges and opportunities that come with disclosing one’s diagnosis.

  • Opinion

    How Congress Can Stem Consumer Finance Law Uncertainty

    Author Photo

    In the face of rising uncertainty about consumer finance laws that are based largely on fluctuating administrative rules, Congress should cement certain existing laws into statute and clarify federal agencies' delegations of authority, say attorneys at Bradley Arant.

  • Why Trump's FTC May Not U-Turn On Robinson-Patman

    Author Photo

    The Federal Trade Commission's recent revival of Robinson-Patman Act enforcement may well be here to stay under the Trump administration — albeit with some important caveats for businesses caught in the government's crosshairs, say attorneys at Reed Smith.

  • Opinion

    Courts Should Nix Conferencing Rule In 1 Discovery Scenario

    Author Photo

    Parties are generally required to meet and confer to resolve a discovery dispute before bringing a related motion, but courts should dispense with this conferencing requirement when a party fails to specify a time by which it will complete its production, says Tristan Ellis at Shanies Law.

  • 4 Keys To Litigating In An Active Regulatory Environment

    Author Photo

    For companies facing litigation influenced by government regulatory action — a recent trend that a politically charged atmosphere will exacerbate — there are a few principles that can help to align litigation strategy with broader public positioning in the regulatory and oversight context, say attorneys at Jenner & Block.

  • Series

    Documentary Filmmaking Makes Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    Becoming a documentary filmmaker has allowed me to merge my legal expertise with my passion for storytelling, and has helped me to hone negotiation, critical thinking and problem-solving skills that are important to both endeavors, says Robert Darwell at Sheppard Mullin.

  • Litigation Funding Disclosure Debate: Strategy Considerations

    Author Photo

    In the ongoing debate over whether courts should require disclosure of litigation funding, funders and plaintiffs tend to argue against such mandates, but voluntarily disclosing limited details about a funding arrangement can actually confer certain benefits to plaintiffs in some scenarios, say Andrew Stulce and Marc Cavan at Longford Capital.

  • A Look At Shifting Legal Landscape For Data Brokers

    Author Photo

    An increasingly complex legal landscape at both the federal and state levels has expanded the types of businesses classified as data brokers, so consumer-facing businesses should consider their designations under these new regulations and any consequences for compliance and business operations, say attorneys at Morrison Foerster.

  • Understanding Risks Of Celebrities 'Hawking' Crypto Tokens

    Author Photo

    Prominent social media personality Haliey Welch was recently sued over the promotion and sale of the Hawk Tuah cryptocurrency memecoin, underscoring the importance of public figures conducting due diligence to verify they aren't endorsing a token that is in fact a security, say attorneys at Sheppard Mullin.

  • State AG Enforcement Is Poised For Another Pivot In 2025

    Author Photo

    Backed by a Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives and Senate, the Trump administration intends to make substantial policy changes, and attorneys general of both parties around the country are preparing their response playbooks, say attorneys at WilmerHale.

  • The Implications Of E-Cigarette Cos. Taking Suits To 5th Circ.

    Author Photo

    The U.S. Supreme Court recently heard oral arguments in U.S. Food and Drug Administration v. R.J. Reynolds over the definition of an "adversely affected" person under the Tobacco Control Act, and the justices' ruling will have important and potentially wide-ranging implications for forum shopping claims, says Trillium Chang at Zuckerman Spaeder.

  • Del. Dispatch: Lessons From Failed Albertsons-Kroger Merger

    Author Photo

    The allegations in Albertsons' lawsuit against Kroger following the grocery stores' blocked merger demonstrate how a target company can best ensure that a buyer timely and effectively complies with its obligations to pursue the necessary regulatory approvals for a deal, say attorneys at Fried Frank.

  • Series

    Adventure Photography Makes Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    Photographing nature everywhere from Siberia to Cuba and Iceland to Rwanda provides me with a constant reminder to refresh, refocus and rethink the legal issues that my clients face, says Richard Birmingham at Davis Wright.

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!