May 15, 2024
A California federal judge on Wednesday awarded $13.65 million in plaintiffs' attorney fees as part of tobacco giant Altria's $45.5 million deal resolving consumer claims in multidistrict litigation alleging the company helped fuel a youth vaping crisis created by e-cigarette maker Juul, saying the "excellent result" merited fees above the normal 25% benchmark.
March 06, 2024
A California federal judge Wednesday approved e-cigarette Juul investor Altria's $45.5 million settlement and counsel's $13.65 million fee request to resolve consumer claims in Altria's broader $235 million multidistrict settlement agreement, but said fraudulent claims submitted by AI and "click farms" are a "real problem" prosecutors should investigate.
December 18, 2023
A California federal judge on Monday approved an attorney fee award of $76.5 million in multidistrict litigation alleging Juul marketed its nicotine products to adolescents, saying the plaintiffs' lawyers did a "superb job," while also expressing concern about the lack of Black and Latino attorneys involved.
November 01, 2023
The Harris County Attorney's Office said Wednesday it has reached a settlement with Altria Group Inc. and Philip Morris USA Inc. for their role in the deceptive marketing of Juul e-cigarette products to minors.
September 19, 2023
A California federal judge approved Tuesday Juul's $255 million deal resolving multidistrict litigation over the company's alleged marketing to children, but held off on awarding attorney fees and refused to let the controversial ClaimClam website, which uses AI to identify potential class members, submit thousands of claims "en masse."
September 06, 2023
A California federal judge granted preliminary approval Wednesday to Juul investor Altria Group's $45 million deal ending consumers' class claims they overpaid for unsafe e-cigarettes made by Juul, part of Altria's broader $235 million agreement to resolve Juul-related state and federal litigation.
August 09, 2023
A California federal judge said Wednesday he plans to approve Juul's $255 million settlement despite multiple objections in order to resolve multidistrict litigation alleging the vape maker marketed its addictive nicotine products to adolescents, but he plans to hold off on deciding class counsel's $76.5 million fee request.
July 17, 2023
Three plaintiffs who object to the $255 million settlement that vape maker Juul struck in the multidistrict litigation over allegedly marketing to adolescents say the agreement did nothing to address the public health crisis caused by young people vaping.
June 26, 2023
Lawyers who secured a $255 million deal to settle claims over Juul Labs Inc.'s vape marketing practices have asked a California federal court for $76.5 million in attorney fees plus a proportional share of interest, saying the novelty and complexity of the litigation warrant exceeding the typical 25% benchmark for fee awards.
May 10, 2023
Altria on Wednesday said it had struck a $235 million deal to settle claims that it helped fuel a youth vaping crisis created by Juul, one day after San Francisco's public schools rested their case in a multidistrict litigation bellwether trial.