Product Liability

Expert Analysis

• Rule 23 Changes: Avoid Delays In Class Settlement Approval

  

  Among the proposed amendments to Rule 23 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, which are scheduled to take effect Dec. 1, are specific requirements related to “front-loading.” They outline the process for seeking preliminary court approval of class action settlements and related notice plans, say Shandarese Garr and Niki Mendoza of Garden City Group LLC.

• Aviation Trends: The Rise Of The Dreamliner

  

  The 787 Dreamliner's lithium batteries experienced multiple thermal runaway events soon after the plane went into service. But the manufacturer, the FAA, the NTSB and the airlines worked together to quickly and effectively solve the problem. Five years later, the 787 has compiled an admirable operational record, and Boeing continues to receive new orders, says Alan Hoffman, a retired attorney and private pilot.

• Earth Day Review Of 'Green Guide' False Advertising: Round 2

  

  Earth Day is almost here, and companies may be looking to capture some environmentally minded consumers with nifty green-themed advertising campaigns. To help sort through the Federal Trade Commission requirements for environmental marketing, David Kluft of Foley Hoag LLP assesses recent disputes involving the agency's “Green Guides” in his second annual review.

• Don't Misunderstand The Prop 65 Coffee Ruling

  

  Press coverage of a recent high-profile Proposition 65 decision in California may prompt readers to conclude that coffee causes cancer; in fact, there was no such finding. But if the ruling stands, it could still have a big impact on coffee makers, so it is important for both consumers and companies to understand it fully, say attorneys with DLA Piper.

• Best Practices For Building A Better Meeting

  

  How can we improve meetings in the legal industry, which tends to evolve with the speed of a tranquilized water buffalo mired in quicksand? Breaking it down to three phases can yield significant benefits, says Nicholas Cheolas of Zelle LLP.

• Missouri Talc Decision Could Signal Mass Tort Sea Change

  

  The Missouri Supreme Court recently declined to review a lower court's overturning of a $72 million talc verdict against Johnson & Johnson. This decision not only clears the way for Johnson & Johnson’s success in appeals of three other Missouri talc verdicts, but could herald a fundamental change in how mass tort cases may be litigated, say attorneys with Lewis Rice LLC.

• 5 Ways Law Firms Are Becoming More Like Hotels

  

  One way law firms differentiate themselves from the competition to attract and retain top talent is through their real estate and workplace strategies. Taking a lead from the hospitality industry can help create a more inviting, welcoming and collaborative workspace environment, says Bella Schiro of Jones Lang LaSalle Inc.

• How CPSC Late Reporting Penalty Trends Are Evolving

  

  Dollar amounts of U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission prelitigation settlements have increased over the past five years, as most recently shown by a record settlement with Polaris Industries for alleged reporting violations related to three recalls. But this track record has not been matched in recently litigated cases, say attorneys with Arnold & Porter.

• Opinion

  Gorsuch's 1st Year Shows He Is A Conservative Activist

  

  In his first year on the U.S. Supreme Court, Justice Neil Gorsuch has proven to be a narrow-minded elitist who consistently votes in favor of corporations and the powerful, acting to roll back protections for workers, consumers, LGBTQ individuals and other marginalized communities, says Elliot Mincberg of People for the American Way.

• Food Advertising: Don’t Wing It, Or You Will Face The Heat

  

  Companies can’t always take preemptive action to avoid every potential false advertising lawsuit. But a New York federal court's recent decision in Borenkoff v. Buffalo Wild Wings demonstrates that effective marketing and minimizing risk are entirely compatible objectives, say attorneys with Hogan Lovells.