News from August 2019
Opioid judge, without explanation, rejects claim that 45-defendant mass trial will confuse jurors
CLEVELAND (Legal Newsline) – The federal judge overseeing about 2,000 opioid lawsuits has rejected the argument that his planned seven-week trial will be a free-for-all of evidence and legal theories that will feature dozens of defendants and confused jurors.
Tofurky Co. goes to court to challenge new Arkansas law that prohibits it from using the word 'meat'
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (Legal Newsline) – The maker of Tofurky products has filed suit against Arkansas' Bureau of Standards director to challenge the constitutionality of a state law recently put into effect that restricts plant or cell-based meat manufacturers from using meat-related terms in their packaging and marketing.
Netflix faces federal securities class action over alleged misrepresentation of anticipated subscriber rates
SAN JOSE, Calif. (Legal Newsline) – A federal securities class action suit has been filed against Netflix by purchasers of the company's publicly traded securities who claim the company's executives knowingly inflated and misrepresented its anticipated subscription rates.
Former IBM account exec sues to get bigger commission from $34 million sale to Marines
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (Legal Newsline) – A former IBM account executive claims the company fraudulently capped his more than $700,000 commission on a $34 million sale of IBM products and services to the United States Marine Corps.
Woman claims nastygal.com violated TCPA to send text messages without her consent
MIAMI (Legal Newsline) – A Florida woman claims that clothing retailer nastygal.com violated federal law by using automatic telephone dialing systems (ATDS) to send her text messages without her consent.
BP, other former Texas refinery operators face lawsuit over cost of Superfund site remediation
BEAUMONT, Texas (Legal Newsline) — Bridgestone Americas, along with several other companies and the Jefferson County Texas Drainage District that have a cooperative interest in the remediation of Texas' Star Lake Canal Superfund Site, are suing the current owner and former operators of an adjacent refinery for contamination cleanup costs.
BRADLEY ARANT BOULT CUMMINGS: Bradley Partner Christopher Lam Appointed to NCBA’s Judicial Independence and Integrity Committee
Bradley is pleased to announce that Christopher C. Lam, managing partner of the firm’s Charlotte office, has been appointed to the Judicial Independence and Integrity Committee of the North Carolina Bar Association (NCBA) for the 2019-2020 fiscal year.
LITTLER MENDELSON: Littler Shareholder Jacqueline Phipps Polito Appointed Rochester Office Managing Shareholder
Littler, the world’s largest employment and labor law practice representing management, has appointed Jacqueline Phipps Polito as office managing shareholder (OMS) of the firm’s Rochester office. Polito succeeds Trent Sutton, who has stepped down from the role and will continue his active practice.
BRADLEY ARANT BOULT CUMMINGS: Four Bradley Partners Named to Benchmark Top 250 Women in Litigation 2019
Bradley is pleased to announce that the firm’s partners Leigh Anne Hodge, Lela M. Hollabaugh, Angela Holt, and Kimberly B. Martin have been named to Benchmark Litigation’s Top 250 Women in Litigation 2019.
Opioid judge supports `negotiating class,’ tells critics like state AGs to `come up with a better model’
CLEVELAND (Legal Newsline) - The federal judge overseeing multidistrict litigation against opioid manufacturers and distributors left little doubt he supports a plan developed by private lawyers to assemble an unprecedented “negotiating class” consisting of every city and county in the U.S.
Kentucky court decides in favor of J&J and Colgate-Palmolive in talc powder trial
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Legal Newsline) – A jury on Aug. 2 decided Johnson & Johnson and Colgate-Palmolive were not to blame for the mesothelioma that killed a woman after the companies were alleged to have caused the deadly illness through asbestos-tainted talc powder products.
PFAS litigation expands to include corporate plaintiffs; Refinery suing over cleanup
MUSKOGEE, Okla. (Legal Newsline) – Allegations of product liability is at the core of a lawsuit filed by an oil refining company against a raft of defendants over the sale of a firefighting foam containing chemical compounds believed dangerous to health and the environment.
Nintendo sued over its Joy-Con controllers; Lawsuit claims the joystick 'drifts' on its own
SEATTLE (Legal Newsline) – A California man has filed a class action suit against Nintendo claiming the company continues to market and sell defective Switch game controllers.
Law firm alleges USAC Airways owes more than $200,000 in unpaid legal service fees
NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) – The law firm of Cozen O'Connor has filed suit against USAC Airways claiming the private executive aviation company owes the firm more than $200,000 in unpaid legal service fees.
BRADLEY ARANT BOULT CUMMINGS: Bradley Pro Bono Counsel Tiffany Graves Named Among Mississippi’s 50 Leading Businesswomen for 2019
Bradley counsel Tiffany Graves was named among Mississippi’s 50 Leading Businesswomen for 2019 by the Mississippi Business Journal.
Class action alleges Google violated privacy laws by using Google Assistant to record conversations
SAN JOSE, Calif. (Legal Newsline) – Two residents of New York and New Jersey have instituted a class action lawsuit against Google LLC and its parent holding company Alphabet Inc., alleging the companies illegally recorded and scripted conversations from consumers worldwide who used devices with voice-recognition software program Google Assistant.
Bai drinks don't include real fruit, class action alleges
LOS ANGELES (Legal Newsline) – A Los Angeles man is claiming that Bai Brands and Dr Pepper Snapple Bottling Group are violating federal and state labeling laws because the labels on their line of bai Antioxidant Cocofusion beverages falsely advertises that the drinks contain real fruit ingredients.
Tesla accused of lying about battery mileage
SANTA ANA, Calif. (Legal Newsline) – A California man who purchased a used Tesla vehicle has filed a class action suit claiming the car manufacturer falsely advertised the maximum miles the vehicle's battery will run on a full charge and that the company is denying battery replacement under the car's advertised warranty.
California is testing its water, so PFAS defendants could face Prop 65 lawsuits soon
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Legal Newsline) – California could be moving toward the regulation and litigation of perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acids (PFAS) since government agencies have been testing water in many locations, including airports and landfills, with results due as early as this fall.
Treatment centers allege Michigan's largest health insurer 'slashed' reimbursement rates; BCBS says its rates were appropriate
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (Legal Newsline) – Four substance abuse treatment centers in Michigan have filed a lawsuit against an insurance company over claims that it "slashed" reimbursement rates, or did not pay, for the treatment of patients at their facilities.