Consumer Law

Jury awards delivery driver $50M after spilled Starbucks hot tea disfigures penis

Starbucks has been ordered to pay $50 million to a Postmates driver after its hot tea scalded his penis.

Mar 17, 2025 12:31 PM CDT

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau employees ordered to ‘stand down’

Employees at an agency established to protect consumers against wrongdoing by financial institutions have been ordered to “stand down” and stop activities, leading to the resignations of top officials.

Feb 13, 2025 9:46 AM CST

Should we expect new regulations on data privacy and consumer protection?

When it comes to data protection and privacy, some states have already taken the lead in trying to protect consumer data. But in these political times, expecting or hoping for the federal government to follow suit seems about as likely as seeing pigs fly.

Feb 12, 2025 8:51 AM CST

Mastercard agrees to $26M settlement over pay discrimination claims

Mastercard has agreed to pay $26 million to settle a proposed class action lawsuit accusing the company of paying female, Black and Hispanic employees less than their male and white counterparts.

Jan 15, 2025 9:26 AM CST

6th Circuit strikes down FCC’s net neutrality rules

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit struck down the FCC’s “net neutrality” rules governing internet service providers on Thursday, in an early policy win for Republicans seeking to reverse Biden-era industry regulation.

Jan 2, 2025 2:45 PM CST

Apple agrees to $95M settlement in Siri privacy class-action case

Apple has agreed to end a five-year legal battle over user privacy related to its virtual assistant Siri with a $95 million payout to affected customers, according to a preliminary settlement.

Jan 2, 2025 2:30 PM CST

How to ensure your legal team is well-prepared for the shifting privacy landscape

Make no mistake: Maintaining privacy compliance is a complex moving target, and the checks and balances that your company needed 10 years ago do not even scratch the surface of what you need today.

Nov 22, 2024 9:33 AM CST

Kirkland partner can’t present argument or evidence because he ‘crossed the lines’ of court orders, judge says

A Missouri judge has sanctioned a Kirkland & Ellis partner after finding the lawyer “acted in bad faith on several occasions” and tried to inflame the jury during a civil trial targeting the makers of baby formula.

Oct 31, 2024 8:45 AM CDT

‘Robot lawyer’ website DoNotPay settles FTC claims it couldn’t deliver on promises

A website that billed itself as the “world’s first robot lawyer” has agreed to pay $193,000 to settle Federal Trade Commission allegations that it did not live up to its claims.

Sep 30, 2024 10:28 AM CDT

Did you read the small print? ‘Infinite’ arbitration clauses are on the rise

Companies tend to prefer arbitration over a jury trial for a number of reasons. In arbitration, there’s usually a quicker and quieter resolution, more confidentiality, no jury, limited appeal and discovery, and relaxed evidentiary rules.

Sep 6, 2024 11:46 AM CDT

Lawyer accused of misappropriating up to $282M allegedly handed firm control to disbarred attorney

Updated: A lawyer accused of misappropriating up to $282 million from as many as 60,000 debt-relief clients, either through intentional or “grossly negligent” conduct, had employed a disbarred lawyer alleged to be running the operation.

Aug 13, 2024 3:49 PM CDT

Rule change to allow paraprofessionals to offer limited legal services proposed by top Texas court

The Texas Supreme Court is seeking comment on a proposal that would allow qualified nonlawyers to provide some legal services to low-income Texans.

Aug 7, 2024 10:19 AM CDT

Customer should have known boneless chicken wings can contain bones, top state court says in tossing suit

A restaurant customer can’t sue for negligence after a chicken bone became lodged in his throat while eating boneless chicken wings, the Ohio Supreme Court has ruled in a 4-3 decision affirming summary judgment for the defendants.

Jul 29, 2024 12:05 PM CDT

Lawyer who sued Big Lots over coffee labeling has ‘dubious modus operandi,’ federal judge says

A lawyer who alleged that retail chain company Big Lots used labeling that inflated the number of servings in cans of its Fresh Finds coffee had made a similar claim in a prior tossed lawsuit that was “indistinguishable” from the new case “but for a new plaintiff and heading,” according to a federal judge in Florida.

Jul 9, 2024 9:28 AM CDT

Did FDA engage in unfair ‘regulatory switcheroos’ when rejecting flavored vapes? SCOTUS will decide

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to consider the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s refusal to approve the marketing of new flavored vaping products.

Jul 2, 2024 2:38 PM CDT