New York lawmakers—with full support from the attorney general—are pushing a sweeping expansion of consumer protection laws that could turn routine financial transactions into the next big class action battleground and expand...more
New York attorney general Leticia James is the latest state-level actor to respond to the Trump administration’s efforts to shrink federal consumer protection agencies. James has championed the FAIR Business Practices Act, a...more
State attorneys general (AGs) have long played a significant role in consumer protection enforcement, often acting as frontline regulators alongside federal agencies. For consumer financial services companies, an AG...more
Environmental claims are a powerful tool for companies to demonstrate their commitment to sustainability and connect with values-driven consumers. However, these claims are facing increased legal scrutiny, as governments and...more
This week, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the New York attorney general announced a settlement with Handy Technologies, Inc. to resolve allegations that the company engaged in an array of unfair and deceptive...more
1/10/2025
/ Advertising ,
Consumer Protection Laws ,
Employee Rights ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
FTC Act ,
Gig Economy ,
Section 5 ,
Settlement ,
State Attorneys General ,
Unfair or Deceptive Trade Practices
This week, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Illinois attorney general announced a settlement with Grubhub Inc. to resolve allegations that the company engaged in an array of unfair and deceptive practices that...more
12/19/2024
/ Advertising ,
Cancellation Rights ,
Consumer Protection Laws ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Fees ,
FTC Act ,
GrubHub ,
Hidden Fees ,
Job Ads ,
ROSCA ,
State Attorneys General ,
Subscription Services ,
Unfair or Deceptive Trade Practices
Since July 1, when California’s “Honest Pricing Law” or “Hidden Fees Statute” became effective, the plaintiffs’ bar has filed more than a dozen complaints alleging violations of the statute....more
10/3/2024
/ Class Action ,
Consent ,
Convenience Fees ,
Credit Card Surcharges ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Fee Disclosure ,
Fees ,
Hidden Fees ,
Price Transparency ,
Processing Fees ,
Product Pricing ,
Retailers ,
State Attorneys General ,
Surcharges
It’s not often we see defendants win a resounding victory against the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and/or state attorneys general, especially after trial. But a recent opinion out of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania...more
In February 2024, a New York federal jury returned a split verdict in the New York attorney general’s lengthy battle against Quincy Bioscience, finding that certain of Quincy’s efficacy and establishment claims for a dietary...more
State attorneys general (AGs) are the chief legal officers of their states or territories and can bring actions to protect the “public interest” in almost any area of law. They represent the state government and the general...more
Listen to Episode 11 of our podcast, the Ad Law Tool Kit Show. In this episode, former Venable partner Alexandra Megaris talks to host Len Gordon about state attorney general investigations. Check out the episode....more
On December 20, 2023, New York Attorney General Letitia James filed a Petition in state court alleging Sirius XM Radio’s autorenewal practices violated New York’s autorenewal law. In the lawsuit, New York alleges that Sirius...more
Starting June 27, operators of online marketplaces will need to comply with a new federal statute, the Integrity, Notification, and Fairness in Online Market Retail Marketplaces for Consumers Act or INFORM Act.
The...more
5/24/2023
/ Anti-Fraud Provisions ,
Counterfeiting ,
Data Collection ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
E-Commerce ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Internet Retailers ,
New Legislation ,
Online Marketplace ,
State Attorneys General ,
Verification Requirements
Earlier this month, New York Attorney General Letitia James issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking aimed at setting greater guardrails against price increases during emergencies. The action comes exactly one year after James...more
Last week, the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general in Arizona, California, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, and Texas settled with advertising giants Google and iHeartMedia for deceptive...more
12/2/2022
/ Advertising ,
Celebrity Endorsements ,
Endorsements ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
FTC Act ,
Google ,
iHeart Media ,
Influencers ,
Misrepresentation ,
Settlement ,
State Attorneys General
When the COVID-19 pandemic began, and consumers swarmed the stores for disinfectant sprays, masks, and household items, state price-gouging laws grew increasingly relevant as sellers sought to cash in on the heightened...more
This week, a New York district court, in FTC v. Quincy Bioscience Holding Co., granted an individual defendant’s partial motion for summary judgment, dismissing claims brought by the New York Attorney General (NYAG) for lack...more
“Free” must mean free?
Last week, the attorneys general for all 50 states and the District of Columbia announced a settlement with Intuit, Inc., the owner of TurboTax, which will require the company to hand over $141...more
Last week, New York Attorney General Letitia James announced that online travel agency Fareportal Inc., which operates several travel-related websites and mobile platforms, including CheapOair.com and OneTravel.com, will pay...more