Podcast - FTC Commissioner Dismissals: Background and Implications
The Briefing – Late Night, Early Dismissal: The Santos-Kimmel Copyright Case
(Podcast) The Briefing – Late Night, Early Dismissal: The Santos-Kimmel Copyright Case
Fifth Circuit Affirms District Court’s Striking of Class Allegations
Eighth Circuit Reverses Dismissal of Putative Class Claims
Nota Bene Episode 98: The U.S. Supreme Court’s Mark on U.S. Antitrust Law for 2020 with Thomas Dillickrath and Bevin Newman
Class Action Suit Against Instagram for New Terms of Service Dismissed
An Ohio federal court granted a franchisor’s motion to dismiss a putative class of franchisees alleging antitrust violations and related claims, including interference to deflate franchisees’ reimbursement rates. Other class...more
A federal court in Ohio dismissed a putative class action brought by franchisee-eyewear sellers against their franchisor, Luxottica of America. Brave Optical, Inc. v. Luxottica of Am. Inc., 2025 WL 962827 (S.D. Ohio Mar. 31,...more
A federal court in Michigan recently granted a motion to dismiss for lack of personal jurisdiction against one owner of a franchisor, while denying the motion to dismiss against the other owner and granting the franchisor’s...more
A California federal court granted a motion to compel arbitration by retail franchisor Batteries Plus and its two executives, and dismissed a franchisee’s action alleging violations of the California Franchise Investment Law,...more
A federal court in California granted two motions to dismiss for failure to state a claim in an action asserting discrimination and tortious interference claims against Volvo Car USA and its franchisee Haron Motor Sales, Inc....more
A federal court in California recently granted a motion brought by a franchisor and two of its employees to compel arbitration and dismiss an action alleging violations of the California Franchise Investment Law, breach of...more
A Virginia federal court recently granted a motion to dismiss all six counts of a franchisor's complaint against a competing former franchisee for failure to plead with specificity under the Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016...more
A North Carolina federal court dismissed a complaint brought by a franchisee against its franchisor. The franchisee alleged the franchisor fraudulently induced the franchisee to enter into a franchise agreement, but the court...more
A Pennsylvania federal court refused to enforce non-competition and non-solicitation covenants in a franchise agreement of a nationwide tax preparation service franchisor. The court dismissed the franchisor’s request for...more
A Michigan federal district court dismissed a franchisee’s claims against its franchisor's CEO and several individuals responsible for negotiating its franchise agreements, for lack of personal jurisdiction....more
In an important case of first impression that drew amicus participation from the Department of Justice, the Federal Trade Commission, and the International Franchise Association, the Seventh Circuit reversed a judgment in...more
A Virginia district court dismissed a lawsuit filed by 360 Painting, a franchisor of residential and commercial painting services, concluding an addendum to the parties’ franchise agreement precluded 360 Painting’s claims for...more
A federal court in Maine granted a franchisor’s motion to dismiss claims asserting that a franchisor was liable for its franchisee’s alleged age discrimination in employment. Goodwill v. Anywhere Real Est., 2023 WL 4034372...more
In Louis Degidio, Inc. v. Industrial Combustion, LLC, Louis Degidio, Inc. (Degidio) and Louis Degidio Services, Inc. (Degidio Services) sued Industrial Combustion, LLC (IC), a manufacturer of “institutional boiler system”...more
A federal district court in New York dismissed workplace harassment and retaliation claims against corporate affiliates of the Golden Krust Caribbean Bakery & Grill franchisor for damages as a result of workplace harassment...more
A federal court in Florida recently dismissed a franchisee’s lawsuit sua sponte pursuant to the forum-selection clause in the parties’ franchise agreements, finding the clause valid, mandatory, and enforceable. Kava Culture...more
A federal court in Michigan granted a motion to dismiss claims that franchisor Bateel International, LLC had violated the Michigan Franchise Investment Law and the Texas Business Opportunity Act. Luxury Concepts, Inc. v....more
A federal court in Maryland granted a foreign hotel franchisee’s motion to dismiss for lack of personal jurisdiction but denied a forum non conveniens motion in a personal injury case naming both franchisor and franchisee as...more
A federal court in New Jersey has denied a motion to compel arbitration in a dispute over alleged breach of a franchise agreement. Passion for Restaurants, Inc. v. Villa Pizza, LLC, 2022 WL 18024209 (D.N.J. Dec. 30, 2022)....more
Claims by a window sales and installation franchisee against its franchisor were dismissed by a federal district court in Michigan because the franchisee did not comply with the prelitigation mediation procedure in the...more
An appellate court in Louisiana recently affirmed summary judgment in favor of a franchisor, dismissing negligence and premises liability claims asserted by a customer was injured on unauthorized exercise equipment. Flynn v....more
A poke restaurant franchisee in Ohio sued the franchisor for violation of the California Franchise Investment Law (CFIL) and other claims. The franchisor defendants moved to dismiss the claims. A California federal court...more
Over the last several years, business-to-business “no-hire” and “no-poach” agreements have come under legal attack, including through enforcement actions by the Federal Trade Commission and criminal prosecutions by the...more
The Sixth Circuit has held that a contractual forum-selection clause in a franchise agreement was unenforceable because it violated state law. In Lakeside Surfaces, Inc. v. Cambria Company, LLC, Lakeside Surfaces, a...more
Past and present franchisees of commercial cleaning service franchisor, Jani-King, brought claims for violation of Connecticut minimum wage and anti-kickback laws, and unjust enrichment. They claimed Jani-King misclassified...more