The Ontario Superior Court recently emphasized the need, in a negligent design claim, for evidence on the product from a qualified design expert, even in the context of a certification motion....more
Foley Hoag LLP publishes this quarterly Update primarily concerning developments in product liability and related law from federal and state courts applicable to Massachusetts, but also featuring selected developments for New...more
An Ontario Superior Court Judge has refused to certify a class action against the manufacturer of the handgun used to carry out the 2018 mass shooting on Danforth Avenue in Toronto. The plaintiffs brought their claim on...more
In April 2022, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives finalized a rule designed to address so-called “Ghost Guns” or “Personally Manufactured Firearms” (PMFs). PMFs are unfinished firearm parts, frequently...more
Williams Mullen’s Firearms Industry Group and Orchid are excited to announce the 2023 Firearms Industry Conference (FIC) will be held May 1-3, 2023 in Atlanta, GA. The ninth annual industry event will continue to expand with...more
Here are curated AG and federal regulatory news stories highlighting key areas in which state and federal regulators’ decisions are having an impact across the US: •FTC Finalizes Consent Order with Drizly Following Security...more
A coalition of 18 AGs filed an amicus brief in National Shooting Sports Foundation v. James, a case before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in which a group of gun manufacturers and distributors are...more
Recent developments may cause firearms manufacturers to reevaluate their business and marketing practices to lessen their legal exposure. As we wrote previously, the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA) provides...more
Remington recently agreed to a groundbreaking $73 million settlement of claims brought by families of Sandy Hook school shooting victims. Notably, the plaintiffs secured this settlement by deploying consumer protection...more
Williams Mullen’s Firearms Industry Group and Orchid are excited to announce open registration for the revamped 2022 Firearms Industry Conference (FIC), to be held in Atlanta this April. All Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs)...more
From an accidental shooting on a film set to the unfathomable loss of life that happens during a mass shooting at a school or concert—when guns are involved, there are always extenuating circumstances beyond a typical product...more
The Mexican government presented a civil lawsuit on Aug. 4, 2021, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts against a number of U.S. gun manufacturers seeking: 1) damages and monetary compensation to...more
Do gun manufacturers really have blanket immunity from lawsuits? No, not even close....more
An Ontario Superior Court judge has accepted, in a preliminary decision in Price v Smith & Wesson Corp, 2021 ONSC 1114, that gun manufacturers may have civil liability in Canada for losses caused by mass shootings when...more
The United States continues to be plagued by mass shootings, which appear to be increasing in both frequency and lethality. Certain businesses have reacted by adjusting their business models, such as the recent decision by...more
Welcome to the first 2019 issue of Product Lines – our quarterly e-newsletter that focuses on toxic torts and products liability issues. For this edition, we are reporting on several important and timely legal issues. As...more
On September 19th, Utah based SilencerCo released the Maxim 50, a suppressed muzzleloader that is not subject to the $200 tax and long wait times typically associated with a suppressor or suppressed firearm. How? ...more
In January, we analyzed the immunities provided to firearms industry members under the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA). Despite statements by some political candidates, the PLCAA provides protection only in...more
Do gun manufacturers really have blanket immunity from lawsuits? No, not even close. The 2016 campaign season has brought a big dose of gun policy debate, and some candidates have claimed that gun manufacturers have...more
The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals has addressed what it deemed an issue of first impression for any circuit court: Whether documents obtained under 28 U.S.C. § 1782 can be used in a subsequent domestic litigation. The...more
On September 3, 2015, gun maker Colt Defense announced that the company and its creditors are close to finalizing a deal that will rescue the company out of bankruptcy. “It’s fair to say the parties are very close to a deal,”...more
On August 5, 2015, the President of the Republic of Poland signed a new act on control over certain investments dated July 24, 2015 (Journal of Laws of 2015, item 1272). The purpose of the new act is to take the opportunity...more
On Sunday, June 14, 2015, Colt Holding Company LLC and 9 affiliates, including Colt Defense, LLC filed voluntary chapter 11 petitions in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. The case is docketed...more
The families of the victims of the Newtown, Connecticut shooting, in which Adam Lanza attacked the Sandy Hook Elementary School, have filed a lawsuit against the seller of the AR-15 rifle that Lanza used in the crime, and...more
Gov. Jerry Brown recently took action on three bills of interest to law enforcement. He signed a measure allowing temporary restraining orders to block gun use, approved a bill requiring toy guns to be brightly colored and...more