With the continued expansion of the regulation of “junk fees,” including bipartisan actions from federal, state, and local authorities, it is more important than ever for businesses to ensure compliance with these...more
The president recently issued an executive order (Order), targeting allegedly unfair pricing practices such as “scalping” and “junk fees” in live entertainment ticketing. The Order prioritizes enforcement of price...more
The Attorney General of Massachusetts recently promulgated rules expanding the scope of its enforcement against alleged “junk fees,” including business practices for consumer subscriptions, renewals, and recurring charge...more
Following a recent call for consumer input, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced it will launch a formal public inquiry into so-called “junk fees” that the Bureau claims may be increasing mortgage closing...more
The US Supreme Court ruled on May 16, 2024 that the funding structure of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)—which is funded with money from the Federal Reserve rather than the US Congress—does not run afoul of...more
The Department of Transportation and 18 states on April 16 agreed to a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that delegates more authority to and streamlines the process for state attorneys general to investigate consumer...more
The lawsuit against meat packer JBS Foods concerns the company’s advertisements that it would be “Net Zero by 2040” and is one in a growing number of claims arising from allegedly deceptive environmental marketing claims. It...more
Increases in enforcement and private litigation relating to what federal and state authorities have termed “junk fees” pose a growing challenge to businesses across geographies and sectors, as evidenced by the recent uptick...more
What Are Junk Fees? “Junk fees” refer to the broad swath of fees and charges, often mandatory, that are not included in the initial offered price of a good or service. Common examples include mandatory fees charged by hotels,...more
Businesses should be aware that the Biden administration continues its attempt to curb junk fees, with additional actions proposed by the Federal Trade Commission and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau....more
With his signature, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law SB 478, expanding California’s already sweeping consumer protection laws to include a broad array of fees and charges referred to by the bill authors as...more
The US Departments of the Treasury, Labor, and Health and Human Services (the Departments) recently unveiled a proposed rule intended to increase mental health coverage through expanded plan oversight and enforcement...more
California Governor Gavin Newsom on September 25 signed Senate Bill 855, Health coverage: mental health or substance use disorders, into law. The law increases health and disability insurers’ coverage obligations for mental...more
In navigating the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, higher education institutions should be aware of a recent wave of refund class actions, antitrust considerations in communication with other institutions, claims for business...more
5/27/2020
/ Antitrust Provisions ,
Business Interruption ,
Class Action ,
Colleges ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Force Majeure Clause ,
Insurance Claims ,
Litigation Strategies ,
Refunds ,
Tuition ,
Universities
Class action lawsuits seeking tuition refunds are being filed nationwide against colleges and universities, which are already dealing with revenue loss from closing down their campuses during the coronavirus (COVID-19)...more
In a much-anticipated decision, the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit has ruled on the Federal Communication Commission’s 2015 Declaratory Order on the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, focusing on autodialing...more
The Court holds that allegation of a statutory violation is not solely sufficient to satisfy the “concrete harm” requirement for purposes of Article III standing in federal court....more
Court holds that offers of full relief, without more, do not moot claims brought by named plaintiffs in putative class actions in federal court.
On January 20, the US Supreme Court issued its long-awaited decision in...more