Last month, the Ninth Circuit sitting en banc affirmed, by an 8–3 vote, a nationwide class settlement of a multidistrict litigation against automakers Kia and Hyundai over alleged misrepresentations regarding certain vehicles’ fuel efficiency. In re Hyundai and Kia Fuel Economy Litigation, 15-56014 (9th Cir. 2019). The en banc decision overturned the controversial decision last year by a split Ninth Circuit panel invalidating the settlement based on potential variations in state consumer protection laws.…

On Friday, June 28, 2019, the Supreme Court granted certiorari in Romag Fasteners, Inc. v. Fossil, Inc. to decide whether a showing of willfulness is necessary to obtain a defendant’s profits under the Lanham Act. In Romag, the plaintiff, a manufacturer of magnetic snap fasteners, sued Fossil and various retailers for, among other things, infringement of an unregistered trademark in violation of section 1125(a) of the Lanham Act based on their sale of merchandise that…

In a recent decision, the advertising industry self-regulatory body NAD recommended that influencer marketing firm Ahalogy tone down some of its claims about the capabilities of its new product, the Tri-Verified influencer marketing platform. The decision comes at a time when influencer marketing is becoming an increasingly popular— and challenging—field. Influencer marketing is what the NAD describes as “a form of marketing where a seller leverages the popularity and credibility of specific individuals to…

On May 28, the Supreme Court decided Home Depot U.S.A. v. Jackson, 17-1471 (2019), ruling 5–4 that third-party counterclaim defendants may not remove class actions from state to federal court. The decision, besides keeping in state court certain class actions that otherwise could be removed to federal court, is noteworthy for the highly unusual composition of the majority, in which the four justices comprising the so-called liberal wing of the Court, banded together with…

Proskauer partners Lawrence Weinstein and Alexander Kaplan wrote the book – 11 chapters of it – on U.S pharmaceutical advertising law. The 2019 Chambers Global Practice Guide: Pharmaceutical Advertising is a great, curated resource for drug companies, hospitals, medical practices and other U.S. health care organizations. The guide provides insight to topics such as: FDA and FTC Regulation of Prescription and Over-the-Counter Drugs Prohibitions on off-label advertising of prescription drugs The ethical guidelines of the American Medical…

Is it deceptive to label food products with the mark of the American Heart Association (“AHA”) without disclosing that the AHA was paid for use of its certification mark? This was the question raised by a putative class action lawsuit in the Northern District of New York, which largely survived dismissal on March 25, 2019. Warner v. StarKist Co., 18-406 (N.D.N.Y. 2019). The court found that plaintiff had adequately stated his claims under New…

Last month, a judge in the Southern District of California partially dismissed a putative class action against beverage company Bai Brands, LLC (“Bai”) and related defendants. Branca v. Bai Brands, LLC, No. 18-00757 (S.D. Cal. 2019). Plaintiff Kevin Branca filed this lawsuit against Bai, its parent company Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, Inc. (“DPSG”), the CEOs of both these companies, and Bai investor Justin Timberlake, alleging that they violated California and federal statutes and state consumer…