Lieff Cabraser Civil Justice Blog

Lieff Cabraser Files Brief as Counsel for Amici Curiae in Support of Plaintiff Investors in Securities Class Action Against Goldman Sachs

by

Justice

On March 3, 2021, Lieff Cabraser and Schnapper-Casteras PLLC filed an amicus brief in the Second Circuit Court of Appeals on behalf of two former U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission chairs, four former SEC Commissioners, and Attorneys General from 16 states, all voicing support of a class of investors fighting to remain certified in a long-running securities class action against Goldman Sachs, Goldman Sachs v. ATRS. The investors sued Goldman over misleading corporate statements, and the banking giant is now trying to prevent them from being bringing the case forward as a group. [Read more…]

EBIX INVESTORS: April 23, 2021 Filing Deadline in Class Action – Contact Lieff Cabraser

by

generic securities

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – (March 3, 2021) – The law firm of Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP announces that class action litigation has been filed on behalf of investors who purchased or otherwise acquired the securities of Ebix, Inc. (“Ebix” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: EBIX) between November 9, 2020 and February 19, 2021, inclusive (the “Class Period”). [Read more…]

CLOVER INVESTORS: April 6, 2021 Filing Deadline in Class Action – Contact Lieff Cabraser

by

generic securities

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – (February 24, 2021) – The law firm of Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP announces that class action litigation has been filed on behalf of investors who purchased or otherwise acquired the securities of Clover Health Investments, Corp. (“Clover” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: CLOV) between October 6, 2020 and February 4, 2021, inclusive (the “Class Period”), including investors who purchased or otherwise acquired Clover securities pursuant or traceable to the Company’s registration statement and prospectus in connection with its merger with Social Capital Hedosophia Holdings Corp. III (“SCH”) in or around December 2020.

[Read more…]

American Association for Justice Reports on Eleventh Circuit’s Support of $20M Tobacco Injury Case Punitive Damages Ruling

by

generic tobacco cigarette

Article includes commentary from Lieff Cabraser Nashville partner Kenny Byrd, who represented the plaintiff

The AAJ reports that the Eleventh Circuit has found in favor of the plaintiff in an Engle progeny tobacco injury lawsuit against cigarette manufacturer Philip Morris, holding that a punitive damages award of over $20 million was constitutionally appropriate and not unconstitutionally excessive, as the defendants had repeatedly argued after losing the original injury trial in 2013. [Read more…]

PG&E Knew Months Before Deadly Camp Wildfire About Severe Wear on Metal Parts

by

Fiery debris with wildfire in background

California’s 2018 Camp wildfire destroyed the town of Paradise and killed over 80 people. As reported by ABC10, utility PG&E knew seven months prior to the fire that a 72-year-old power line had “severe wear” on its steel parts that could affect safe operation of the line. PG&E’s own internal report concluded that the line still had 28 years of life left in disregard of its own policies on power line maintenance. [Read more…]

Sarah London to Discuss Bellwether Developments in JUUL and TDF Cases at Upcoming CAOC Sonoma Seminar

by

SRL CAOC Sonoma Virtual Seminar

Lieff Cabraser partner Sarah R. London will be a featured speaker at the Consumer Attorneys of California Sonoma Virtual Seminar  taking place March 19–20, 2021. On day two of the seminar (3/20), Sarah will speak during the MCLE session entitled “Trial Skills Quick Hits,” where she will discuss “Testing The Test Case: Developments in JUUL and TDF Cases.” [Read more…]

Prisons Are Skimming Big Chunks of CARES Act Stimulus Checks

by

Prisons Are Skimming Big Chunks of CARES Act Stimulus Checks

Lieff Cabraser partner Kelly Dermody talks to The Intercept about the ongoing obstacles inmates face trying to secure Covid stimulus payments

Over 1.4 million incarcerated Americans won economic relief late last year after CARES Act stimulus checks for inmates (which had been denied by the Trump administration despite congressional approval) were granted following a federal lawsuit brought by Lieff Cabraser and the Equal Justice Society. As The Intercept reports, however, for many inmates in prisons across the U.S., the process of obtaining these checks continues to be fraught with difficulties. [Read more…]

EXXON INVESTORS: March 29, 2021 Filing Deadline in Class Action – Contact Lieff Cabraser

by

Securities Class Litigation

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – (February 10, 2021) – The law firm of Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP announces that class action litigation has been filed on behalf of investors who purchased or otherwise acquired the securities of Exxon Mobil Corporation (“Exxon” or the “Company”) (NYSE: XOM) between November 6, 2019 and January 14, 2021, inclusive (the “Class Period”). [Read more…]

Yaman Salahi Talks to NPR About the Difficulties Inmates Face When Trying to Secure Covid Stimulus Checks

by

talks to npr about inmate covid stimulus checks

The Coronavirus pandemic has left many Americans struggling financially, especially prison inmates and their families. A large measure of economic relief came to over 1.5 million incarcerated Americans late last year after CARES Act stimulus payments for inmates (which had previously been denied) were granted following a legal challenge brought by Lieff Cabraser and the Equal Justice Society. However, NPR reports that inmates across at least four states are unable to receive their second round of stimulus checks, because the IRS distributed them using debit cards which state prisons assert they are unable to process. Correctional officials have communicated the issue to the IRS, but it remains unclear what the agency is planning on doing, if anything, to fix it. [Read more…]

Daniel Hutchinson Named New Chair of Lieff Cabraser’s Employment Law Practice Group

by

Daniel Hutchinson has been named Chair of the firm’s Employment Law Practice Group

We are proud to announce that Daniel M. Hutchinson has been named Chair of the firm’s Employment Law Practice Group. Daniel has demonstrated his leadership and vision in the field of employment law by litigating and settling complex employment class actions. As a partner at Lieff Cabraser, Daniel served as lead or co-lead counsel on cases that recovered over $800 million for his clients in all variety of industries and across myriad discrimination, unpaid wages, ERISA, consumer protection, and financial fraud matters. Prior to joining Lieff Cabraser in 2005, Daniel graduated from Berkeley Law and Brown University. [Read more…]

PG&E May Have Been “Criminally Reckless” Leading Up To Zogg Fire

by

California Wildfires

As reported by the San Francisco Chronicle, the Judge overseeing PG&E’s probation after it was found criminally liable in the 2010 San Bruno residential pipeline explosion stated that PG&E may have been “criminally reckless” in failing to cut down a pine tree prior to the 2020 Zogg wildfire that stood near the fire’s point of ignition. The Zogg fire killed four people, destroyed over 200 buildings, and burned 56,000 acres in Shasta and Tehama Counties. [Read more…]

Court Rejects Google’s Attempt to Get Child Privacy Lawsuit Dismissed

by

As reported by Law360 (subscription), on February 3, 2021, a New Mexico federal judge denied Google’s attempt to dismiss children’s privacy law violation claims against it which were initiated by New Mexico’s attorney general, who accused the internet goliath of facilitating the malicious harvesting of children’s personal info, including physical location, via apps and games, for profit. The complaint alleged that Tiny Lab, which produces games targeted toward children, partnered with companies like Twitter and Google to utilize their advertising services, resulting in conduct that “endangers the children of New Mexico.” [Read more…]

Tiseme Zegeye to Discuss Gender Pay Equity at Upcoming American Association for Justice 2021 Winter Convention

by

Tisme Zegeye Speaks at AAJ Winter Convention

Lieff Cabraser partner Tiseme Zegeye will be featured as a distinguished speaker at the American Association for Justice’s 2021 Winter Virtual Convention taking place February 9–12, 2021. On day one of the convention (2/9), Tiseme will speak during a CLE session entitled “Litigation Snapshots and Quick Hits,” where she will discuss “Gender Pay Equity Here and Abroad.” [Read more…]

Plaintiffs Announce Proposed $2 Billion Class Settlement in Monsanto Roundup™ Injury Litigation

by

Monsanto Roundup

Proposed settlement with Monsanto will provide up to $2 billion for an initial four-year period to thousands of potential claimants who have been or will be diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) and had exposures to Monsanto’s Roundup™

Proposed class counsel Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP, Audet & Partners, LLP, The Dugan Law Firm, LLC, Fegan Scott, LLC, and lawyer Samuel Issacharoff, announced today a proposed $2 billion class settlement providing for compensation, notice, outreach, diagnostic assistance for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL), NHL scientific and medical research, and free legal services for a class of all those previously exposed to Monsanto’s Roundup™ in the United States who have not already filed individual tort suits against Monsanto or retained counsel to do so. The proposed class settlement’s comprehensive notice program is critical to reaching many of the class members who do not speak English as a first language. The proposed class settlement provides that Monsanto will seek permission from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to add a reference link on its Roundup™ product labels to public scientific information about Roundup™ and NHL. [Read more…]

Governor Cuomo Signs Legislation Extending Look Back Window in NY for Child Victims Act

by

California Expands Window for Filing Child Sexual Abuse Cases

In August 2020, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo signed legislation (S7082/A9036) extending the look back window for victims to file claims under the Child Victims Act in New York state, regardless of when or how long ago the alleged abuse occurred. Since going into effect last year, the Child Victims Act has provided an avenue for justice for thousands of survivors. Due to the COVID-19 public health emergency, on May 8, Governor Cuomo issued an executive order extending the window until January 14, 2021. The legislation was later extended such that claims can now be filed under the Child Victims Act until August 14, 2021. [Read more…]

Elizabeth Cabraser Named a “Top Lawyer of the Decade” by the Daily Journal

by

Elizabeth Cabraser Named a “Top Lawyer of the Decade” by the Daily Journal

The Daily Journal (subscription) has named Lieff Cabraser founding partner Elizabeth Cabraser to its inaugural listing of “Top Lawyers of the Decade,” recognized for her groundbreaking work on behalf of consumers during the last ten years. Elizabeth is one of 18 California lawyers selected to receive this prestigious recognition. [Read more…]

New Lawsuit Alleges Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health Failed to Protect Children from Employee Sexual Abuse

by

Devereux Child Sex Abuse Lawsuit

As reported by The Philadelphia Inquirer, on January 26, 2021, a federal class action lawsuit was filed by Lieff Cabraser and Philadelphia firm Sauder Schelkopf against Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health, claiming that the nonprofit specializing in treating children with intellectual disabilities, mental disorders, and trauma was negligent and failed to protect at least six children from being sexually abused by staffers. [Read more…]

“Big Tech’s Reckoning With Antitrust Has Arrived” — Katherine Lubin Benson Moderates Upcoming BASF Panel

by

“Big Tech’s Reckoning With Antitrust Has Arrived” -- Katherine Lubin Benson Moderates Upcoming BASF Panel

Lieff Cabraser partner Katherine Lubin Benson will be moderating a Bar Association of San Francisco Antitrust & Business Regulation Section panel on Wednesday, February 24, 2021 from 12:00 – 1:15 p.m. online via Zoom. The panel, entitled “Big Tech’s Reckoning With Antitrust Has Arrived,” will feature a discussion of the recent government and private actions against Big Tech with government regulators, members of the bar, and legal scholars. [Read more…]