Lieff Cabraser Civil Justice Blog

Berkeley Law and Legal Aid at Work Launch 2020 Elizabeth J. Cabraser Summer (Remote) Speaker Series: “Employment Law in the COVID Era”

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EJC 2020 Summer (Remote) Speaker Series Blog

As part of their 2020 Elizabeth J. Cabraser Summer (Remote) Speaker Series, Berkeley Law and local Bay Area nonprofit Legal Aid at Work will present “Being a Lawyer in Pandemic Times: Perspectives From the Field – Employment Law in the COVID Era,” a webinar featuring Lieff Cabraser partner Yaman Salahi, Staff Attorney DeCarol Davis from the Legal Aid at Work Workers’ Rights Clinic, and Lindsay Nako, Director of Litigation and Training at the Impact Fund. The webinar will take place on Wednesday, June 3, 2020 from 12:00 – 1:15 PST. The annual lecture series, named in honor of Lieff Cabraser founding partner Elizabeth Cabraser, strives to present a wide spectrum of topics and views affecting the current state of public interest law. [Read more…]

New York Votes to Extend Child Victims Act ‘Look-Back’ Window for Reporting Sexual Abuse

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California Expands Window for Filing Child Sexual Abuse Cases

The New York State Legislature has approved a bill extending the Child Victims Act that gives survivors of childhood sexual abuse more time to bring lawsuits for allegations that occurred even decades ago. As reported by Law.com (subscription), on Wednesday, lawmakers in the state voted to extend the legal “look-back” window by an extra year, officially pushing the filing deadline for new claims to August 2021. [Read more…]

LOPE INVESTOR ALERT: July 13, 2020 Filing Deadline in Class Action – Contact Lieff Cabraser

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Securities fraud

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – (May 28, 2020) – 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 publicly traded common stock of Grand Canyon Education, Inc. (“Grand Canyon” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: LOPE) between January 5, 2018 and January 27, 2020, inclusive (the “Class Period”). [Read more…]

Duke and UNC Accused of Unlawful “No-Poach” Agreement in Class Action Lawsuit

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Duke 'No-Poach' Case

This case on behalf of non-medical faculty follows Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein LLP’s  successful and similar action against Duke on behalf of medical faculty that led to a $54.5 million settlement in 2019.

May 27, 2020, Durham, North Carolina—(BUSINESSWIRE)— Lieff Cabraser, Edelstein & Payne, and Elliot Morgan Parsonage announce the filing of a class action labor antitrust “no-poach” lawsuit against Duke University on behalf of Lucia Binotti, a Professor at UNC, and a proposed class of non-medical faculty at Duke and UNC, from 2001 through February 5, 2018. [Read more…]

Mark Chalos Talks To The Tennessean’s David Plazas About Fair Trials, The Law, and COVID-19 Insurance Claim Problems

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Lieff Cabraser partner Mark P. Chalos recently spoke with The Tennessean’s Opinion Editor, David Plazas, in a wide-ranging conversation about law, society, and the impact of COVID-19 on the American justice system. Topics included how the pandemic is affecting the courts’ ability to carry out fair trials, and how the denial of coronavirus business interruption insurance claims is affecting  small businesses across the U.S. [Read more…]

Lieff Cabraser Partner Annika K. Martin Appointed Interim Co-Class Counsel for Plaintiffs in U of M / Anderson Sexual Abuse Class Action

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University of Michigan

On May 26, 2020, Lieff Cabraser partner Annika K. Martin was appointed to serve as Plaintiffs’ Interim Co-Class Counsel in the sexual abuse litigation against the University of Michigan and Dr. Robert E. Anderson pending in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. The lawsuit, brought on behalf of former student-patients, alleges that Anderson abused his position to repeatedly and regularly sexually assault University students in the guise of providing medical care, and that the University of Michigan and its Regents allowed and enabled that abuse during his employment at the University from 1968 through 2003. [Read more…]

Jonathan Selbin Named a “Titan of the Plaintiffs Bar” by Law360

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Jonathan Selbin Named a “Titan of the Plaintiffs Bar” by Law360

Lieff Cabraser partner Jonathan D. Selbin has been selected by Law360 as a “Titan of the Plaintiffs Bar” for 2020. The publication named 10 plaintiffs’ attorneys who have “won landmark victories in high-profile class-action lawsuits on behalf of clients across the country,” a list that includes Jonathan, who achieved a multi-year string of success in cases for improper phone and text harassment of consumers under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, leading to settlements totaling nearly $370 million in 17 separate cases. [Read more…]

Johnson & Johnson To Stop Selling Talc-Containing Baby Powder in U.S. & Canada

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talc

As reported by The Wall Street Journal, health-products giant Johnson & Johnson has announced that it will discontinue the sale of its talc-containing Johnson’s Baby Powder in the U.S. and Canada, citing lowered sales in the wake of widespread litigation over alleged links between the powder and ovarian cancer in women who used the product for years. [Read more…]

Lieff Cabraser and Alexandra Foote File Lawsuit Against Berkley North Pacific Group for Denial of Beast Business Insurance Claims

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Justice for Restaurants

Federal class action filed in Oregon on behalf of James Beard award-winning chef Naomi Pomeroy’s celebrated Portland restaurant alleges breach of contract and unfair trade practices

May 12, 2020, Portland, Oregon–(BUSINESSWIRE)–Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP and the Law Office of Alexandra Foote, and the Portland, Oregon firm Stoll Berne announce the filing of a nationwide federal class action breach of contract lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon against Berkley North Pacific Group, Berkley Insurance Company, W.R. Berkley Corporation, and Continental Western Insurance Company. The action is filed on behalf of James Beard award-winning chef Naomi Pomeroy’s celebrated restaurant Beast and all similarly-situated restaurants with business interruption insurance from the defendant insurers. The complaint alleges that after Pomeroy’s Beast restaurant suffered catastrophic financial losses in the wake of government-ordered shutdowns, the restaurant’s business interruption policy claims were wrongly denied coverage by Berkley North Pacific Group and the related insurers. [Read more…]

Judge Grants Class Certification in Allergan Antitrust Litigation

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Judge Grants Class Certification in Allergan Antitrust Litigation

As reported by Law360 (subscription), a New York federal judge has granted class certification in an antitrust lawsuit wherein Lieff Cabraser and co-counsel represent a group of pharmaceutical purchasers, union benefit plans, and other buyers of Allergan’s blockbuster dry-eye disease drug Restasis. The sweeping litigation accuses the drugmaker of misconduct intended to illegally limit competition from generic drugs to the detriment of patients. [Read more…]

New Data Theft Class Action by Users of Venmo, Stripe, and Other Payment Platforms Against Plaid Alleges Violations of Data Privacy Laws

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Plaid Financial Privacy Suit

As reported by Law360 (subscription), Lieff Cabraser has filed a class action lawsuit in federal court in California alleging that financial tech start up Plaid Inc. stole Venmo and Stripe users’ personal banking data and sold that data to third party apps without the users’ consent in violation of federal and state privacy laws. Plaid, which recently agreed to be acquired by global payments behemoth Visa for $5.3 billion, provides third-party bank account authentication services for several well-known payment and investment apps, including Venmo, Coinbase, Square’s Cash App, and Stripe. [Read more…]

Lieff Cabraser & Alexandra Foote File Federal Breach of Contract Class Action Against Oregon Mutual for Business Interruption Insurance Denials

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Justice for Restaurants

Filed on behalf of Michelin-starred chef and restaurateur Pim Techamuanvivit, this is the first nationwide class action against Oregon Mutual

May 5, 2020, San Francisco–(BUSINESSWIRE)– Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP and the Law Office of Alexandra Foote announce the filing of a nationwide federal class action breach of contract lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California against Oregon Mutual Insurance Company. This action is on behalf of famed restaurateur Pim Techamuanvivit and her San Francisco restaurants Kin Khao and Nari, as well as all other U.S. restaurants with business interruption insurance policies from Oregon Mutual. The complaint alleges that after Techamuanvivit’s restaurants suffered catastrophic financial losses in the wake of government-mandated COVID-19 business shutdowns, her restaurants’ business interruption policy claims were wrongly denied coverage by Oregon Mutual. [Read more…]

House Committee Opens Probe Into Carnival Cruise Lines Alleged Mishandling of COVID-19 Outbreaks

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House Committee Opens Probe Into Carnival Cruise Lines Alleged Mishandling of COVID-19 Outbreaks

Bloomberg Businessweek reports that the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure has opened an investigation into Carnival Cruise Line’s allegedly negligent mishandling of the deadly Coronavirus outbreaks that have resulted in over 1,500 confirmed infections on its cruise ships as well as the deaths of dozens of passengers and crew members. [Read more…]

Lieff Cabraser & Law Office of Alexandra Foote File COVID-19 Breach of Contract Lawsuit on Behalf of Premier California Restaurant Group Against Farmers Group and Mid-Century Insurance for Nonpayment of Claims

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Companies Denied Business Interruption Insurance Claims Due to COVID-19 Outbreak Battle The Insurance Industry

Lawsuit filed by Coi and Alta Adams restaurants to be joined by subsequent high-profile restaurant suits seeking damages from insurers for interruption of business claims arising from COVID-19 shutdowns

April 30, 2020, San Francisco–(BUSINESSWIRE)– Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP, has filed a lawsuit in San Francisco Superior Court against Farmers’ Group and Mid-Century Insurance Company on behalf of Michelin-starred Coi Restaurant of San Francisco and Alta Adams of Los Angeles for claims including breach of contract, bad faith denial of insurance claims, and fraud. The complaint alleges that in the wake of substantial financial losses incurred after government-ordered Coronavirus-driven business shutdowns, the plaintiff restaurants made claims on their business interruption insurance policies and were instantly denied coverage by the defendant insurers. [Read more…]

Aaron’s Reaches $2.2M Settlement With Consumers in TCPA Autodialer Litigation

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Telephone Consumer Protection Act

A proposed settlement has been reached in a class action lawsuit against rent-to-own retailer Aaron’s Inc. As reported by Law360 (subscription), the lawsuit alleges that the furniture and electronics dealer violated the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (“TCPA”) by using an automatic telephone dialing system and prerecorded voice to initiate calls to non-customer consumers. [Read more…]

Dean Harvey and Yaman Salahi Co-Author ABA Antitrust Law Section Comments to the FTC Workshop on “Non-Competes in the Workplace: Examining Antitrust and Consumer Protection Issues”

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Dean Harvey & Yaman Salahi Non-compete Clauses in Employment Agreements Blog

The American Bar Association Section of Antitrust Law recently submitted comments to the Federal Trade Commission in connection with the January 2020 FTC workshop on “Non-Competes in the Workplace: Examining Antitrust and Consumer Protection Issues.” In section two of the submission, Lieff Cabraser partners Dean M. Harvey and Yaman Salahi provide detailed commentary on the “Impact of Non-compete Clauses in Employment Agreements.” [Read more…]

Judge Gives Preliminary Approval to $120M Settlement Deal For Drivers in GM Ignition Switch Defect and Injury Litigation

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GM_Trust-blog

As reported by Law360 (subscription), U.S. District Judge Jesse M. Furman has issued an order granting preliminary approval to a $120 million settlement deal reached by plaintiff drivers with General Motors over vehicles that lost value from faulty ignition switches, finding that the deal is fair and that he will “likely be able to grant final approval.” The immanent settlement was reached after a bankruptcy deal cleared away a large remaining obstacle. [Read more…]

Judge Allows Workers’ Claims To Proceed In McDonalds “No-Poach” Employee Antitrust Case

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Judge Allows Workers’ Claims To Proceed In McDonalds “No-Poach” Employee Antitrust Case MDL

As reported by Law360 (subscription), an Illinois federal judge has denied McDonald’s attempt to dismiss the lawsuit alleging the fast food giant illegally limits employee pay and mobility between its franchises in violation of U.S. antitrust laws. The lawsuit advances claims that McDonald’s practices violated the antitrust laws relating to employment, artificially depressing workers’ wages and restricting their ability to move to other stores within the McDonald’s system, limiting career mobility and advancement. [Read more…]