Lieff Cabraser Civil Justice Blog

Kenneth Byrd Comments on Eleventh Circuit’s Upholding of Punitive and Compensatory Damages in Florida Tobacco Litigation

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Kenneth Byrd Comments on Eleventh Circuit’s Upholding of Punitive and Compensatory Damages in Florida Tobacco Ligation

As reported by Law.com (subscription), the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld an award of $6.25 million in compensatory damages and $20.7 million in punitive damages against tobacco giants R.J. Reynolds and Philip Morris in favor of a now-deceased former smoker, Judith Berger. The panel found that the punitive damages award was within constitutional limits and not excessive, given various facts presented in the case, including that Phillip Morris perpetrated a 50-year conspiracy to conceal the hazards of smoking and the addictive nature of cigarettes while seeking to addict as many Americans, particularly young Americans, as possible. [Read more…]

11th Circuit Upholds $20M Verdict Against Phillip Morris for Injured Smoker in Florida Tobacco Litigation

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11th Circuit Upholds $20M Verdict Against Phillip Morris for Injured Smoker in Florida Tobacco Litigation

As reported by Law360 (subscription), the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld a $20.7 million verdict against the tobacco giant Philip Morris in favor of a now-deceased former smoker, Judith Berger. The panel found that the $20.7 million award was within constitutional limits and not excessive, given various facts presented in the case, including that Phillip Morris perpetrated a 50-year conspiracy to conceal the hazards of smoking and the addictive nature of cigarettes while seeking to addict as many Americans, particularly young Americans, as possible. [Read more…]

SOLARWINDS INVESTORS: March 5, 2021 Filing Deadline in Shareholder Class Action – Contact Lieff Cabraser

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generic securities image

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – (January 15, 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 publicly traded securities of SolarWinds Corporation (“SolarWinds” or “the “Company”) (NYSE:  SWI)  between February 24, 2020 and December 15, 2020, inclusive (the “Class Period”). [Read more…]

Sarah London to Speak at ABA Environmental & Energy, Mass Torts and Products Liability Litigation Committee’s Joint Virtual Regional CLE Program

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Lieff Cabraser partner Sarah R. London will be featured on a panel at the American Bar Association’s Joint Virtual Regional CLE Program on Thursday January 28, 2021. Sarah’s panel, “Mass Tort and Products Update – Big Cases and Big Developments,” will be discussing some of the biggest and more recent mass torts and MDL cases, including coverage of settlement issues, expert and discovery battles, and appellate rulings. [Read more…]

Annika K. Martin to Speak on Prevention Policies at Berkeley Law 2021 Sexual Harassment in Education Virtual Conference

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Annika K. Martin to Speak on Prevention Policies at Berkeley Law 2021 Sexual Harassment in Education Virtual Conference

Lieff Cabraser partner Annika K. Martin will be featured as a distinguished speaker at Berkeley Law’s 2021 Sexual Harassment in Education Virtual Conference taking place on January 29 – January 30, 2021. On day one of the conference (1/29), Annika will speak in a plenary session entitled “Prevention Education Programs: Is Behavior Actually Changing,” where she will discuss the importance of implementing policies on college campuses that prevent sexual harassment and abuse from occurring. [Read more…]

Lieff Cabraser Represents TransAtlantis in Antitrust Litigation in Germany and the Netherlands against the European Truck Cartel

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Lieff Cabraser Represents TransAtlantis in Antitrust Litigation in Germany and the Netherlands against the European Truck Cartel

First lawsuit brought by Lieff Cabraser in Germany on behalf of TransAtlantis seen likely to give momentum to cartel damages litigation against the truck cartel

January 12, 2021 — Lieff Cabraser’s Munich office is leading aggregate litigation against the infamous European truck cartel of truck manufacturers Daimler, DAF, Iveco, MAN, Volvo/Renault, and Scania. In its 2016 and 2017 decisions, the European Commission fined the truck manufacturers 3.8 billion Euros, the highest fines in the history of the European Commission’s cartel prosecution (case AT.39824). [Read more…]

Massachusetts Supreme Court Rules Uber’s “Frictionless” Imposition of Contract Terms Abridges Consumer Rights

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Massachusetts Supreme Court Rules Uber’s “Frictionless” Imposition of Contract Terms Abridges Consumer Rights

The opinion is expected to have far-ranging effects in what was a previously insufficiently-explored area of contract formation and consumer rights in the new high-tech era

On January 4, 2021, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court issued an opinion in the high-profile Massachusetts Uber consumer contracts case about how contracts get formed online and what constitutes adequate communication/imposition of strict contract terms. The court ruled that the same two-part test governs agreements consummated over computer or mobile device as for any other type of contract: reasonable notice of contract terms and clear manifestation of assent to those terms. Extending that into the instant consumer case against Uber, the Court held that Uber’s frictionless “one-button” imposition of terms that multiply abridge consumer’s rights is improper. [Read more…]

Mark Chalos Talks to Law.com About 2020 and COVID-19 Related Lawsuits

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Mark Chalos Talks to Law.com About 2020 and COVID-19 Related Lawsuits

As reported by Law.com (subscription), the majority of lawsuits filed in 2020 related to the pandemic were brought by owners of restaurants, bars and other businesses against their insurers over denied business interruption claims after state and local governments forced the businesses to shut down. The report notes that nearly 20 percent of the 6,900 COVID-19 lawsuits filed this year were centered on insurance disputes. [Read more…]

Police Report Reveals How University of Michigan’s Dr. Robert Anderson Survived Sexual Misconduct Allegations Early In Career

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University of Michigan

As reported by The Detroit News, new information has been uncovered in the University of Michigan / Dr. Robert Anderson Sexual Abuse Lawsuit relating to how the late former UofM doctor and athletics program physician, accused of sexually assaulting hundreds of student-patients over a period of three decades, was able to survive sexual misconduct allegations that arose early on in his career. [The lawsuits against Anderson brought on behalf of sexually abused students by Lieff Cabraser and other law firms allege that Anderson abused his position to repeatedly and regularly molest University of Michigan students under the guise of providing medical care.] [Read more…]

Lieff Cabraser Files Amicus Brief in Support of Providers Challenging Tennessee’s Discriminatory Abortion Bans

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On December 22, 2020, Lieff Cabraser filed an amicus brief in the Sixth Circuit on behalf of reproductive justice organizations in support of abortion providers and doctors in their challenge to a Tennessee law that would prohibit abortion as early as six weeks gestational age and also prohibit abortion if the doctor knows the patient is terminating a pregnancy because of the sex, race, or Down syndrome diagnosis of the fetus. [Read more…]

January 19, 2021 Filing Deadline in JOYY Shareholder Class Action – Contact Lieff Cabraser

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Securities fraud

Lieff Cabraser announces that class action litigation has been filed on behalf of investors who purchased or otherwise acquired publicly traded securities of JOYY Inc. (“JOYY” or “the “Company”) (NASDAQ: YY) between April 28, 2016 and November 18, 2020, inclusive (the “Class Period”). If you purchased or otherwise acquired JOYY securities during the Class Period, you may move the Court for appointment as lead plaintiff by no later than January 19, 2021. A lead plaintiff is a representative party who acts on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. Your share of any recovery in the actions will not be affected by your decision of whether to seek appointment as lead plaintiff. You may retain Lieff Cabraser, or other attorneys, as your counsel in the action. [Read more…]

February 2, 2021 Filing Deadline in Splunk Shareholder Class Action – Contact Lieff Cabraser

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Securities Class Litigation

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – (December 17, 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 common stock of Splunk Inc. (“Splunk” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: SPLK) between October 21, 2020 and December 2, 2020, inclusive (the “Class Period”). [Read more…]

Michelle Lamy Elected to BASF Litigation Section Executive Committee for 2021

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Michelle Lamy Elected to BASF Litigation Section Executive Committee for 2021

Lieff Cabraser attorney Michelle Lamy has been elected to serve on The San Francisco Bar Association Litigation Section’s Executive Committee. The Litigation Section educates members on current litigation developments, serves as a liaison between the bar and bench, and promotes the highest standards of ethical conduct among litigators. The section also comments on proposed changes in statutes and regulations affecting litigators. [Read more…]

Lieff Cabraser’s The R-23s Compete in First Ever Livestreamed Law Rocks-Apalooza “Battle of the Bands” 2020 Benefit Concert

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Lieff Cabraser’s The R-23s Compete in First Ever Livestreamed Law Rocks-Apalooza “Battle of the Bands” 2020 Benefit Concert

Last Thursday, eighteen legal professional bands, including Lieff Cabraser’s powerhouse R-23s, came together to perform at the first ever livestreamed Law Rocks-apalooza concert fundraising event for local Bay Area nonprofits. The R-23s rocked out in support of The East Bay Community Law Center and Open Door Legal, two organizations that are providing critical legal services during a difficult time, particularly for low-income communities. The R-23s were able to raise $12,010 toward the event’s total contribution of over $143,000 to help those in need! [Read more…]

Katherine Lubin Benson Appointed to Bar Association of San Francisco Board of Directors for 2021

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Katherine Lubin Benson Appointed to Bar Association of San Francisco Board of Directors for 2021

Lieff Cabraser partner Katherine Lubin Benson has been appointed to serve on The Bar Association of San Francisco’s (BASF) Board of Directors for 2021. The 2021 BASF officers and board members were installed at the BASF’s Annual Membership Luncheon on December 8, 2020. [Read more…]

FAF INVESTORS: December 24, 2020 Filing Deadline in Class Action – Contact Lieff Cabraser

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generic securities

Lieff Cabraser announces that class action litigation has been filed on behalf of investors who purchased or otherwise acquired the securities of First American Financial Corporation (“First American” or the ”Company“) (NASDAQ: FAF) between February 17, 2017 and October 22, 2020, inclusive (the “Class Period”). [Read more…]

Lieff Cabraser Enoxaparin Case Team Receives Antitrust Institute’s 2020 Private Enforcement Award

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Lieff Cabraser Enoxaparin Case Team Recognized as Honorees for AAI 2020 Antitrust Enforcement Awards

Historic antitrust case against Momenta Pharmaceuticals over illegal drug price-fixing led to second largest indirect purchaser antitrust pharmaceutical settlement in history

At a virtual awards ceremony held on November 12, The American Antitrust Institute formally presented its selection of leading legal practitioners and economists to be recognized as honorees for the 2020 Antitrust Enforcement Awards, a list that includes the Lieff Cabraser team that worked on the Enoxaparin case: Brendan P. Glackin, Katherine Lubin Benson, Adam Gitlin, Dean M. Harvey, Bruce Leppla, David Rudolph, Michelle Lamy,  Mark P. Chalos, Andrew Kaufman, and Kenny Byrd. Lieff Cabraser partner Eric Fastiff was a Program Co-Chair for the event. [Read more…]