2019 Business Law Legal News Archives

October 2018

Will a Young Lawyer Take Down Amazon?

Monday, 1 October, 2018

Amazon recently became the second company to hit $1 trillion in value, following Apple. As the New York Times notes, Amazon captures 49 cents of every e-commerce dollar in the United States. It employs more than 550,000 people and generates $178 billion in annual revenue. It sells everything from computing space to … continue reading

September 2018

Is It Illegal for Job Ads to Target Younger Workers?

Saturday, 15 September, 2018

Does it count as age discrimination if older workers never even see job ads targeted at younger workers? As NPR reported, when Linda Bradley's call center job ended, she had a hard time finding a new job via online job sites. Her 26-year-old daughter found a job right away, and Bradley learned … continue reading

December 2017

US Justice Department Sues to Block AT&T-Time Merger

Saturday, 2 December, 2017

The US Justice Department has sued to block AT&T's proposed merger with Time Warner. According to the New York Times, this "may well be the antitrust case of the decade." AT&T is proposing to pay $85.4 billion for Time Warner. The Clayton Act Section 7 of the Clayton Act prohibits mergers and acquisitions when … continue reading

November 2017

Why Companies Like to Go Bankrupt in Richmond, Virginia

Wednesday, 29 November, 2017

Certain courts are seen as favorable for certain kinds of cases. This can lead to "forum shopping" — the practice of bringing a case in a favorable court, or having a case moved to such a court. For decades, for example, the federal court for the Eastern District of Texas has … continue reading

August 2017

Federal Court Orders Winn-Dixie to Make Its Website Accessible to Visually Impaired Customers

Wednesday, 23 August, 2017

Website owners should be aware that a wave of litigation is challenging commercial websites that are not accessible to customers who have visual impairments. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires every place of public accommodation to take reasonable steps to make that place accessible to people with disabilities. While courts … continue reading

Companies Open Data Centers Abroad to Comply with Cybersecurity Rules

Monday, 21 August, 2017

Apple recently announced plans to open its first data center in China, in order to comply with a new Chinese data security law. As the New York Times reported, the Chinese law requires that companies that process the data of Chinese consumers store that data in China. The Times reports that many … continue reading

Google Fined a Record $2.7 Billion in Europe

Sunday, 20 August, 2017

Google was fined a record $2.7 billion by European antitrust regulators who found that the company had unfairly favored some of its own services over those offered by rival companies. The fine is more than twice as much as the highest previous European antitrust fine. Diverting Traffic In 2015, Google was charged by … continue reading

March 2017

Indiegogo Brings Crowdfunding to Startup Investments

Tuesday, 14 March, 2017

Small businesses are the backbone of the US economy. According to the Small Business Administration, a US government agency, small businesses (defined as those with fewer than 500 employees) make up 99.7% of US employer firms and 64% of new private-sector jobs. In 2010, there were 27.9 million small businesses, versus 18,500 … continue reading

February 2017

Court Says Customers Can Sue For Data Breaches

Wednesday, 1 February, 2017

A new data breach or hack attack is in the news almost every week. For example, the New York Times recently reported about secret "back doors" in some Android phones that sent information about where users went, who they talked to, and what texts they sent to China. And of course, hacking … continue reading

December 2016

Can Merchants Be Punished For Calling Higher Prices For Credit Card Purchases A "Surcharge"?

Tuesday, 20 December, 2016

Would you balk at using your credit card to make a $100 purchase if the merchant told you it would need to add $3 credit card surcharge to the selling price? Would you be more likely to use your credit card to make a purchase for $103 if you were … continue reading

May 2016

Don't Ignore the American Disability Act When Designing a Site for Your Business

Saturday, 14 May, 2016

Most business owners with a physical facility that serves the public are aware of the requirements of Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which states that No individual shall be discriminated against on the basis of disability in the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, … continue reading

Uber Settles Misclassification Lawsuits in Two States

Tuesday, 3 May, 2016

Uber Technologies, the company that uses smartphone apps to connect passengers with “on demand” drivers, has been a litigation magnet. To settle claims made by municipal governments that it misled potential customers about the methods it used to screen drivers, Uber agreed to pay $25 million and to reword its … continue reading

October 2015

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Partially Supports O'Bannon v NCAA Athlete Compensation Ruling

Saturday, 3 October, 2015

Earlier this week, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a ruling that partially supports a lower federal court ruling which found the NCAA violated antitrust law by too aggressively restricting payments to college athletes.  The 9th Circuit’s ruling is not a complete victory for collegiate athletes because it still … continue reading

August 2015

Michael Jordan Seeks Millions in Damages for Improper Advertisement

Wednesday, 12 August, 2015

Basketball great Michael Jordan is in federal court this week to argue that a grocery store chain which referenced him in a 2009 ad improperly used his identity and owes him up to $10 million in damages.  The trial, which is expected to last a week, will feature testimony from … continue reading

April 2015

Will Managers Be More Careful if They Have Skin in the Game?

Thursday, 2 April, 2015

As reported by the New York Times, when big companies are required to pay civil penalties to the government, those fines are usually paid by the company’s shareholders. The managers who actually performed, ordered, supervised, or ignored the acts at issue rarely pay anything. Economists call this a “perverse incentive.” Managers … continue reading

March 2015

California Taxi Drivers Allege Misleading Safety Claims in Uber Lawsuit

Wednesday, 18 March, 2015

The ongoing struggle between traditional taxi cabs and private Uber drivers continues with a lawsuit filed by California cab companies against Uber over its “safer than a taxi” advertising campaign.  Alleging that Uber’s statements are false and misleading, cab companies in California have filed a lawsuit seeking damages and an … continue reading

November 2014

Kia and Hyundai Agree to Record Settlement with EPA in Fuel Economy Lawsuit

Monday, 3 November, 2014

Korean automakers Kia Motors and Hyundai Motor Co have agreed to a financial settlement with the United States government in the amount of $350 million for overstating economy ratings in vehicles. The settlement is the largest punishment administered under the Clean Air Act, and US government officials hope the penalty paid … continue reading

July 2014

Bank of America Hit with $1.27 Billion Criminal Penalty

Wednesday, 30 July, 2014

Bank of America has been issued a $1.27 billion fine for its involvement in the illegal “Hustle” mortgage program.  The Hustle mortgage sales were carried out by executives at Countrywide Financial Corporation, which BofA bought in 2008.  Although the bank argued that its liability was minimal because the illegal activities … continue reading

Sony Agrees To Settlement in PlayStation Network Hacking Case

Thursday, 24 July, 2014

Sony, purveyor of all things entertaining and technological, has agreed in principle to a class action settlement stemming from a 2011 attack on their PlayStation Network (PSN). As reported by Kotaku, Polygon and various other outlets, the settlement offer will give gamers affected by the hack a number of potential compensatory … continue reading

Ridesharing Revolution Takes Flight As Planesharing App Seeks FAA Approval

Monday, 14 July, 2014

Ridesharing has hit the headlines recently as companies like Über and Lyft pioneer new ways to get from Point A to Point B using cutting edge apps to disrupt the traditional taxi service. While it is highly unlikely a democratization of commercial air travel will occur any time soon, the … continue reading

February 2013

Independent Bookstores Sue Amazon Over eBook

Wednesday, 27 February, 2013

Three independent bookstores, Posman Books, Book House of Stuyvesant Plaza, and Fiction Addiction, are bringing suit against Amazon and the “Big Six”, which includes HarperCollins, Random House, Penguin, Hachette, Macmillan and Simon & Schuster, for their alleged monopoly over the eBook business.  The lawsuit is being filed as a class action … continue reading

American Airlines Announces $11 Billion Merger with US Airways

Friday, 15 February, 2013

American Airlines is set to merge with US Airways in an $11 billion deal. US Airways shareholders will take 28 percent of the newly-formed airline, while American Airlines shareholders, employees, unions, and creditors take 72 percent, reports The Wall Street Journal. Under federal business law in the United States, one corporation … continue reading

December 2012

Walgreens Ordered to Pay $16.57M in California Lawsuit

Monday, 17 December, 2012

Walgreen Company has been ordered to pay a $16.57 Million settlement in California for improper disposal of hazardous waste and confidential customer information.  A California judge issued the order last week to close a statewide lawsuit filed by 42 state district attorney offices for illegal waste disposal and improper handling … continue reading

Controversial Value of Twitter Followers Lawsuit Settled

Wednesday, 5 December, 2012

In 2011, a lawsuit that stirred up some online controversy was filed against a former employee of a South Carolina Internet company with claims that the employee stole 17,000 Twitter followers from the company and thus, owed payment. The legal dispute was recently settled, but details have not yet been … continue reading

November 2012

Newly Publicized Lawsuit Confirms Color Inc. Sale to Apple

Tuesday, 20 November, 2012

Details of a lawsuit against Color Lab Inc. made headlines yesterday as a report by Techcrunch revealed that Apple has taken control of Color’s assets. The lawsuit was brought by former founding employee, Adam Witherspoon, who is claiming to be the victim of retaliation, and is seeking damages for “humiliation, … continue reading

7UP Sued for False Advertising on Soda Label

Friday, 9 November, 2012

The manufacturer of 7UP has been sued for false advertising on its new line of Cherry Antioxidant sodas.  Michael F. Jacobson, executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, explained that his group filed the lawsuit because using antioxidants to make a soda seem healthy is misleading … continue reading