Blogs from 2014

Court Gives Green Light To Worker Misclassification Sep 26, 2014

This summer, the California Supreme Court made it easier for workers bringing employment misclassification claims to obtain class certification. The ruling benefits claimants bringing misclassification (independent contractor vs. employee) claims in ...

GM Ignition Switch MDL Judge Rules Discovery Should Proceed Sep 23, 2014

The federal multidistrict litigation (“MDL”) judge overseeing the General Motors (“GM”) ignition switch cases, which are consolidated in the Southern District of New York, denied GM’s attempt to halt discovery of certain personal injury and economic ...

The federal multidistrict litigation judge overseeing personal injury claims against the makers of the blood thinner Plavix recently ordered that the State of Mississippi’s consumer protection action against Plavix’s manufacturers be remanded ...

According to a recent U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”) press release , the agency is combating employers’ misuse of “per diem” (per day) pay rates as means of decreasing employees’ overtime pay. The DOL’s crackdown is focused on temporary staffing ...

State Of Mississippi Thwarts Appeal Attempt By Seroquel Maker Jul 21, 2014

The Mississippi Supreme Court last Friday rejected an appeal by AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals L.P. and related defendants, makers of the powerful antipsychotic drug Seroquel, in which the drug maker attempted to have thrown out of court a consumer ...

Within the last 48 hours, U.S. and Canadian drug regulators reached differing conclusions about heart attack risks associated with testosterone hormone replacement (so-called “Low-T”) products. On July 15, Health Canada issued an “Information Update” ...

A group of women injured by vaginal mesh implants has requested Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott to sue Johnson & Johnson for deceptive business practices related to the company’s knowledge of the inherent danger of its transvaginal mesh implants. ...

Sears Holdings Management Corporation (“Sears”) agreed today to pay up to $5 million to resolve unpaid overtime class action claims brought by current and former salaried Loss Prevention Managers (“LPMs”) employed by Sears and/or Kmart stores. The ...

Identifying what it calls “clear risks associated with surgical mesh for the transvaginal repair of pelvic organ prolapse” (POP), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently issued two new proposed orders to address those risks in order to ensure ...

A California appeals court today reversed summary judgment that had been granted in favor of asbestos defendant Metalclad Insulation Corporation (“Metalclad”), holding that Metalclad did not satisfy its burden of proof as the moving party on summary ...

A federal judge last week certified a class action to proceed against Bank of America and its real estate appraisal subsidiary (collectively “BoA”) on behalf of its real estate appraisers and reviewers. BoA allegedly failed to pay the appraisers and ...