Wiggin and Dana partners, Robert Langer and John Doroghazi along with Associate Amanda Brahm, have co-authored an important article regarding a key development concerning state consumer protection laws that affect both businesses as well as consumers.
Read More CAVEAT VENDITOR!! The Second Prong of the Cigarette Rule is Alive and Well in Several “Little FTC Act” States
Consumer Review Fairness Act Codified Consumers’ Right to Complain
Introduction
Customer reviews are ubiquitous in today’s commercial environment. Whether the business is Amazon.com or the doctor’s office down the street, consumers are accustomed to rating and reviewing goods and services online and having access to reviews from other consumers to help inform their purchasing decisions. Ratings are important because consumers sometimes have limited opportunities to interact with sellers, prompting them to rely on accounts
Read More Consumer Review Fairness Act Codified Consumers’ Right to ComplainCongress Protects Negative Online Reviews
Social media sites such as Yelp and Facebook provide consumers with a platform to share their opinions about businesses that sell goods or services to the public.
While businesses rely on this kind of digital word-of-mouth to boost sales and positive brand awareness, unflattering online reviews are inevitable and have the potential to cause considerable damage.
But stopping customers from giving bad feedback, even if
Read More Congress Protects Negative Online ReviewsConsumer Review Fairness Act Prevents Companies From Stifling Negative Consumer Reviews
Introduction
Customer reviews are ubiquitous in today’s commercial environment. Whether the business is Amazon.com or the doctor’s office down the street, consumers are accustomed to rating and reviewing goods and services online and having access to reviews from other consumers to help inform their purchasing decisions. Ratings are important because consumers sometimes have limited opportunities to interact with sellers, prompting them to rely on accounts
Read More Consumer Review Fairness Act Prevents Companies From Stifling Negative Consumer ReviewsCourt Rules CFPB Unconstitutional and Finds CFPB Improperly Applied Mortgage Lending and Reinsurance Laws
In PHH Corporation v. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, no. 15-1177 (D.C. Cir. Oct. 11, 2016), the Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit recently held that the organizational structure of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is unconstitutional. The appellate court concluded that the CFPB’s structure—as an independent agency with a single director—did not contain sufficient checks to satisfy basic separation of powers
Read More Court Rules CFPB Unconstitutional and Finds CFPB Improperly Applied Mortgage Lending and Reinsurance LawsCFPB Proposes Rule Banning Class Action Prohibitions
On May 5, 2016, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued a proposed rule that drastically limits the effectiveness of arbitration clauses in consumer financial product agreements. Specifically, the proposed rule bans providers of “consumer financial products” from including arbitration clauses in their contracts that prohibit consumers from filing or participating in class actions. The proposed rule also sets out specific language regarding the right
Read More CFPB Proposes Rule Banning Class Action ProhibitionsSupreme Court Limits Removal of State Attorney General Actions to Federal Court
Connecticut recently awarded licenses to four medical marijuana producers, marking the beginning of Connecticut’s legal medical marijuana industry. Although medical marijuana businesses are licensed and heavily regulated by the State of Connecticut,[1] they have had difficulty securing basic financial services due to ambiguities in federal policy. Financial institutions are wary of servicing such clients owing to the requirements of the Bank Secrecy Act and
Read More Supreme Court Limits Removal of State Attorney General Actions to Federal Court