D.C. Circuit Creates Split over the Reach of the First-to-File Bar
Client Alert | 1 min read | 04.18.14
In U.S. ex rel. Shea v. Verizon Co., the D.C. Circuit held that (1) two complaints may be "related" even if they involve different agencies or contracts, (2) the bar applies even when the same relator filed the earlier action, and (3) it continues to operate even after the earlier-filed action is resolved. The third holding (which drew a dissent) conflicts with dicta from two other circuits and the Fourth Circuit's 2013 opinion in U.S. ex rel. Carter v. Halliburton Co., petition for cert. filed (discussed here), holding that the first-to-file bar only applies while the earlier action is still pending.
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Client Alert | 4 min read | 07.22.26
Ghost Advertising: Compliance Takeaways From the Gymshark Influencer Class Action
A recently filed class action lawsuit against Gymshark, a prominent athletic apparel company, highlights the escalating legal risks associated with influencer marketing. The complaint, brought in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on June 16, 2026, alleges that Gymshark systematically paid social media influencers to promote its products without ensuring that the influencers were providing clear and conspicuous disclosures about such payment, in violation of Federal Trade Commission (FTC) guidance and New York state law.
Client Alert | 5 min read | 07.21.26
Client Alert | 5 min read | 07.20.26
Client Alert | 3 min read | 07.20.26
QFMA Introduces International Licensing Regime for Financial Services Firms
