Insights

Los Angeles – August 1, 2023: The Los Angeles Business Journal has named Crowell & Moring partners Valerie M. Goo and Jennifer S. Romano to their list of Leaders of Influence: Litigators & Trial Attorneys. The list recognizes “lawyers who go to the proverbial mat to ­fight for their clients before judges and jury [and] have their own unique sets of skills.” Goo and Romano were selected for their “impact made on the profession and on the Los Angeles community.”

Washington, D.C. – July 17, 2023: Crowell & Moring hosted its 24thannual George Bailey Public Service Awards ceremony. Named after the hero of the classic movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” these awards recognize the firm’s lawyers and staff who have made a substantial impact on the lives of others.

Los Angeles – July 14, 2023: The Los Angeles Times B2B Publishing has named Crowell & Moring partners Valerie M. Goo and Jennifer S. Romano to their list of Legal Visionaries. The list recognizes “standout attorneys” in Southern California as the region, “continues to maintain its status as a center for thought leaders and power brokers in the legal space.”

On January 25, 2022, the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services (“HHS”), and the Treasury (the “Tri-agencies”) released their 2022 annual report to Congress on the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (“MHPAEA”).

On Thursday, February 4, the 11th Circuit held that a plaintiff cannot establish Article III standing to sue based on an increased risk of identity theft. The 11th Circuit joins the 2d, 3d, 4th, and 8th Circuit’s in rejecting standing based on such allegations. However, the 6th, 7th, 9th, and D.C. Circuit have all held to the contrary that a plaintiff can establish Article III standing when the defendant’s conduct has increased the risk of identity theft. The circuit split augurs U.S. Supreme Court intervention on this question in the coming years, if not sooner.

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a massive number of unforeseen cancellations of events and the inability to use paid subscriptions, memberships, and season passes. These range from gym and amusement park closings, to postponed sports seasons, to concert and vacation travel/accommodation cancellations. We previously wrote about the impact of the postponement of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Putative classes of consumers have begun to seek refunds of previously paid dues and fees for cancelled events and their inability to use services, putting liquidity strains on the offering businesses. Consumers are supported by some State Attorneys General who are advocating for consumers to receive refunds, avoid cancellation fees, and to otherwise be let out of contracts involving health club memberships and theme parks and more; it would not be surprising if this list grew.

This is a Federal Bar Association/Orange County Chapter event. The topic for this seminar is "Winning at Mediation: Tactics and Tools for Negotiating a Favorable Settlement."

In 2016, MCO’s are concerned with the DOJ’s enforcement priorities and the qui tam bar, how the Affordable Care Act is changing the way healthcare is doing business, and keeping up with new strategies to defend against aggressive plaintiffs’ claims while not missing opportunities to file affirmative cost recover litigation. Whether through arbitration or litigation, all angles of this complex landscape must be carefully considered to provide a bulletproof defense without skyrocketing costs.

The Retail Law Conference, co-hosted by the Retail Industry Leaders Association and the Retail Litigation Center, is the only conference designed specifically for in-house legal counsel from all retail channels.