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Cal. High Court Softens Draconian Arbitration Fee Rule
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August 19, 2025
Cal. High Court Softens Draconian Arbitration Fee Rule
By: Robert Ward
California law has often tested just how much room the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA) leaves for states to regulate consumer arbitration agreements. Last week, in Hohenshelt v. Superior Court,[1] the California Supreme Court determined that at least one claimant-favoring provision of the California Arbitration Act (CAA), California Code of Civil Procedure § 1281.98 comes close to, but does not cross, that line. At the same time, to avoid preemption, the court offered businesses some relief from the unforgiving interpretation applied by many California courts. Section 1281.98 requires the party who drafts an arbitration agreement—in the consumer context, the company—to pay all required fees within thirty days of receiving the arbitration provider’s invoice.[2] If the company fails to pay the fees…
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Ready, Set, Go: More States Adopt Privacy Laws
July 30, 2025
Ready, Set, Go: More States Adopt Privacy Laws
By: Nicole Kardell
Note the below chart was updated on July 24, 2025 to reflect recent developments. The number of U.S. states that have adopted privacy laws grows regularly. Fortunately, there seems to be quite a bit of crossover, at least when it comes to thresholds that companies must meet in order to trigger compliance requirements. We provide below a chart that summarizes these thresholds by state, including…
Fame, FTC, and Fine Print: Navigating Advertising Rules in an Evolving Landscape
May 12, 2025
Fame, FTC, and Fine Print: Navigating Advertising Rules in an Evolving Landscape
By: Abbey Block
Ryan Seacrest is most well-known for his role as the charismatic host of popular television shows like American Idol and Wheel of Fortune. But more recently, Seacrest has taken on a new business venture, becoming the spokesperson for the social casino platform, Chumba Casino. Chumba Casino, launched in 2012, allows players to engage in online casino-style games. Seacrest began his partnership with the brand in…
One revision, two revisions … three revisions or more?: The California Attorney General Releases A Second Round of Edits to its Draft CCPA Regulations
March 17, 2020
One revision, two revisions … three revisions or more?: The California Attorney General Releases A Second Round of Edits to its Draft CCPA Regulations
By: Nicole Kardell
While the world is uni-focused on the Corona virus, companies doing business in California and impacted by the California Consumer Privacy Act must face another dizzying round of revisions to the California Attorney General’s draft implementing regulations. The AG released its latest set of revisions on March 11, providing an additional notice and comment period through March 27. The latest round of revisions reveals the…
Data Control of the People, by the People, for the People…
November 22, 2019
Data Control of the People, by the People, for the People…
By: Nicole Kardell
Can the free market weigh in on data privacy and further data privacy rights in way that the law cannot? Can the free market put control over people’s data back in individuals’ hands? Many of us have been waiting for a market solution to address the privacy of personal data. As attorneys, we know from experience that laws and regulations are not always the best…
Putting the Brakes on Swift and Sweeping Adoption of Facial Recognition Technologies
November 12, 2019
Putting the Brakes on Swift and Sweeping Adoption of Facial Recognition Technologies
By: Nicole Kardell
When it is not clear which way to go, don’t. This is the upshot of an article by Wojciech Wiewiorowski: Facial recognition: A solution in search of a problem? Wiewiorowski is the Assistant Supervisor at the European Data Protection Supervisor (the E.U.’s independent data protection authority), which published his article on their site in late October. The post came out in the midst of a…
SEC’s Lawsuit Against Telegram Raises Questions About Cryptocurrency “Presales” Under Regulation D
October 17, 2019
SEC’s Lawsuit Against Telegram Raises Questions About Cryptocurrency “Presales” Under Regulation D
By: Ifrah Law
On October 11, 2019, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) filed a lawsuit against Telegram Group, Inc. and TON Issuer, Inc. (“Telegram”), and simultaneously obtained a temporary restraining order preventing Telegram from issuing its “Gram” cryptocurrency, which had been scheduled for delivery on October 31, 2019. The SEC claimed that the sale of Grams amount to an unregistered securities offering in violation of federal securities…
You Got Loot? FTC Examines In-Game Purchases
August 8, 2019
You Got Loot? FTC Examines In-Game Purchases
By: Ifrah Law
The FTC held three panels on Wednesday, August 7, 2019, that centered on one topic: loot boxes earned or purchased during online game play. It’s clear from the selection of panelists and the questions posed by FTC staff that the FTC is on high alert about potential consumer protection issues surrounding these in-game purchases. If the name of the game (pardon the pun) on Wednesday…