July Consumer Protection Chief of the Month
I was excited to take on the role of Chief of the Consumer Protection Division at the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office in May of this year, after nearly seven years serving as an Assistant Attorney General in the Consumer Protection Division, and most recently as its Managing Attorney. In Massachusetts, we are fortunate to have…
State Attorney General, Federal Agency and Other Consumer Protection News: July 2023
Multistate Actions A bipartisan coalition of fifty-one attorneys general and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced a telemarketing fraud enforcement sweep: Operation Stop Scam Calls. The initiative which included more than one hundred federal and state law enforcement partners nationwide, targets telemarketers and the companies that hire them and takes action against lead generators who…
2023 NAAG/NASCO Annual Charities Conference
The 2023 NAAG/NASCO Charities Conference will be held virtually from October 11-12, 2023. The conference is the only annual event at which charity regulators and nonprofit organizations and their attorneys, accountants, fundraisers, and advisers can meet, learn about, and discuss issues of interest to the charitable sector. Topics include: governance on screen purpose driven board…
The Future of Section 230 | What Does It Mean For Consumers?
The Legal Framework Before the Supreme Court Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996[1] was enacted to provide social media platforms with legal protections for the content that users post on their sites, while allowing the sites to serve as forums for free speech. By specifying that internet platforms would not be treated…
State Attorney General, Federal Agency and Other Consumer Protection News: June 2023
State Attorney General, Federal Agency and Other Consumer Protection News Multistate Actions Led by Wisconsin Attorney General Joshua Kaul, a bipartisan coalition of forty-two attorneys general announced a $102.5 million settlement with Indivior, Inc. for alleged illegal monopoly tactics in connection with the drug Suboxone, a drug used to treat opioid use disorder. The states’…
The Role of the Attorney General in the Opioid Crisis
The attorney general holds a unique position in state government. As the chief legal officer of the state, commonwealth, or territory, the attorney general is the legal advisor to and legal representative of state government branches and agencies, as well as the principal legal representative of the public interest for all the state’s citizens. Each…
Attorney General Consumer Protection News: May 2023
Multistate Actions Led by Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita, North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein, and Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, a bipartisan coalition of 49 attorneys general filed a multistate enforcement action against Avid Telecom, a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service provider. The lawsuit alleges that Avid Telecom and its…
Federal Agency and Other Consumer Protection News: May 2023
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) ordered OneMain Financial, an installment lender, to pay $20 million in restitution and penalties for allegedly refusing to refund interest charges to 25,000 customers who cancelled their purchases within an advertised “full refund period.” OneMain also allegedly deceived borrowers about needing to purchase add-on products…
May Consumer Protection Chief of the Month
I was excited to join the Arizona Attorney General’s office, starting in February 2023 as the new Consumer Protection and Advocacy Section Chief Counsel in the new administration of Attorney General Kris Mayes. With prior experience in the AG’s Consumer Protection Section, it has been exciting to rejoin the mission of protecting the people of…
Rosenblum v. Living Essentials: A Victory for Oregon Consumers
On May 5, 2023, the Oregon Supreme Court issued a significant opinion affirming the Attorney General’s authority under Oregon’s Unlawful Trade Practices Act (UTPA) to take enforcement action against false and misleading marketing. State ex rel. Rosenblum v. Living Essentials, LLC, 371 Or. 23 (2023). The case is a long-running action against Living Essentials, makers…
