Consumer Protection
Eric Leon, Robert C. Collins III and Marc S. Werner from Latham & Watkins have stepped in to defend Carvana, an online used car seller known for its car vending machines, in a pending consumer class action lawsuit. The complaint, filed Dec. 9 in Pennsylvania Eastern District Court by the Consumer Law Center and the Law Offices of Robert P. Cocco, accuses Carvana of delaying car title transfers, causing customers to be unable to drive cars they have purchased legally. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Edward G. Smith, is 5:21-cv-05400, Jennings et al v. Carvana LLC. >>Read the complaint on Law.com Radar.
Brian Melendez of Barnes & Thornburg has entered an appearance for Toronto-Dominion Bank and TransUnion in a pending lawsuit for claims under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. The complaint was filed Dec. 7 in Louisiana Middle District Court by David S. Moyer on behalf of Casey Weigand. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge John W. Degravelles, is 3:21-cv-00702, Weigand v. Equifax Information Services, LLC. >>Read the complaint on Law.com Radar.
Shook, Hardy & Bacon partner Amir M. Nassihi, co-chair of the firm's class action and appellate practice, has entered an appearance for Tesla in a pending consumer class action. The action, filed Dec. 14 in California Northern District Court by the O’Connor Law Group; Reallaw APC and Wirtz Law, contends that Tesla unilaterally modifies motor vehicle order agreements after they have been fully executed. The action further contends that the modifications include a change in terms and increased prices for the vehicles and features. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Haywood S. Gilliam Jr., is 4:21-cv-09635, Horowitz v. Tesla Motors, Inc. >>Read the complaint on Law.com Radar.
Isabelle Ord, Ellen E. Dew, Emily M. Steiner and A. Neill Thupari of DLA Piper have stepped in to represent Apple in a pending class action brought on behalf of users of the Toast Plus app. The complaint, brought by Adelphi Law, alleges that the Toast app was a phishing program designed to mimic a well-known cryptocurrency app and intercept users' cryptocurrency account information. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Phyllis J Hamilton, is 4:21-cv-10063, Diep v. Apple. >>Read the complaint on Law.com Radar.
who got the work?
Enerflex Ltd. has agreed to acquire Exterran Corporation for $1.5 billion. The transaction, announced Jan. 24, is expected to close in the third quarter of 2022. Calgary, Canada-based Enerflex was advised by Norton Rose Fulbright; Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg; and Cravath, Swaine & Moore. Exterran, which is based in Houston, was represented by King & Spalding and McCarthy Tétrault LLP. >>Read the SEC filing on Law.com Radar.
Wendel Group and Colibri Group have agreed to acquire the financial services business from Adtalem Global Education Inc. for approximately $1 billion. The transaction, announced Jan. 24, is expected to close in the third quarter of 2022. St. Louis-based Colibri Group was advised by Finn Dixon Herling. Adtalem, which is based in Chicago, was represented by a Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom team. Kirkland & Ellis counseled Wendel. >>Read the press release on Law.com Radar.
UCB has agreed to acquire Zogenix, a biopharmaceutical company focused on rare diseases, for approximately $1.9 billion. The transaction, announced Jan. 19, is expected to close in the second quarter of 2022. General counsel for UCB Bill Silbey and vice president of legal affairs Paul Thompson led the legal team. UCB, which is based in Brussels, was also advised by a Covington & Burling team that included partners J.D. Weinberg, Kyle Rabe and special counsel Gustavo Akkerman. Emeryville, California-based Zogenix was represented by a Latham & Watkins team led by partners Scott Shean, Cheston Larson and Matthew Bush. >>Read the press release on Law.com Radar.
Microsoft has agreed to acquire Activision Blizzard, the publisher of video games such as “World of Warcraft” and “Call of Duty,” for approximately $68.7 billion. The transaction, announced Jan. 18, is expected to close in 2023. Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft is represented by a Simpson Thacher & Bartlett team that includes partners Alan Klein, Anthony Vernace and William Allen. Weil Gotshal is advising Microsoft on antitrust aspects. The Weil Gotshal team includes partners Michael Moiseyev, Megan Granger, Vadim Brusser, Jenine Hulsmann and Niklas Maydell. Activision Blizzard, which is based in Santa Monica, California, is counseled by a Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom team led by M&A partners Kenton King and Sonia Nijja. >>Read the press release on Law.com Radar.
Intellectual Property
Dennis L. Wilson of Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton has entered an appearance for Starz Entertainment, G-Unit Brands Inc., Lions Gate Entertainment and other defendants in a pending trademark infringement lawsuit. The case, filed Dec. 10 in California Central District Court by Hall Griffin LLP on behalf of Byron Belin, accuses Starz of using Belin’s ‘BMF’ mark without licensing or consent in connection with the Black Mafia Family docuseries. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Fernando L. Aenlle-Rocha, is 2:21-cv-09586, Byron Belin v. Starz Entertainment, LLC et al. >>Read the complaint on Law.com Radar.
James F. Maruna, Jack Vitanovec, and Patricia J. Hogan from Cassiday Schade have stepped in to represent Pepper Construction Co. in a pending patent infringement lawsuit. The case, which asserts five patents related to the ‘Talon Wall’ façade system, was filed Dec. 10 in Illinois Northern District Court by Overhauser Law Offices on behalf of Talon Wall Holdings and other plaintiffs. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Charles P. Kocoras, is 1:21-cv-06618, Talon Wall Holdings, LLC et al v. Reflection Window & Wall, LLC et al. >>Read the complaint on Law.com Radar.
Lowenstein Sandler partner David E. Leit has entered an appearance for Watch Fantom Inc. d/b/a CatapultX Inc. in a pending trademark infringement lawsuit. The action was filed Dec. 8 in New York Southern District Court by Leason Ellis LLP on behalf of Catapult Group International Ltd., a developer of wearable sports devices and software. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Jesse M. Furman, is 1:21-cv-10512, Catapult Group International Ltd v. Watch Fantom Inc. >>Read the complaint on Law.com Radar.
Fresenius, a German pharmaceutical company, has turned to attorneys from Rakoczy Molino Mazzochi Siwik to fend off a pending patent infringement lawsuit. The case, which asserts two patents involving solutions for treating hypocalcemia, was filed Dec. 3 in Delaware District Court by Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell and Rothwell, Figg, Ernst and Manbeck on behalf of HQ Specialty Pharma Corp. and WG Critical Care. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika, is 1:21-cv-01714, Hq Specialty Pharma Corp. et al v. Fresenius Kabi USA, LLC. >>Read the complaint on Law.com Radar.
Corporate Transactions
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Intellectual Property
Labor & Employment
Mass Torts and Multidistrict Litigation
Consumer Protection
Corporate Transactions
Labor & Employment
Paul A. Wilhelm of Clark Hill has entered an appearance for Chaac Pizza Midwest and Luis Ibarguengoytia in a pending class action over alleged wage-and-hour violations. The case was filed Dec. 10 in Kentucky Eastern District Court by Biller & Kimble on behalf of individuals employed by defendants as Pizza Hut delivery drivers. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge William O’Bertelsman, is 2:21-cv-00163, Howard et al v. Chaac Pizza Midwest, LLC et al. >>Read the complaint on Law.com Radar.
Patrick J. Doran of Archer & Greiner has entered an appearance for XTL Solutions Inc. in a pending lawsuit over alleged employment discrimination. The complaint, filed Dec. 10 in Pennsylvania Eastern District Court by Sidney Gold & Associates on behalf of Michael Green, pursues religious discrimination claims. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Wendy Beetlestone, is 2:21-cv-05408, Green v. Xtl Solutions, Inc. >>Read the complaint on Law.com Radar.
Fisher & Phillips partner Susan M. Guerette and associate Luke E. McDaniels have stepped in to defend Wells Fargo in a pending lawsuit over alleged age-based employment discrimination. The action was filed Dec. 8 in Pennsylvania Eastern District Court by the Law Offices of Eric A. Shore on behalf of Eric Fussenegger. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Anita B. Brody, is 2:21-cv-05374, Fussenegger v. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. >>Read the complaint on Law.com Radar.
Burr & Forman partner Michael L. Lucas has entered an appearance for Mercedes Benz US International Inc. in a pending lawsuit over alleged age-based employment discrimination. The complaint was filed Dec. 6 in Alabama Northern District Court by Barrett & Farahany on behalf of Sandra Sheppard. The case, assigned to U.S. District Judge Gray M. Borden, is 7:21-cv-01618, Sheppard v. Mercedes Benz US International Inc. >>Read the complaint on Law.com Radar.
Mass Torts and Multidistrict Litigation
As Law.com’s Amanda Bronstad reported, James DeSimone (V. James DeSimone Law) has stepped in to represent the family of a 61-year-old Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District employee who died last year of COVID-19 after his supervisors wouldn’t let him work from home. The family of Michael Haywood, who was an equipment service supervisor, filed a wrongful death and discrimination lawsuit on Jan. 7 against Riverside County, which is in California. Haywood, a cancer survivor with high blood pressure who used an inhaler, had complained that his employer had few COVID protocols.
Welcome to Who Got the Work? , a weekly column that highlights the law firms and lawyers around the country who are being brought in to handle key cases and close major deals for their clients.
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