State attorneys general are playing an increasingly prominent role in shaping the antitrust enforcement landscape in the United States. With a combination of expanded authority, increased funding, strategic collaboration, and...more
The automotive industry is undergoing a period of rapid transformation, driven by advancements in electric vehicle (EV) technology, artificial intelligence (AI), and digital connectivity amid shifting trade policies and...more
The president recently issued an executive order (Order), targeting allegedly unfair pricing practices such as “scalping” and “junk fees” in live entertainment ticketing. The Order prioritizes enforcement of price...more
The Attorney General of Massachusetts recently promulgated rules expanding the scope of its enforcement against alleged “junk fees,” including business practices for consumer subscriptions, renewals, and recurring charge...more
The US Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) published a Final Rule on January 16, 2025 that prohibits the import, sale, and manufacture of vehicles equipped with Vehicle Communication Systems (VCS)...more
The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 is set to transform the UK’s consumer protection regime by empowering the Competition and Markets Authority to impose penalties of up to 10% of global group turnover for...more
In the final days of the Biden administration and on the eve of significant agency turnover, the US Department of Justice Antitrust Division (DOJ) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a new set of guidelines addressing...more
1/23/2025
/ Antitrust Division ,
Antitrust Provisions ,
Antitrust Violations ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Employment Contract ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Franchises ,
Independent Contractors ,
Non-Compete Agreements ,
Restrictive Covenants ,
Unfair Competition
The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC or Commission), in the final two months of the Biden administration, entered into two settlements in cases targeting the use of so-called “no-hire” restrictions in services agreements. In...more
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC or Commission) recently issued a final rule (the Junk Fees Rule or the Rule) banning so-called “junk fees” in two key industries: short-term lodging and live events. The Rule addresses...more
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on September 27, 2024 unexpectedly withdrew from a recently established Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the US Department of Justice Antitrust Division (DOJ), US Department of Labor...more
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently issued its Final Rule requiring businesses subject to its authority to establish equivalency between the ease of signing up and canceling subscriptions, memberships, and other...more
The US Department of Justice Antitrust Division (DOJ) recently filed a Statement of Interest (Statement) to highlight its view that (1) information sharing alone, without any agreement to fix prices, can violate US antitrust...more
California recently passed a new law that will require companies to change the way they advertise and sell licenses to access digital goods. Effective January 1, 2025, the law will require companies to disclose to consumers...more
On September 23, 2024, the US Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) outlining new proposed rules to address national security risks associated with...more
Earlier this month, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC or Commission) published a final rule prohibiting certain specified unfair or deceptive acts or practices involving consumer reviews and testimonials. Effective October...more
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the US Department of Justice (DOJ) on August 1, 2024 co-hosted the first public meeting of the Strike Force on Unfair and Illegal Pricing (Strike Force), formed by President Joseph Biden...more
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on July 12, 2024 released a policy statement warning that the use of contract provisions that prohibit franchisees from communicating with the government about legal violations are unlawful....more
On March 28, 2024, 14 lawmakers penned an open letter to the Federal Trade Commission urging the agency to revive enforcement of the Robinson-Patman Act. This call to action, coupled with the FTC’s recently renewed interest...more
The lawsuit against meat packer JBS Foods concerns the company’s advertisements that it would be “Net Zero by 2040” and is one in a growing number of claims arising from allegedly deceptive environmental marketing claims. It...more
The automotive industry as we know it is rapidly transforming. From the proliferation of electric transportation and technological leaps in vehicle automation to increasingly complex regulations and expanding class action...more
The Federal Trade Commission recently issued a final rule that is squarely aimed at changing the way dealers interact with customers in the financing process. The final rule takes effect on July 30, 2024....more
12/22/2023
/ Advertising ,
Automotive Industry ,
Automotive Loans ,
Banks ,
Car Dealerships ,
Cars ,
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) ,
Contract Terms ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Final Rules ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Financing ,
Payment Terms ,
Unfair or Deceptive Trade Practices
The Office of the Maryland Attorney General recently announced that the state is actively investigating resale price maintenance (RPM) violations under Maryland’s state antitrust law. Maryland’s investigations are notable as...more
Businesses should be aware that the Biden administration continues its attempt to curb junk fees, with additional actions proposed by the Federal Trade Commission and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau....more
Welcome to the 37th edition of our newsletter on developments in the automotive industry, published by Morgan Lewis’s automotive and mobility team with contributions from lawyers in our offices around the globe. We counsel...more
With his signature, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law SB 478, expanding California’s already sweeping consumer protection laws to include a broad array of fees and charges referred to by the bill authors as...more