Lawyer who complained of Web ads for 500 other attorneys now has new cause: His own suspension

A Connecticut lawyer lawyer who made headlines in 2010 by filing more than 500 disciplinary complaints against attorneys nationwide over their payments to a bankruptcy website for Internet advertising is now in hot water himself. Zenas Zelotes, who focuses his practice on bankruptcy, has had his Connecticut law license suspended…

Jul 3, 2013 3:49 PM CDT

EU court ruling allows American brewer to pursue European trademarks

Jul 1, 2013 9:20 AM CDT

Former college sports stars say the NCAA owes them for using their images

Jul 1, 2013 8:40 AM CDT

Actress who starred in law firm commercial spoofing faked injuries sues ad agency

An actress who starred in a local law firm commercial spoofing plaintiffs who exaggerate their injuries has sued the producer, claiming it licensed the spot to other law firms without her knowledge. Elena Aroaz says she was initially paid $600 by the ad agency, the Levinson Trachtenberg Group, to appear…

Jun 10, 2013 6:42 PM CDT

New Mini-Wheats settlement gets preliminary OK; deal value dropped, but not attorney fees

Kellogg’s has agreed to a new settlement in a consumer class action that pays the same attorney fees, despite a lower value than an earlier proposal. U.S. District Judge Irma Gonzalez gave preliminary approval to the deal earlier this month in a suit claiming Kellogg’s made false advertising claims about…

May 31, 2013 11:24 AM CDT

Suit tries to rein in digital billboards

May 1, 2013 9:30 AM CDT

Lawyers may solicit clients by text messages if rules are followed, Ohio ethics opinion says

Text messages may be “a novel approach to client solicitation,” but they aren’t barred under traditional ethics rules, according to the Ohio Supreme Court’s ethics board. In an April 5 opinion (PDF), the board said lawyers may solicit clients by text messages as long as they follow telemarketing laws and…

Apr 29, 2013 10:55 AM CDT

Man who paid hospital workers for patient info to sell medical and legal services gets 4 years

A man who admittedly paid husband-and-wife hospital employees over $10,000 to provide confidential patient information that was used to solicit individuals for additional medical and legal services was sentenced this week to four years in federal prison. Sergei Kusyakov, 39, pleaded guilty in January to conspiracy to defraud the United…

Apr 10, 2013 4:22 PM CDT

Law firm can’t sue Better Business Bureau for ‘F’ grade under Lanham Act, federal judge rules

A law firm that says it lost clients over disparaging reviews published by the Better Business Bureau of Central Florida Inc. lacks a basis for filing suit under the Lanham Act, a federal judge in Orlando has ruled. Because the BBB is not a competitor of the plaintiff, Kaufman, Englett…

Feb 20, 2013 8:22 PM CST

Tiffany suit alleges Costco co-opted the jeweler’s name in ring sales

A trademark lawsuit filed by Tiffany on Valentine’s Day claims Costco was falsely promoting engagement rings in its stores with the jeweler’s name. The suit, filed in federal court in Manhattan, claims Costco salespersons were referring to “Tiffany” engagement rings, report Reuters and the New York Times. “Tiffany has never…

Feb 15, 2013 12:25 PM CST

You can brag in legal ad, but back it up, says state supreme court

Florida lawyers can now list their successes in advertising, a divided state Supreme Court ruled Thursday, but the information must be verifiable, the Associated Press reports. One still can’t describe oneself in advertising as “the best trial lawyer in Florida,” the opinion (PDF) notes. But one could advertise that he…

Feb 1, 2013 5:55 PM CST

Red Bull delivers no more energy than coffee, lawsuit alleges

A class action lawsuit filed on Tuesday seeks to ground marketing claims by the makers of Red Bull that the energy drink “gives you wings.” According to the suit filed in Manhattan federal court, Red Bull claims its mixture of ingredients improves physical and mental performance. But the suit claims…

Jan 17, 2013 4:00 PM CST

DOJ mulls joining whistleblower suit claiming Lance Armstrong violated postal contract

The U.S. Justice Department has a Thursday deadline to decide whether to join a whistleblower suit that contends Lance Armstrong’s doping violated a sponsorship agreement with the U.S. Postal Service. The New York Daily News puts the value of the sponsorship agreement at $30 million, while the Washington Post says…

Jan 16, 2013 3:14 PM CST

As Freaked-Out Social Media Users Exit, Instagram Says Newest Service Terms Will End ‘Confusion’

Updated: In response to social media users freaking out over new Instagram terms of service that seemingly give the site the right to use an individual’s photos—“along with any associated metadata”—for advertising purposes, a leader of the site is promising that the new terms of service will be revised to…

Dec 18, 2012 8:49 PM CST

Judge to Consider Suit Challenging ‘Most Brilliant Diamonds’ Claim by Zales Jewelry Chain

An Ohio federal judge on Monday will consider a request for a preliminary injunction to stop the Zales jewelry chain from claiming its Celebration Fire stones are the “most brilliant diamonds in the world.” The suit was filed against the Zale Corp. by Sterling Jewelers Inc., a unit of a…

Dec 17, 2012 2:09 PM CST