How to Reduce Your Risk of a Class Action Lawsuit

To help supplement brand navigate the growing number of class action lawsuits, CRN partnered with Informa Exhibitions to host the webinar “Class Action Lawsuits: Understanding the Current Landscape to Reduce Your Risk" on June 9 from 2 to 4 p.m. Eastern.

Sandy Almendarez, VP of Content

May 8, 2015

2 Min Read
How to Reduce Your Risk of a Class Action Lawsuit

Class action lawsuits following government action are like the “bless you" that follow sneezes.

First, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman sent subpoenas to four major retailers for selling store-brand herbal supplement products that didn’t pass DNA barcoding tests, and then lawsuits by consumers against the retailers starting stacking up.

First, federal health regulators issued a warning that DMAA in USPlabs’s Jack3d could cause heart attacks, then a class action lawsuit was filed against USPlabs and GNC, the store where the product was sold.

But class action lawsuits don’t just follow government action. After Bill Ackman announced his crusade against Herbalife, the multi-level marketer faced a class action suit regarding its distribution model.

The list could go on.

“Though no company can be completely immune from the threat of class action lawsuits, there are steps to take to help protect your company and avoid being an easy target," said Rend Al-Mondhiry, regulatory counsel, Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN). Al-Mondhiry noted class action lawsuits against dietary supplement companies have been increasing, and “it doesn’t look as though this trend will subside anytime soon," she added.

To help supplement brand navigate the growing number of class action lawsuits, CRN partnered with Informa Exhibitions—publisher of Natural Products INSIDER—to host the webinar “Class Action Lawsuits: Understanding the Current Landscape to Reduce Your Risk" on June 9 from 2 to 4 p.m. Eastern.

Top legal experts will discuss best advertising, labeling and marketing practices in the current climate to help companies avoid becoming targets of litigation, and offer advice on what companies need to know if they are sued. The attorneys will provide an overview of the current class action lawsuit landscape complete with discussion of recent cases and valuable takeaways to inform strategy. In addition, the panel will explain business practices that companies should implement to reduce their risk of becoming a defendant in a class action lawsuit.

The webinar presenters include: Elizabeth M. Chiarello, partner, Sidley Austin LLP; Ron Y.  Rothstein, partner, Winston & Strawn LLP; and John E. Villafranco, partner, Kelley Drye & Warren LLP. Al-Mondhiry will moderate the webinar.

Sign up for the webinar on the INSIDER site, and in the meantime, check out an article Chiarello wrote with her Sidley Austin colleagues “Litigation Trends Affecting Supplement Companies and What to Do About Them."

About the Author

Sandy Almendarez

VP of Content, Informa

Summary

• Well-known subject matter expert within the health & nutrition industry with more than 15 years’ experience reporting on natural products.

• She cares a lot about how healthy products are made, where their ingredients are sourced and how they affect human health.

• She knows that it’s the people behind the businesses — their motivations, feelings and emotions — drive industry growth, so that’s where she looks for content opportunities.

Sandy Almendarez is VP of Content for SupplySide and an award-winning journalist. She oversees the editorial and content marketing teams for the B2B media brands SupplySide Supplement Journal and SupplySide Food & Beverage Journal, the education programming for the health and nutrition trade shows SupplySide Connect New Jersey and SupplySide West, the education program SupplySide Fresh for industry newcomers and community engagement across the SupplySide portfolio. She is a seasoned content strategist with a passion for health, good nutrition, sustainability and inclusion. With over 15 years of experience in the health and nutrition industry, Sandy brings a wealth of knowledge to her role as a content-focused business leader. With specialization in topics ranging from product development to content engagement, creative marketing and c-suite decision making, her work is known for its engaging style and its relevance for business leaders in the health and nutrition industry.

In her free time, Sandy loves running, drinking hot tea and watching her two kids grow up. She brews her own “Sandbucha” homemade kombucha; she’s happy to share if you’re ever in Phoenix!

Awards:

Speaker credentials

Resides in

  • Phoenix, AZ

Education

  • Arizona State University

Contact:

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