You’d think that a town that was devastated by asbestos had suffered enough. But news reports of EPA knowledge of, and unresponsiveness to, reports of asbestos contamination on widely distributed wood chips has put Libby back in the news, and in harm’s way, once again. Asbestos from a W.R. Grace mine in Libby has caused [...]

Let’s take the poster child case, the one we all heard about, that involved an elderly lady and a cup of hot McDonald’s coffee. For years now that case has been batted about as an example of a frivolous lawsuit – one that exemplified the evils of easy access to the civil justice system and [...]

This week, a United Nations summit met in Switzerland. Interestingly, asbestos was a hot button issue at the summit, as the UN was considering listing chrysotile asbestos in the Rotterdam Convention. Putting asbestos on the list would put stronger restrictions on the material and would force exporters of asbestos(ex: Canada) to warn countries receiving the [...]

Everyone knows that if you have a home mortgage you are required to have home insurance. And that makes sense. But are you aware that, depending upon where you live, you may also be required to have certain types of hazard insurance? Most people don’t realize this – and it’s one of several ways that [...]

CNN’s Freedom Project to end modern-day slavery has brought some stunning statistics to our attention. How could it be that 600,000 to 800,000 people are trafficked across international borders each year? (This according to a 2007 report from the U.S. State Department). Moreover, how could 20 percent of all trafficking victims be children? It seems [...]

Certainly we live in a world of uncertainties: that tornado in Joplin, the unprecedented tsunami + earthquake in Japan, wildfires in Arizona. All tragic and all unpreventable. But in a world so fraught with disasters we can’t control, why aren’t we controlling the ones we can? Specifically, why aren’t we banning the import of asbestos-containing [...]

Just last week, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHA) issued a Hazard Alert for the popular hair straightening treatment Brazilian Blowout. The very same day, the class in the class action lawsuit against GIB, the maker of Brazilian Blowout, was certified by a California federal court and Baron & Budd was appointed class [...]

By Baron & Budd Attorney Mazin Sbaiti Ever seen mysterious charges on your credit or debit card statement?  Baron & Budd recently filed Cox v. Clarus Marketing Group LLC, et al., 11-cv-0729, in San Francisco federal court.  This is about an internet fraud that has generated millions of dollars of profits and affected innocent consumers nationwide. [...]

By Mazin A. Sbaiti – Baron & Budd Attorney We’ve previously reported that Baron & Budd is one of seven firms directing the In re Checking Account Overdraft Fee Litigation, MDL 2036 pending in the Southern District of Florida.   These cases involve just about every major U.S. bank who reorders debit card transactions from highest [...]

By Mazin A. Sbaiti – Baron & Budd Attorney I recently submitted this post about how large companies have shifted to paying small business vendors on 90 day terms rather than 30 day terms.  This is really interfering with the small businesses’ cash flows and even driving a few out of business because they can’t [...]