Articles by Jef Feeley

McDonald’s Alleges Ex-CEO Duped Directors, Seeks to Claw Back $37 Million Severance

McDonald’s Corp. told a judge that ex-CEO Steve Easterbrook lied about four alleged sexual relationships with subordinates to dupe directors into letting him leave with stock awards as part of his severance. The fast food company, which is seeking to …

Anbang, Andy Bang, $1 Trillion in Claims. Ritz-Carlton Mystery Gets Its Day in Court.

When a 26-year-old Uber driver walked into a California deeds office two years ago, it was the real-estate equivalent of a butterfly flapping its wings and causing a tsunami half a world away. Hired by an elderly Chinese passenger to …

Court Revives Johnson & Johnson’s Baby Powder Lawsuits

A New Jersey appeals court’s decision to revive two lawsuits accusing Johnson & Johnson’s iconic Baby Powder of causing cancer may lead to the reinstatement of about 1,000 suits targeting the talc-based product. A three-judge panel of the New Jersey …

Chemical Firm BASF and Its Law Firm to Pay $72.5M to Close Talcum-Asbestos Claims

BASF SE, the world’s biggest chemical maker, and a law firm agreed to pay a combined $72.5 million to resolve claims they hid evidence that certain talc products contained asbestos in an effort to scuttle thousands of lawsuits. Executives of …

Asbestos Trial to Start With Social Distancing in Conference Center, Not Courthouse

A West Virginia judge urged parties in dozens of asbestos lawsuits to reach a settlement and avoid the “dreadful experience” of a live trial next week while the coronavirus pandemic rages on. Judge Ronald Wilson said Wednesday in a court …

Houston Rockets Becomes First NBA Team to Sue Insurer Over Denied Covid-19 Claims

The Houston Rockets and billionaire owner Tilman Fertitta are suing their insurer for denying the National Basketball Association team’s bid to tap its business-interruption insurance policy over revenue losses from the Covid-19 pandemic. Fertitta’s Rocket Ball Ltd. and Clutch City …

Novartis Pharmaceuticals Agrees to Pay $678M to Settle Doctor-Bribe Claims

Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp. agreed to pay $678 million to resolve a whistle-blower case accusing the company of paying kickbacks to thousands of doctors who prescribed its drugs and wooing them with lavish dinners and trips to Hooters, ending almost a …

Tesla Sued Over Highway Crash When Model 3’s Airbags Malfunctioned

Tesla Inc. was sued over a Maryland highway crash last year in which a Model 3’s airbags failed to deploy, leaving a college professor with brain damage. Elon Musk, the company’s co-founder, has touted the Model 3 as the “safest …

Even With $11 Billion Settlement, Bayer Still Has 30,000 Claims to Roundup

While Bayer AG said it took a major step toward wrapping up litigation over its Roundup weedkiller with a settlement of almost $11 billion, the company still faces about 30,000 unresolved cancer claims that could cost billions, and lawyers are …

Companies Press Insurance Brokers for Workarounds to Rising D&O Costs

When Elon Musk said in April he was dropping the insurance policy that protects Tesla Inc.’s board from shareholder lawsuits, it got Skip McBride’s attention. To McBride, who used to manage law firm Bracewell LLP’s malpractice exposure, Musk’s decision to …