Full-Service Law Firm solving complex challenges through bold thinking, precise execution, and shared purpose.

Full Service Law Firm | Michael Best & Friedrich LLP

Specializing in the Intersection of Business &amp; Government

Meet our team of trusted advisors, strategic thinkers, and community builders dedicated to client success.

Learn about our full-service legal and business solutions, designed to address complex challenges for leading organizations across industries.

Access thought leadership, news, and resources to stay informed about the latest trends, legal developments, and industry innovations.

Discover how partnership, bold thinking, and precise execution drive results for clients nationwide.

Explore how our national reach and local expertise support clients across the United States and beyond.

Grow at a firm designed to bring out your best.

The growing movement in state laws about whether consumers can repair their own products is catching attorneys' eyes, as well as recent changes in rules that govern multidistrict litigation, which often involve pharmaceuticals and medical devices.

core/paragraph

Here is Law360's list of areas of litigation and regulation to watch in 2024.

core/heading

The trend in states introducing or passing right-to-repair legislation allowing consumers to fix their own products from several industries has continued to grow over the past year.

The movement started growing in 2021, when the Biden administration issued an executive order urging the Federal Trade Commission to consider the issue.

At this point, at least 40 states have either passed or introduced such laws, an increase of about 10 from earlier this year.

More than 30 states have introduced right-to-repair legislation in the past three years, according to the White House, which held a round table discussion on the subject in October.

Five states have passed right-to-repair laws, namely California, Colorado, Oregon, Minnesota and New York.

The most recent law to be passed was Oregon's, which was approved by residents in May. It applies to electronic devices like cell phones and other products, but excludes medical devices, farm equipment, products that run on internal combustion engines and video game consoles, according to Repair.org, a nonprofit that advocates for these laws.

"I think eventually all or nearly all of the states are going to have some kind of a right-to-repair law," said Paul Benson of Michael Best &amp; Friedrich LLP. "What's going to be interesting then is what are the products that [the laws] ultimately cover."

For the first time this year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency set limits on what are commonly called "forever chemicals" in drinking water.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, are called that because they last for years in both the environment and the human body. They are widely used for their water-resistant properties.

The agency has said exposure to those chemicals has been linked to forms of cancer as well as damage to infant and children's development.

This year, the agency finalized two major rules that aim to control pollution from PFAS, which have also spurred litigation across the country.

"It answers the question that I've been asked for all 34 years of my career: 'What's the next asbestos?" Benson said. "Now I think it's PFAS."

To read the entire Law360 article, <a href="https://www.law360.com/classaction/articles/1863863?utm_source=shared-articles&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=shared-articles" target="_blank" rel="noopener">click here.</a>

Colorful abstract digital waves in blue, purple, and pink tones forming smooth, flowing curved lines on a black background.

Colorful abstract digital waves in blue, purple, and pink tones forming smooth, flowing curved lines.

Benson quoted in Law360’s “2024 Product Liability Areas to Watch”

Related People

You may also be interested in these

Why Bylaws Matter More than You Think

Major staffing changes at the US Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division

Judges Get New Climate Science Guidance—Here’s Why Industry Is Paying Attention

Related People

You may also be interested in these

Why Bylaws Matter More than You Think

Major staffing changes at the US Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division

Judges Get New Climate Science Guidance—Here’s Why Industry Is Paying Attention

Slide Menu

Slide Search