/raid1/www/Hosts/bankrupt/CAR_Public/170310.mbx              C L A S S   A C T I O N   R E P O R T E R


              Friday, March 10, 2017, Vol. 19, No. 50



                            Headlines

7 OCEAN EXPRESS: "Abduganiyevich" Action to Recover Overtime Pay
145 TULIP: "Garcia" Suit Seeks Unpaid Wages Under Labor Law
ACTAVIS HOLDCO: Teachers Fund Alleges Propranolol Price-Fixing
ADELPHIA THREE: "Colburn" Suit Seeks Minimum Wage, Overtime Pay
ALLY BANK: "Hernandez" Class Suit Removed to Maryland Court

ARBY'S RESTAURANT: Faces North Alabama Educators Suit in Georgia
ARBY'S RESTAURANT: Wanigas Credit Union Files Class Action
ARMAND LAW: Faces "Brown" Suit in District of New Jersey
ASSOCIATED CORP: Vidaurre Sues Over Unpaid Overtime Work
BABCOCK & WILCOX: Belczyk, et al. Allege ERISA Violations

BALL BOUNCE: "Goldsmith" Suit Seeks Overtime Pay Under FLSA
BANK OF AMERICA: "Dobbins" Suit Alleges Illegal Kickback Scheme
BEACH COMPANY: Faces "Williams" Suit Alleging TCPA Violations
BELMONT BROKERAGE: Conners Seeks Unpaid Wages Under Labor Code
BIZBOOST INC: Menichiello Sues Over Unsolicited Phone Calls

BMC CONSTRUCTION: "Loera" Suit Seeks Overtime Wages Under FLSA
BOSTON UNIV: Rocheville, et al. Sue Trustee Under Labor Laws
BOURBON STREET: Reynolds Seeks Unpaid OT & Wages Under FLSA
BRIGANTINE INC: Faces "Pataky" Suit Over Tip Pooling Policy
BRISTOL-MYERS SQUIBB: McGinnis Sues Over Plavix-Related Injury

BRYANT RANCH: "Yaghobimasihi" Suit Seeks Unpaid OT & Earned Wages
CARTER DISTRIBUTING: Forster Seeks Unpaid OT Pay Under FLSA
CEMTREX INC: Faces "Monteil" Suit for Inflating Stock Price
CHIOS RENOVATION: Faces "Naula" Suit Over Failure to Pay Overtime
CHOI'S SPORTS: "Osborne" Suit Seeks Minimum Wages & OT Pay

CIENEGA MEDICAL: Did Not Give Rest Breaks to Pregnant, Suit Says
CITIZENS FINANCIAL: Tiffany Florist Sues Over Unsolicited Ads
COCA-COLA BOTTLING: Faces "Aponte" Suit in Connecticut
COOLA LLC: Sunscreen Products Not Chemical-Free, Suit Says
CULICHITOWN RESTAURANTS: "Perez" Suits Seeks Unpaid Wages

DELAWARE CHARTER: Faces "Myers" Suit Over Investment in ESOP
DIRECT RECOVERY: Illegally Collects Debt, "Danskin" Suit Claims
DIVERSIFIED ADJUSTMENT: Illegally Collects Debt, Suit Claims
DJI TECHNOLOGY: Faces "Sives" Suit Over Drone Firmware Update
DLF LLC: Faces "Sango" Wage-and-Hour Suit

DOLGENCORP INC: "Wells" Suit Seeks Overtime Pay Under FLSA
DOORDASH INC: Driver Alleges Misclassification in "Lyons" Suit
DUALIT LTD: Siegel Sues in S.D.N.Y. Over Defective Toaster
ED'S MUFFLERS: Westphal Seeks Unpaid Minimum Wages Under FLSA
ENERSON LAW: Skerjance Sues in E.D. Mich. Over Debt Collection

EPATIENTS.COM INC: Gress Seeks Certification of Three Classes
EVO INCORPORATED: Hobbs Seeks Certification of Employees Class
EXPERIAN INFORMATION: Foskaris Sues Over Privacy Violations
FAMILY PRIVATE CARE: Unpaid Overtime Sought in "Anspach" Case
FCA US LLC: Jointly Moves to Certify Class in "Cunningham" Suit

FIRST CLASS: "Diaz" Suit Seeks Unpaid Wages Under Labor Law
FOOT LEVELERS: Swetlic Files 2nd Bid for Class Certification
FRANCO FOOD: Faces "Henriquez" Suit Under FLSA, NY Labor Law
FRANKLIN COLLECTION: Lafrenier Moves for Certification of Class
FULENWIDER ENTERPRISES: "Holland" Seesk Overtime Pay, Damages

GENWORTH FINANCIAL: "Chopp" Suit Transferred to E.D. Va.
GLOBAL EAGLE: Faces "Robinson" Class Suit in C.D. Cal.
GRAYCO MANAGEMENT: Peer Moves to Certify McDonald's Workers Class
HALIFAX HEALTH: MSPA Claims Class Suit Removed to S.D. Florida
HALLEN CONSTRUCTION: "Lewis" Suit Seeks Wages and Benefits

HARMAN INTL: "Baum" Files Suit Over Sale to Samsung
HEALTHTECH RESOURCES: Faces "Caballero" Wage-and-Hour Suit
HEWLETT PACKARD: Discount Drugs Sues Over Unsolicited Ads
HOOTERS OF AMERICA: Stirewalt, et al. Allege FLSA Violations
HUMANA INC: "Poggi" Suit Seeks Unpaid Wages & Relief Under FLSA

IDAHO: Faces "Hawkins" Class Suit Over Civil Rights Violation
INNOVATIVE DINING: Shtylla Seeks Unpaid Wages Under Labor Code
INNOVATIVE DINING: "Yee" Suit Seeks Unpaid Wages Under Labor Code
INVENSENSE INC: "Nuzzo" Suit Challenges TDK Merger
IRONSHORE INDEMNITY: Faces "Li" Suit Alleging Breach of Contract

IXIA: "Witmer" Files Sues Over Merger with Keysight Tech
LINCOLN NATIONAL: Faces "Rauch" Class Suit in E.D. Pennsylvania
MATTEOS OF BELLMORE: "Lopez" Suit Seeks Unpaid Wages Under FLSA
NATIONSTAR MORTGAGE: Hoffman Seeks to Certify Class Under FDCPA
NATURE'S ELITE: "Young" Sues Over Skincare Product Advertising

NORTH CAROLINA: Certification of Class Sought in "King" Suit
NORTHERN DYNASTY: "Diaz" Hits Share Price Drop
OUTERWALL INC: "Boyer" Suit Transferred to E.D. Pa.
PALM BEACH, FL: School Board Faces "Friedenberg" Class Suit
PEOPLE'S UNITED: Charges Overdraft Fees, "Walker" Suit Claims

PREMIUM PACKING: Final Hearing on "Diaz" Suit Accord on March 16
PROFESSIONAL BUREAU: Illegally Collects Debt, Action Claims
PROPERTY SCIENCES: "Palega" Suit Seeks Unpaid Wage Under FLSA
QUANTUM GLOBAL: "Foley" Suit Seeks Unpaid Wages Under Labor Code
RAGAN & RAGAN: Accused of Wrongful Conduct Over Debt Collection

RENTECH INC: "Jiangchen" Suit Alleges Securities Act Violation
RENTECH INC: Faces "Las Heras" Securities Suit in E.D.N.Y.
ROBERT BROGDEN: "Foster" Seeks Damages Over Illegal Termination
ROBIN SINGH: Massoud Sues to Enforce Right to Seek Refund
ROSS EARLE: Bishop Moves for Certification of Class Under FDCPA

RUST-OLEUM CORP: Faces "Leggett" Suit Alleging False Advertising
SAFEWAY INC: "Roberts" Suit Alleges Robocalls Violate TCPA
SAGAMORE REALTY: Faces "Cubias" Suit Under FLSA, NY Labor Law
SAL 79 ASSOCIATES: "Cabrera" Action to Recover Overtime Pay
SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS: "Bianchi" Sues Over Defective Ice Makers

SANTANDER SECURITIES: Manor Sues Over Unpaid Incentives
SCRAM OF CALIFORNIA: Faces "Hansen" Suit Over "Defective" Device
SERVCORP US: "Serrette" Suit Alleges Misclassification Under FLSA
SPRINT CORP: Faces "Gillis" Lawsuit Alleging TCPA Violation
ST NICHOLAS REALTY: Sued Over Disabled-Inaccessible Establishment

STARBUCKS CORP: "Armstead" Seeks Unpaid Wages, Overtime Pay
STATE INSURANCE: "Price" Suit Seeks Unpaid Back Wages Under FLSA
TASTE CATERING: Faces "Mankin" Wage-and-Hour Suit
TATE & KIRLIN: Accused of Wrongful Conduct Over Debt Collection
TE CONNECTIVITY: Court Certifies 1 of 3 Classes in "Wilson" Suit

TELECHECK SERVICES: Sued in Tex. Over Debt Collection Violation
THRU TUBING: "Scott" Suit Seeks Overtime Compensation Under FLSA
TORTILLA FLATS: Faces "Chang" Suit Over Failure to Pay Overtime
TOWING AMERICA: Faces "Omelia" Suit Alleging FLSA Violations
TROPICAL SHIPPING: "Danielson" Suit Transferred to S.D. Fla.

TWO JINNS: Final Hearing on "Shelby" Suit Deal Set for June 26
ULTRA PRO: Aguilar Seeks Unpaid Premium Wages Under Labor Code
UNITEL MARKETING: "Washington" Suit Seeks Unpaid OT Under FLSA
UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS: Faces "Troche" Suit Under FLSA, Ohio Law
US POSTAL: Faces "Caballero" Suit Alleging FLSA, Unfair Trade

VCA INC: "Hight" Files Suit Over Sale to Mars Inc.
VCA INC: Faces "Moran" Suit Over Mars Merger
VIVINT SOLAR: Sued Over Fair Credit Reporting Act Violation
WBM LLC: Faces "Tsvettsikh" Class Suit in E.D.N.Y.
WELLNESS EARTH: "Newsome" Seeks Unpaid Wages & OT Pay

WESTERN UNION: Violates Securities Laws, UA Pension Fund Says
WESTERN UNION: Smallen Trust Sues Over Securities Law Violations
WORLD CLASS: Faces "Smith" Suit Over Background Checks
WYNDHAM CAPITAL: Faces "Winters" Suit Over Unsolicited Calls


                         Asbestos Litigation

ASBESTOS UPDATE: Texas Court Refuses to Stay Asbestos MDL Trial
ASBESTOS UPDATE: Conn. App. Ct. Clarifies Allocation Methodolody
ASBESTOS UPDATE: Summary Judgment Ruling in "DeLoof" Affirmed
ASBESTOS UPDATE: Asbestos Suit Claimants Frustrated Over Deals
ASBESTOS UPDATE: Man May Have Died from Asbestos Lung Illness

ASBESTOS UPDATE: Man Dies of Exposure to Asbestos in His Twenties
ASBESTOS UPDATE: Sponsor Expects FACT to Have Pres. Support
ASBESTOS UPDATE: Failure of Causation Proof Scuttles Verdict
ASBESTOS UPDATE: $10MM Verdict Awarded for Defective Cement Pipe
ASBESTOS UPDATE: Removers' Suit vs. WorkSafe B.C. Tossed Out

ASBESTOS UPDATE: EPA Sounds Last Call on Asbestos Cleanup Effort
ASBESTOS UPDATE: ND Legislature Looks at Changes in Asbestos Law
ASBESTOS UPDATE: Debate in Asbestos Diffusion Heats Up in Ankara
ASBESTOS UPDATE: Asbestos Risk Forces Downtown Store to Shut Down
ASBESTOS UPDATE: Washington Great Grandad Diagnosed with Cancer

ASBESTOS UPDATE: Study Points to Mesothelioma Risks in Dentists
ASBESTOS UPDATE: Asbestos Leaking Into Irish Sea
ASBESTOS UPDATE: Funding Dispute Over Asbestos Clean-up
ASBESTOS UPDATE: Asbestos Found in Scarborough Theatre
ASBESTOS UPDATE: Former Teacher Dies of Asbestos-related Cancer

ASBESTOS UPDATE: Experts Dispose of Asbestos at Nadi Airport
ASBESTOS UPDATE: Asbestos Found in Pool Demolition Site
ASBESTOS UPDATE: Asbestos Found in New Orleans Courthouse
ASBESTOS UPDATE: Pa. Asbestos Case Beats Statute of Limitations
ASBESTOS UPDATE: Asbestos Exposure Still Making People Sick

ASBESTOS UPDATE: Libby Victims Watch Fight Over ACA Repeal
ASBESTOS UPDATE: Researchers Unsure Why Illness Still Rise
ASBESTOS UPDATE: Corporate Spy Infiltrates Anti-Asbestos Network
ASBESTOS UPDATE: Report Finds Asbestos Mngt Problems in Schools
ASBESTOS UPDATE: Bedfordshire-based Contractor Fined

ASBESTOS UPDATE: Tidewater Continues to Defend Suits at Dec. 31
ASBESTOS UPDATE: Briefing Underway in Calif. Suit v. Lorillard
ASBESTOS UPDATE: "Parsons" Remains Dormant
ASBESTOS UPDATE: Lorillard Faces 78 Filter Cases at Dec. 31
ASBESTOS UPDATE: "DeLisle" Remains Pending

ASBESTOS UPDATE: Ford Motor Still Faces Suits at Dec. 31
ASBESTOS UPDATE: Union Carbide Has $486MM Liability at Dec. 31
ASBESTOS UPDATE: Union Carbide Has 16,141 Claims at Dec. 31
ASBESTOS UPDATE: Dow Chemical Unit has $1.49-Mil. Liability
ASBESTOS UPDATE: Scotts Miracle-Gro Still Faces Suits at Dec. 31

ASBESTOS UPDATE: 3M Faces 2,660 Respirator Suits at Dec. 31
ASBESTOS UPDATE: 3M Accrued $595MM Respirator Mask Liabilities
ASBESTOS UPDATE: 3M Accrues $19MM for Aero-Related Liabilities
ASBESTOS UPDATE: Cliffs Natural Still Faces Seamen Claims
ASBESTOS UPDATE: Celanese Still Faces Exposure Claims at Dec. 31

ASBESTOS UPDATE: BorgWarner Has 9,400 Asbestos Claims at Dec. 31
ASBESTOS UPDATE: BorgWarner Estimates $879.3MM Asbestos Liability





                            *********


7 OCEAN EXPRESS: "Abduganiyevich" Action to Recover Overtime Pay
----------------------------------------------------------------
Abdurakhmanov Abdumalik Abduganiyevich, individually and on behalf
of all others similarly situated, Plaintiffs, v. 7 Ocean Express,
Inc., 7 Ocean Express of New York, Inc. and Alexander Bramurov,
Defendants, Case No. 1:17-cv-00862 (E.D. N.Y., February 15, 2017)
seeks, for himself and similarly situated employees, unpaid
overtime wages, liquidated damages, reasonable attorneys' fees and
costs, and all other appropriate legal and equitable relief,
statutory damages, interest pursuant to New York Labor Laws and
the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Defendants operate a transportation service for mostly elderly
individuals to and from, inter alia, their doctor appointments and
church/synagogues where Plaintiff was employed by Defendants as a
driver.

Plaintiff is represented by:

      Gennadiy Naydenskiy, Esq.
      NAYDENSKIY LAW GROUP, P.C.
      1517 Voorhies Ave, 2nd Fl.
      Brooklyn, NY 11235
      Tel: (718) 808-2224
      Email: naydenskiylaw@gmai1.com


145 TULIP: "Garcia" Suit Seeks Unpaid Wages Under Labor Law
-----------------------------------------------------------
JOSE GARCIA and FREDIS MALDONADO, on behalf of themselves and
others similarly situated, the Plaintiff, v. JOHN DUGGAN, KATHLEEN
DUGGAN, JACK DUGGAN'S LOUGHREA, INC., and 145 TULIP
AVE. OWNERS, LLC, the Defendant, Case No. 601537/2017 (N.Y. Sup.
Ct., Feb. 21, 2017), seeks to recover unpaid wages for overtime,
unpaid spread of hours wages for each day Plaintiffs worked 10 or
more hours, liquidated damages for failure to pay overtime premium
and spread of hours pay, liquidated damages for failure to furnish
Plaintiffs a notice and acknowledgment at the time of hiring,
attorneys' fees, and all costs and disbursements under New York
Labor Law.

While Plaintiffs, and the Class plaintiffs, worked in excess of
forty hours a week, Defendants willfully failed to pay them
minimum wage, and overtime compensation for the overtime hours
worked.

The Plaintiffs are represented by:

          Marcus Monteiro, Esq.
          MONTEIRO & FISHMAN LLP
          91 N. Franklin Street, Suite 108
          Hempstead, NY 11550
          Telephone: (516) 280 4600
          Facsimile: (516) 280 4530
          E-mail: mmonteiro@mflawny.com


ACTAVIS HOLDCO: Teachers Fund Alleges Propranolol Price-Fixing
--------------------------------------------------------------
Philadelphia Federation of Teachers Health and Welfare Fund, on
behalf of itself and all others similarly situated, Plaintiffs, v.
Actavis Holdco U.S., Inc., Breckenridge Pharmaceutical, Inc.,
Heritage Pharmaceuticals Inc., Mylan Inc., Mylan Pharmaceuticals
Inc., Par Pharmaceutical Holdings, Inc., Qualitest
Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Rouses Point Pharmaceuticals, LLC, Teva
Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc., UDL Laboratories, Inc., and Upsher-
Smith Laboratories, Inc., Defendants, Case No. 2:17-cv-00865-CMR
(E.D. Pa., February 24, 2017), accuses Defendants of engaging in a
conspiracy to fix maintain and/or stabilize the prices of generic
Propranolol capsule and tablets.

The Defendants are pharmaceutical companies.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

     Marc H. Edelson, Esq.
     EDELSON & ASSOCIATES
     3 Terry Drive, Suite 205
     Newton, PA 18940
     Phone: 215 867 2399


ADELPHIA THREE: "Colburn" Suit Seeks Minimum Wage, Overtime Pay
---------------------------------------------------------------
Jenna Colburn and Kimberly Gillen, individually and on behalf of
themselves and all others similarly situated, Plaintiffs, v.
Adelphia Three Corp., Phily Diner and John Does 1-5 and 6-10,
Defendants, Case No. 1:17-cv-00984, (D.N.J., February 14, 2017)
seeks injunctive relief, unpaid wages, unpaid minimum wages,
liquidated damages, reasonable attorneys' fees, and all other
appropriate legal and equitable relief pursuant to the Fair Labor
Standards Act.

Adelphia Three Corp. operates as Phily Diner, a restaurant
business in New Jersey. Plaintiffs worked as servers at the Phily
Diner located at 31 S. Blackhorse Pike, Runnemede, NJ 08078.
Plaintiffs are paid less than the minimum wage and also rely on
gratuities for compensation, says the complaint.

Defendant is represented by:

Deborah L. Mains, Esq.
      COSTELLO & MAINS, LLC
      18000 Horizon Way, Suite 800
      Mt. Laurel, NJ 08054
      Tel: (856) 727-9700
      Fax: (856) 727-9797


ALLY BANK: "Hernandez" Class Suit Removed to Maryland Court
-----------------------------------------------------------
The class action lawsuit captioned Jennifer Hernandez and Manuel
Maldonado, on their own behalf and on behalf of all others
similarly situated v. Ally Bank, Case No. 428885V, was removed
from the Circuit Court for Montgomery County to the U.S. District
Court for the District of Maryland (Greenbelt). The District Court
Clerk assigned Case No. 8:17-cv-00491 to the proceeding.

Ally Bank is a Utah-based Internet bank that focuses primarily on
offering consumer savings products.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

      Benjamin Howard Carney, Esq.
      GORDON, WOLF & CARNEY, CHTD
      102 W Pennsylvania Ave Ste 402
      Towson, MD 21204
      Telephone: (410) 825-2300
      Facsimile: (410) 825-0066
      E-mail: bcarney@GWCfirm.com

The Defendant is represented by:

      Charles S. Hirsch, Esq.
      BALLARD SPAHR LLP
      300 E Lombard St 18th Fl.
      Baltimore, MD 21202
      Telephone: (410) 528-5600
      Facsimile: (410) 528-5650
      E-mail: hirsch@ballardspahr.com


ARBY'S RESTAURANT: Faces North Alabama Educators Suit in Georgia
----------------------------------------------------------------
A class action lawsuit has been commenced against Arby's
Restaurant Group, Inc.  The case is captioned North Alabama
Educators Credit Union, on behalf of itself and all others
similarly situated v. Arby's Restaurant Group, Inc., Case No.
1:17-cv-00686-SCJ (N.D. Ga., February 23, 2017).

Arby's Restaurant Group, Inc. operates a quick-service fast-food
sandwich restaurant chain throughout the United States.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

      Chris T. Hellums, Esq.
      Jonathan S. Mann, Esq.
      PITTMAN, DUTTON, KIRBY & HELLUMS, P.C.
      2001 Park Place North
      Park Place Tower, Suite 1100
      Birmingham, AL 35203
      Telephone: (205) 322-8880
      E-mail: chrish@pittmandutton.com
              jonm@pittmandutton.com

         - and -

      N. Kirkland Pope
      POPE MCGLAMRY KILPATRICK MORRISON & NORWOOD, P.C.
      P.O. Box 191625
      The Pinnacle, Suite 925
      3455 Peachtree Road, N.E.
      Atlanta, GA 31119-1625
      Telephone: (404) 523-7706
      Facsimile: (404) 524-1648
      E-mail: efile@pmkm.com

ARBY'S RESTAURANT: Wanigas Credit Union Files Class Action
----------------------------------------------------------
A class action lawsuit has been commenced against Arby's
Restaurant Group, Inc.  The case is captioned Wanigas Credit
Union, Gulf Coast Bank & Trust Company, and Michigan Credit Union
League, on behalf of themselves and all others similarly situated
v. Arby's Restaurant Group, Inc., Case No. 1:17-cv-00689-WSD (N.D.
Ga., February 23, 2017).

Arby's Restaurant Group, Inc. operates a quick-service fast-food
sandwich restaurant chain throughout the United States.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

      Arthur M. Murray, Esq.
      MURRAY LAW FIRM
      650 Poydras Street, Suite 2150
      New Orleans, LA 70130
      Telephone: (505) 525-8100
      E-mail: amurray@murray-lawfirm.com

         - and -

      Charles Hale Van Horn, Esq.
      Malone Williams Allen, Esq.
      BERMAN FINK VAN HORN, P.C.
      3475 Piedmont Road, N.E., Suite 1100
      Atlanta, GA 30305
      Telephone: (404) 261-7711
      Facsimile: (404) 233-1943
      E-mail: cvanhorn@bfvlaw.com
              mallen@bfvlaw.com


ARMAND LAW: Faces "Brown" Suit in District of New Jersey
--------------------------------------------------------
A class action lawsuit has been filed against Armand Law Group,
PLLC. The case is captioned as DYLAN BROWN, on behalf of himself
and all others similarly situated, the Plaintiff, v. ARMAND LAW
GROUP, PLLC, and AARGON AGENCY, INC., the Defendants, Case No.
3:17-cv-01149-FLW-LHG (D.N.J., Feb. 20, 2017). The case is
assigned to Hon. Judge Freda L. Wolfson.

Arman Law Group handles cases involving labor and employment law.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

         Lawrence C. Hersh, Esq.
         17 Sylvan Street, Suite 102b
         Rutherford, NJ 07070
         Tel: (201) 507-6300
         E-mail: lh@hershlegal.com


ASSOCIATED CORP: Vidaurre Sues Over Unpaid Overtime Work
--------------------------------------------------------
NESTOR J. VIDAURRE and other similarly-situated individuals, the
Plaintiff(s), v. ASSOCIATED CORPORATION and ANDREW ARNOLD,
Individually, the Defendants, Case No. 9:17-cv-80212-DMM (S.D.
Fla., Feb. 21, 2017), seeks to recover money damages for unpaid
overtime wages pursuant to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

Plaintiff worked in excess of 40 hours every week period. However,
Plaintiff was not paid for his overtime hours as established by
law. Consequently, Plaintiff is owed 5 hours of overtime at the
rate of time and a half his regular rate. For his work on
Saturdays, which constituted additional overtime hours, he
received payment at his regular rate. Consequently, he is owed
half-time overtime for every Saturday that he worked for
Defendants.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

          Zandro E. Palma, Esq.
          9100 S. Dadeland Blvd., Suite 1500
          Miami, FL 33156
          Telephone: (305) 446 1500
          Facsimile: (305) 446 1502
          E-mail: zep@thepalmalawgroup.com


BABCOCK & WILCOX: Belczyk, et al. Allege ERISA Violations
---------------------------------------------------------
FRANK BELCZYK, SOPHIE BELCZYK, MICHAEL JURICH, DOLORES SCAIA, and
JACK E. TALLON, on behalf of themselves and all other persons
similarly situated; UNITED STEEL, PAPER AND FORESTRY, RUBBER,
MANUFACTURING, ENERGY, ALLIED INDUSTRIAL AND SERVICE WORKERS
INTERNATIONAL UNION, AFL-CIO/CLC; and UNITED STEEL, PAPER AND
FORESTRY, RUBBER, MANUFACTURING, ENERGY, ALLIED INDUSTRIAL AND
SERVICE WORKERS INTERNATIONAL UNION, AFL-CIO/CLC, LOCAL 3059,
Plaintiffs, v. BABCOCK & WILCOX ENTERPRISES, INC.; BWX
TECHNOLOGIES, INC., f/k/a THE BABCOCK & WILCOX COMPANY; McDERMOTT
INTERNATIONAL, INC.; and BABCOCK & WILCOX RETIREE HEALTH CARE
PLAN, Defendants, Case No. 2:17-cv-00241-NBF (W.D. Pa., February
23, 2017), alleges that  Babcock & Wilcox unilaterally eliminated
the retiree health care benefits it provided to Class Members who
had attained the retirement age of 65, replacing these benefits
with limited funds provided through Healthcare Reimbursement
Accounts.

Allegedly, since Class Members' retiree medical benefits were the
result of bargaining between labor organizations and an employer,
Babcock & Wilcox's actions are actionable under the Labor
Management Relations Act, says the complaint. Defendants' conduct
also violates Class Members' rights under one or more employee
benefit plans, and is therefore actionable under the Employee
Retirement Income Security Act, the complaint adds.

Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises, Inc. provides advanced energy and
environmental technologies and services for the power and
industrial markets.

The Plaintiffs are represented by:

     Pamina Ewing, Esq.
     Joel R. Hurt, Esq.
     McKean J. Evans, Esq.
     FEINSTEIN DOYLE PAYNE & KRAVEC, LLC
     Law & Finance Building, Suite 1300
     429 Fourth Avenue
     Pittsburgh, PA 15219
     Phone: 412-281-8400
     Fax: 412-281-1007
     Email: pewing@fdpklaw.com
            jhurt@fdpklaw.com
            MEvans@fdpklaw.com

        - and -

     Anthony Resnick, Esq.
     UNITED STEELWORKERS
     Five Gateway Plaza, Room 807
     Pittsburgh, PA 15222
     Phone: 412-562-2562
     Email: aresnick@usw.org


BALL BOUNCE: "Goldsmith" Suit Seeks Overtime Pay Under FLSA
-----------------------------------------------------------
MICHAEL GOLDSMITH, 1109 Edgehill Ave., Ashland, OH 44805, On
behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, the
Plaintiff, v. BALL, BOUNCE AND SPORT, INC., d/b/a Hedstrom
Plastics, Inc. c/o Statutory Agent CC&J Agents, Inc. 225 N. Market
St. Wooster, OH 44691, Defendant, Case No. 1:17-cv-00341 (N.D.
Ohio, Feb. 20, 2017), seeks to recover overtime pay under Fair
Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

As a result of Defendant's violations of the FLSA, Plaintiff, the
FLSA Collective, and Ohio Class were injured in that they did not
receive wages due to them pursuant to the FLSA.

The Defendant is a manufacturing company providing plastic molding
manufacturing services and products and other services and
products nationwide. Defendant regularly does business as Hedstrom
Plastics and Regent Sports. Defendant manufactures products
including Duraball, athletic gear, children sensory products, ball
pits and balls, hoppers, inflatables, snow sleds and shovels.
Defendant's products are available at, among other retailers,
Amazon.com, Big Lots, Walmart, Publix, Giant Eagle, Dollar
General, CVS Pharmacy, and Menards.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

         Ryan A. Winters, Esq.
         Joseph F. Scott, Esq.
         SCOTT & WINTERS LAW FIRM, LLC
         The Superior Building
         815 Superior Avenue E., Suite 1325
         Cleveland, OH 44114
         Telephone: (440) 498 9100
         E-mail: jscott@ohiowagewlawyers.com
                 rwinters@ohiowagelawyers.com

               - and -

         Kevin M. McDermott II, Esq.
         MCDERMOTT LAW LLC
         11925 Pearl Road, Suite 310
         Strongsville, Ohio 44136
         Telephone: 216 367 9181
         Facsimile: 440 846 1625
         E-mail: kevin@mcdermottattorney.com


BANK OF AMERICA: "Dobbins" Suit Alleges Illegal Kickback Scheme
---------------------------------------------------------------
TRACIE PARKER DOBBINS (2429 Shadyside Avenue, Suitland, MD 20746)
and GLADYS PARKER (940 Quincy Street, N.W., Washington, D.C.
20010, Plaintiffs) v. BANK OF AMERICA, N.A. (Serve on: The
Corporation Trust, Inc., Resident Agent, 351 West Camden Street
Baltimore, MD 21201) Defendant, Case No. 1:17-cv-00540-RDB (D.
Md., February 23, 2017), alleges that Plaintiffs and Class Members
were victims of an illegal kickback scheme between BOA and Genuine
Title, LLC. Under the "scheme," BOA branch managers, loan
officers, agents and/or other employees received unearned fees and
kickbacks paid by Genuine Title, in violation of the Real Estate
Settlement Procedures Act.

Defendant Bank of America, N.A. is a corporation authorized to
conduct business in the State of Maryland and licensed to provide
mortgage banking services.  BOA was engaged in the business of
consumer mortgage lending in Maryland and elsewhere.

Genuine Title, LLC was founded in 2005. The Company's line of
business includes the underwriting of insurance such as guaranty
of titles, real estate, and title insurance.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

     Timothy F. Maloney, Esq.
     Veronica B. Nannis, Esq.
     Timothy L. Creed, Esq.
     JOSEPH, GREENWALD & LAAKE
     6404 Ivy Lane, Suite 400
     Greenbelt, MD 20770
     Phone: (301) 220-2200
     Fax: (301) 220-1214 (fax)
     Email: tmaloney@jgllaw.com
            vnannis@jgllaw.com
            tcreed@jgllaw.com

        - and -

     Michael Paul Smith, Esq.
     Melissa L. English, Esq.
     Sarah A. Zadrozny, Esq.
     SMITH, GILDEA & SCHMIDT, LLC
     600 Washington Avenue, Suite 200
     Towson, MD 21202
     Phone: (410) 821-0070
     Fax: (410) 821-0071
     Email: mpsmith@sgs-law.com
            szadrozny@sgs-law.com


BEACH COMPANY: Faces "Williams" Suit Alleging TCPA Violations
-------------------------------------------------------------
LEEROY WILLIAMS, individually and on behalf of all others
similarly situated, Plaintiff, vs. THE BEACH COMPANY, and DOES 1
through 10, inclusive, and each of them, Defendant, Case No. 1:17-
cv-00274-LJO-JLT (E.D. Cal., February 24, 2017), seeks damages and
any other available legal or equitable remedies resulting from the
alleged illegal actions of THE BEACH COMPANY, in negligently,
knowingly, and/or willfully contacting Plaintiff on Plaintiff's
cellular telephone in violation of the Telephone Consumer
Protection Act.

THE BEACH COMPANY is engaged in the business of beachside real
estate development.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

     Todd M. Friedman, Esq.
     Adrian R. Bacon, Esq.
     Meghan E. George, Esq.
     LAW OFFICES OF TODD M. FRIEDMAN, P.C.
     21550 Oxnard St., Suite 780
     Woodland Hills, CA 91367
     Phone: 877-206-4741
     Fax: 866-633-0228
     E-mail: tfriedman@toddflaw.com
             abacon@toddflaw.com
             mgeorge@toddflaw.com


BELMONT BROKERAGE: Conners Seeks Unpaid Wages Under Labor Code
--------------------------------------------------------------
JEFFREY B. CONNERS, individually, and on behalf of others
similarly situated, and as a private attorney general, the
Plaintiff, v. BELMONT BROKERAGE & MANAGEMENT, INC.; and DOES I
15 through 50, inclusive, the Defendants, Case No. BC650881 (Cal.
Super. Ct, Feb. 16, 2017), seeks to recover the unpaid balance of
their minimum wage compensation as well as interest, costs, and
attorneys' fees, and liquidated damages in an amount equal to the
wages unlawfully unpaid and interest pursuant to the California
Labor Code.

The Complaint alleges that the Defendants intentionally and
willfully failed to pay Plaintiff and the other class members who
are no longer employed by Defendants their wages, earned and
unpaid, including but not limited to minimum wages, overtime
wages, meal and rest break premiums and bonuses, within 72 hours
of their leaving Defendants' employ. The Complaint says the
Defendants fail to pay the other class members who are no longer
employed by Defendants' their wages, earned and unpaid, within 72
hours of their leaving Defendants' employ, in violation of
California Labor Code sections 201 and 202.

Belmont Brokerage is a real estate brokerage and property
management company in Long Beach, California for commercial and
apartment rentals.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

          Heather Davis, Esq.
          Amirnayebdadash, Esq.
          D. Luke Clapp, Esq.
          PROTECTION LAW GROUP, LLP
          136 Main Street, Suite A
          El Segundo, CA 90245
          Telephone: (424) 290 3095
          Facsimile: (866) 264 7880


BIZBOOST INC: Menichiello Sues Over Unsolicited Phone Calls
-----------------------------------------------------------
JOSEPH MENICHIELLO, individually and on behalf of all others
similarly situated, the Plaintiff, v. BIZBOOST, INC., and DOES 1
through 10, inclusive, and each of them, the Defendant, Case No.
8:17-cv-00289-JVS-KES (C.D. Cal., Feb. 16, 2017), seeks to recover
damages and any other available legal or equitable remedies
resulting from the illegal actions of the Defendant), in
negligently, knowingly, and/or willfully contacting Plaintiff on
Plaintiff's cellular telephone in violation of the Telephone
Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and related regulations,
specifically the National Do-Not-Call provisions.

Beginning in October 2016, Defendant contacted Plaintiff on
Plaintiff's cellular telephone number ending in -7270, in an
attempt to solicit Plaintiff to purchase Defendant's services. The
Defendant used an "automatic telephone dialing system" to place
its call to Plaintiff seeking to solicit its services. The
Defendant contacted or attempted to contact Plaintiff from
telephone numbers confirmed to belong to Defendant, including and
not necessarily limited to (779) 235-1089. The Defendant's calls
constituted calls that were not for emergency purposes, the
Complaint contends.

BizBoost offers streamlined funding process with flexible
repayment options and affordable rates.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

          Todd M. Friedman, Esq.
          Adrian R. Bacon, Esq.
          Meghan E. George, Esq.
          LAW OFFICES OF TODD M. FRIEDMAN, P.C.
          21550 Oxnard St., Suite 780
          Woodland Hills, CA 91367
          Telephone: (877) 206 4741
          Facsimile: (866) 633 0228
          E-mail: tfriedman@toddflaw.com
                  abacon@toddflaw.com
                  mgeorge@toddflaw.com


BMC CONSTRUCTION: "Loera" Suit Seeks Overtime Wages Under FLSA
--------------------------------------------------------------
RICARDO LOERA on behalf of himself individually, and ALL OTHERS
SIMILARLY SITUATED, the Plaintiffs, v. BMC CONSTRUCTION SERVICES
LLC., the Defendant, Case No. 4:17-cv-00543 (S.D. Tex., Feb. 20,
2017), seeks to recover unpaid overtime wages brought under the
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

The action seeks equitable relief, compensatory and liquidated
damages, attorney's fees, taxable costs of court, and post-
judgment interest for Defendant's willful failure to pay overtime
wages and compensation for hours worked, but not recorded or paid.

BMC Construction is a general contractor in the real estate
industry.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

          Taft L. Foley, II, Esq.
          THE FOLEY LAW FIRM
          3003 South Loop West, Suite 108
          Houston, TX 77054
          Telephone: (832) 778 8182
          Facsimile: (832) 778 8353
          E-mail: Taft.Foley@thefoleylawfirm.com


BOSTON UNIV: Rocheville, et al. Sue Trustee Under Labor Laws
------------------------------------------------------------
Scott Rocheville, along with Brian G. Abdallah, Paul Arnold,
Alexander R. Ayochok, Teresa Best, Matthew J. Bouras, Daryl S.
Bourgeois, Richard Cabral, Richard Camillo, William Campanella,
Richard Churchill, Danielle Collins, Richard A. Cronin, Jeffrey
D'Angelo, Ciaran A. Darcy, Daniel DiGiovine, Michael Diluiso,
Anicet F. Dybantsa, Sr., Ronald F. Gately, Lynn LaRoche, Dianna
Maneshka, Giuseppe Marotta, Robert E. McCarthy, David M.
McClelland, Dimitri Michaelidis, Patricia Murphy, Casey
O'Loughlin, Karl Osborn, Ellen Poggi, Matthew Quinlan, Joseph
Sirignano, Diane Smith, Kevin M. St. Ives, Brandon Stone, John C.
Struble, Michael A. Torigian, Michael Vanaria, Jacob W. Verge,
Plaintiffs v. Trustees of Boston University, Defendant, Case No.
1:17-cv-10313-PBS (D. Mass., February 24, 2017), seeks unpaid
overtime wages, as well as "liquidated damages" for current and
former police officers and police dispatchers under the Fair Labor
Standards Act, and "treble damages" under the Massachusetts Wage
Act, plus attorneys fees and costs incurred in this action, and
other applicable relief under the FLSA and Massachusetts Wage Act.

The Plaintiffs are represented by:

     Jack J. Canzoneri, Esq.
     Dennis Coyne, Esq.
     MCDONALD LAMOND CANZONERI
     352 Turnpike Road, Suite 310
     Southborough, MA 01772-1756
     Phone: (508) 485-6600
     E-mail: jcanzoneri@masslaborlawyers.com
             dcoyne@masslaborlawyers.com


BOURBON STREET: Reynolds Seeks Unpaid OT & Wages Under FLSA
-----------------------------------------------------------
TIMOTHY REYNOLDS, for himself and others similarly situated, the
Plaintiff, v. BOURBON STREET PUB, INC., a Florida corporation,
NEW ORLEANS HOUSE OF KEY WEST, INC., a Florida corporation, and
JOSEPH J. SCHROEDER, an individual, the Defendants, Case No. 4:17-
cv-10023-KMM (S.D. Fla., Feb. 21, 2017), seeks to recover unpaid
overtime and minimum wages, liquidated damages, compensatory
damages in the amount of unlawfully retained tips, attorneys'
fees, costs and expenses, and all other relief the Court deems
appropriate for the Plaintiff and other similarly situated
bartenders who worked for the Defendants, pursuant to the Fair
Labor Standards Act.

The Defendants had a policy or practice of not paying bartenders
for their hours worked in excess of 40 hours per week, at a rate
of time-and-one-half their regular hourly rate. The Plaintiffs and
others similarly situated were not permitted to clock in for and
were not paid wages for required meetings, for training, for
decorating the pub and outdoor area of the motel, and for clean-up
sessions.

The Defendants own and operate a bar and pub.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

          Peter Bober, Esq.
          BOBER & BOBER, P.A.
          1930 Tyler Street
          Hollywood, FL 33020
          Telephone: (954) 922 2298
          Facsimile: (954) 922 5455
          E-mail: peter@boberlaw.com
                  samara@boberlaw.com


BRIGANTINE INC: Faces "Pataky" Suit Over Tip Pooling Policy
-----------------------------------------------------------
NEAL PATAKY, JESSICA CLEEK, and LAUREN MICHELSON, individually,
and on behalf of others similarly situated, the Plaintiffs, v.
THE BRIGANTINE, INC., a California corporation, the Defendant,
Case No. 3:17-cv-00352-GPC-AGS (S.D. Cal., Feb. 22, 2017), seeks
to recover damages under Fair Labor Standards Act.

As a direct and proximate result of Brigantine's unlawful tip
pooling policy, Named Plaintiffs and Collective Action Plaintiffs,
the Complaint alleges, have suffered and continue to suffer
substantial financial losses, all to their respective damage in
amounts according to proof at time of trial because they were
compelled to pay tip income they earned to other Brigantine
employees in violation of the FLSA. Named Plaintiffs and
Collective Action Plaintiffs are entitled to recover all lost tip
income, and/or nominal, actual and compensatory damages in amounts
according to proof at time of trial from Brigantine.

The Defendant is doing business in restaurant industry.

The Plaintiffs are represented by:

          Timothy G. Williams, Esq.
          Stephanie Reynolds, Esq.
          POPE, BERGER,
          WILLIAMS & REYNOLDS, LLP
          401 B Street, Suite 2000
          San Diego, CA 92101
          Telephone: (619) 595 1366
          Facsimile: (619) 236 9677
          E-mail: williams@popeberger.com
                  reynolds@popeberger.com


BRISTOL-MYERS SQUIBB: McGinnis Sues Over Plavix-Related Injury
--------------------------------------------------------------
GERALD MCGINNIS, the Plaintiff, v. BRISTOL-MYERS SQUIBB
COMPANY, SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S., LLC, SANOFI US SERVICES INC., and
SANOFI-SYNTHELABO, INC., the Defendants, Case No. 3:17-cv-01059
(D.N.J.., Feb. 16, 2017), seeks compensatory damages to Plaintiff
for past and future damages, including, but not limited to pain
and suffering for severe and permanent personal injuries sustained
by the Plaintiff, health care cost (past and future), together
with interest and costs as provided by law.

The Complaint contends that Defendants breached their duty to the
medical community, Plaintiff's physicians, Plaintiff, and other
foreseeable users similarly situated because it failed to conduct
post market safety surveillance of Plavix, and failed to report
any significant data regarding the adequacy and/or accuracy of its
warnings, efficacy, or safety of their Plavix drug products.

As a direct and proximate result of the wrongful acts of the
Defendants, Plaintiff suffered severe and irreparable bodily
injury; suffered and will continue to suffer great pain of body
and mind; suffered and will continue to suffer great embarrassment
and humiliation; suffered and will continue to suffer permanent
impairment to Plaintiff's earnings capacity; incurred expenses for
medical treatment of Plaintiff's injuries; suffered and will
continue to suffer the loss of enjoyment of life and have been
otherwise damaged to be further shown by the evidence.

Bristol-Myers Squibb is a global biopharmaceutical company.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

          Matthew B. Moreland, Esq.
          Jennifer L. Crose, Esq.
          Becnel Law Firm, LLC
          425 West Airline Highway
          New Orleans, LA 70125
          Telephone: (985) 536 1186
          Facsimile: (985) 536 6445


BRYANT RANCH: "Yaghobimasihi" Suit Seeks Unpaid OT & Earned Wages
-----------------------------------------------------------------
SEVADA YAGHOBIMASIHI, individually, and on behalf of other
similarly situated, and on behalf of aggrieved employees pursuant
to the Private Attorneys General Act, the Plaintiff, v. BRYANT
RANCH PREPACK, INC. dba BRP PHARMACEUTICALS, a California
Corporation; and DOES 1-20, inclusive, the Defendants, Case No.
BC651284 (Cal. Super. Ct., Feb. 21, 2017), seeks remedy wage-and-
hour violations by Defendants.

For at least four years prior to the filing of the complaint, and
through the present, Defendants have engaged in a uniform policy
and systematic scheme of wage abuse against Plaintiff and other
nonexempt or hourly employees of Defendants in violation of
applicable California laws, including, without limitation, failing
to provide meal and rest breaks, failing to pay overtime, failing
to provide accurate itemized wage statements, failing to pay for
vested vacation hours, and failing to pay all earned wages upon
separation of employment.

The Defendant is doing business in physician-dispensed
prescription industry.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

          Vache A. Thomassian, Esq.
          Caspar Jivalagian, Esq.
          KJTIAW GROUP LLP
          230 N. Maryland Ave. Suite 306
          Glendale, CA 91206
          Telephone: (818) 507 8525
          E-mail: vadie@kjtlawgroup.com
                  caspar@kjdawgroup.com

               - and -

          Christopher A. Adams, Esq.
          ADAMS EMPLOYMENT COUNSEL
          4740 Calle Carga
          Camarillo, CA 93012
          Telephone: (818) 425 1437
          E-mail: ca@AdamsEmploymentCounsel.com


CARTER DISTRIBUTING: Forster Seeks Unpaid OT Pay Under FLSA
-----------------------------------------------------------
JACOB FORSTER, GAVIN WARRICK and, CHARLES HAMMON, Individually,
and on behalf of themselves and on behalf of all other similarly
situated current and former employees, the Plaintiff, v. CARTER
DISTRIBUTING COMPANY, INC., a Tennessee Corporation, PREMIUM
BRANDS, INC., a Tennessee Corporation, and, BLAIR CARTER,
Individually, the Defendants, Case No. 1:17-cv-00050 (E.D. Tenn.,
Feb. 20, 2017), seeks to recover unpaid straight time and overtime
compensation under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

The Complaint says Carter did not compensate Plaintiffs and those
similarly situated for all straight time and overtime hours worked
in excess of 40 per week within weekly pay periods during times
relevant to the action.

Carter provides transportation, refrigerated storage and
maintenance for perishable beer.

The Plaintiffs are represented by:

         Gordon E. Jackson, Esq.
         James L. Holt, Jr., Esq.
         J. Russ Bryant, Esq.
         Paula R. Jackson, Esq.
         JACKSON, SHIELDS, YEISER & HOLT
         262 German Oak Drive
         Memphis, TN 38018
         Telephone: (901) 754 8001
         Facsimile: (901) 759 1745
         E-mail: gjackson@jsyc.com
                 jholt@jsyc.com
                 rbryant@jsyc.com
                 pjackson@jsyc.com


CEMTREX INC: Faces "Monteil" Suit for Inflating Stock Price
-----------------------------------------------------------
LEWIS MONTEIL, Individually and on Behalf of All Others Similarly
Situated, Plaintiff, v. CEMTREX, INC., SAAGAR GOVIL, ARON
GOVIL, AND RENATO DELA RAMA, Defendants, Case No. 2:17-cv-01070
(E.D.N.Y., February 24, 2017), accuses Defendants of a fraudulent
and illegal scheme to artificially inflate Cemtrex's stock price
by paying stock promoters upwards of $1 million through an
undisclosed and now inactive related entity owned by the Company's
Executive Director in violation of the U.S. Securities and
Exchange Act.

Cemtrex, Inc. provides electronic manufacturing services of
advanced electric system assemblies, instruments and emission
monitors for industrial processes, and industrial air filtration
and environmental control systems.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

     Steven B. Singer, Esq.
     SAXENA WHITE P.A.
     4 West Red Oak Lane, Suite 312
     White Plains, NY 10604
     Phone: (914) 437-8551
     Fax: (888) 631-3611
     E-mail: ssinger@saxenawhite.com

        - and -

     Maya Saxena, Esq.
     Joseph E. White, III, Esq.
     Lester R. Hooker, Esq.
     5200 Town Center Circle, Suite 601
     Boca Raton, FL 33486
     Phone: (561) 394-3399
     Fax: (561) 394-3382
     E-mail: msaxena@saxenawhite.com
             jwhite@saxenawhite.com
             lhooker@saxenawhite.com

        - and -

     Richard A. Maniskas, Esq.
     RM LAW, P.C.
     1055 Westlakes Dr., Suite 3112
     Berwyn, PA 19312
     Phone: (484) 324-6800
     Fax: (484) 631-1305
     E-mail: rmaniskas@rmclasslaw.com


CHIOS RENOVATION: Faces "Naula" Suit Over Failure to Pay Overtime
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Segundo Naula, on behalf of himself and others similarly situated
v. Chios Renovation Inc. d/b/a Chios Restoration and George
Kostalas, Case No. 1:17-cv-01027 (E.D.N.Y., February 23, 2017), is
brought against the Defendants for failure to pay overtime wages
in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Chios Renovation Inc. operates a single-family housing
construction company located in East Elmhurst, New York.

Segundo Naula is a pro se plaintiff.


CHOI'S SPORTS: "Osborne" Suit Seeks Minimum Wages & OT Pay
----------------------------------------------------------
CHASE OSBORNE, on behalf of himself and others similarly situated,
the Plaintiff(s), v. CHOI'S SPORTS TIME, LLC D/B/A SPORTSTIME BAR
& GRILLE, and CLAUDIA CHOI, Individually, the Defendants, Case No.
1:17-cv-00657-TWT (N.D. Ga., Feb. 22, 2017), seeks to recover
proper minimum wages and overtime compensation to all servers, and
other relief under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

The Defendants violated the FLSA by failing to pay Plaintiff and
class members within the past three years at least the full
minimum wages and overtime compensation for all hours worked
pursuant to the FLSA. The Defendants also violated the FLSA by
failing to pay Plaintiff and class members within the past three
years proper overtime wages for all hours worked over 40 within a
workweek.

The Defendant owns and operates a restaurant.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

          Carlos V. Leach, Esq.
          MORGAN & MORGAN, P.A.
          191 Peachtree Street, N.E., Suite 4200
          Post Office Box 57007
          Atlanta, GA 30343-1007
          Telephone: (404) 496 7295
          Facsimile: (404) 965-8812
          E-mail: CLeach@forthepeople.com


CIENEGA MEDICAL: Did Not Give Rest Breaks to Pregnant, Suit Says
----------------------------------------------------------------
MELISSA DELGADO, individually, and on behalf of all others
similarly situated, the Plaintiff, v. CIENEGA MEDICAL SPA, INC., a
California corporation; CIENEGA SPA, INC., a California
corporation; ROSE NADALIEWERZ, an individual; and DOES 1 through
10, inclusive, the Defendant, Case No. BC650823 (Cal. Super. Ct.,
Feb. 16, 2017), seeks compensatory damages, punitive damages,
attorneys' fees, and costs to remedy Defendants' practices of
retaliation, wrongful termination, and other unlawful and tortious
conduct.

In January 2016, Plaintiff began to escalate her complaints about
not being able to take breaks because she became pregnant. The
Plaintiff could not handle working such long, stressful shifts
without being able to take a meal or rest break. The Plaintiff
voiced these concerns to Rose Nadalie-Werz. In April 2016, the
Plaintiff again complained to Rose Nadalie-Werz that she could not
work such long shifts without being able to take proper breaks and
that the work schedules for her and her coworkers were not being
managed properly. Plaintiff told Rose Nadalie-Werz that Defendants
needed to hire another person or not book so many appointments for
a single day. After Plaintiff's complaint in or around April 2016,
Defendants terminated Plaintiffs employment. Defendants did not
provide Plaintiff with any reason for her termination. Instead,
Rose Nadalie-Werz decided to simply stop scheduling Plaintiff for
work. Shortly after Rose Nadalie-Werz stopped scheduling Plaintiff
for work, Defendants hired several new nurses to replace her.

Cienega Med Spa is a boutique medical spa in Los Angeles, offering
aesthetic and wellness treatments.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

          Scott Ernest Wheeler, Esq.
          LAW OFFICE OF SCOTT ERNEST WHEELER
          250 West First Street, Suite 216
          Claremont, CA 91711
          Telephone: (909) 621 4988
          Facsimile: (909) 621 4622
          E-mail: sew@scottwheelerlawoffice.com

               - and -

          Aubry Wand, Esq.
          THE WAND LAW FIRM
          400 Corporate Pointe, Suite 300
          Culver City, CA 90230
          Telephone: (310) 590 4503
          Facsimile: (310) 590 4596
          E-mail: awand@wandlawfirm.com


CITIZENS FINANCIAL: Tiffany Florist Sues Over Unsolicited Ads
-------------------------------------------------------------
TIFFANY FLORIST, INC., a Michigan corporation, individually and as
the representative of a class of similarly-situated
persons, the Plaintiff, v. CITIZENS FINANCIAL GROUP, INC., a
Delaware corporation, its subsidiary CITIZENS BANK, N.A., and JOHN
DOES 1-5, the Defendants, Case No. 2:17-cv-10551-RHC-APP (E.D.
Mich., Feb. 21, 2017), seeks relief expressly authorized by the
Junk Fax Prevention Act of 2005 (JFPA).

The Plaintiff seeks: (i) injunctive relief enjoining Defendants,
their employees, agents, representatives, contractors, affiliates,
and all persons and entities acting in concert with them, from
sending unsolicited advertisements in violation of the JFPA; and
(ii) award of statutory damages in the minimum amount of $500 for
each violation of the JFPA, and to have such damages trebled, as
provided by the Act.

The case challenges Defendants' practice of sending unsolicited
facsimiles.

Citizens Financial is an American bank headquartered in
Providence, Rhode Island, which operates in the states of
Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New
Jersey.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

          Brian J. Wanca, Esq.
          ANDERSON & WANCA
          3701 Algonquin Road, Suite 500
          Rolling Meadows, IL 60008
          Telephone: (847) 368 1500
          E-mail: bwanca@andersonwanca.com


COCA-COLA BOTTLING: Faces "Aponte" Suit in Connecticut
------------------------------------------------------
A class action lawsuit has been commenced against The Coca-Cola
Bottling Company of Northern New England, Inc.

The case is captioned Carlos Aponte, Jr., individually and on
behalf of all other similarly situated individuals v. The Coca-
Cola Bottling Company of Northern New England, Inc., Case No.
3:17-cv-00315 (D. Conn., February 22, 2017).

The Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Northern New England, Inc. is a
bottler of Coca-Cola, Dr Pepper, and Canada Dry soft drinks in the
New England region as well as a small portion of upstate New York.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

      Richard Eugene Hayber, Esq.
      THE HAYBER LAW FIRM LLC
      221 Main Street, Suite 502
      Hartford, CT 06106
      Telephone: (860) 522-8888
      Facsimile: (860) 218-9555
      E-mail rhayber@hayberlawfirm.com


COOLA LLC: Sunscreen Products Not Chemical-Free, Suit Says
----------------------------------------------------------
DENISE VALENCIA, on behalf of herself and others similarly
situated, the Plaintiff, v. COOLA, LLC, the Defendants, Case No.
RG17850329 (Cal. Super. Ct., Feb. 22, 2017), seeks damages,
interest, reasonable attorneys' fees and costs, injunctive relief
restitution, other equitable relief, and disgorgement of all
benefits Defendant has enjoyed from its unlawful and deceptive
business practices.

The case arises out of Defendant's unlawful merchandising
practices with respect to its sunscreen-related products, which
include a line of COOLA-branded products (COOLA Products), and a
line of Bare Republic-branded products (Bare Republic Products).
The Defendant falsely and deceptively labels and advertises the
Products as being "natural" and "chemical-free," which terms
appear on the Principal Display Panel (PDF) of each Product.
Contrary to Defendant's representations, the Products contain
numerous non-natural, synthetic chemical ingredients, and
Defendant's claims are therefore false, deceptive and misleading.

Coola manufactures and distributes sun care products.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

          Christopher D. Moon, Esq.
          KAMBERLAW, LLP
          1180 S. Beverly Drive, Suite 601
          Los Angeles, CA 90035
          Telephone: (310) 400 1050
          Website: www.kamberlaw.com


CULICHITOWN RESTAURANTS: "Perez" Suits Seeks Unpaid Wages
---------------------------------------------------------
ISIS PEREZ, individually and on behalf of all similarly situated
employees and all aggrieved employees of Defendants in California,
the Plaintiff, v. CULICHITOWN RESTAURANTS, INC., a California
corporation; and DOES 1 through 50, inclusive, the Defendants,
Case No. BC651556 (Cal. Super. Ct., Feb. 22, 2017), seeks to
recover unpaid wages and benefits, interest, attorney's fees,
penalties, restitution, related relief, costs and expenses
pursuant to California Labor Code.

The Plaintiff alleges that the Defendants engage in a systemic
pattern of wage and hour violations under California Labor Code
and the Industrial Welfare Commission (IWC) Wage Orders.

Culichitown owns and operates a restaurant.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

          Brian C. Dawson, Esq.
          DAWSON & OZANNE
          5755 Oberlin Dr., Suite 301
          San Diego, CA 92131
          Telephone: (619) 988 2135
          E-mail: brian@dawson-ozanne.com

               - and -

          Matthew R. Miller, Esq.
          Carlos Americano, Esq.
          MILLER LAW FIRM
          835 Fifth Avenue, Suite 301
          San Diego, CA 92101
          Telephone: (619) 687 0143
          Facsimile: (619) 687 0136


DELAWARE CHARTER: Faces "Myers" Suit Over Investment in ESOP
------------------------------------------------------------
KATHLEEN J. MYERS, on behalf of the Seventy Seven Energy Inc.
Retirement & Savings Plan and a class of similarly situated
participants of the Plan, Plaintiff, v. THE 401(K) FIDUCIARY
COMMITTEE FOR SEVENTY SEVEN ENERGY, INC. a/k/a THE ADMINISTRATIVE
COMMITTEE; JOHN DOES 1-10; and DELAWARE CHARTER GUARANTEE &
TRUST COMPANY d/b/a PRINCIPAL TRUST COMPANY; Defendants, Case No.
5:17-cv-00200-D (W.D. Okla., February 24, 2017), alleges that
Defendants wrongfully and imprudently invested the Plan's assets
in Chesapeake Energy Corporation stock in the Plan's employee
stock ownership plan (ESOP) component. Their actions allegedly
violated the Employee Retirement Income Security Act because,
among others, Chesapeake stock was not an "employer security"
under ERISA and should never have been held in the Plan's ESOP.

Defendant 401(k) Fiduciary Committee of Seventy Seven Energy, Inc.
Retirement & Savings Plan a/k/a the Administrative Committee is an
unincorporated association with a principal place of business in
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.  The Committee administered the Plan and
was a fiduciary of the Plan.

Delaware Charter Guarantee & Trust Company, Inc., doing business
as Principal Trust Company, Inc., operates a non-depository trust
company.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

     Bob L. Latham, Esq.
     LATHAM, WAGNER, STEELE & LEHMAN
     10441 S. Regal Blvd., #200
     Tulsa, OK 74133
     Phone: 918-382-7523
     Fax: 918-970-2002
     E-mail: blatham@lwsl-law.com

        - and -

     Robert A. Izard, Esq.
     Mark P. Kindall, Esq.
     Craig A. Raabe, Esq.
     Douglas P. Needham, Esq.
     IZARD KINDALL & RAABE LLP
     29 South Main Street, Suite 305
     West Hartford, CT 06107
     Phone: (860) 493-6292
     Fax: (860) 493-6290
     E-mail: rizard@ikrlaw.com
             mkindall@ikrlaw.com
             craabe@ikrlaw.com
             dneedham@ikrlaw.com

        - and -

     Gregory Y. Porter, Esq.
     Ryan T. Jenny, Esq.
     Mark G. Boyko, Esq.
     BAILEY & GLASSER LLP
     1054 31st Street, NW, Suite 230
     Washington, DC 20007
     Phone: (202) 463-2101
     Fax: (202) 463-2103
     E-mail: gporter@baileyglasser.com
             rjenny@baileyglasser.com
             mboyko@baileyglasser.com


DIRECT RECOVERY: Illegally Collects Debt, "Danskin" Suit Claims
---------------------------------------------------------------
Michael Danskin, individually and on behalf of all others
similarly situated v. Direct Recovery Services, LLC, Case No.
0:17-cv-00559-DWF-LIB (D. Minn., February 23, 2017), seeks to stop
the Defendant's unfair and unconscionable means to collect a debt.

Direct Recovery Services, LLC specializes in commercial and
consumer debt collection services throughout the U.S. and
internationally.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

      J D Haas, Esq.
      J D HAAS & ASSOCIATES PLLC
      9801 Dupont Ave S., Ste. 430
      Bloomington, MN 55431
      Telephone: (952) 345-1025
      Facsimile: (952) 854-1665
      E-mail: jdhaas@jdhaas.com

DIVERSIFIED ADJUSTMENT: Illegally Collects Debt, Suit Claims
------------------------------------------------------------
Jader Valencia, on behalf of himself individually and all others
similarly situated v. Diversified Adjustment Service, Inc., Case
No. 1:17-cv-01008 (E.D.N.Y., February 22, 2017), seeks to stop the
Defendant's unfair and unconscionable means to collect a debt.

Diversified Adjustment Service, Inc. operates an account
receivable management company located at 600 Coon Rapids Blvd NW,
Coon Rapids, MN 55433.

Jader Valencia is a pro se plaintiff.


DJI TECHNOLOGY: Faces "Sives" Suit Over Drone Firmware Update
-------------------------------------------------------------
KEVIN SIVES, ON BEHALF OF HIMSELF AND ALL OTHERS SIMILARLY
SITUATED, the Plaintiff, v. DJI TECHNOLOGY, INC. AND DJI SERVICE,
LLC, the Defendants, Case No. 3:17-cv-00294-ARC (M.D. Pa., Feb.
16, 2017), seeks to recover actual, general, special, incidental,
statutory, punitive, and consequential damages to which Plaintiff
and Class members are entitled; award pre-judgment and post-
judgment interest on such monetary relief; and grant appropriate
injunctive and/or declaratory relief, including, without
limitation, an order that requires Defendants to repair, recall,
and/or replace the Phantom 2 Drones, or the component parts
damaged by Defendants' software update.

The case concerns Defendants' release of a fatal firmware update
related to their Phantom 2, Phantom 2 Vision, and Phantom 2 Vision
+ quadcoptor drones (collectively, "Phantom 2 Drones"). In or
about December 2015, owners and users of the Phantom Drones
designed, manufactured and sold by Defendants began experiencing
immediate, critical problems with their drones upon installation
of a firmware update released by Defendants.

Immediately upon updating their firmware, owners and users of the
drones lost the ability to record video and take photographs with
their drones. The ability to maintain a live video feed while
operating the drones is a key function of the drones, and a
primary reason that owners purchase the drones.

The Complaint says Defendants knew or should have known that their
firmware update had the direct and immediate effect of critically
damaging the drones, however Defendants have refused to take any
responsibility for the damage caused and have refused to repair or
replace the damaged drones without charging fees for such repairs
or replacements.

DJI Technology develops and markets unmanned aerial systems.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

          Joseph G. Sauder, Esq.
          Matthew D. Schelkopf, Esq.
          Joseph B. Kenney, Esq.
          MCCUNE ˘ WRIGHT ˘ AREVALO, LLP
          555 Lancaster Ave.
          Berwyn, PA 19312
          Telephone: (610) 200 0580
          Facsimile: (909) 557 1275
          E-mail: jgs@mccunewright.com
                  mds@mccunewright.com
                  jbk@mccunewright.com

               - and -

          Bruce D. Greenberg, Esq.
          LITE DEPALMA GREENBERG, LLC
          570 Broad Street, Suite 1201
          Newark, New Jersey 07102
          Telephone: (973) 877 3811
          Facsimile: (973) 623 0858
          E-mail: bgreenberg@litedepalma.com


DLF LLC: Faces "Sango" Wage-and-Hour Suit
-----------------------------------------
RICHARD SANGO, Individually and on behalf of all others similarly
situated, the Plaintiff, v. DLF LLC d/b/a THE SUSHI BAR, the
Defendant, Case No. 5:17-cv-00165-W (W.D. Okla., Feb. 16, 2017),
seeks to recover compensation, liquidated damages, attorneys'
fees, and costs, pursuant to the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938.

The Plaintiff brought the action individually and on behalf of all
current and former employees who worked for DLF LLC at any time in
the last three years and worked off the clock without pay, had
time keeping techniques utilized against them that did not
adequately compensate the employees for all hours worked, and were
not paid overtime compensation for any hours worked over forty
each week.

The Sushi Bar knowingly and deliberately failed to compensate
Plaintiff and the Putative Class Members overtime for all hours
worked in excess of 40 hours per workweek, the complaint says.

The Defendant operates a Japanese restaurant in Oklahoma.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

          Noble K. McIntyre, Esq.
          MCINTYRE LAW PC
          8601 S. Western Avenue
          Oklahoma City, OK 73139
          Telephone: (405) 917 5250
          Facsimile: (405) 917 5405
          E-mail: noble@mcintyrelaw.com

               - and -

          Clif Alexander, Esq.
          Austin W. Anderson, Esq.
          ANDERSON2X, PLLC
          819 N. Upper Broadway
          Corpus Christi, TX 78401
          Telephone: (361) 452 1279
          Facsimile: (361) 452 1284
          E-mail: clif@a2xlaw.com
                  austin@a2xlaw.com


DOLGENCORP INC: "Wells" Suit Seeks Overtime Pay Under FLSA
----------------------------------------------------------
TRACY WELLS, Individually and on behalf of all others Similarly
situated, the Plaintiff, v. DOLGENCORP, INC., DOLGENCORP OF NEW
YORK; DOLGENCORP OF TEXAS; and DOLLAR GENERAL PARTNERS, the
Defendant, Case No. 2:17-cv-00254-JHE (N.D. Ala., Feb. 16, 2017),
seeks to recover equitable and injunctive relief and to remedy
violations of the wage provisions of the Fair Standards Labor Act
(FLSA) by the Defendants, which has deprived Plaintiff, as well as
others similarly situated to Plaintiff, of their lawful wages.

Plaintiff worked for Defendant until she was terminated in
September of 2016. At the time of her termination, Plaintiff was a
manager at the14177 store location. Plaintiff was paid a salary
rate of $47,000 per year, with no overtime pay for hours worked
over 40 hours in a single workweek.

The Defendants operate retail stores in the "dollar store" market
under the trade name "Dollar General." Defendants operate over
8,000 stores in approximately 39 states.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

          J. Allen Schreiber, Esq.
          Lauren E. Miles, Esq.
          BURKE HARVEY, LLC
          3535 Grandview Parkway, Suite 100
          Birmingham, AL 35243
          Telephone: 205-930-9091
          Facsimile: 205-930-9054
          E-mail: aschreiber@burkeharvey.com
                  lmiles@burkeharvey.com


DOORDASH INC: Driver Alleges Misclassification in "Lyons" Suit
--------------------------------------------------------------
CODY LYONS, on behalf of himself and all others similarly
situated, Plaintiff vs. DOORDASH, INC., a Delaware Corporation, as
known as DOORDASH, and DOES 1 through 100, inclusive, Defendants,
Case 2:17-cv-01496-BRO-SS (C.D. Cal., February 23, 2017), alleges
that DoorDash misclassified and continues to misclassify its
drivers as independent contractors in violation of the California
Labor Code as well as California Industrial Welfare Commission.

DoorDash, Inc. is a company which provides drivers that retrieve
and deliver meals to DoorDash customers through DoorDash drivers.
Plaintiff is a former driver for DoorDash in Los Angeles,
California.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

     Christopher J. Hamner, Esq.
     Amy T. Wootton, Esq.
     HAMNER LAW OFFICES, APC
     555 W. 5th Street, 31st Floor
     Los Angeles, CA 90013
     Phone: (213) 533-4160
     Fax: (213) 533-4167
     E-mail: chamner@hamnerlaw.com
             awootton@hamnerlaw.com


DUALIT LTD: Siegel Sues in S.D.N.Y. Over Defective Toaster
----------------------------------------------------------
SETH SIEGEL, On Behalf of Himself and All Other Persons Similarly
Situated, the Plaintiff, v. DUALIT, LTD, DUALIT AMERICA, INC and
THE SMITH AGENCY, LTD., the Defendants, Case No. 1:17-cv-01299
(S.D.N.Y., Feb. 21, 2017), seeks to recover actual damages,
equitable relief, including restitution, injunctive relief, and
disgorgement of profits, and all other relief available on behalf
of themselves and all similarly-situated individuals and entities
who own or have owned Dualit toasters manufactured by Dualit Ltd.

The toaster allegedly contains a timer that is faulty and
frequently fails after limited use resulting in a severe fire
hazard.

Dualit knew, or was reckless in not knowing, at or before the time
it sold the first unit, that the toasters contained the defect and
that they would fail prematurely due to the defect. Dualit had
sole and exclusive possession of this knowledge.

Dualit is a British manufacturer of coffee and tea capsules,
kitchen and catering equipment.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

          Greg Kohn, Esq.
          Bruce H. Nagel, Esq.
          Randee Matloff, Esq.
          NAGEL RICE, LLP
          103 Eisenhower Parkway
          Roseland, NJ 07068
          973-618-0400
          E-mail: gkohn@nagelrice.com
                  bnagel@nagelrice.com
                  rmatloff@nagelrice.com


ED'S MUFFLERS: Westphal Seeks Unpaid Minimum Wages Under FLSA
-------------------------------------------------------------
ROBERT WESTPHAL, both in his individual capacity and, in addition,
as a collective action on behalf of others similarly situated, the
Plaintiff, v. ED'S MUFFLERS UNLIMITED, INC., an
Oregon corporation, the Defendant, Case No. 3:17-cv-00299-YY (D.
Or., Feb. 22, 2017), seeks to recover unpaid minimum wages,
overtime wages, liquidated damages, and statutory penalties,
pursuant to the Fair Labor Standards Act.

According to the Complaint, ED'S withheld money from Plaintiff's
and the other employees' paychecks for taxes, but did not promptly
pay those amounts to the government. ED'S nevertheless falsely,
willfully and fraudulently reported on those employees'
information returns that the monies had been paid over to the
government. ED'S required Plaintiff and the other employees to
list an unpaid lunch on their time sheets when they were unable to
take one. ED'S required plaintiff and the other employees to work
off the clock. ED'S required plaintiff and the other employees to
provide uniforms and tools, either through payroll deduction or
pre-purchase. ED'S had wildly inconsistent paydays and pay
periods, designed to and resulting in the failure to pay proper
minimum wage and overtime to plaintiff and the other employees.

EDS Mufflers is in the muffler shop, sale or repair and
installation business.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

          Jon M. Egan, Esq.
          JON M. EGAN, PC
          547 Fifth Street
          Lake Oswego, OR 97034-3009
          Telephone: (503) 697 3427
          Facsimile: (866) 311 5629
          E-mail: Jegan@eganlegalteam.com


ENERSON LAW: Skerjance Sues in E.D. Mich. Over Debt Collection
--------------------------------------------------------------
MICHAEL T. SKERJANCE On Behalf of Himself and All Others Similarly
Situated, the Plaintiff, v. ENERSON LAW, LLC and
CACH, LLC, the Defendant, Case No. 2:17-cv-10553-PDB-DRG (E.D.
Mich., Feb. 21, 2017), alleges that Defendants used false,
deceptive, misleading, unconscionable, and other illegal practices
in connection with their attempts to collect an alleged debt from
the Plaintiff and others.

According to the complaint, Defendants are filing debt collection
lawsuits and threatening Michigan residents with lawsuits and
threats of lawsuits throughout Michigan based upon SallieMae debt
they do not own, have not been assigned, are not in the chain of
title to prove ownership or have standing to sue upon.

The Defendants provide debt collection services.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

          Brian P. Parker, Esq.
          LAW OFFICES OF BRIAN PARKER, P.C.
          2000 Town Center, Suite 1900
          Southfield MI 48075
          Telephone: (248) 642 6268
          Facsimile: (248) 659 1733
          E-mail: brianparker@collectionstopper.com


EPATIENTS.COM INC: Gress Seeks Certification of Three Classes
-------------------------------------------------------------
Dr. William P. Gress asks the Court to enter an order determining
that the action captioned DR. WILLIAM P. GRESS, on behalf of
plaintiff and the class members defined herein v. EPATIENTS.COM,
INC., and JOHN DOES 1-10, Case No. 1:17-cv-01119 (N.D. Ill.), may
proceed as a class action against ePatients.com, Inc.

For purposes of Count I, alleging violation of the Telephone
Consumer Protection Act, 47 U.S.C. Section 227, the Plaintiff
seeks to represent a class consisting of (a) all persons with fax
numbers (b) who, on or after a date four years prior to the filing
of this action (28 U.S.C. Section 1658), (c) were sent faxes by or
on behalf of defendant ePatients.com, Inc., promoting its goods or
services for sale (d) which did not contain a compliant opt out
notice. By "compliant opt out notice" is meant one (i) on the
first page of the fax (ii) that states that the recipient may make
a request to the sender not to send any future unsolicited
advertisements to a telephone facsimile machine (iii) that states
that failure to comply, within the shortest reasonable time, as
determined by the Federal Communications Commission, is unlawful;
(iv) that provides instructions on how to submit an opt out
request and (v) that includes a domestic contact telephone and
facsimile machine number and a cost-free mechanism for the
recipient to transmit such a request to the sender that permit a
request to be made at any time on any day of the week.

For purposes of Count II, alleging violation of the Illinois
Consumer Fraud Act, 815 ILCS 505/2, the Plaintiff seeks to
represent a class consisting of (a) all persons with Illinois fax
numbers (b) who, on or after a date three years prior to the
filing of this action, (c) were sent faxes by or on behalf of
defendant ePatients.com, Inc., promoting its goods or services for
sale (d) which did not contain a compliant opt out notice.

For purposes of Count III, alleging conversion and Count IV,
alleging trespass to chattels, the Plaintiff seeks to represent a
class consisting of (a) all persons with Illinois fax numbers (b)
who, on or after a date five years prior to the filing of this
action, (c) were sent faxes by or on behalf of defendant
ePatients.com, Inc., promoting its goods or services for sale (d)
which did not contain a compliant opt out notice.

Dr. Gress further asks that he be appointed class representative
and that Edelman, Combs, Latturner & Goodwin, LLC be appointed
counsel for the class.

A copy of the Motion is available at no charge at
http://d.classactionreporternewsletter.com/u?f=Ar0kDgpb

The Plaintiff is represented by:

          Daniel A. Edelman, Esq.
          Cathleen M. Combs, Esq.
          James O. Latturner, Esq.
          Heather Kolbus, Esq.
          EDELMAN, COMBS, LATTURNER & GOODWIN, LLC
          20 South Clark Street, Suite 1500
          Chicago, IL 60603
          Telephone: (312) 739-4200
          Facsimile: (312) 419-0379
          E-mail: dedelman@edcombs.com
                  ccombs@edcombs.com
                  jlatturner@edcombs.com
                  hkolbus@edcombs.com


EVO INCORPORATED: Hobbs Seeks Certification of Employees Class
--------------------------------------------------------------
The Plaintiffs in the lawsuit entitled JEROD HOBBS, RONALD LEE,
JORDON ARROYO AND ARLEN JONES, individually and on behalf of
others similarly situated v. EVO INCORPORATED, JONATHAN JAMES
RENTON THURSBY, MAURICE MCBRIDE, SAM COPEMAN AND FRANCIS NEILL,
Case No. 4:16-cv-00770 (S.D. Tex.), filed a motion for conditional
certification, and for permission to issue notice to:

     All current and former employees of Defendant EVO
     Incorporated and/or predecessor companies of said entity,
     that held positions as field hands operating still and/or
     video cameras attached to wireline trucks in workover,
     drilling and completion operations in the oil and gas
     industry, or held similar job positions that included
     similar job duties, from March 24, 2013, through the
     present.

On March 24, 2016, the Plaintiffs filed a complaint against all
the Defendants, alleging that the Defendants violated the Fair
Labor Standards Act.  The Plaintiffs claim that Defendants
improperly classified them as exempt employees under the FLSA, and
that they are entitled to overtime compensation.

The Plaintiffs further ask the Court to require the Defendants to
provide the last known names, addresses, e-mail addresses, and
other relevant contact information, for all individuals within the
potential class within 10 days of granting the Motion.

A copy of the Motion is available at no charge at
http://d.classactionreporternewsletter.com/u?f=rkGOuL4w

The Plaintiffs are represented by:

          John David Hart, Esq.
          LAW OFFICES OF JOHN DAVID HART
          Wells Fargo Tower
          201 Main Street, Suite 1720
          Fort Worth, TX 76102
          Telephone: (817) 870-2102
          Facsimile: (817) 332-5858
          E-mail: johnhart@hartlaw.com


EXPERIAN INFORMATION: Foskaris Sues Over Privacy Violations
-----------------------------------------------------------
THOMSAS FOSKARIS, and all similarly situated individuals,
Plaintiffs, v. EXPERIAN INFORMATION SOLUTIONS, INC., the
Defendant, Case No. 2:17-cv-00506-KJD-PAL (D. Nev., Feb. 20,
2017), seeks to recover actual damages, including out-of-pocket
expenses and lost time.

The Plaintiff brought the action on behalf of himself and a class
of similarly situated individuals, who submitted fraud alerts,
when, after receipt of those requests, failed to adequately
specify why Plaintiff's information was provided to third parties,
or whether such disclosures were for a permissible purpose. The
Plaintiff has also suffered a concrete informational injury
through Experian's failure to make full and adequate disclosures.

The Complaint alleges that Experian's ambiguous third-party
discloses lead consumers to believe that Experian continues to
permit a consumer's privacy to be compromised, when the security
of a consumer's information matters most. This contravenes
Experian's reporting duties, because Experian's disclosures are
inherently confusing and misleading to ordinary consumers, and
frustrate a consumer's Congressional right to independently
investigate the presumed privacy breaches which triggered a fraud
alert notification. These inadequate disclosures result in harm to
Plaintiff in the form of actual damages, which include out-of-
pocket expenses, as Plaintiff must take efforts to verify this
information.

Experian's failure to adequately specify the nature of these
third-party disclosures also violates a consumer's statutory right
to privacy because the consumer is deprived of the opportunity to
"meaningfully authorize" the disclosures which have been made to
third parties.

By depriving Plaintiff of the permissible purpose for which each
credit pull on its disclosures was made, Experian subjects each
consumer to a concrete informational injury by making it
impossible for the consumer to verify that the disclosure was made
for a permissible purpose or not.

Experian Information, an information services company, provides
information, analytical, and marketing services to organizations
and consumers.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

     David H. Krieger, Esq.
     HAINES & KRIEGER, LLC
     8985 S. Eastern Ave., Suite 350
     Henderson, NV 89123
     Telephone: (702) 880 5554
     Fcsimile: (702) 385 5518
     E-mail: dkrieger@hainesandkrieger.com

          - and -

     Matthew I. Knepper, Esq.
     Miles N. Clark, Esq.
     KNEPPER & CLARK LLC
     10040 W. Cheyenne Ave., Suite 170-109
     Las Vegas, NV 89129
     Telephone: (702) 825 6060
     Facsimile: (702) 447 8048
     E-mail: matthew.knepper@knepperclark.com
             miles.clark@knepperclark.com


FAMILY PRIVATE CARE: Unpaid Overtime Sought in "Anspach" Case
-------------------------------------------------------------
Kimberly Anspach, on behalf of herself and all others similarly
situated, Plaintiffs, v. Family Private Care, Inc., Defendant,
Case No. 9:17-cv-80184, (S.D. Fla., February 15, 2017), seeks
unpaid overtime compensation, declaratory relief and other relief
under the Fair Labor Standards Act and the Florida Minimum Wage
Act.

Plaintiff worked as a certified nurse's assistant for the
Defendant's nursing home in Palm Beach County, Florida.

Plaintiff is represented by:

      Neil B. Solomon, Esq.
      Lee S. Shalov, Esq.
      Brett R. Gallaway, Esq.
      Wade C. Wilkinson, Esq.
      MCLAUGHLIN & STERN, LLP
      525 West Okeechobee Blvd.
      West Palm Beach, FL 33401
      Telephone: (561) 659-4020
      Email: nsolomon@mclaughlinstern.com


FCA US LLC: Jointly Moves to Certify Class in "Cunningham" Suit
---------------------------------------------------------------
The parties in the lawsuit titled WANDA CUNNINGHAM, on behalf of
herself & all other similarly situated v. FCA US LLC, doing
business as Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, a foreign limited liability
company, Case No. 0:16-cv-62646-WPD (S.D. Fla.), jointly move the
Court for:

   (1) a temporary stay of formal discovery under the local and
       federal rules except as for limited discovery;

   (2) conditional certification of the Equal Pay Act, 29 U.S.C.
       Section 206(d) claims in this action as a collective
       action pursuant to Section 16(b) of the Fair Labor
       Standards Act, 29 U.S.C. Section 216(b);

   (3) permission to have a third party neutral claims
       administrator send notice of this action by U.S. Mail in
       the proposed notice form attached as Exhibit A and a
       consent form in the proposed form attached as Exhibit B to
       members of the alleged Collective Group;

   (4) approval of the parties' proposed schedule for the Notice
       Period; and

   (5) that the deadlines in the Court's December 15, 2016 Order
       Setting Trial Date & Discovery Deadlines, Referring the
       Case to Mediation & Referring Discovery Matters to United
       States Magistrate Judge be stayed and the parties
       permitted to provide a revised proposed scheduling order
       sixty (60) days after the Notice Period expires.

The Parties stipulate that for purposes of the EPA claims, a
collective action consisting of these individuals should be
conditionally certified for purposes of sending them notice of the
lawsuit:

     All females employed by Defendant who held the position of
     Area Manager-Metro in the Service & Parts (a/k/a MOPAR)
     division of FCA US LLC between March 1, 2014 and March 1,
     2017.

A copy of the Joint Motion is available at no charge at
http://d.classactionreporternewsletter.com/u?f=ynP3KWzG

Plaintiff WANDA CUNNINGHAM is represented by:

          Christina J. Thomas, Esq.
          Bernard R. Mazaheri, Esq.
          MORGAN & MORGAN
          333 W. Vine St., Suite 1200
          Lexington, KY 40507
          Telephone: (859) 219-4529
          Facsimile: (407) 245-3487
          E-mail: Cthomas@forthepeople.com
                  Bmazaheri@forthepeople.com

Defendant FCA US, LLC doing business as Fiat Chrysler Automobiles
a foreign limited liability company, is represented by:

          Elaine W. Keyser, Esq.
          LITTLER MENDELSON, P.C.
          Wells Fargo Tower 333 SE 2nd Avenue, Suite 2700
          Miami, FL 33131
          Telephone: (305) 400-7500
          Facsimile: (305) 603-2552
          E-mail: ekeyser@littler.com

               - and -

          Daniel E. Turner, Esq.
          LITTLER MENDELSON, P.C.
          3344 Peachtree Road, NE, Suite 1500
          Atlanta, GA 30326
          Telephone: (404) 233-0330
          Facsimile: (404) 233-2361
          E-mail: dturner@littler.com


FIRST CLASS: "Diaz" Suit Seeks Unpaid Wages Under Labor Law
-----------------------------------------------------------
VICTOR DIAZ, an individual, and on behalf of others similarly
situated, the Plaintiff, v. FIRST CLASS VENDING, INC., a
California corporation; and DOES 1 through 100, inclusive, the
Defendant, Case No. BC651276 (Cal. Super. Ct., Feb. 21, 2017),
seeks to recover penalties arising from unpaid wages earned and
due, including but not limited to unpaid and illegally calculated
overtime compensation, illegal meal and rest period policies,
failure to pay all wages due to discharged or quitting employees,
failure to maintain required records, failure to provide accurate
itemized wage statements, failure to timely pay wages during
employment, failure to indemnify employees for necessary
expenditures and/or losses incurred in discharging Plaintiff's
duties pursuant to the California Labor Law.

The Defendant allegedly has illegal policies and practices
depriving its current and former non-exempt employees all wages
earned and due.

First Class is a vending service provider in Southern California
and Nevada.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

          Matthew J. Matem, Esq.
          Dalia Khalili, Esq.
          MATERN LAW GROUP, PC
          1230 Rosecrans Avenue, Suite 200
          Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
          Telephone: (310) 531 1900
          Facsimile: (310) 531 1901


FOOT LEVELERS: Swetlic Files 2nd Bid for Class Certification
------------------------------------------------------------
The Plaintiff in the lawsuit captioned SWETLIC CHIROPRACTIC &
REHABILITATION CENTER, INC., individually and as the
representative of a class of similarly-situated persons v. FOOT
LEVELERS, INC. and JOHN DOES, Case No. 2:16-cv-00236-GCS-EPD (S.D.
Ohio), files with the Court its second "placeholder" motion for
class certification contemporaneously with its First Amended Class
Action Complaint, citing Campbell-Ewald Co. v. Gomez, 136 S. Ct.
663, 672 (2016).

The Plaintiff proposes this class definition:

     All persons or entities who were successfully sent
     facsimiles from "Foot Levelers" from March 15, 2012, to the
     present containing a statement substantially similar to the
     following: "Foot Levelers periodically sends faxes to help
     you take advantage of our special offers. To stop receiving
     these offers, fill out the information below and fax it to
     our toll-free, 24-hour fax number (866.640.1072) or call
     (800.553.4860). Please allow up to 30 days for
     unsubscriptions to take effect."

Swetlic says that it files the Motion in order to prevent against
a "buy-off" attempt, a tactic class-action defendants sometimes
use to attempt to prevent a case from proceeding to a decision on
class certification by attempting to "moot" the named plaintiff's
claims by tendering the plaintiff individual (but not classwide)
relief.

A copy of the Motion is available at no charge at
http://d.classactionreporternewsletter.com/u?f=Udn7gfHX

The Plaintiff is represented by:

          Bob DeRose, Esq.
          BARKAN MEIZLISH HANDELMAN GOODIN DEROSE WENTZ, LLP
          250 E. Broad St., 10th Floor
          Columbus, OH 43215
          Telephone: (614) 2221-4221
          Facsimile: (614) 744-2300
          E-mail: bderose@barkanmeizlish.com

               - and -

          Brian J. Wanca, Esq.
          ANDERSON + WANCA
          3701 Algonquin Road, Suite 500
          Rolling Meadows, IL 60008
          Telephone: (847) 368-1500
          Facsimile: (847) 368-1501
          E-mail: bwanca@andersonwanca.com


FRANCO FOOD: Faces "Henriquez" Suit Under FLSA, NY Labor Law
------------------------------------------------------------
MARIA V. HENRIQUEZ, individually and on behalf of others similarly
situated, Plaintiff, against FRANCO FOOD CORP. (d/b/a
ASSOCIATED), LUIS FRANCO, MARIA DEL PILAR FRANCO ENCARNACION, and
MARIANELLA FRANCO, Defendants, Case No. 1:17-cv-01408 (S.D.N.Y.,
February 24, 2017), alleges that Plaintiff worked for
Defendants in excess of 40 hours per week, without appropriate
minimum wage or overtime compensation for the hours she worked.
The case alleges violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act, the
N.Y. Labor Law and the "spread of hours" and overtime wage orders
of the New York Commissioner of Labor.

Defendants own, operate, or control a supermarket.  Plaintiff was
employed as a cashier.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

     Michael A. Faillace, Esq.
     MICHAEL FAILLACE &ASSOCIATES, P.C.
     60 East 42nd Street, Suite 2540
     New York, NY 10165
     Phone: (212) 317-1200
     Fax: (212) 317-1620


FRANKLIN COLLECTION: Lafrenier Moves for Certification of Class
---------------------------------------------------------------
Tanya Lafrenier moves the Court to certify the class described in
the amended complaint of the lawsuit styled TANYA LAFRENIER,
Individually and on Behalf of All Others Similarly Situated v.
FRANKLIN COLLECTION SERVICE, INC., Case No. 2:17-cv-00174-JPS
(E.D. Wisc.), and further asks that the Court both stay the motion
for class certification and to grant the Plaintiff (and the
Defendant) relief from the Local Rules setting automatic briefing
schedules and requiring briefs and supporting material to be filed
with the Motion.

Damasco and decisions like it imposed significant burdens on the
Court and on Plaintiff's Counsel, the Plaintiff asserts, citing
Damasco v. Clearwire Corp., 662 F.3d 891 (7th Cir. 2011),
overruled, Chapman v. First Index, Inc., 796 F.3d 783, 787 (7th
Cir. 2015).

To avoid the risk of a defendant mooting a putative class
representative's individual stake in the litigation, the Seventh
Circuit in Damasco instructed plaintiffs to file a certification
motion with the complaint, along with a motion to stay briefing on
the certification motion until discovery could commence, the
Plaintiff states.  The Plaintiff asserts that it is obligated to
move for class certification to protect the interests of the
putative class.

The Supreme Court's decision in Campbell-Ewald Co. v. Gomez, 2016
U.S. LEXIS 846 *14-15 (U.S. Jan. 20, 2016) (internal citations
omitted) and Chapman should have put a stop to this practice.
Unfortunately, they have not, the Plaintiff notes.  In dicta, the
Supreme Court left open the possibility that a defendant facing a
class action complaint could moot a class representative's case by
depositing funds equal to or in excess of the maximum value of the
plaintiff's claim with the court and having the court enter
judgment in the plaintiff's favor prior to a class certification
motion.  Campbell-Ewald Co., 2016 U.S. LEXIS 846 *19 ("We need
not, and do not, now decide whether the result would be different
if a defendant deposits the full amount of the plaintiff's
individual claim in an account payable to the plaintiff, and the
court then enters judgment for the plaintiff in that amount.").

As the Motion is a placeholder motion as described in Damasco, the
parties and the Court should not be burdened with unnecessary
paperwork and the resulting expense when a one paragraph, single
page motion to certify and stay should suffice until an amended
motion is filed, the Plaintiff contends.

The Plaintiff also asks to be appointed as class representative
and further asks the Court to appoint Ademi & O'Reilly, LLP as
class counsel.

A copy of the Motion is available at no charge at
http://d.classactionreporternewsletter.com/u?f=dFZ5gHQp

The Plaintiff is represented by:

          Shpetim Ademi, Esq.
          John D. Blythin, Esq.
          Mark A. Eldridge, Esq.
          Denise L. Morris, Esq.
          ADEMI & O'REILLY, LLP
          3620 East Layton Avenue
          Cudahy, WI 53110
          Telephone: (414) 482-8000
          Facsimile: (414) 482-8001
          E-mail: sademi@ademilaw.com
                  jblythin@ademilaw.com
                  meldridge@ademilaw.com
                  dmorris@ademilaw.com


FULENWIDER ENTERPRISES: "Holland" Seesk Overtime Pay, Damages
-------------------------------------------------------------
Helen Holland, Individually, on behalf of herself and on behalf of
all other similarly situated current and former employees,
Plaintiffs, v. Fulenwider Enterprises, Inc., Phoenix Taco, L.L.C.,
Michael Fulenwider, Tom Hirunpugdi and Erskine White, Defendants,
Case No. 1:17-cv-00048, (W.D.N.C., February 15, 2017), seeks
compensation for unpaid overtime wages, liquidated damages,
prejudgment and post-judgment interest, costs, expenses and
disbursements relating to this action together with reasonable
attorneys' fees and expert fees under the Fair Labor
Standards Act.

Defendants jointly operate KFC, Taco Bell and Long John Silver's
franchises in North Carolina where Plaintiff worked as an
assistant manager in various stores owned by the Defendant.

Defendant is represented by:

Christopher R. Strianese, Esq.
      STRIANESE HUKERT LLP
      401 North Tryon St., 10th Fl.
      Charlotte NC 28202
      Tel: (704)998-2577
      Email: chris@strilaw.com

             - and -

      Gordon E. Jackson, Esq.
      James L. Holt, Jr., Esq.
      J. Russ Bryant, Esq.
      Paula R. Jackson, Esq.
      JACKSON, SHIELDS, YEISER & HOLT
      262 German Oak Drive
      Memphis, TN 38018
      Tel: (901) 754-8001
      Fax: (901) 759-1745
      Email: gjackson@jsyc.com
             jholt@jsyc.com
             rbryant@jsyc.com
             pjackson@jsyc.com


GENWORTH FINANCIAL: "Chopp" Suit Transferred to E.D. Va.
--------------------------------------------------------
The case captioned ESTHER CHOPP, Individually and On Behalf of All
Others Similarly Situated, Plaintiff, vs. GENWORTH FINANCIAL,
INC., WILLIAM H. BOLINDER, G. KENT CONRAD, MELINA E. HIGGINS,
THOMAS J. MCINERNEY, DAVID M. MOFFETT, THOMAS E. MOLONEY, JAMES A.
PARKE, and JAMES S. RIEPE, Defendants, Case No. 3:17-cv-00157-REP
(February 6, 2017) was transferred from the U.S. District Court
for the District of Delaware to the U.S. District Court for the
Eastern District of Virginia, and assigned Case No. 3:17-cv-00157-
REP on February 21, 2017.

The case seeks to enjoin the acquisition of the publicly owned
shares of Genworth common stock by China Oceanwide Holdings Group
Co., Ltd. through its newly formed subsidiary Asia Pacific Global
Capital Co., Ltd., and Parent's U.S.-incorporated wholly-owned
subsidiary, Asia Pacific Global Capital USA Corporation, in a
total transaction value of approximately $2.7 billion.

The case alleges that Defendants filed a Preliminary Proxy
Statement that omits or misrepresents material information
concerning, among other things: (i) the Company's management's
projections, utilized by the Company's financial advisors,
Goldman, Sachs & Co. ("Goldman Sachs") and Lazard Freres & Co. LLC
in their financial analyses; (ii) the valuation analyses performed
by Goldman Sachs and Lazard in connection with the rendering of
their fairness opinions; and (iii) the sale process leading up to
the Proposed Transaction.

GENWORTH FINANCIAL, INC. is an underwriter and issuer of long term
care insurance and specializes in life and mortgage insurance.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

     Brian D. Long, Esq.
     RIGRODSKY & LONG, P.A.
     2 Righter Pkwy, Suite 120
     Wilmington, DE 19803
     Phone: (302) 295-5310
     Fax: (302) 654-7530

        - and -

     Gina M. Serra, Esq.
     RIGRODSKY & LONG, P.A.
     2 Righter Pkwy, Suite 120
     Wilmington, DE 19803
     Phone: (302) 295-5310
     Fax: (302) 654-7530

        - and -

     Seth D. Rigrodsky, Esq.
     RIGRODSKY & LONG, P.A.
     2 Righter Pkwy, Suite 120
     Wilmington, DE 19803
     Phone: (302) 295-5310
     Fax: (302) 654-2530

Defendant(s) is represented by:

     Jeffrey L. Moyer, Esq.
     RICHARDS LAYTON & FINGER
     One Rodney Square
     PO Box 551
     Wilmington, DE 19899
     Phone: (302) 651-7700


GLOBAL EAGLE: Faces "Robinson" Class Suit in C.D. Cal.
------------------------------------------------------
DYLAN ROBINSON, Individually and on behalf of all others similarly
situated, Plaintiff, v. GLOBAL EAGLE ENTERTAINMENT INC., DAVID M.
DAVIS, and TOM SEVERSON, Defendants, Case No. 2:17-cv-01492 (C.D.
Cal., February 23, 2017), alleges that the Defendant issued
materially false and/or misleading statements because they
misrepresented and failed to disclose Global Eagle's remediation
plans to address the material weaknesses in its internal controls
over financial reporting were deficient.

Defendant Global Eagle provides content, connectivity, and digital
media solutions for the travel industry worldwide.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

     Laurence M. Rosen, Esq.
     THE ROSEN LAW FIRM, P.A.
     355 South Grand Avenue, Suite 2450
     Los Angeles, CA 90071
     Phone: (213) 785-2610
     Fax: (213) 226-4684
     Email: lrosen@rosenlegal.com


GRAYCO MANAGEMENT: Peer Moves to Certify McDonald's Workers Class
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Cory Peer moves the Court for an order conditionally certifying
the case styled CORY PEER v. GRAYCO MANAGEMENT LLC and PHIL GRAY,
Case No. 3:16-cv-01578 (M.D. Tenn.), as a collective action and
authorizing the Plaintiff to send notice under the Fair Labor
Standards Act to:

     all current and former employees of defendant Grayco
     Management LLC, d/b/a McDonald's ("Grayco") who worked as
     hourly employees at Defendants' restaurants in the Middle
     Tennessee area at any time during the last three years.

The Plaintiff further moves the Court to direct the Defendants to
provide the Plaintiff the contact information of the class members
and to conspicuously post notice of the case in the break rooms of
the McDonald's restaurants, and to disseminate notice with
paychecks and pay stubs.

A copy of the Motion is available at no charge at
http://d.classactionreporternewsletter.com/u?f=FvsIYcRr

The Plaintiff is represented by:

          Randall W. Burton, Esq.
          LAW OFFICE OF RANDALL W. BURTON
          144 Second Avenue, North, Suite 212
          Nashville, TN 37201
          Telephone: (615) 620-5838
          Facsimile: (615) 620-5837
          E-mail: rburtonlaw@gmail.com

               - and -

          Morgan E. Smith, Esq.
          LAW OFFICE OF MORGAN SMITH
          144 Second Avenue, North, Suite 201
          Nashville, TN 37201
          Telephone: (615) 620-5848
          Facsimile: (615) 244-9231
          E-mail: morgan@lawonyourschedule.com

The Defendants are represented by:

          Rodrick D. Holmes, Esq.
          Yasmin Mohammad, Esq.
          Kacy L. Coble, Esq.
          CONSTANGY, BROOKS, SMITH & PROPHETE LLP
          6000 Polar Avenue, Suite 250
          Memphis, TN 38119
          Telephone: (901) 453-3275
          E-mail: rholmes@constangy.com
                  ymohammad@constangy.com
                  kcoble@constangy.com

               - and -

          Timothy R. Newton, Esq.
          CONSTANGY, BROOKS, SMITH & PROPHETE LLP
          230 Peachtree Street, NW, Suite 2400
          Atlanta, GA 30303
          Telephone: (404) 525-8622
          Facsimile: (404) 525-6955
          E-mail: tnewton@constangy.com


HALIFAX HEALTH: MSPA Claims Class Suit Removed to S.D. Florida
--------------------------------------------------------------
The class action lawsuit styled MSPA Claims 1, LLC, a Florida
limited liability company, as assignee of Florida Healthcare Plus,
on behalf of itself and all others similarly situated Medicare
Advantage Organizations in the State of Florida v. Halifax Health,
Inc. d/b/a Halifax Medical Center, Case No. 17-000087-CA-01, was
removed from the 11th Judicial Circuit Court to the U.S. District
Court for the Southern District of Florida (Miami). The District
Court Clerk assigned Case No. 1:17-cv-20706-JAL to the proceeding.

Halifax Health, Inc. operates medical centers in Florida.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

      Frank Carlos Quesada, Esq.
      John Hasan Ruiz, Esq.
      MSP RECOVERY LAW FIRM
      5000 SW 75th Avenue, Suite 400
      Miami, FL 33155
      Telephone: (305) 614-2222
      Facsimile: (866) 582-0907
      E-mail: fquesada@msprecovery.com
              jruiz@msprecovery.com

         - and -

      Gino Moreno, Esq.
      LA LEY LAW FIRM
      5000 SW 75th Avenue, Suite 400
      Miami, FL 33155
      Telephone: (305) 614-2222
      E-mail: gmoreno@msprecovery.com

The Defendant is represented by:

      Lawrence Joseph Hamilton II, Esq.
      Michael Manuel Gropper, Esq.
      HOLLAND & KNIGHT LLP
      50 N Laura Street, Suite 3900
      Jacksonville, FL 32202
      Telephone: (904) 353-2000
      Facsimile: (904) 358-1872
      E-mail: larry.hamilton@hklaw.com
              michael.gropper@hklaw.com


HALLEN CONSTRUCTION: "Lewis" Suit Seeks Wages and Benefits
----------------------------------------------------------
DEAN LEWIS and TODD WALLACE individually and on behalf of all
other persons similarly situated who were employed by THE HALLEN
CONSTRUCTION CO., INC, the Plaintiffs, v. THE HALLEN CONSTRUCTION
CO., INC. and JOHN DOE BONDING COMPANY, the Defendants, Case No.
151729/2017 (N.Y. Sup. Ct., Feb. 22, 2017), seeks to recover wages
and benefits which Plaintiffs and the members of the putative
class were contractually entitled to receive for work they
performed on Consolidated Edison of New York, Inc.

The action is brought on behalf of Plaintiffs and a putative class
of individuals who performed work installing, maintaining, and
repairing gas lines, and doing related construction-trade tasks,
for Hallen.

Hallen, a distribution contracting company, provides heavy
construction services to utilities, pipeline companies, public
sector agencies, and other private sector companies in the New
York, New Jersey, Connecticut tri-state area. It specializes in
pipeline, bridge and viaduct, and telecommunication construction.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

          Lloyd Ambinder, Esq.
          VIRGINIA & AMBINDER, LLP
          40 Broad Street, 7th Floor
          New York, N.Y. 10004
          E-mail: Lambinder@vandallp.com
          Telephone: (212) 943 9080


HARMAN INTL: "Baum" Files Suit Over Sale to Samsung
---------------------------------------------------
Patricia B. Baum, Individually and on behalf of all others
similarly situated, Plaintiff, v. Harman International Industries,
Incorporated, Dinesh C. Paliwal, Adriane M. Brown, John W.
Diercksen, Ann M. Korologos, Robert Nail, Abraham N. Reichental,
Kenneth M. Reiss, Hellene S. Runtagh, Frank Sklarsky, Gary G.
Steel, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Samsung Electronics America,
Inc and Silk Delaware, Inc., Defendants, Case No. 3:17-cv-00246,
(D. Conn., February 15, 2017), seeks injunctive, declaratory and
other relief for breaches of fiduciary duty and for violation of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

This action arises out of the proposed acquisition of Harman by
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Samsung Electronics America, Inc.
and Silk Delaware, Inc. for $112 per share in cash, or a total of
approximately $8 billion. Plaintiff claims that there was
insufficient data given them to make an informed vote on the
merger deal and alleges its board of directors of deriving
personal gains from the said transaction.

Plaintiff is represented by:

      Jonathan P. Whitcomb, Esq.
      DISERIO MARTIN O'CONNOR & CASTIGLIONI LLP
      One Atlantic Street
      Stamford, CT 06901
      Telephone: (203) 569-1105
      Fax: (203) 348-2321

            - and -

      David T. Wissbroecker, Esq.
      ROBBINS GELLER RUDMAN & DOWD LLP
      655 West Broadway, Suite 1900
      San Diego, CA 92101
      Telephone: (619) 231-1058
      Fax: (619) 231-7423

            - and -

      W. Scott Holleman, Esq.
      JOHNSON & WEAVER, LLP
      99 Madison Avenue, 5th Floor
      New York, NY 10016
      Telephone: (212) 802-1486
      Fax: (212) 602-1592


HEALTHTECH RESOURCES: Faces "Caballero" Wage-and-Hour Suit
----------------------------------------------------------
JESSICA CABALLERO, individually and on behalf of all persons
similarly situated, the Plaintiff, v. HEALTHTECH RESOURCES, INC.,
the Defendant, Case No. 2:17-cv-00228-NBF (W.D. Pa., Feb. 20,
2017), seeks all available relief under the Fair Labor Standards
Act of 1938 (FLSA), and Pennsylvania state law.

The Plaintiff alleges that she and other similarly situated
consultants did not receive overtime pay for hours worked in
excess of 40 in a workweek.

The Defendant is a corporation providing information technology
and educational services for the healthcare industry across the
country.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

     Shanon J. Carson, Esq.
     Sarah R. Schalman-Bergen, Esq.
     Eric Lechtzin, Esq.
     Alexandra K. Piazza, Esq.
     Camille Fundora, Esq.
     BERGER & MONTAGUE, P.C.
     1622 Locust Street
     Philadelphia, PA 19103
     Telephone: (215) 875 3000
     Facsimile: (215) 875 4604
     E-mail: scarson@bm.net
             sschalman-bergen@bm.net
             elechtzin@bm.net
             apiazza@bm.net
             cfundora@bm.net

         - and -

     Harold Lichten, Esq.
     Olena Savytska, Esq.
     LICHTEN & LISS-RIORDAN, P.C.
     729 Boylston St., Suite 2000
     Boston, MA 02116
     Telephone: (617) 994 5800
     Facsimile: (617) 994 5801
     E-mail: hlichten@llrlaw.com
             osavytska@llrlaw.com


HEWLETT PACKARD: Discount Drugs Sues Over Unsolicited Ads
---------------------------------------------------------
DISCOUNT DRUGS OF ILLINOIS INC., an Illinois Corporation,
individually and as the representative of a class of similarly-
situated persons, the Plaintiff, v. HEWLETT PACKARD ENTERPRISE
COMPANY, and JOHN DOES 1-12, the Defendant, Case No. 1:17-cv-01298
(N.D. Ill., Feb. 20, 2017), seeks to recover statutory damages,
trebling of statutory damages, injunctive relief, compensation and
attorney fees (under the conversion count), and all other relief
the Court deems appropriate.

The Defendants have sent advertisements to facsimile machines in
violation of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), and the
regulations the Federal Communications Commission, the Complaint
says.  The Defendants sent more than three advertisements to
Plaintiff's facsimile machine in violation of the TCPA.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

     Phillip A. Bock, Esq.
     Tod A. Lewis, Esq.
     David M. Oppenheim, Esq.
     Bock, Hatch, Lewis & Oppenheim, LLC
     134 N. La Salle St., Ste. 1000
     Chicago, IL 60602
     Telephone: 312 658 5500
     Facsimile: 312 658 5555


HOOTERS OF AMERICA: Stirewalt, et al. Allege FLSA Violations
------------------------------------------------------------
JACKI STIREWALT, JAQUI SHAE BROWN, AMBER COX, individually and on
behalf of all others similarly situated, Plaintiffs, v. HOOTERS OF
AMERICA, LLC, HOOTERS OF BIRMINGHAM, INC., Defendants, Case No.
2:17-cv-00307-TMP (N.D. Ala., February 24, 2017), alleges that
although Plaintiffs worked twice the amount of required hours,
Defendants classified Plaintiffs as exempt from overtime status in
violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Defendants operate over 460 store locations throughout the United
States.  Plaintiffs were salaried as Assistant Managers.

The Plaintiffs are represented by:

     J. Allen Schreiber, Esq.
     Lauren E. Miles, Esq.
     BURKE HARVEY, LLC
     3535 Grandview Parkway, Suite 100
     Birmingham, AL 35243
     Phone: 205-930-9091
     Fax: 205-930-9054
     E-mail: aschreiber@burkeharvey.com
             lmiles@burkeharvey.com


HUMANA INC: "Poggi" Suit Seeks Unpaid Wages & Relief Under FLSA
---------------------------------------------------------------
DAVID POGGI, on his own behalf and others similarly situated, the
Plaintiff, v. HUMANA,INC., the Defendant, Case No. 8:17-cv-00433-
SCB-MAP (M.D. Fla., Feb. 21, 2017), seeks to recover unpaid wages,
retaliation, and other relief under the Fair Labor Standards Act
(FLSA).

The Plaintiff worked as an hourly worker for Defendant and
performed related activities for Defendant in Pinellas County,
Florida. The Plaintiff is employed in a labor position with
Defendant and has been so employed with Defendant for
approximately the past 18 months. The Defendant failed to pay
Plaintiff and those similarly situated to them for work performed
off the clock, including but not limited to requiring Plaintiff(s)
to work without compensation. In fact, in many instances,
Defendant did not keep track of the hours worked by Plaintiff and
simply paid Plaintiff a flat rate or salary that would have
equated to far less than the minimum wage and no provisions for
overtime.

Humana is a for-profit American health insurance company based in
Louisville, Kentucky.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

          W. John Gadd, Esq.
          Bank of America Building
          2727 Ulmerton Rd. Ste. 250
          Clearwater, FL 33762
          Telephone: (727)524 6300
          E-mail: wjg@mazgadd.com

               - and -

          Kvle Lee, Esq.
          Lee Law PLLC
          Brandon. FL 33509-4476
          Telephone: (813) 343 2813
          E-mail: Kyle@kyleleelaw.com


IDAHO: Faces "Hawkins" Class Suit Over Civil Rights Violation
-------------------------------------------------------------
Faron Raymond Hawkins and all similarly situated v. State of
Idaho, C. L. Otter, Lawrence Wasden, Roger Bourne, Tom Bennetts,
Michael McLaughlin, Melisa Moody, John and Jane Does, and Wendy
Olson, Case No. 1:17-cv-00084-CWD (D. Ida., February 23, 2017), is
brought against the Defendants for Civil Rights violations.

State of Idaho is a state in the northwestern region of the United
States.

Faron Raymond Hawkins is a pro se plaintiff.

INNOVATIVE DINING: Shtylla Seeks Unpaid Wages Under Labor Code
--------------------------------------------------------------
OLGERT G. SHTYLLA, AND ALL OTHERS SIMILARLY SITUATED, the
Plaintiffs, v. INNOVATIVE DINING GROUP, LLC; SUSHI CONCEPTS
SUNSET, LLC dba KATANA; and DOES 1 through 50, inclusive, the
Defendants, Case No. BC651269 (Cal. Super. Ct., Feb. 21, 2017),
seeks to recover monetary relief against Defendants on behalf of
himself and all others similarly situated in California to
recover, among other things, unpaid wages and benefits, interest,
attorney's fees, costs and expenses, and penalties pursuant to
Labor Code.

The Plaintiff brought the putative class and representative action
against Defendants on behalf of himself and other similarly-
situated present and former California residents who are currently
working, or have worked, for Defendants in California in non-
exempt positions. The Plaintiffs alleged that Defendants have
engaged in a systematic pattern of wage and hour violations under
the California Labor Code and Industrial Welfare
Commission wage orders, all of which contribute to Defendants'
deliberate unfair competition.

The Defendant is engaged in the restaurant business.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

          David B. Van Etten, Esq.
          Keith A. Sipprelle, Esq.
          VAN ETTEN SIPPRELLE LLP
          2801 Townsgate Road, Suite 210
          Westlake Village, CA 91361
          Telephone: (805) 719 4900
          Facsimile: (805) 719 4950


INNOVATIVE DINING: "Yee" Suit Seeks Unpaid Wages Under Labor Code
-----------------------------------------------------------------
HENRY B. YEE; AND ALL OTHERS SIMILARLY SITUATED, the Plaintiff, v.
INNOVATIVE DINING GROUP, LLC; BOA SUNSET, LLC dba BOA STEAKHOUSE;
and DOES 1 through 50, inclusive, the Defendant, Case No. BC651270
(Cal. Super. Ct., Feb. 21, 2017), seeks to recover monetary relief
against Defendants on behalf of himself and all others similarly
situated in California to recover, among other things, unpaid
wages and benefits, interest, attorney's fees, costs and expenses,
and penalties pursuant to the state Labor Code.

The Plaintiff brought the putative class and representative action
against Defendants on behalf of himself and other similarly-
situated present and former California residents who are currently
working, or have worked, for Defendants in California in non-
exempt positions. The Plaintiffs alleged that Defendants have
engaged in a systematic pattern of wage and hour violations under
the California Labor Code and Industrial Welfare
Commission wage orders, all of which contribute to Defendants'
deliberate unfair competition.

The Defendant is engaged in the restaurant business.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

          David B. Van Etten, Esq.
          Keith A. Sipprelle, Esq.
          VAN ETTEN SIPPRELLE LLP
          2801 Townsgate Road, Suite 210
          Westlake Village, CA 91361
          Telephone: (805) 719 4900
          Facsimile: (805) 719 4950


INVENSENSE INC: "Nuzzo" Suit Challenges TDK Merger
--------------------------------------------------
MARC NUZZO, On Behalf of Himself and All Others Similarly
Situated, the Plaintiff, v. INVENSENSE, INC., BEHROOZ ABDI,
AMIR FAINTUCH, USAMA FAYYAD, EMIKO HIGASHI, JON OLSON, AMIT
SHAH, ERIC STANG, YUNBEI YU, TDK CORPORATION, and TDK SENSOR
SOLUTIONS CORPORATION, the Defendant, Case No. 3:17-cv-00859-JD
(N.D. Cal., Feb. 21, 2017), seeks to enjoin a proposed transaction
announced on December 21, 2016, pursuant to which InvenSense will
be acquired by TDK Corporation (Parent) and its wholly-owned
subsidiary, TDK Sensor Solutions Corporation.

On December 21, 2016, the Board caused InvenSense to enter into an
agreement and plan of merger.  Pursuant to the terms of the Merger
Agreement, stockholders of InvenSense will receive $13.00 per
share in cash. On February 3, 2016, defendants filed a Preliminary
Proxy Statement with the United States Securities and Exchange
Commission (SEC) in connection with the Proposed Transaction. The
Proxy Statement omits material information with respect to the
Proposed Transaction, which renders the Proxy Statement false and
misleading. Accordingly, Plaintiff alleges that defendants
violated the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 in connection with
the Proxy Statement.

InvenSense is a provider of Motion Tracking sensor system on chip
which functions as a gyroscope for consumer electronic devices
such as smartphones, tablets, wearables, and gaming device.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

          Rosemary M. Rivas, Esq.
          LEVI & KORSINSKY LLP
          44 Montgomery Street, Suite 650
          San Francisco, CA 94104
          Telephone: (415) 291 2420
          Facsimile: (415) 484 1294
          E-mail: rrivas@zlk.com


IRONSHORE INDEMNITY: Faces "Li" Suit Alleging Breach of Contract
----------------------------------------------------------------
BEN LI, ERNESTO MARTINEZ, JR., and LAW OFFICES OF ERNESTO
MARTINEZ, JR., PLLC, Plaintiff, v. IRONSHORE INDEMNITY, INC.,
Defendant, Case No. 8:17-cv-00323 (C.D. Cal., February 23, 2017),
alleges breach of contract, violation of Texas Insurance Code, and
breach of duty of good faith and fair dealing.

According to the case, Mr. Li, along with eighteen others,
retained Martinez to provide legal services to prosecute claims
against the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.  During the
pendency of the FDIC Litigation, the FDIC Plaintiffs began to
question Martinez's competency. In an effort to redress Martinez's
alleged breaches of fiduciary duty, the FDIC Plaintiffs filed an
arbitration action.

The Law Offices of Ernesto Martinez, Jr., PLLC was the "Named
Insured" and Ernesto Martinez an "Insured" named in a liability
policy issued by Ironshore entitled "Lawyers Professional
Liability Policy."

Ironshore acknowledged receipt of notice of the Arbitration
Action, and acknowledged that the Arbitration Action constituted a
Claim under the Lawyers Professional Liability Policy.  However,
according to the suit, Ironshore nevertheless refused its duties
to provide a defense or indemnification for the Arbitration
Action.

Ironshore Indemnity, Inc. provides personal and commercial auto,
homeowners, inland marine, fire and allied lines, and commercial
general liability insurance services.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

     Christopher Hellmich, Esq.
     HELLMICH LAW GROUP, PC
     5753-G E. Santa Ana Canyon Rd., #512
     Anaheim Hills, CA 92807
     Phone: 949-287-5708
     Fax: 714-974-7733
     E-mail: chellmich@hellmichlaw.com

        - and -

     Shannon W. Conway, Esq.
     Matthew P. Browne, Esq.
     TALCOTT FRANKLIN P.C.
     1521 N. Cooper Street, Ste. 340
     Arlington, TX 76011
     Phone: 214-736-8730
     Fax: 800-727-0659
     E-mail: sconway@talcottfranklin.com
             matt@talcottfranklin.com


IXIA: "Witmer" Files Sues Over Merger with Keysight Tech
--------------------------------------------------------
COLLEEN WITMER, On Behalf of Herself and All Others Similarly
Situated, Plaintiff, v. IXIA, ERROL GINSBERG, BETHANY MAYER,
LAURENT ASSCHER, JONATHAN FRAM, GAIL HAMILTON, ILAN DASKAL,
KEYSIGHT TECHNOLOGIES, INC., and KEYSIGHT ACQUISITION, INC.,
Defendants, Case No. 2:17-cv-01483 (C.D. Cal., February 23, 2017),
alleges that Defendants omit material information in relation to
the acquisition of Ixia by Keysight Technologies, Inc. in
violation of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Act.  Pursuant to
the terms of the Merger Agreement, stockholders of Ixia will
receive $19.65 per share in cash.

According to the suit, the omission of this material information
renders the Proxy Statement false and misleading, including, inter
alia, the following sections of the Proxy Statement: (i)
"Background of the Merger"; (ii) "Recommendation of the Ixia
Board; Reasons for the Merger"; (iii) "Opinion of Ixia's Financial
Advisor"; and (iv) "Certain Ixia Unaudited Prospective Financial."

The Company provides application performance and security
resilience solutions to organizations in the United States and
internationally.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

     Joel E. Elkins, Esq.
     WEISSLAW LLP
     9107 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 450
     Beverly Hills, CA 90210
     Phone: 310/208-2800
     Fax: 310/209-2348
     Email: jelkins@weisslawllp.com


LINCOLN NATIONAL: Faces "Rauch" Class Suit in E.D. Pennsylvania
---------------------------------------------------------------
A class action lawsuit has been commenced against Lincoln National
Corp. and Lincoln National Life Insurance Company.

The case is captioned Lowell Rauch and Carol Anne Rauch, on behalf
of themselves and all others similarly situated v. Lincoln
National Corp. and Lincoln National Life Insurance Company, Case
No. 2:17-cv-00837-GJP (E.D. Penn., February 22, 2017).

The Defendants own and operate an insurance and investment
management businesses.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

      Shanon J. Carson, Esq.
      BERGER & MONTAGUE PC
      1622 Locust St.
      Philadelphia, PA 19103
      Telephone: (215) 875-4656
      Facsimile: (215) 875-4674
      E-mail: scarson@bm.net


MATTEOS OF BELLMORE: "Lopez" Suit Seeks Unpaid Wages Under FLSA
---------------------------------------------------------------
MAURO MOLINA LOPEZ, and MAURO MOLINA on behalf of themselves and
others similarly situated, the Plaintiff, v. GIOVANNI ANNUNZIATA,
RAFFAELLA ANNUNZIATA, ANTHONY SALUTE, and MATTEOS OF BELLMORE,
INC., the Defendants, Case No. 1:17-cv-00987 (E.D.N.Y., Feb. 22,
2017), seeks to recover unpaid wages for overtime work performed,
liquidated damages, attorneys' fees, interest, and all costs and
disbursements associated with the action, pursuant to the Fair
Labor Standards Act.

According to the Complaint, while Plaintiffs worked in excess of
40 hours a week, Defendants willfully failed to pay them minimum
wage and overtime compensation for the overtime hours worked.
Also, Plaintiffs typically worked more than ten hours each day
during the week, yet Defendants willfully failed to pay them
spread of hours wages.

The Defendants own and operate restaurant serving oversized
platters of Italian comfort food in a bustling setting.

The Plaintiffs are represented by:

          Marcus Monteiro, Esq.
          MONTEIRO & FISHMAN LLP
          91 N. Franklin Street, Suite 108
          Hempstead, New York 11550
          Telephone: (516) 280 4600
          Facsimile: (516) 280 4530
          E-mail: mmonteiro@mflawny.com


NATIONSTAR MORTGAGE: Hoffman Seeks to Certify Class Under FDCPA
---------------------------------------------------------------
The Plaintiffs in the lawsuit styled MARK HOFFMAN AND DIANE
HOFFMAN, INDIVIDUALLY AND ON BEHALF OF ALL OTHERS SIMILARLY
SITUATED v. NATIONSTAR MORTGAGE, LLC, Case No. 8:15-cv-01673-MSS-
AEP (M.D. Fla.), move to certify a class consisting of:

     All persons within the State of Florida, who, within one
     year prior to the filing of the Class Action Complaint, have
     been contacted directly by telephone call by Defendant in an
     attempt to collect a consumer Mortgage debt allegedly owed
     to Defendant when Defendant was on notice that such persons
     were represented by legal counsel regarding the alleged
     Mortgage debt, Defendant had knowledge of, or could readily
     ascertain, the attorney's name and address, the attorney did
     not consent to the direct contact with the class member, the
     Defendant did not communicate with the attorney for the
     class member, and the class member did not consent to the
     direct communication.

The proposed class action seeks statutory damages and any other
legal remedies resulting from the alleged illegal actions of
Nationstar in contacting the Plaintiffs, and a class of persons
similarly situated, on their home telephone in an attempt to
collect on their alleged mortgage debt when the Defendant was
aware that the Plaintiffs were represented by legal counsel in
connection with said alleged mortgage debt, in violation of the
Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and the Florida Consumer
Collection Practices Act.

A copy of the Motion is available at no charge at
http://d.classactionreporternewsletter.com/u?f=sYmeY1Rp

The Plaintiffs are represented by:

          Laura L. Whiteside, Esq.
          HICKS WHITESIDE, P.A.
          100 S. Ashley Drive, Suite 600
          Tampa, FL 33602
          Telephone: (813) 876-3113
          Facsimile: (813) 871-9202
          E-mail: lwhiteside@hwlaw.attorney

               - and -

          Ryan C. Torrens, Esq.
          TORRENS LAW GROUP, P.A.
          2201 W. Dekle Ave.
          Tampa, FL 33606
          Telephone: (813) 260-4883
          Facsimile: (813) 354-2357
          E-mail: ryan@torrenslawgroup.com


NATURE'S ELITE: "Young" Sues Over Skincare Product Advertising
--------------------------------------------------------------
LAVERNE YOUNG and LAVONNE CARROLL, individually, and on behalf of
all others similarly situated, Plaintiffs, vs. NATURE'S ELITE,
INC., a Florida corporation, GOLD ELEMENTS, VALENCIA, INC., a
California corporation, and PREMIER RETAIL GROUP, INC., a Florida
corporation; and DOES 1 - 10, inclusive, Defendants, Case No.
2:17-cv-00421-KJM-AC (E.D. Cal., February 24, 2017), alleges that
Defendants make erroneous claims in the packaging, labeling,
marketing, advertising, and promotion of skincare products they
refer to as their "Gold Elements" line, such as falsely asserting
that the Products are capable of providing a non-surgical
facelift, and claims that any such results will last for fifteen
years.

Defendants manufacture, market, advertise, and sell skincare
products.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

     Gillian L. Wade, Esq.
     Sara D. Avila, Esq.
     Marc A. Castaneda, Esq.
     MILSTEIN FAIRCHILD JACKSON & WADE, LLP
     10250 Constellation Boulevard, Suite 1400
     Los Angeles, CA 90067
     Phone: (310) 396-9600
     Fax: (310) 396-9635
     E-mail: gwade@mjfwlaw.com
             savila@mjfwlaw.com
             mcastaneda@mjfwlaw.com

        - and -

     Michael T. Fraser, Esq.
     THE FRASER LAW FIRM, P.C.
     4120 Douglas Blvd., Suite 306-262
     Granite Bay, CA 95746
     Phone: (888) 557-5115
     Fax: (866) 212-8434
     E-mail: mfraser@thefraserlawfirm.net


NORTH CAROLINA: Certification of Class Sought in "King" Suit
------------------------------------------------------------
The Plaintiffs in the lawsuit entitled Timothy R. King, et al. v.
Frank L. Perry, et al., Case No. 5:17-ct-03043-FL (E.D.N.C.), move
for class certification pursuant to Rule 23(b)(3) of the Federal
Rules of Civil Procedure.

Frank L. Perry is the secretary of the Department of Public Safety
of North Carolina.

A copy of the Motion is available at no charge at
http://d.classactionreporternewsletter.com/u?f=Pt32ax0O


NORTHERN DYNASTY: "Diaz" Hits Share Price Drop
----------------------------------------------
Victor Diaz, Individually and on behalf of all others similarly
situated, Plaintiff, v. Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd., Ronald W.
Thiessen and Marchand Snyman, Defendants, Case No. 2:17-cv-01241,
(C.D. Cal., February 15, 2017), seeks to recover compensable
damages caused by Defendants' violations of the federal securities
laws and to pursue remedies under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934.

Northern Dynasty engages in the exploration and development of
mineral properties in the United States. Its principal property is
the Pebble copper-gold-molybdenum mineral project located in
southwest Alaska.

On February 14, 2017, it was reported that the Pebble Project is
commercial unviable due to the low grade deposit and would require
so much upfront investment that it would actually destroy value.
Northern Dynasty's former partners has allegedly spent years
trying to conceal this from the public, says the complaint.

On this news, shares of Northern Dynasty fell $0.68 per share or
over 21% from its previous closing price to close at $2.50 per
share on February 14, 2017, damaging investors, including the
Plaintiff.

Plaintiff is represented by:

      Laurence M. Rosen, Esq.
      THE ROSEN LAW FIRM, P.A.
      355 S. Grand Avenue, Suite 2450
      Los Angeles, CA 90071
      Telephone: (213) 7852610
      Facsimile: (213) 2264684
      Email: lrosen@rosenlegal.com


OUTERWALL INC: "Boyer" Suit Transferred to E.D. Pa.
---------------------------------------------------
The class action lawsuit captioned Brett Boyer, individually and
on behalf of all others similarly situated v. Outerwall, Inc.,
Case No. 16-02745, was transferred to the U.S. District Court for
the Eastern District of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia). The District
Court Clerk assigned Case No. 2:17-cv-00853-LS to the proceeding.

The case alleges violation of The Americans with Disabilities Act.

Outerwall, Inc. delivers retail products and services to consumers
via self-service interactive kiosks.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

      Gerald D. Wells III, Esq.
      CONNOLLY WELLS & GRAY, LLP
      2200 Renaissance Blvd., Suite 275
      King of Prussia, PA 19406
      Telephone: (610) 822-3700
      Facsimile: (610) 822-3800
      E-mail: gwells@cwglaw.com

The Defendant is represented by:

      Jijll Louise Ripke, Esq.
      Sue J. Stott, Esq.
      PERKINS COIE LLP
      500 Howard St Suite 1000
      San Francisco, CA 94105
      Telephone: (415) 344-7061
      E-mail: JRipke@perkinscoie.com
              sstott@perkinscoie.com


PALM BEACH, FL: School Board Faces "Friedenberg" Class Suit
-----------------------------------------------------------
A class action lawsuit has been commenced against the School Board
of Palm Beach County.  The case is captioned Joan E. Friedenberg,
on behalf of herself and a class of similarly situated individuals
v. School Board of Palm Beach County, Case No. 9:17-cv-80221-RLR
(S.D. Fla., February 22, 2017).

School Board of Palm Beach County operates the public school
district in Palm Beach County, Florida.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

      James Kellogg Green, Esq.
      JAMES K. GREEN, PA
      222 Lakeview Avenue
      Suite 1650 Esperante
      West Palm Beach, FL 33401
      Telephone: (561) 659-2029
      Facsimile: 655-1357
      E-mail: jkg@jameskgreenlaw.com


PEOPLE'S UNITED: Charges Overdraft Fees, "Walker" Suit Claims
-------------------------------------------------------------
TERRIANN WALKER, individually, and on behalf of others similarly
situated, the Plaintiff, v. PEOPLE'S UNITED BANK and DOES 1
through 100, the Defendant, Case No. 3:17-cv-00304 (D. Conn., Feb.
21, 2017), seeks to recover monetary damages, restitution, and
injunctive relief due to PUB's policy and practice of assessing an
overdraft fee on transactions when there was enough money in the
checking account to cover (pay for) the transactions presented for
payment.

The case is a class and representative action brought by Plaintiff
to assert claims in her own right, and in her capacity as the
class representative of all others persons similarly situated. PUB
wrongfully charged Plaintiff and the class members overdraft fees.

The charging for such overdraft fees breaches PUB's contracts with
its customers, who include Plaintiff and the members of the Class.
The charging for such overdraft fees also violates federal law.
Because PUB failed to describe its actual overdraft service in its
Opt-In Contract by, inter alia, failing to describe accurately in
its Opt-In Contract the actual method by which PUB calculates its
overdraft fees, and because, alternatively, PUB did not obtain
opt-ins from certain customers whatsoever.

People's United is a savings and loan holding company incorporated
under the state laws of Delaware. The company owns People's United
Bank, a federally chartered stock savings bank headquartered in
Bridgeport, Connecticut.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

          Richard E. Hayber, Esq.
          Hayber Law Firm
          221 Main Street, Suite 502
          Hartford, CT 06106
          Telephone: (860) 522-8888
          Facsimile: (860) 218-9555
          E-mail: rhayber@hayberlawfirm.com

               - and -

          Richard D. McCune, Esq.
          Jae (Eddie) K. Kim, Esq.
          McCUNE WRIGHT AREVALO LLP
          3281 East Guasti Road, Suite 100
          Ontario, CA 91761
          Telephone: (909) 557 1250
          Facsimile: (909) 557 1275
          E-mail: rdm@mccunewright.com
                  jkk@mccunewright.com

               - and -

          Taras Kick, Esq.
          Robert Dart, Esq.
          THE KICK LAW FIRM, APC
          201 Wilshire Boulevard
          Santa Monica, CA 90401
          Telephone: (310) 395-2988
          Facsimile: (310) 395-2088
          E-mail: Taras@kicklawfirm.com
                  Robert@kicklawfirm.com


PREMIUM PACKING: Final Hearing on "Diaz" Suit Accord on March 16
----------------------------------------------------------------
The Plaintiffs in the lawsuit titled MARIO IVAN ESPINOZA DIAZ and
GUILLERMO CRUZ CRUZ, individually, and on behalf of other persons
similarly situated v. PREMIUM PACKING, INC., a California
Corporation; and DOES 1 through 10, Case No. 5:15-cv-01258-EJD
(N.D. Cal.), move for an order granting final approval of the
class action settlement reached with the Defendant that was
preliminarily approved by the Court on November 18, 2017.

Specifically, the Plaintiffs move for an order that, among other
things:

   -- certifies for settlement purposes, for treatment as a class
      action under Rule 23 of the Federal Rules of Civil
      Procedure, a settlement class defined as:

      all persons employed by Defendant as piece-rate
      agricultural workers assigned by Defendant to work for its
      clients during the period beginning February 10, 2011 to
      and including December 31, 2015;

   -- grants final approval of the Settlement and finding the
      terms of the Settlement to be fair, reasonable, and
      adequate under Rule 23(e), including the amount of the
      settlement fund, the amount of distributions to class
      members, the procedure for giving notice to class members,
      the procedure for members of the Settlement Class to opt
      out of the Settlement, the procedure for members of the
      Settlement Class to object to the Settlement, and the
      maximum amounts allocated to incentive payments, costs and
      attorney's fees;

   -- directs the Defendant to make a payment into the settlement
      fund, in accordance with the procedures set forth in the
      Settlement;

   -- directs payment from the settlement fund of settlement
      administration fees to Dahl Administration in the amount of
      $12,111 in accordance with the Settlement;

   -- awards the Plaintiffs the amount of $140,000, of which
      $7,178 is for litigation costs and $132,821 is for
      reasonable attorney's fees, to be paid from the settlement
      fund;

   -- awards the Plaintiffs the amount of $4,000 each as a class
      representative enhancement payment, to be paid from the
      settlement fund; and

   -- enters a final judgment dismissing the action with
      prejudice.

The Court will commence a hearing on March 16, 2017, at 9:00 a.m.,
to consider the Motion.

A copy of the Motion is available at no charge at
http://d.classactionreporternewsletter.com/u?f=y6HVoFj9

The Plaintiffs are represented by:

          Santos Gomez, Esq.
          LAW OFFICES OF SANTOS GOMEZ
          2901 Park Avenue, B16
          Soquel, CA 95073
          Telephone: (831) 471-8780
          Facsimile: (831) 471-8774
          E-mail: santos@lawofficesofsantosgomez.com

               - and -

          Gregory N. Karasik, Esq.
          KARASIK LAW FIRM
          11835 W. Olympic Blvd., Suite 1275
          Los Angeles, CA 90064
          Telephone: (310) 312-6800
          Facsimile: (310) 943-2582
          E-mail: greg@karasiklawfirm.com


PROFESSIONAL BUREAU: Illegally Collects Debt, Action Claims
-----------------------------------------------------------
Aleksandr Fuzaylov, on behalf of himself and all other similarly
situated consumers v. Professional Bureau of Collections of
Maryland, Inc., Case No. 1:17-cv-01010 (E.D.N.Y., February 22,
2017), seeks to stop the Defendant's unfair and unconscionable
means to collect a debt.

Professional Bureau of Collections of Maryland, Inc. provides
account recovery and collections services for 1st party and 3rd
party collections, and servicing of performing portfolios.

Aleksandr Fuzaylov is a pro se plaintiff.

PROPERTY SCIENCES: "Palega" Suit Seeks Unpaid Wage Under FLSA
-------------------------------------------------------------
CANDIDA PALEGA, on Behalf of Herself and on Behalf of All Others
Similarly Situated, the Plaintiff, v. THE PROPERTY SCIENCES GROUP,
INCORPORATED, the Defendants, Case No. 3:17-cv-00855 (N.D. Cal.,
Feb. 21, 2017), seeks to recover unpaid compensation, an equal
amount in liquidated damages and/or prejudgment interest,
attorneys' fees, and costs pursuant to the Fair Labor Standards
Act (FLSA).

The action claims that Defendant has violated the wage-and-hour
provisions of the FLSA by depriving Plaintiff, as well as those
similarly situated Plaintiff, of their lawful overtime wages.

Property Sciences is a national residential and commercial real
estate valuation, appraisal management, and collateral due
diligence services firm.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

          Lorrie T. Peeters, Esq.
          CAFFARELLI & ASSOCIATES LTD.
          10265 Beardon Dr.
          Cupertino, CA 95014
          Telephone: (408) 216 0599
          Facsimile: (312) 577 0720
          E-mail: lpeeters@caffarelli.com

               - and -

          Galvin Kennedy, Esq.
          Don Foty, Esq.
          4409 Montrose Blvd, Suite 200
          KENNEDY HODGES, LLP
          Houston, TX 77006
          Telephone: (713) 523 0001
          Facsimile: (713) 523 1116
          E-mail: gkennedy@kennedyhodges.com
                  dfoty@kennedyhodges.com


QUANTUM GLOBAL: "Foley" Suit Seeks Unpaid Wages Under Labor Code
----------------------------------------------------------------
SHIRLEY FOLEY, individually and on behalf of all others similarly
situated, the Plaintiffs, v. QUANTUM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC, a
limited liability company, and DOES 1 through 20, inclusive, the
Defendants, Case No. 17CV306595 (Cal. Super. Ct., Feb. 21, 2017),
seeks to recover unpaid wages and benefits, interest, attorney's
fees, costs and expenses and penalties (to the extent permitted by
law) pursuant to Labor Code.

The Plaintiff alleged that Defendants have engaged in a systematic
pattern of wage and hour violations under the California Labor
Code and Industrial Welfare Commission Wage Orders, all of which
contribute to Defendants' deliberate unfair competition.

Quantum is a company that offers semiconductor tool part cleaning,
coating, surface treatment and restoration services.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

          Kashif Haque, Esq.
          Samuel A. Wong, Esq.
          Jessica L. Campbell, Esq.
          Ali S. Carlsen, Esq.
          AEGIS LAW FIRM, PC
          9811 Irvine Center Drive, Suite 100
          Irvine, CA 92618
          Telephone: (949) 379 6250
          Facsimile: (949) 379 6251


RAGAN & RAGAN: Accused of Wrongful Conduct Over Debt Collection
---------------------------------------------------------------
Ruben Ramirez, individually and on behalf of all others similarly
situated v. Ragan & Ragan, Velocity Investments, LLC, and John
Does 1-25, Case No. 2:17-cv-01255 (D.N.J., February 24, 2017),
seeks to stop the Defendant's unfair and unconscionable means to
collect a debt.

Ragan & Ragan, Velocity Investments, LLC operates a financial
services company in New York.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

      Ari Hillel Marcus, Esq.
      Yitzchak Zelman, Esq.
      MARCUS ZELMAN LLC
      1500 Allaire Avenue, Suite 101
      Ocean, NJ 07712
      Telephone: (732) 695-3282
      Facsimile: (732) 298-6256
      E-mail: ari@marcuszelman.com
              yzelman@marcuszelman.com


RENTECH INC: "Jiangchen" Suit Alleges Securities Act Violation
--------------------------------------------------------------
CHENG JIANGCHEN, Individually and on Behalf of All Others
Similarly Situated, Plaintiff, vs. RENTECH, INC., and KEITH B.
FORMAN, Defendants, Case No. 2:17-cv-01490 (C.D. Cal., February
23, 2017), alleges that Defendants violated the U.S. Securities
and Exchange Act by making false and misleading statements about
the Company's repaired operating facilities and the expected
increase in production and profits in the coming quarters.

Rentech, Inc. is a renewable energy company that specializes in
the processing and manufacturing of wood fibre and nitrogen
fertilizer.  The Company specializes in the production and
utilization of wood fibre into various high value products, such
as wood pellets and wood chips. The Company also manufactures
nitrogen fertilizers.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

     Lionel Z. Glancy, Esq.
     Robert V. Prongay, Esq.
     Lesley F. Portnoy, Esq.
     Charles H. Linehan, Esq.
     GLANCY PRONGAY & MURRAY LLP
     1925 Century Park East, Suite 2100
     Los Angeles, CA 90067
     Phone: (310) 201-9150
     Fax: (310) 201-9160
     Email: rprongay@glancylaw.com

        - and -

     Corey D. Holzer, Esq.
     Marshall P. Dees, Esq.
     Alexandria P. Rankin, Esq.
     HOLZER & HOLZER, LLC
     1200 Ashwood Parkway, Suite 410
     Atlanta, GA 30338
     Phone: (770) 392-0090
     Fax: (770) 392-0029


RENTECH INC: Faces "Las Heras" Securities Suit in E.D.N.Y.
----------------------------------------------------------
JUAN LAS HERAS, Individually and on behalf of all others similarly
situated, the Plaintiff, v. RENTECH, INC., JEFFREY R. SPAIN, and
KEITH B. FORMAN, the Defendants, Case No. 2:17-cv-00997 (E.D.N.Y.,
Feb. 22, 2017), seeks damages caused by Defendants' violations of
the federal securities laws and to pursue remedies under
Securities Exchange Act of 1934

The case is a federal securities class action on behalf of a class
consisting of all persons and entities, other than Defendants, who
purchased or otherwise acquired the publicly traded securities of
Rentech between November 9, 2016 and February 20, 2017, both dates
inclusive.

The Plaintiff purchased Rentech securities at artificially
inflated prices during the Class Period and was damaged upon the
revelation of the alleged corrective disclosure.

The Defendant provides wood fiber processing services, wood chips,
and wood pellets.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

          Laurence M. Rosen, Esq.
          Phillip Kim, Esq.
          THE ROSEN LAW FIRM, P.A.
          275 Madison Ave., 34th Floor
          New York, NY 10016
          Telephone: (212) 686 1060
          Facsimile: (212) 202 3827
          E-mail: lrosen@rosenlegal.com
                  pkim@rosenlegal.com


ROBERT BROGDEN: "Foster" Seeks Damages Over Illegal Termination
---------------------------------------------------------------
Ashley Foster, individually and on behalf of other similarly
situated persons, Plaintiffs, v. Robert Brogden's Olathe Buick
GMC, Inc., Defendant, Case No. 2:17-cv-02095, (D. Kan., February
15, 2017), seeks compensatory damages, liquidated damages,
attorneys' fees and costs, pre-judgment and post-judgment interest
and such other fair and equitable relief under the Fair Labor
Standards Act.

Robert Brogden is a car dealership company in Johnson County,
Kansas where Ashley Foster was employed to perform both accounting
and human resources functions. She was terminated for revealing
Brogden's practice of enacting automatic pay deductions from
hourly employees. Foster was instructed to enact a protocol within
the software program that automatically deducted 30 minutes of
time from every hourly employee's daily pay record to account for
a lunch break.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

     Amy L. Coopman, Esq.
     Christopher R. Mirakian, Esq.
     David W. White, Esq.
     FOLAND,WICKENS, ROPER, HOFER &CRAWFORD, P.C.
     1200 Main Street, Suite 2200
     Kansas City, MO 64105
     Tel: (816) 472-7474
     Fax: (816) 472-6262
     Email: acoopman@fwpclaw.com
            cmirakian@fwpclaw.com
            dwhite@fwpclaw.com


ROBIN SINGH: Massoud Sues to Enforce Right to Seek Refund
---------------------------------------------------------
ANN MASSOUD, individually, and on behalf of other members of the
general public similarly situated, Plaintiff, vs. ROBIN SINGH
EDUCATIONAL SERVICES, INC. DBA TESTMASTERS, Defendant, Case No.
5:17-cv-00969 (N.D. Cal., February 24, 2017), seeks to stop
Defendant's practice of illegally, willfully, and maliciously,
threatening consumers into silence in violation of California Law
and First Amendment principles of the Constitution, and to obtain
redress for all California Purchasers who were threatened, within
the applicable statute of limitations period, into waiving their
right to make any statement regarding Defendant or its goods or
services.

Plaintiff alleges that she was never given the opportunity to
speak to the store manager in order to obtain refund for the
Platinum Private Tutoring Package she brought, which she thought
she has paid more than valuable consideration.

Defendant is a California Corporation and is engaged in the
business of providing test preparation services.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

     Todd M. Friedman, Esq.
     Adrian R. Bacon, Esq.
     LAW OFFICES OF TODD M. FRIEDMAN, P.C.
     21550 Oxnard St., Suite 780
     Woodland Hills, CA 91367
     Phone: 877-206-4741
     Fax: 866-633-0228
     E-mail: tfriedman@toddflaw.com
             abacon@toddflaw.com


ROSS EARLE: Bishop Moves for Certification of Class Under FDCPA
---------------------------------------------------------------
Connie Bishop asks the Court to certify the case captioned CONNIE
BISHOP, on behalf of herself and all others similarly situated v.
ROSS EARLE & BONAN, P.A., a Florida Professional Corporation, and
JACOB E. ENSOR, individually, Case No. 2:15-cv-14051-KAM (S.D.
Fla.), to proceed as a class action pursuant to the Federal Debt
Collection Practices Act.

The Class is defined as:

     (i) all persons (ii) to whom letters that contained the
     phrase, "Federal law gives you thirty (30) days after your
     receipt of this letter, to dispute the validity of the debt
     or any portion of it. If you do not dispute it within that
     period, we will assume it is valid. If you do dispute the
     debt, or any portion of it, you must notify us within the
     said thirty (30) day period, and we will, as required by
     law, obtain and mail to you, proof of the debt." (iii) that
     were mailed, delivered or caused to be served by the
     Defendants (iv) that were not returned undeliverable by the
     U.S. Post Office (v) in an attempt to collect a debt
     incurred for personal, family, or household purposes (vi)
     during the one year period prior to the filing of the
     original Complaint in this action through the date of
     certification. (the "Class").

Ms. Bishop also asks the Court to appoint her as Class
Representative and to appoint Leo W. Desmond, Esq., as Class
counsel.

A copy of the Motion is available at no charge at
http://d.classactionreporternewsletter.com/u?f=v7v48uG1

The Plaintiff is represented by:

          Leo W. Desmond, Esq.
          DESMOND LAW FIRM, P.C.
          5070 Highway A1A, Suite D
          Vero Beach, FL 32963
          Telephone: (772) 231-9600
          Facsimile: (772) 231-0300
          E-mail: lwd@verobeachlegal.com


RUST-OLEUM CORP: Faces "Leggett" Suit Alleging False Advertising
----------------------------------------------------------------
ANNA LEGGETT and KRISTI WARRINER, individually and on behalf of
all others similarly situated, Plaintiffs, RUST-OLEUM CORPORATION,
Defendant, Case No. 1:17-cv-01449 (N.D. Ill., February 24, 2017),
was filed over the Defendant's alleged false, and misleading
advertisements of its "Painter's Touch Ultra Cover 2X Spray Paint"
that  failed to provide the promised claim of "twice the coverage"
as its competitors.

Defendant Rust-Oleum Corporation sells a variety of do-it-yourself
painting products.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

     Richard R. Gordon, Esq.
     GORDON LAW OFFICES, LTD.
     211 W. Wacker Drive, Suite 500
     Chicago, IL 60606
     Tel: (312) 332-5200
     Fax: (312) 236-7727
     E-mail: rrg@gordonlawchicago.com

        - and -

     Todd S. Garber, Esq.
     D. Greg Blankinship, Esq.
     FINKELSTEIN, BLANKINSHIP, FREI-PEARSON & GARBER, LLP
     445 Hamilton Avenue, Suite 605
     White Plains, NY 10601
     Phone: (914) 298-3283
     Fax: (914) 824-1561
     E-mail: tgarber@fbfglaw.com
             gblankinship@fbfglaw.com

        - and -

     Samuel J. Strauss, Esq.
     TURKE & STRAUSS LLP
     613 Williamson Street, Suite 209
     Madison, WI 53705
     Tel: (608) 237-1775
     Phone: sam@turkestrauss.com


SAFEWAY INC: "Roberts" Suit Alleges Robocalls Violate TCPA
----------------------------------------------------------
PATRICK ROBERTS, on behalf of himself and all others similarly
situated, Plaintiff, v. SAFEWAY, INC., Defendant, Case No. 3:17-
cv-00990-LB (N.D. Cal., February 24, 2017), alleges that automated
calls the Company makes using an artificial or prerecorded voice
(robocalls) to contact people on their cellular telephones
regarding prescription notifications constitute violations the
Telephone Consumer Protection Act.

Safeway, Inc. is one of the largest food and drug retailers in the
country, and operates about 1,300 grocery stores in the United
States.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

     L. Timothy Fisher, Esq.
     Joel D. Smith, Esq.
     Yeremey O. Krivoshey, Esq.
     BURSOR & FISHER, P.A.
     1990 North California Blvd., Suite 940
     Walnut Creek, CA 94596


SAGAMORE REALTY: Faces "Cubias" Suit Under FLSA, NY Labor Law
-------------------------------------------------------------
Oscar Cubias, on behalf of himself and others similarly situated,
Plaintiff v. Sagamore Realty, LLC d/b/a Sagamore Realty, and
Robert Kaszovitz, Defendants, Case No. 1:17-cv-01379 (S.D.N.Y.,
February 2, 2017), alleges that Plaintiff worked over 40 hours per
week but was not paid the proper minimum wage nor his overtime
rate or receive breaks during any workweek in violation of the
Fair Labor Standards Act and the New York Labor Law.

Plaintiff was hired to work as a super and porter.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

     Robert L. Kraselnik, Esq.
     LAW OFFICES OF ROBERT T. KRASELNIK, PLLC
     40-08 Case Street, 2nd Floor
     Elmhurst, NY 11373
     Phone: 646 342 2019
     Fax: 646 661 1317


SAL 79 ASSOCIATES: "Cabrera" Action to Recover Overtime Pay
-----------------------------------------------------------
Leonidas Cabrera, Pedro Benitez, Sergio Alejandro Vega, Jose
Quintuna, Placido Valdez Godinez and Bernardo Sosa, individually
and on behalf Of all others similarly situated, Plaintiff, v. Sal
79 Associates, Inc. and Salvatore Coppola, Defendants, Case No.
1:17-cv-01154 (S.D. N.Y., February 15, 2017) seeks compensatory
damages and liquidated damages, interest, attorneys" fees, costs,
and all other legal and equitable remedies pursuant to New York
Labor Laws and the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Defendants operate a restaurant by the name of Coppola's West
where Plaintiffs were employed as kitchen staff. They claim to be
denied overtime pay.

Plaintiff is represented by:

      Helen F. Dalton, Esq.
      HELEN F. DALTON & ASSOCIATES, P.C.
      69-12 Austin Street
      Forest Hills, NY 11375
      Phone (718) 263-9591
      Fax (718) 263-9598


SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS: "Bianchi" Sues Over Defective Ice Makers
-------------------------------------------------------------
RONALD BIANCHI AND DEBRA BIANCHI, on behalf of themselves and all
others similarly situated, Plaintiffs, v. SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS
AMERICA, INC. AND SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., Defendants, Case
No. 2:17-cv-01263 (D.N.J., February 23, 2017), was brought over
defects that affect the built-in-door Ice Makers that Defendants
sell.  The defect allegedly results in leaking and slush, over-
freezing in the ice compartment, water leakage from the ice house
to below the refrigerator crisper trays, fan noise from an over-
iced compartment, and "freezing up."  The sale of the defective
appliance allegedly violates contract, tort, and consumer
protection laws of Virginia and other states.

Samsung Electronics America, Inc. supplies consumer electronics
and digital products in the United States.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

     Mitchell M. Breit, Esq.
     Paul J. Hanly, Jr., Esq.
     SIMMONS HANLY CONROY LLC
     112 Madison Avenue, 7th Floor
     New York, NY 10016-7416
     Phone: (212) 784-6400
     Fax: (212) 213-5949
     E-mail: mbreit@simmonsfirm.com
             phanly@simmonsfirm.com

        - and -

     Jonathan Shub, Esq.
     KOHN, SWIFT & GRAF, P.C.
     One South Broad Street, Suite 2100
     Philadelphia, PA 19107
     Phone: (215) 238-1700
     Fax: (215) 238-1868
     E-mail: jshub@kohnswift.com

        - and -

     Gregory F. Coleman, Esq.
     Mark E. Silvey, Esq.
     Adam A. Edwards, Esq.
     Lisa A. White, Esq.
     GREG COLEMAN LAW PC
     First Tennessee Plaza
     800 S. Gay Street, Suite 1100
     Knoxville, TX 37929
     Phone: (865) 247-0080
     Fax: (865) 533-0049
     E-mail: greg@gregcolemanlaw.com
             mark@gregcolemanlaw.com
             adam@gregcolemanlaw.com
             lisa@gregcolemanlaw.com


SANTANDER SECURITIES: Manor Sues Over Unpaid Incentives
-------------------------------------------------------
DAVID MANOR, Individually and on behalf of all others similarly
situated, the Plaintiffs, v. SANTANDER SECURITIES LLC, SANTANDER
BANK, N.A., and SANTANDER HOLDINGS USA, the Defendants, Case No.
170553F (Mass. super. Ct., Feb. 21, 2017), seeks relief for,
without limitation, the Santander Defendants' violations of the
Massachusetts Wage Act, breach of contract and unjust enrichment.

The crux of the complaint is that the Santander Defendants
unlawfully and intentionally instituted a policy of refusing to
pay earned commissions and/or incentive based payments to their
former employees when such employees resigned or were terminated.

Santander Securities provides brokerage services. The Company buys
and sells corporate equity and debts, mutual funds, and municipal
securities.

The Plaintiffs are represented by:

          Sean T. Carnathan, Esq.
          David B. Mack, Esq.
          Benjamin S. Kafka, Esq.
          O'CONNOR, CAMATHAN AND MACK LLC
          Van De Graaff Drive, Suite 104
          Burlington, MA 01803
          Telephone: (781) 359 9000
          E-mail: scarnathan@ocmlaw.net
                  dmack@ocmlaw.net
                  bkafka@ocmlaw.net


SCRAM OF CALIFORNIA: Faces "Hansen" Suit Over "Defective" Device
----------------------------------------------------------------
ROSEANNE HANSEN, on behalf of herself and all others similarly
situated; JENNIFER OH, on behalf of herself and all others
similarly situated; Plaintiffs, vs. SCRAM OF CALIFORNIA, INC., a
California Corporation; ALCOHOL MONITORING SYSTEMS, INC., a
Delaware Corporation; and DOES 1 through 10, inclusive.
Defendants, Case No. 2:17-cv-01474 (C.D. Cal., February 23, 2017),
alleges failure by Defendants to disclose a known defect with
their transdermal monitoring device which causes false-positive
readings as a result of multiple environmental contaminants
unrelated to the said wearer's consumption of any alcohol.

Defendant is a nationwide provider of alcohol monitoring devices
and services to state and federal law enforcement agencies,
courts, as well as any and other private entities such as
rehabilitation centers.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

     Edwin I. Aimufua, Esq.,
     LAW OFFICES OF EDWIN I. AIMUFUA
     17000 Ventura Blvd, Suite # 201
     Encino, CA 91316
     Phone: (818) 855-1118
     Fax: (818) 855-1101
     E-mail: eia@aimufualaw.com


SERVCORP US: "Serrette" Suit Alleges Misclassification Under FLSA
-----------------------------------------------------------------
ANNA-LISA SERRETTE, Individually and On Behalf of All Others
Similarly Situated, Plaintiff, v. SERVCORP US HOLDINGS, INC.
Defendant, Case No. 4:17-cv-00606 (S.D. Tex., February 24, 2017),
alleges that Defendants misclassified its executive assistants,
including Plaintiff, as exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

SERVCORP US HOLDINGS, INC. is a provider of executive serviced
offices, virtual offices and IT and business infrastructure
solutions operating in 53 cities across 22 countries.  Plaintiff
worked as an executive assistant in Houston, Texas.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

     Genevieve B. Estrada, Esq.
     BRUNSWICK LAW FIRM, PLLC
     2425 West Loop South, Suite 200
     Houston, TX 77027
     Phone: (210) 273-1137
     E-mail: genevieve@brunswicklawfirmpllc.com

        - and -

     Ahad Khan, Esq.
     712 Main Street, Suite 900
     Houston, TX 77002
     Phone: (713) 401-3558
     E-mail: ak@ahadkhanlaw.com


SPRINT CORP: Faces "Gillis" Lawsuit Alleging TCPA Violation
-----------------------------------------------------------
In the case captioned PETER GILLIS on behalf of himself and others
similarly situated, Plaintiff, v. SPRINT CORPORATION, Defendant,
Case No. 1:17-cv-10305 (D. Mass., February 23, 2017), the
Defendants initiated a telemarketing call to a cellular telephone
number Mr. Gillis had registered on the National Do Not Call
Registry for the purposes of advertising their goods and services,
using an automated dialing system, which is prohibited by the
Telephone Consumer Protection Act.

Sprint Corp. is a telecommunications company that provides
wireless telephone services to consumers.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

     Edward A. Broderick, Esq.
     Anthony I. Paronich, Esq.
     BRODERICK & PARONICH, P.C.
     99 High St., Suite 304
     Boston, MA 02110
     Phone: (508) 221-1510
     E-mail: anthony@broderick-law.com

        - and -

     Alex M. Washkowitz, Esq.
     JEREMY COHEN CW LAW GROUP, P.C.
     188 Oaks Road
     Framingham, MA 01701
     E-mail: alex@cwlawgrouppc.com

        - and -

     Matthew P. McCue, Esq.
     THE LAW OFFICE OF MATTHEW P. MCCUE
     1 South Avenue, Suite 3
     Natick, MA 01760
     Phone: (508) 655-1415
     E-mail: mmccue@massattorneys.net


ST NICHOLAS REALTY: Sued Over Disabled-Inaccessible Establishment
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Edwin Zayas, individually and on behalf of all others similarly
situated v. St. Nicholas Realty Associates, L.L.C. and Marisco
Centro Restaurant, Inc., Case No. 1:17-cv-01392 (S.D.N.Y.,
February 23, 2017), is brought against the Defendants for failure
to remove architectural and communication barriers in existing
establishment, denying equal access to disabled persons.

The Defendants own and operate a restaurant located 1490 Saint
Nicholas Ave, New York, NY 10033.
The Plaintiff is represented by:

      James E. Bahamonde, Esq.
      LAW OFFICES OF JAMES E. BAHAMONDE, PC
      2501 Jody Court
      North Bellmore, NY 11710
      Telephone: (516) 783-9662
      Facsimile: (646) 435-4376
      E-mail: James@CivilRightsNY.com


STARBUCKS CORP: "Armstead" Seeks Unpaid Wages, Overtime Pay
-----------------------------------------------------------
Ebony Armstead, on behalf of herself, FLSA Collective Plaintiffs
and the Class, Plaintiff, v. Starbucks Corporation, Defendant,
Case No. 1:17-cv-01163, (S.D.N.Y., February 15, 2017), seeks to
recover unpaid wages and overtime premium resulting from time-
shaving, liquidated damages, statutory penalties and attorneys
fees and costs pursuant to New York Labor Laws and the Fair Labor
Standards Act.

Starbucks owns and operates approximately 12,000 coffee shops
under the trade name "Starbucks" within the United States with 317
in New York City. Armstead was hired by Defendant as a barista for
Starbucks at 6th and Waverly.

Plaintiff is represented by:

      C.K. Lee, Esq.
      Anne Seelig, Esq.
      LEE LITIGATION GROUP, PLLC
      30 East 39th Street, Second Floor
      New York, NY 10016
      Tel: (212) 465-1188
      Fax: (212) 465-1181


STATE INSURANCE: "Price" Suit Seeks Unpaid Back Wages Under FLSA
----------------------------------------------------------------
KELLY PRICE, for himself and on behalf of those similarly
situated, the Plaintiff, v. STATE INSURANCE U.S.A., LLC, A Florida
Limited Corporation, and BLAKE CHAPMAN, individually, the
Defendants, Case No. 2:17-cv-00110-JES-CM (M.D. Fla., Feb. 21,
2017), seeks to recover unpaid back wages, liquidated damages,
reasonable attorney's fees, and costs, pursuant to the Fair Labor
Standards Act.

The Defendants failed to compensate Plaintiff, and other similarly
situated agents, at a rate of one and one-half times Plaintiff'
regular rate of all hours worked in excess of 40 hours in a single
workweek.

State Insurance is in the insurance agents, brokers, and service
business.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

          Angel Murthy, Esq.
          MORGAN & MORGAN, P.A.
          600 N. Pine Island Road, Suite 400
          Plantation, FL 33324
          Telephone: (954) 318 0268
          Facsimile: (954) 327 3016
          E-mail: Amurthy@forthepeople.com


TASTE CATERING: Faces "Mankin" Wage-and-Hour Suit
-------------------------------------------------
WILLIAM MANKIN, as an individual and on behalf of all others
similarly situated, the Plaintiff, v. TASTE CATERING, a California
corporation; 19 and DOES 1 through 50, inclusive, the Defendants,
Case No. RG17850307 (Cal. Super. Ct., Feb. 22, 2017), seeks to
recover civil penalties for which Defendant is liable as a result
of their violations of Labor Code.

The Plaintiff filed the complaint against the Defendant for
failure to provide off duty rest breaks, failure to provide
accurate itemized wage statements, failure to pay catering staff
their earned wages on a weekly basis, penalties under the
California Labor Code.

Taste Catering offers catering and event planning services for
private and corporate clients in San Francisco Bay Area.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

          Larry W. Lee, Esq.
          Nick Rosenthal, Esq.
          DIVERSITY LAW GROUP, P.C.
          550 S Hope St 2655,
          Los Angeles, CA 90071
          Telephone: (213) 488 6555


TATE & KIRLIN: Accused of Wrongful Conduct Over Debt Collection
---------------------------------------------------------------
Eulalie Thompkins, individually and on behalf of all others
similarly situated v. Tate & Kirlin Associates, Inc. and Bureaus
Investment Group Portfolio No. 15, LLC, Case No. 2:17-cv-00993
(E.D.N.Y., February 22, 2017), seeks to stop the Defendant's
unfair and unconscionable means to collect a debt.

The Defendants own and operate a debt collection agency located at
2810 Southampton Rd, Philadelphia, PA 19154.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

      Craig B. Sanders, Esq.
      SANDERS LAW, PLLC
      100 Garden City Plaza, Suite 500
      Garden City, NY 11530
      Telephone: (516) 203-7600
      Facsimile: (516) 281-7601
      E-mail: csanders@sanderslawpllc.com


TE CONNECTIVITY: Court Certifies 1 of 3 Classes in "Wilson" Suit
----------------------------------------------------------------
United States Magistrate Judge Elizabeth D. Laporte entered an
order in the lawsuit styled DALE WILSON v. TE CONNECTIVITY
NETWORKS, INC., et al., Case No. 3:14-cv-04872-EDL (N.D. Cal.),
denying the Plaintiff's motion for class certification as to his
meal and rest break classes and granting in part as to his auto-
deduct class.

The Plaintiff's motion for class certification seeks to certify
three classes:

     (i) Meal Break Class: All persons employed by Defendants in
         hourly or non-exempt positions in California from
         October 1, 2010 through the date of class certification,
         who worked a shift of five hours or more.

    (ii) Rest Break Class: All persons employed by Defendants in
         hourly or non-exempt positions in California from
         October 1, 2010 through the date of class certification,
         who worked a shift of three and a half hours or more.

   (iii) Auto-Deduct Class: All persons employed by Defendants in
         hourly or non-exempt positions in California from
         October 1, 2010 through the date of class certification,
         who had a half hour deducted from their paychecks for a
         meal period.

Individualized inquiries predominate as to the Plaintiff's meal
and rest break classes and, therefore, the Court denies
Plaintiff's motion to certify these classes, Judge Laporte opines.
Judge Laporte directs the Plaintiff to file a supplemental brief
or discovery motion regarding the scope of the Auto-Deduct Class,
and the Defendant must file a response.

A copy of the Order is available at no charge at
http://d.classactionreporternewsletter.com/u?f=vc0enmKl


TELECHECK SERVICES: Sued in Tex. Over Debt Collection Violation
--------------------------------------------------------------
Thomas E. Whatley, on behalf of himself and others similarly
situated, the Plaintiff, v. TeleCheck Services Inc., and TRS
Recovery Services, Inc., the Defendants, Case No. 4:17-cv-00133
(E.D. Tex., Feb. 22, 2017), seeks statutory damages, actual
damages, reasonable attorneys' fees, costs, and expenses incurred,
pre-judgment and post-judgment interest, under the Fair Debt
Collection Practices Act (FDCPA).

The Defendants appear to never have intended to report any of
Plaintiff's information to the credit bureaus, even though they
advised Plaintiff in their initial written communication to him
that they may do so, in an apparent attempt to influence Plaintiff
to pay the Debt, the Complaint says.

The Defendants provide debt collection services.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

          Aaron D. Radbil, Esq.
          GREENWALD DAVIDSON RADBIL PLLC
          106 E. 6th Street, Suite 913
          Austin, TX 78701
          Telephone: (512) 322 3912
          Facsimile: (561) 961 5684
          E-mail: aradbil@gdrlawfirm.com

               - and -

          James L. Davidson, Esq.
          Greenwald Davidson Radbil PLLC
          5550 Glades Rd, Suite 500
          Boca Raton, FL 33431
          Telephone: (561) 826 5477
          Facsimile: (561) 961 5684
          E-mail: jdavidson@gdrlawfirm.com


THRU TUBING: "Scott" Suit Seeks Overtime Compensation Under FLSA
----------------------------------------------------------------
JEREMY SCOTT, INDIVIDUALLY AND ON BEHALF OF ALL OTHERS SIMILARLY
SITUATED, the Plaintiff, v. THRU TUBING SOLUTIONS, INC., the
Defendant, Case No. 1:17-cv-00037-DLH-CSM (D.N.D., Feb. 21, 2017),
seeks declaratory judgment, monetary damages, liquidated damages,
prejudgment interest, civil penalties and costs under the Fair
Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

The Plaintiff brought the case as a result of Defendant's policy
and practice of failing to pay Plaintiff overtime compensation for
the hours in excess of 40 hours in a single week that he was made
to work.

Thru Tubing provides downhole equipment and services to customers
worldwide.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

          Josh Sanford, Esq.
          SANFORD LAW FIRMM PLLC
          One Financial Center
          650 S. Shackle Road, Suite 411
          Little Rock, AR 72211
          Telephone: (501) 221 0088
          Facsimile: (888) 787 2040
          E-mail: josh@sanfordlaw.com


TORTILLA FLATS: Faces "Chang" Suit Over Failure to Pay Overtime
---------------------------------------------------------------
Alexis Aguilera Chang, on behalf of himself and others similarly
situated v. Tortilla Flats, Inc., Andrew Secular, and Jean
Bambury, Case No. 1:17-cv-01385 (S.D.N.Y., February 23, 2017), is
brought against the Defendants for failure to pay overtime wages
in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

The Defendants own and operate a Mexican restaurant in New York.

Alexis Aguilera Chang is a pro se plaintiff.


TOWING AMERICA: Faces "Omelia" Suit Alleging FLSA Violations
------------------------------------------------------------
Jason Omelia, on behalf of himself and others similarly situated
Plaintiff, vs. Towing America, LLC d/b/a Jimmies Towing and
Recovery, a Florida Limited Liability Company, and Shannon
Anderson, individually, Defendants, Case No. 8:17-cv-00469-SCB-MAP
(February 24, 2017), alleges that Plaintiff routinely worked more
than 80 hours or more in a work week but was not paid minimum wage
for all hours worked in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Defendants operate a tow truck business.  Plaintiff was employed
as tow truck driver.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

     Marc R. Edelman, Esq.
     MORGAN & MORGAN, P.A.
     201 North Franklin Street, Suite 600
     Tampa, FL 33602
     Phone: 813-223 5505
     Fax: 813 257 0572
     E-mail: Medelman@forthepeople.com


TROPICAL SHIPPING: "Danielson" Suit Transferred to S.D. Fla.
------------------------------------------------------------
The case captioned LEROY DANIELSON, SILICONE DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
d/b/a ROOFTOPS, and TRADEMARK ENTERPRISES, LLC d/b/a LISA'S PAINT
SHOP, on behalf of themselves and all others similarly situated,
Plaintiffs, v. TROPICAL SHIPPING AND CONSTRUCTION CO., LTD., VI
CARGO SERVICES, LLC, and SALTCHUK RESOURCES, INC., Defendants,
Case No. 1:17-cv-20704-KMW (May 28, 2015) was transferred to the
United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida
from the United States District Court for the District of Virgin
Islands on February 15, 2017. The case was assigned to Judge
Kathleen M. Williams.

This is an antitrust class action under Section 2 of the Sherman
Antitrust Act, and the Virgin Islands Antitrust Act, based on
Defendants' alleged monopolization of the less-than-a container
cargo shipping market between St. Croix and Florida.

Tropical Shipping and Construction Company Limited provides cargo
transportation services in Bahamas, the Caribbean, the United
States, and Canada.

The Plaintiffs are represented by:

     Vincent Colianni, II, Esq.
     COLIANNI & COLIANNI, LLC
     1138 King Street
     Christiansted, VI 00820
     Phone: (340) 719-1766
     Fax: (340) 719-1770

        - and -

     Timothy S. Tomasik, Esq.
     TOMASIK KOTIN KASSERMAN, LLC
     10 S. LaSalle Street, Suite 2920
     Chicago, IL 60603
     Phone: (312) 605-8800
     Fax: (312) 605-8808


TWO JINNS: Final Hearing on "Shelby" Suit Deal Set for June 26
--------------------------------------------------------------
The Honorable Andre Birotte, Jr., entered an order in the lawsuit
entitled GAYLA SHELBY, on behalf of himself and all others
similarly situated v. TWO JINNS, INC. DBA ALADDIN BAIL BONDS, Case
No. 2:15-cv-03794-AB-GJS (C.D. Cal.), preliminarily approving the
parties' Settlement Agreement and Release of Claims, conditionally
certifying proposed settlement class, directing notice, and
setting hearing on final approval of settlement.

Judge Birotte, for settlement purposes only, conditionally
certifies a class consisting of all persons in the United States
for whom, between May 20, 2014, and July 20, 2016, Defendant
initiated recurring electronic funds transfers from a debit card
account or bank account number, without first providing a copy of
a written authorization.

The Plaintiff Settlement Class does not include Two Jinn, any
entity that has a controlling interest in Two Jinn, or Two Jinn's
current or former directors, officers, counsel, and their
immediate families.  The Plaintiff Settlement Class also does not
include any persons, who validly request exclusion from the Class.

Gayla Shelby is designated as Class Representative and the Law
Offices of Todd M. Friedman, PC, is appointed as counsel for the
Class.

The Court will commence a hearing on June 26, 2017, at 10:00 a.m.,
to determine whether the Agreement is fair, reasonable, and
adequate and should be given final approval.

A copy of the Order is available at no charge at
http://d.classactionreporternewsletter.com/u?f=gjiOrqqx


ULTRA PRO: Aguilar Seeks Unpaid Premium Wages Under Labor Code
--------------------------------------------------------------
PORFERIA AGUILAR, as an individual and on behalf of all others
similarly situated, the Plaintiff, v. ULTRA PRO INTERNATIONAL,
LLC, a Delaware Limited Liability Corporation; and DOES 1 through
100, the Defendant, Case No. BC651429 (Cal. Super. Ct., Feb. 21,
2017), seeks to recover unpaid premium wages under Labor Codes,
the California Business and Professions Code, and Industrial
Welfare Commission Wage Order.

The Defendant allegedly failed to provide Plaintiff and other
similarly aggrieved employees with all of their statutorily-
mandated meal periods, failed to furnish Plaintiff and other
similarly aggrieved employees with complete, accurate, itemized
wage statements, and failed to timely pay Plaintiff and other
similarly aggrieved employees all final wages due upon their
separation of employment.

Ultra PRO is a manufacturer and supplier of sports and gaming
collectibles accessories, photo and scrap.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

          Paul K. Haines, Esq.
          Gene Williams, Esq.
          Fletcher W. Schmidt, Esq.
          Andrew J. Rowbotham, Esq.
          HAINES LAW GROUP, APC
          2274 East Maple Ave.
          El Segundo, CA 90245
          Telephone: (424) 292 2350
          Facsimile: (424) 292 2355
          E-mail: phaines@haineslawgroup.com
                  gwilliams@haineslawgroup.com
                  fschmidt@haineslawgroup.com
                  arowbotham@haineslawgroup.com


UNITEL MARKETING: "Washington" Suit Seeks Unpaid OT Under FLSA
--------------------------------------------------------------
PORTIA WASHINGTON and DIVINE HARWELL, on behalf of themselves and
those similarly situated, the Plaintiffs, v. UNITEL MARKETING,
LLC, a Florida Limited Liability Company, the Defendant, Case No.
6:17-cv-00312-ACC-GJK (M.D. Fla., Feb. 22, 2017), seeks to recover
unpaid overtime wages and liquidated damages, pursuant to the Fair
Labor Standards Act.

The Plaintiffs and all sales representatives were not paid for the
time spent working prior to the beginning of their work shifts and
time spent after the end of their work shifts.

Unitel Marketing is in the telemarketing services business.

The Plaintiffs are represented by:

          Aaron Hines, Esq.
          MORGAN & MORGAN, P.A.
          20 N. Orange Ave., 14th Floor
          P.O. Box 4979
          Orlando, FL 32802-4979
          Telephone: (407) 428 6241
          Facsimile: (407) 245 3342
          E-mail: ahines@forthepeople.com


UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS: Faces "Troche" Suit Under FLSA, Ohio Law
--------------------------------------------------------------
OMAR TROCHE (7439 Woodhaven Ave., Brooklyn, OH 44144) On behalf of
himself and all others similarly situated, Plaintiff, v.
UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS HEALTH SYSTEM, INC. d/b/a University
Hospitals (c/o Statutory Agent Janet L. Miller, 3605 Warrensville
Center Rd., MCS 9110, Shaker Heights, OH 44122) Defendant, Case
No. 1:17-cv-00393 (N.D. Ohio, February 24, 2017), alleges that
Plaintiff, were required to work substantial amounts of overtime,
but instead of being paid for overtime, were paid compensatory
time in lieu of overtime in violation of the Fair Labor Standards
Act and the statutes and common law of the State of Ohio.

The Defendant operates health systems with over 24,000 doctors and
employees.  Defendant utilizes its own police force comprising of
sworn officers and security guards.  Plaintiff Omar Troche worked
for Defendant as a commissioned police officer.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

     Kevin M. McDermott II, Esq.
     Joseph F. Scott, Esq.
     Ryan A. Winters, Esq.
     SCOTT & WINTERS LAW FIRM, LLC
     The Superior Building
     815 Superior Avenue E., Suite 1325
     Cleveland, OH 44114
     Phone: 440-498-9100
     E-mail: jscott@ohiowagewlawyers.com
             rwinters@ohiowagelawyers.com

        - and -

     Kevin M. McDermott II, Esq.
     MCDERMOTT LAW LLC
     11925 Pearl Road, Suite 310
     Strongsville, OH 44136
     Phone: 216-367-9181
     Fax: 440-846-1625
     E-mail: kevin@mcdermottattorney.com


US POSTAL: Faces "Caballero" Suit Alleging FLSA, Unfair Trade
-------------------------------------------------------------
Nicole Caballero, on behalf of herself and on behalf of all others
similarly situated, Plaintiff, v. US Postal Solutions, Inc., Case
No. 6:17-cv-00319-GAP-KRS (M.D. Fla., February 23, 2017), alleges
that Defendant misclassified Plaintiff as independent contractor
in violation of the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices
Act.  Also, Defendant allegedly failed to properly compensate
employees for overtime hours worked in violation of the Fair Labor
Standards Act.

Defendant operates a mail delivery management company.  Plaintiff
was employed as mailroom manager.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

     Brandon J. Hill, Esq.
     WENZEL FENTON CABASSA, P.A.
     1110 N. Florida Avenue, Suite 300
     Tampa, FL 33602
     Phone: 813 224 0431
            813 337 7992
     Fax: 813 229 8712
     E-mail: bhill@wfclaw.com
             mk@wfclaw.com


VCA INC: "Hight" Files Suit Over Sale to Mars Inc.
--------------------------------------------------
Karen Hight, individually and on behalf of all others similarly
situated, Plaintiff, v. VCA Inc., Robert L. Antin, John M. Baumer,
John B. Chickering, Jr., John Heil, Frank Reddick, MMI Holdings,
Inc., Venice Merger Sub Inc. and Mars, Incorporated, Defendants,
Case No. 2:17-cv-01246, (C.D. Cal., February 15, 2017), seeks to
enjoin Defendants from consummating a proposed acquisition of VCA
by Mars, Inc., rescinding, to the extent already implemented,
rescissory damages, costs and disbursements of this action,
including reasonable attorneys' and experts' fees and such other
and further equitable relief under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934.

On January 7, 2017, VCA's Board of Directors entered into a merger
deal with Mars where the shareholders of VCA will receive $93.00
in cash for each share of VCA common stock.

The merger deal allegedly locked the transactions, eliminating all
possibilities of other offers from prospective buyers.

VCA is a provider of pet health care services in the country
delivered through nearly 800 small animal veterinary hospitals in
the U.S. and Canada with a preeminent nationwide clinical
laboratory system that services almost all of North America.
Robert L. Antin, John M. Baumer, John B. Chickering, Jr., John
Heil and Frank Reddick sit in the board.

Plaintiff is represented by:

      Seth D. Rigrodsky, Esq.
      Gina M. Serra, Esq.
      RIGRODSKY & LONG, P.A.
      2 Righter Parkway, Suite 120
      Wilmington, DE 19803
      Telephone: (302) 295-5310
      Fax: (302) 654-7530

             - and -

      Joel E. Elkins, Esq.
      WEISSLAW LLP
      9107 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 450
      Beverly Hills, CA 90210
      Telephone: (310) 208-2800
      Facsimile: (310) 209-2348


VCA INC: Faces "Moran" Suit Over Mars Merger
--------------------------------------------
FRANCES MORAN, individually and on behalf of all others similarly
situated, Plaintiff, v. VCA, INC., ROBERT L. ANTIN, JOHN M.
BAUMER, JOHN B. CHICKERING JR., JOHN HEIL, AND FRANK REDDICK,
Defendants, Case No. 2:17-cv-01502 (C.D. Cal., February 23, 2017),
alleges that defendants filed a materially incomplete and
misleading proxy statement in relation to the merger between VCA
Inc. and Mars Incorporated in a transaction valued at
approximately $9.1 billion.

Specifically, the Proxy contains allegedly materially incomplete
and misleading information concerning the financial projections
for VCA, which were relied upon by the Board in assessing the
fairness of the Proposed Transaction and by the Company's
financial advisor, Barclays Capital, Inc., in connection with
preparing its fairness opinion.

Defendant is a national animal healthcare company.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

     Rosemary M. Rivas, Esq.
     LEVI & KORSINSKY LLP
     44 Montgomery Street, Suite 650
     San Francisco, CA 94104
     Phone: (415) 291-2420
     Fax: (415) 484-1294
     Email: rrivas@finkelsteinthompson.com


VIVINT SOLAR: Sued Over Fair Credit Reporting Act Violation
-----------------------------------------------------------
Tawfiq S. Gailani, individually and on behalf of others similarly
situated v. Vivint Solar Inc., Case No. 3:17-cv-00368-CAB-MDD
(S.D. Cal., February 23, 2017), is brought against the Defendants
for violation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

Vivint Solar Inc. operates a solar energy company in Lehi, Utah.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

      Asil A. Mashiri, Esq.
      MASHIRI LAW FIRM
      11251 Rancho Carmel Drive, Suite 500694
      San Diego, CA 92150
      Telephone: (858) 348-4938
      Facsimile: (858) 348-4939
      E-mail: alexmashiri@yahoo.com


WBM LLC: Faces "Tsvettsikh" Class Suit in E.D.N.Y.
--------------------------------------------------
A class action lawsuit has been commenced against WBM LLC d/b/a
WBM International. The case is captioned Alexander Tsvettsikh,
individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated v. WBM
LLC d/b/a WBM International, Case No. 1:17-cv-01004 (E.D.N.Y.,
February 22, 2017).

WBM LLC operates an international brand and company of salt
product including salt lamps, cooking plates and natural salt
resources.

Alexander Tsvettsikh is a pro se plaintiff.


WELLNESS EARTH: "Newsome" Seeks Unpaid Wages & OT Pay
-----------------------------------------------------
ALLIN NEWSOME, on behalf of himself, and all others similarly
situated, the Plaintiff, v. THE WELLNESS EARTH ENERGY DISPENSARY,
INC, A CALIFORNIA NON-PROFIT CORPORATION; and DOES 1 through 10,
inclusive, the Defendant, Case No. BC651484 (Cal. Super. Ct., Feb.
22, 2017), seeks to recover all allowable compensation and other
sums, including unpaid minimum and overtime wages,
penalties/premium pay for missed meal and rest periods,
reimbursement of out-of-pocket business expenses, restitution and
restoration of sums owed and property unlawfully withheld,
statutory penalties, declaratory and injunctive relief, interest,
attorneys' fees, and costs under Labor Code.

The Plaintiff brought the action on behalf of a proposed class of
hourly non-exempt employees who worked within the State of
California to challenge Defendants' (a) policy and practice of
failing to pay any wages whatsoever, including the minimum wage,
to employees for compensable time, including time spent attending
weekly meetings; (b) policy and practice of failing to pay
overtime wages to employees who worked more than eight hours in a
day and were not subject to an alternative workweek schedule as
mandated by Labor Code and IWC Wage Order; (c) policy and practice
of failing to provide first and second meal periods to employees
as mandated by Labor Code; (d) policy and practice of failing to
authorize and permit rest periods as provided by Labor
Code and IWC Wage Order; (e) policy and practice of failing to
provide complete and accurate itemized wage statements as required
by Labor Code; (f) policy and practice of failing to pay former
employees all wages due and owing at the time of discharge or
voluntary quit in violation of Labor Code; and (g) policy and
practice of failing to reimburse employees for business expenses.

Wellness Earth is a medical marijuana dispensary located in the
Sherman Oaks / Studio City, California.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

          Eric A. Grover, Esq.
          Robert W. Spencer, Esq.
          KELLER GROVER LLP
          1965 Market Street
          San Francisco, CA 94103
          Telephone: (415) 543 1305
          Facsimile: (415) 543 7861
          E-mail: eagrover@kellergrover.com
                  rspencer@kellergrover.com


WESTERN UNION: Violates Securities Laws, UA Pension Fund Says
-------------------------------------------------------------
UA LOCAL 13 PENSION FUND, Individually and on behalf of All Others
Similarly Situated, the Plaintiff, v. THE WESTERN UNION COMPANY,
HIKMET ERSEK, SCOTT T. SCHEIRMAN and RAJESH K. AGRAWAL, the
Defendants, Case No. 1:17-cv-00326-CCC (M.D. Pa., Feb. 22, 2017),
seeks to recover damages caused by Defendants' violations of the
federal securities laws and to pursue remedies under Securities
Exchange Act of 1934.

The case is a federal securities class action on behalf of a class
consisting of all persons and entities other than Defendants who
purchased or otherwise acquired the publicly traded securities of
Western Union between February 24, 2012 and January 19, 2017.

Western Union provides money movement and payment services
worldwide.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

          Howard J. Kaufman, Esq.
          KAUFMAN, COREN, & RESS, P.C.
          Two Commerce Square, Suite 3900
          2001 Market Street
          Philadelphia, PA 19103
          Telephone: (215) 735 8700
          Facsimile: (215) 735 5170

               - and -

          David C. Walton, Esq.
          Brian C. Cochran, Esq.
          Samuel H. Rudman, Esq.
          ROBBINS GELLER RUDMAN & DOWN LLP
          655 West Broadway, Suite 1900
          San Diego, CA 92101
          Telephone: (619) 231 1058
          Facsimile: (619) 231 7423

               - and -

          Michael J. Tobin, Esq.
          LAW OFFICES OF MICHAEL TOBIN
          29 W. Main Street
          Honeoye Falls, NY 14472
          Telephone: (585) 624 3311


WESTERN UNION: Smallen Trust Sues Over Securities Law Violations
----------------------------------------------------------------
LAWRENCE HENRY SMALLEN AND LAURA ANNE SMALLEN REVOCABLE LIVING
TRUST, Individually and on Behalf of All Others Similarly
Situated, the Plaintiff, v. THE WESTERN UNION COMPANY., HIKMET
ERSEK, SCOTT T. SCHEIRMAN, and RAJESH K. AGRAWAL, the Defendants,
Case No. 1:17-cv-00474 (D. Colo., Feb. 22, 2017), seeks to recover
damages caused by Defendants' violations of the federal securities
laws and to pursue remedies under Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

The case is a federal securities class action on behalf of a class
consisting of all persons and entities other than Defendants who
purchased or otherwise acquired the publicly traded securities of
Western Union between February 24, 2012 and January 19, 2017.

Western Union provides money movement and payment services
worldwide.

The Plaintiffs are represented by:

          Jeremy A. Lieberman, Esq.
          J. Alexander Hood II, Esq.
          Patrick V. Dahlstrom, Esq.
          POMERANTZ LLP
          600 Third Avenue, 20th Floor
          New York, New York 10016
          Telephone: (212) 661 1100
          Facsimile: (212) 661 8665
          E-mail: jalieberman@pomlaw.com
                  ahood@pomlaw.com
                  pdahlstrom@pomlaw.com

               - and -

          Peretz Bronstein, Esq.
          BRONSTEIN, GEWIRTZ
          & GROSSMAN, LLC
          60 East 42nd Street, Suite 4600
          New York, NY 10165
          Telephone: (212) 697 6484
          Facsimile: (212) 697 7296
          E-mail: peretz@bgandg.com


WORLD CLASS: Faces "Smith" Suit Over Background Checks
------------------------------------------------------
MARCUS SMITH, on behalf of himself and on all others similarly
situated, the Plaintiff, v. WORLD CLASS INSTALLATIONS, INC., the
Defendant, Case No. 6:17-cv-00292-RBD-KRS (M.D. Fla., Feb. 21,
2017), seeks to statutory damages, costs and attorney's fees,
equitable relief, and other appropriate relief under Fair Credit
Reporting Act of 1970 (FCRA).

The Complaint alleges that Defendant violated the FCRA by taking
adverse employment action based on undisclosed consumer report
information against Plaintiff and other putative class members.

World Class Installations installs electronic lodging locks and
parts.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

          Christopher J. Saba, Esq.
          WENZEL FENTON CABASSA, P.A.
          1110 North Florida Avenue, Suite 300
          Tampa, Florida 33602
          Telephone: (813) 224 043
          Facsimile: (813) 321 4086
          E-mail: csaba@wfclaw.com
                  tsoriano@wfclaw.com


WYNDHAM CAPITAL: Faces "Winters" Suit Over Unsolicited Calls
------------------------------------------------------------
JACKIE WINTERS, individually and on behalf of all others similarly
situated, the Plaintiff, v. WYNDHAM CAPITAL MORTGAGE, INC., and
DOES 1 through 10, inclusive, and each of them, the Defendant,
Case No. 2:17-cv-01419 (C.D. Cal., Feb. 21, 2017), seeks to
recover damages and any other available legal or equitable
remedies resulting from the illegal actions of Defendant.

The Plaintiff brought the action individually and on behalf of all
others similarly situated seeking damages and any other available
legal or equitable remedies resulting from the illegal actions of
the Defendant, in negligently, knowingly, and/or willfully
contacting Plaintiff on Plaintiff's home telephone in violation of
the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and related
regulations, specifically the National Do-Not-Call provisions,
thereby invading Plaintiff's privacy.

The Defendant is a mortgage company based in Charlotte, North
Carolina.

The Plaintiff is represented by:

          Todd M. Friedman, Esq.
          Adrian R. Bacon, Esq.
          Meghan E. George, Esq.
          LAW OFFICES OF TODD M. FRIEDMAN, P.C.
          21550 Oxnard St., Suite 780
          Woodland Hills, CA 91367
          Telephone: (877) 206 4741
          Facsimile: (866) 633 0228
          E-mail: tfriedman@toddflaw.com
                  abacon@toddflaw.com
                  mgeorge@toddflaw.com



                        Asbestos Litigation


ASBESTOS UPDATE: Texas Court Refuses to Stay Asbestos MDL Trial
---------------------------------------------------------------
Relators Exxon Mobil Corporation (f/k/a Exxon Corporation),
Seariver Maritime, Inc., and Seariver Maritime Financial Holdings,
Inc., Et Al., filed on February 21, 2017, a petition for writ of
mandamus, asking the Court of Appeals of Texas, Fourteenth
District, Houston, to compel the Honorable Mark Davidson,
presiding judge of the Multi-District Litigation Court-Asbestos,
Texas, to (1) vacate his January 27, 2017 Order denying relators'
Objections to Causation Evidence and No-Evidence Motion for
Summary Judgment, and (2) direct the trial court to enter an order
sustaining relators' Rule 702 Causation Objections and granting
their Rule 166a(i) No-Evidence Motion for Summary Judgment.

To obtain mandamus relief, relators must show, among other things,
that they have no adequate remedy by appeal.  Relators have not
made this showing.  The Court of Appeals, therefore, denied the
relators' petition for writ of mandamus and motion to stay the
trial.

The case is IN RE EXXON MOBIL CORPORATION (F/K/A EXXON
CORPORATION), SEARIVER MARITIME, INC., AND SEARIVER MARITIME
FINANCIAL HOLDINGS, INC., ET. AL., Relators, No. 14-17-00133-CV
(Tex. App.).

A full-text copy of the Memorandum Opinion dated March 2, 2017, is
available at https://is.gd/5hy1ZR from Leagle.com.

David Philip Herrick, Gary D. Elliston, Stephen Shayne Gardner,
Clarissa Acosta, for Exxon Mobile Corporation, f/k/a Exxon
Corporation, Seariver Maritime, Inc., and Seariver Maritime
Financial Holdings, Inc., Et Al, Relator.

Chad Russell Cotten, Kathryn Pryor, for Edna Garcia, individually
and a personal representative of the heirs and estate of Robert
Garcia, Sr., deceased, Real party in interest.


ASBESTOS UPDATE: Conn. App. Ct. Clarifies Allocation Methodolody
----------------------------------------------------------------
The case captioned R.T. VANDERBILT COMPANY, INC., v. HARTFORD
ACCIDENT AND INDEMNITY COMPANY ET AL., (AC 36749), (AC 37140), (AC
37141), (AC 37142), (AC 37143), (AC 37144), (AC 37145), (AC
37146), (AC 37147), (AC 37148), (AC 37149), (AC 37150), (AC
37151)(Conn. App.), arises from thousands of lawsuits alleging
injuries from exposure to industrial talc mined and sold by the
plaintiff, R.T. Vanderbilt Company, Inc., that purportedly
contained asbestos.

In an interlocutory appeal, Vanderbilt and the defendants,
approximately thirty insurance companies that issued comprehensive
general liability insurance policies to Vanderbilt between 1948
and 2008, are seeking, among other things, a declaratory judgment
determining their respective obligations with regard to the
underlying actions.  Through a series of bifurcation orders, the
trial court, divided the trial into four phases, and the case
reached the Appellate Court of Connecticut, following the second
phase of the trial, on the parties' appeals and cross appeals from
several decisions of the court.

Before the trial proceeds further, the parties ask that the
Appellate Court addresses approximately twenty issues -- primarily
questions of law -- that will significantly impact the
adjudication of the remaining trial phases.  These issues present
a number of questions of first impression in Connecticut and, in
some instances, nationally.  Although most relate to the
methodology by which insurance obligations are to be allocated
with respect to long latency asbestos related claims that
implicate multiple policy periods, the parties also challenge the
trial court's rulings with respect to the interpretation of
various scope of coverage and exclusion provisions in the
Vanderbilt policies, whether certain of the primary policies have
been exhausted, and other evidentiary and miscellaneous issues.

In an opinion dated March 7, 2017, a full-text copy of which is
available at https://is.gd/VlFNcP from Leagle.com, the Appellate
Court affirmed in part and reversed in part the rulings of the
trial court.

The rulings of the trial court are reversed only with respect to
the determinations that (1) Vanderbilt is responsible for defense
costs for the period of March 3, 1993 through April 24, 2007, (2)
a default date of first exposure of January 1, 1962, applies to
pending and future claims, and (3) the occupational disease
exclusions in certain secondary policies apply only to claims
brought by Vanderbilt's own employees; the proper allocation
methodology and the prospective application of that methodology
are clarified herein; and the case is remanded for further
proceedings consistent with this opinion.

Elizabeth J. Stewart and Jacob M. Mihm, pro hac vice, with whom
were Rachel Snow Kindseth and, on the brief, Francis J. Brady,
Marilyn B. Fagelson, Stephen Hoke, pro hac vice, and David H.
Anderson, pro hac vice, for the appellant-cross appellee
(substitute plaintiff).

Wayne S. Karbal, pro hac vice, with whom were Jeffrey J. Tinley,
Amita Patel Rossetti and, on the brief, Alan M. Posner, pro hac
vice, for the appellees-cross appellants (named defendant et al.).

Michael J. Smith, pro hac vice, and Bryan W. Petrilla, pro hac
vice, with whom was John F. Conway, for the appellees-cross
appellants (defendant Mt. McKinley Insurance Company et al.).

Lorraine M. Armenti, pro hac vice, with whom were Frank H.
Santoro, Shayne W. Spencer, pro hac vice, and, on the brief,
Kathleen J. Devlin, pro hac vice, and R. Cornelius Danaher, Jr.,
for the appellees-cross appellants (defendant Continental Casualty
Company et al.).

Michael L. Duffy, pro hac vice, with whom, on the brief, were
Michael G. Albano and Amy R. Paulus, pro hac vice, for the
appellee-cross appellant (defendant Old Republic Insurance
Company).

Lawrence A. Serlin, pro hac vice, with whom was Laura Pascale
Zaino, for the appellees-cross appellants (defendant Pacific
Employers Insurance Company et al.).

Robert M. Flannery, pro hac vice, with whom were William A. Meehan
and, on the brief, Alexander J. Mueller, pro hac vice, and Stephen
T. Roberts, for the appellees-cross appellants (defendant Certain
Under-writers at Lloyd's, London, et al.).

Lawrence A. Levy, pro hac vice, with whom were Louis B. Blumenfeld
and, on the brief, Richard S. Feldman, pro hac vice, for the
appellees-cross appellants (defendant Fireman's Fund Insurance
Company et al.).

Kevin M. Haas, pro hac vice, with whom were Matthew G. Conway and,
on the brief, MaryKate J. Geary and Marianne May, pro hac vice,
for the appellee-cross appellant (defendant Westport Insurance
Corporation).

Lawrence D. Mason, pro hac vice, with whom were John A. Lee, pro
hac vice, and, on the brief, Dwight A. Kern, for the appellee-
cross appellant (defendant National Casualty Company).

Kathleen D. Monnes, with whom was Erick M. Sandler, for the
appellees-cross appellants (defendant St. Paul Fire and Marine
Insurance Company et al.).

Timothy G. Ronan and Assaf Z. Ben-Atar filed a brief for the
appellee-cross appellant (defendant Employers Mutual Casualty
Company).

John E. Rodewald, pro hac vice, and David A. Slossberg filed a
brief for the appellee-cross appellant (defendant Munich
Reinsurance America, Inc.).

Todd A. Bromberg and Laura A. Foggan filed a brief for the Complex
Insurance Claims Litigation Association as amicus curiae.

Edward J. Stein, John M. Leonard, pro hac vice, Amy Bach, pro hac
vice, and Heather R. Spaide filed a brief for United Policyholders
as amicus curiae.


ASBESTOS UPDATE: Summary Judgment Ruling in "DeLoof" Affirmed
-------------------------------------------------------------
Janice DeLoof died of mesothelioma, allegedly caused by her
exposure to asbestos on March 20, 2013.  Her husband and adult son
(appellants) filed a wrongful death and survivorship complaint for
damages against numerous defendants, including respondent W.W.
Henry Company, an alleged manufacturer of asbestos-containing
products.  The Respondent filed a motion for summary judgment,
arguing that the appellants had not and could not reasonably
produce evidence showing exposure to an asbestos-containing
product that it manufactured.  The superior court granted the
motion, after determining that the respondent had met its initial
burden of proof on summary judgment and that the appellants had
failed to show a triable issue with respect to exposure.  The
Appellants contend the trial court erred in granting summary
judgment, as respondent failed to meet its initial burden of
proof.  Alternatively, they contend they showed the existence of a
triable issue of material fact.

The Court of Appeals of California, Second District, Division
Four, affirmed, finding that the respondent met its initial burden
of showing lack of causation, and shifted the burden to the
appellants to make a prima facie showing of the existence of a
triable issue of material fact as to causation.  The Court of
Appeals concluded that evidence is insufficient to raise a triable
issue of material fact as to exposure.  Aside from DeLoof's
testimony, the appellants produced no admissible evidence
purporting to show a triable issue of material fact, such as
judicial admissions by the respondent.  In sum, because there was
no factual basis for the appellants' general assertion of
causation, "'the conclusion is unavoidable that summary judgment
was properly granted,'" the Court of Appeals held.

The appeals case is JOHN DELOOF et al., Plaintiffs and Appellants,
v. ACE HARDWARE CORP., et al., Defendants and Respondents, No.
B265886 (Cal. App.).

A full-text copy of the Opinion dated March 2, 2017, is available
at https://is.gd/Tz7Mvs from Leagle.com.

The Arkin Law Firm, Sharon J. Arkin; Farrise Firm, and Simona A.
Farrise, for Plaintiffs and appellants.

Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith, Jeffrey A. Miller, Ernest Slome,
Brittany H. Bartold, Helen M. Luetto, and Arezoo Jamshidi for
Defendant and Respondent W.W. Henry Company.


ASBESTOS UPDATE: Asbestos Suit Claimants Frustrated Over Deals
--------------------------------------------------------------
Bethany Rolfson, writing for The Western News, reported that after
the recent announcement that Cascade County District Court Judge
John Kutzman approved the $24 million settlement for 1,000
amphibole asbestos victims in the area, claimants from that
settlement and past settlements have voiced how little comfort the
money gives them.

Julie Pickett was born and raised in Libby. She was exposed to the
asbestos from early childhood -- playing in piles of asbestos like
many in those days.

Now, Pickett, 60, is on oxygen constantly. She quit her job and is
now on disability. Her husband, Paul, has congestive heart failure
which she blames on the Libby asbestos since he worked for a pipe
company that did a lot of business for W.R. Grace.

"We've gotten a little bit here and a little bit there," Julie
said, noting it's not enough to pay all the medical bills that
have piled up. "These guys are not doing what is right for all
people in Libby. We didn't ask for this and they didn't give us a
chance. They didn't bother to tell anybody that [the amphibole
asbestos] was bad until they were forced to."

Her story is common in Libby. Whether it's autoimmune diseases,
cancer or asbestosis -- a large portion of Libby residents over
the age of 50-60 develop incurable and mostly fatal illnesses.

The EPA, who announced a 'last call' for asbestos cleanup earlier
this year, has spent close to $600 million and the last 16 years
cleaning up the superfund site of Libby --but the damage was long
done before the EPA arrived.

Since then, the actual dollar amount of claims made against W.R.
Grace and the state of Montana is difficult to pin down -- there's
been over 100, some of them which didn't fall under class action
lawsuits and a percentage of each of the settlements went to pay
attorney fees (33 percent of the $24 million settlement went to
law firms).

William and Patricia Denny are also part of a class action
lawsuit, and they've also voiced their concerns, and frustration.

"There's no restitution for people," William said. "We're being
told to take an offer because 'this is as good as it's going to
get'. All your life is worth to the state is $10,000."

Doug Shaw, 65, a resident of Libby, is also on disability and was
diagnosed with an asbestos related disease back in 2001. He said
that he was exposed to what he referred to as "the slow-death
poison" from the time he was born. It was 13 years before he
received money from a settlement. Recently, he said, he was
offered $600.

"It's never enough, I still have to pay for my slow demise," Shaw
said. "Yes, I took the money, but that doesn't stop me from being
murdered, and that's what this is. I'm tired of burying people,
family, friends and reading obituaries in the paper. There's 600
deaths that the CARD Clinic has documented. There were thousands
before that and thousands to come."

Shaw said that he blames W.R. Grace, as well as the government
entities for not doing enough for the asbestos victims.

"[The W.R. Grace mine] would still be open today if they weren't
confronted," Shaw said. "We're the city of Eagles, we're proud
people here. They want us to all die and go away."


ASBESTOS UPDATE: Man May Have Died from Asbestos Lung Illness
-------------------------------------------------------------
Suffolk Free Press reported that a 92-year-old man from Cavendish
may have died as a result of a lung condition associated with
exposure to asbestos, an inquest heard.

Eric Turner, of High Street, was admitted to West Suffolk Hospital
in Bury St Edmunds with breathing difficulties.

The inquest at Suffolk Coroners' Court in Ipswich was told that Mr
Turner may have been suffering from mesothelioma when he died on
January 2.

Assistant Suffolk coroner Dr Daniel Sharpstone adjourned the
hearing until May 30.


ASBESTOS UPDATE: Man Dies of Exposure to Asbestos in His Twenties
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Flora Thompson, writing for The Argus, reported that a 79-YEAR-OLD
man died of a disease caused by exposure to asbestos in his early
twenties, an inquest heard.

Richard King spent between six and eight months working as a
research assistant for the company British Oxygen in the 1960s.

His job involved using the chemical regularly in the tests he
carried out on materials in an industrial laboratory.

The inquest heard Mr King's own account of working with asbestos
made prior to his death.

In the statement he said: "I always used asbestos. It came in a
powdered form. There wasn't any safety equipment. I wasn't warned
of the dangers of asbestos and I wasn't trained on how to use it.
Had I known the dangers I would have left earlier."

He said he often kept the same clothes he wore underneath his
white laboratory coat on once he got home for the evening and
never wore a mask while handling the materials. He said none were
provided.

In 2010 he was diagnosed with lung asbestosis. Over the following
years he developed several other conditions and his health
gradually worsened, the coroner was told.

He began to deteriorate around six months before his death,
becoming house bound and bed bound. He was reliant on oxygen and
started receiving palliative care.

The inquest heard how he contracted bronchopneumonia which
affected his lungs and airways, before he died comfortably at his
home in Hove surrounded by his family and cared for by hospice
staff on January 11.

The assistant coroner Catharine Palmer said the dangers of
asbestos did not really emerge until the 1980s when safety
measures began to be put in place.

She added that while a company might be named during an inquest,
the inquiry does not rule on civil liability.

She recorded a conclusion of death caused by industrial disease.


ASBESTOS UPDATE: Sponsor Expects FACT to Have Pres. Support
-----------------------------------------------------------
Jessica Karmasek, writing for Legal Newsline, reported that while
President Donald Trump has not indicated whether he would veto
legislation that targets the country's current asbestos injury
compensation system, the bill's sponsor is fairly confident he has
the president's support.

U.S. Rep. Blake Farenthold, a Texas Republican who serves as vice-
chairman of the Regulatory Reform, Commercial and Antitrust Law
Subcommittee, reintroduced the Furthering Asbestos Claim
Transparency, or FACT, Act earlier this month.

U.S. Reps. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., and Tom Marino, R-Pa., are listed
as cosponsors of the GOP-backed bill.

The FACT Act, or H.R. 906, would increase transparency in the
asbestos trust system, in which about 100 companies that were
targeted frequently by asbestos lawsuits declared bankruptcy to
establish trusts to compensate victims.

When asked by Legal Newsline whether Trump has indicated to
Farenthold that he supports the proposed legislation -- and hence
not veto it should it come across his desk -- Farenthold's office
seemed hopeful.

"I don't think he [Trump] has a reason not to [support the
legislation], but we expect it to be rolled into a larger 'reform'
package and passed that way," said Elizabeth Peace, a spokeswoman
for Farenthold.

Peace explained that regulatory and litigation reform bills are
being marked up and reported out of the House Judiciary Committee.

On Feb. 15, the committee passed H.R. 906 by a vote of 19-11. The
panel, in a vote later in the day, passed Goodlatte's Fairness in
Class Action Litigation Act of 2017 by a vote of 19-12.

Legal Newsline has been unable to reach the White House for
comment on whether Trump would welcome the legislation.

Peace said H.R. 906 is the same version that was introduced last
Congress. The 2017 version has not yet been folded into the
Fairness in Class Action Litigation Act or any other legislation,
she said.

The class action bill was introduced in April 2015 and merged with
the FACT Act in January 2016.

The House passed last year's Fairness in Class Action Litigation
and Furthering Asbestos Claim Transparency Act, or H.R. 1927, by a
vote of 211-188. Additional hearings were held by the Senate, but
ultimately it failed to move on the legislation.

Former President Barack Obama would have vetoed the bill had it
passed the Senate.

Farenthold's previous bill, H.R. 526 or the Furthering Asbestos
Claim Transparency Act of 2015, stalled in committee.

The initial version of the bill passed the House in 2013;
Farenthold again was the sponsor.

Like previous versions, the bill would require quarterly reports
on claims made to the trusts while taking measures to protect
claimants' personal information.

It also would require trusts to respond to information sought from
them by defendants in asbestos lawsuits. Defendants in those
lawsuits want to ensure that plaintiffs' attorneys aren't fully
blaming their products while also blaming the products of
companies that established trusts.

It is a practice that was brought to light in Garlock Sealing
Technologies' bankruptcy proceeding.

In January 2014, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge George Hodges ruled in a
landmark decision that plaintiffs attorneys had been withholding
evidence that could have been submitted to trusts while pursuing
lawsuits against Garlock.

They did so in order to maximize recovery in both systems, he
ruled. Companies targeted by lawsuits could not point to claims
made by the same individuals to the bankruptcy trusts as proof
that they weren't fully responsible for illnesses caused by
exposure.

Garlock had been permitted full discovery into the claims of 15
individuals and eventually filed racketeering lawsuits against the
law firms that represented them.

"It appears certain that more extensive discovery would show more
extensive abuse," Hodges wrote. "But that is not necessary because
the startling pattern of misrepresentation that has been shown is
sufficiently persuasive."

Ultimately, Hodges ordered Garlock to put $125 million in its
trust -- more than $1 billion less than plaintiffs attorneys had
requested. Hodges ruled that Garlock's past record of verdicts and
settlements was not an indicator of future liabilities because of
the actions of plaintiffs attorneys.

Garlock eventually agreed to put more than $350 million in its
trust and dropped its racketeering lawsuits.

Despite the settlement, John Crane Inc. -- a company that
frequently finds itself targeted by asbestos attorneys -- has gone
on to file lawsuits against various asbestos law firms under the
Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act.

The company, in its racketeering claims, has pointed to the
evidence uncovered by Garlock during its bankruptcy proceeding.

In September, Dallas asbestos firm Simon Greenstone Panatier
Bartlett PC asked that JCI's complaint against it be dismissed for
lack of subject matter jurisdiction and failure to state a claim.

In a reply filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern
District of Illinois, the firm further argues that JCI cannot
combine insufficient allegations of general jurisdiction with
insufficient allegations of specific jurisdiction and "create
personal jurisdiction over the defendant from the mixture."

"JCI abandons any argument that general jurisdiction exists, and
instead argues that this Court can exercise specific jurisdiction
over this case -- which is premised on seven specific asbestos
cases litigated in California, Texas and Pennsylvania -- based on
entirely unrelated suits filed by Simon Greenstone against JCI,"
the firm wrote in its Dec. 2 reply.

JCI, in a more recent sur-reply, described Simon Greenstone's
arguments as an "erroneous characterization of facts and law."

"The Defendants withheld evidence of exposure to bankrupt
companies' products in litigation with JCI. The Defendants then
received payment from bankruptcy trusts for the same injuries
involved in litigation with JCI," the company wrote in its Dec. 13
filing. "But JCI and others had already compensated the plaintiffs
for those same injuries, and JCI had a right to seek contribution
from these bankruptcy trusts, which claims the Defendants
prevented by hiding evidence of their clients' exposure.

"JCI's claims do not require undoing state judgments -- in fact,
those judgments are taken as a given for purposes of JCI's
contribution claims. Instead, Defendants' fraud, not the
judgments, foreclosed JCI's contribution claims."

Judge Amy St. Eve, in a Feb. 8 minute entry, changed a status
hearing to March 27.

The defendant in another lawsuit filed by JCI, Philadelphia-based
Shein Law Center, has made similar jurisdictional arguments.

"JCI's claims are both factually unsupported and legally
unsupportable and, more critically, Defendants Benjamin P. Shein
and Shein Law Center Ltd. have no contacts with Illinois to
justify the exercise of personal jurisdiction over them by this
Court," the firm wrote in a Dec. 16 filing, also in the Northern
District of Illinois.

"This case should be dismissed forthwith due to lack of
jurisdiction or, alternatively, due to failure to state a claim
upon which relief can be granted."

Judge John J. Tharp Jr. has set a status hearing for March 2.


ASBESTOS UPDATE: Failure of Causation Proof Scuttles Verdict
------------------------------------------------------------
Andrew Denney, writing for New York Law Journal, reported that a
trial judge properly set aside an $11 million jury verdict for the
estate of an auto mechanic who worked with asbestos-laden brake
pads and died of mesothelioma but left unproven allegations he was
exposed to enough of the toxin to cause his illness, a divided
appeals court ruled.

A 3-1 panel of the Appellate Division, First Department, affirmed
Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Barbara Jaffe's 2015 decision in
Matter of New York City Asbestos Litig, 190315/12, to vacate the
verdict against Ford Motor Co., a ruling that some in the asbestos
defense bar viewed as a blow to the so-called "single fiber"
approach to disease causation that has been rejected in other
jurisdictions.

Writing for the court, Justice David Saxe said Jaffe correctly
ruled that plaintiff Arthur Juni Jr., who worked on brakes,
gaskets and clutches during his life and died in 2014, did not
meet the evidentiary standards established in Parker v. Mobil Oil,
7 NY3d 434 (2006), and Cornell v. 360 W. 51st St. Realty , 22 NY3d
762 (2014), which require that plaintiffs give some "scientific
expression" of their level of exposure to asbestos.

Justice Peter Tom joined Saxe in the majority.

In dissent, Justice Paul Feinman said that both Jaffe and his
colleagues in the majority "inappropriately substituted their
assessment of the credibility" of expert witnesses in the case for
that of the jury and that their findings in the case amount to an
"abrupt rupture" in New York asbestos jurisprudence.

Concurring with the majority, Justice Marcy Kahn said Feinman's
dissent advocates for carving a "gaping hole" in the Parker
standard and that such a change would need to come from the New
York Court of Appeals.


ASBESTOS UPDATE: $10MM Verdict Awarded for Defective Cement Pipe
----------------------------------------------------------------
An Alameda County jury awarded a $10 million mesothelioma verdict
to Michael and Cindy Burch, represented by the Oakland law firm
Kazan McClain Satterley & Greenwood, in a personal injury case
against defendant CertainTeed Corporation. Michael Burch, 65, was
diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma in May of 2016. Cindy Burch is
his wife of 46 years. According to court documents, the jury in
Michael B. Burch and Cindy Burch v. CertainTeed Corporation, et
al. (Case No. RG16819332, Alameda County Superior Court) found
that the asbestos cement (AC) pipe manufactured by CertainTeed was
defective, and the Company knew the health risks of its product
but failed to warn of those risks, fraudulently misrepresented,
and intentionally concealed the health risks.

                 About the Mesothelioma Verdict

Attorneys Justin Bosl and Arcelia Hurtado of Kazan Law represented
the Burch family in the seven-week jury trial in the Superior
Court of California, County of Alameda. After the jury rendered
its mesothelioma verdict, Bosl stated, "CertainTeed misrepresented
and concealed the health risks of handling and working with its AC
pipe. As a result, Michael Burch was exposed to asbestos while
cutting, drilling, and laying AC pipe. We are pleased with the
jury's verdict and award which will give Mr. Burch greater peace
of mind."

According to court documents, Burch's exposure to asbestos
occurred in the 1970s while working with AC pipe for J.C. Plumbing
Company and Valley Engineers throughout California. His work
involved cutting and beveling AC pipe primarily manufactured by
CertainTeed using various hand tools and a 12-inch abrasive disc
saw, which created extremely dusty working conditions. According
to court documents, the dust contained the cancer-causing mineral
asbestos. Burch unknowingly breathed deadly asbestos dust at work
on a daily basis but, according to court documents, was never
warned that the dust could cause him to contract the incurable
disease mesothelioma. According to court documents, the jury heard
evidence that CertainTeed knew asbestos caused cancer as early as
1962, but did not begin warning about cancer hazards on its pipe
until 1985. On the contrary, CertainTeed advertised that its pipe
was a "nonharmful use of asbestos" despite its knowledge that this
was false, according to court documents.

                     About Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a specific type of cancer with only one cause:
exposure to asbestos. Construction workers are one of the groups
most at risk for asbestos exposure. Carpenters, pipefitters,
roofers, cement masons, electrical workers, bricklayers, and heat
insulators are just a few of the trades where workers have been
known to develop mesothelioma from past exposure to asbestos.
Despite the growing awareness of the health risks and reduction of
the cancer-causing mineral in construction products, asbestos has
not been banned and is still legal in construction and other
products available today. Mesothelioma takes a long time to
develop, taking 20 to 40 years or longer. Some people get this
cancer from even a brief period of exposure to asbestos. Spouses,
children and others living with someone who works with asbestos
are also at risk of developing mesothelioma.

                        About Kazan Law

Kazan McClain Satterley & Greenwood is a leading California law
firm representing individuals in mesothelioma lawsuits. With more
than 20 attorneys and based in Oakland, CA, Kazan Law has
represented thousands of individuals in personal injury and
wrongful death lawsuits and obtained hundreds of millions of
dollars in compensation for its clients since its founding in
1974.


ASBESTOS UPDATE: Removers' Suit vs. WorkSafe B.C. Tossed Out
------------------------------------------------------------
Gordon Hoekstra, writing for Vancouver Sun, reported that a B.C.
Supreme Court judge has thrown out a lawsuit by an asbestos
removal company against WorkSafe B.C., labelling the suit "arrant
nonsense."

It's the fourth such lawsuit against WorkSafe B.C. launched by
Mike Singh, who operates Seattle Environmental Consulting Ltd.,
and his son Shawn Singh, who heads up ESS Environmental Ltd. All
have been dismissed because the suits have been found to be
without merit and are an abuse of process, according to the
recently released ruling.

The Singhs have launched other complaints -- all of which have
failed -- including to the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal, arguing
that WorkSafe B.C. has maliciously singled them out for penalties
for contraventions of asbestos removal in houses that are to be
demolished. At times, the Singhs have said they have been
discriminated against because they are Indo-Canadian.

"The ill-advised and unmeritorious litigation campaign that these
plaintiffs have been waging, and continue to wage, against the
Workers' Compensation Board and its various representatives should
come to an immediate end," B.C. Supreme Court Justice Nigel P.
Kent said in his 12-page ruling.

Between 2007 and 2012, WorkSafe B.C. issued 237 asbestos violation
notices to the two men and companies they controlled, and imposed
fines in excess of $200,000. Since then, more violation notices
and additional fines have been issued, bringing the total fines to
more than $500,000.

In the latest suit, the Singhs sued not only the WorkSafe B.C.
board but its lawyers, its president and seven of its directors.

The Singhs accused the board of various statutory violations,
including breaches of the Civil Rights Protection Act and the
Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Among their claims, the Singhs alleged that WorkSafe B.C. deceived
the courts, lied to judges, tampered with evidence and
misrepresented facts in an effort to close down their companies,
the court ruling noted.

The judge wrote that, as in previous actions, the Singhs' claims
have been launched as a collateral attack on WorkSafe B.C. because
they don't like the regulator's decisions. The judge called their
claim poorly drafted and difficult to understand.

"The conduct of the plaintiffs and the present claim display all
of the hallmarks commonly seen with vexatious litigants, including
numerous technical deficiencies, causes of action unknown at law,
and repeated improper and scandalous allegations that plainly have
no merit," Kent wrote in his ruling.

The Singhs represented themselves in this case as Kent declined to
allow an unlicensed lawyer -- Gerhard Pyper, who recently became a
director of the two asbestos companies -- to appear on their
behalf in court.

In an earlier decision, the B.C. Court of Appeal had not allowed
Pyper to represent the Singhs because it was decided his becoming
a director of their companies was designed to circumvent the fact
he was not licensed to practice law in B.C., according to the
ruling.

Deaths caused by asbestos-related disease are the No. 1 workplace
killer in B.C. and fatality rates are rising, according to
WorkSafe B.C. statistics. In 2015, asbestos-related diseases
accounted for 77 deaths.


ASBESTOS UPDATE: EPA Sounds Last Call on Asbestos Cleanup Effort
----------------------------------------------------------------
David Reese, writing for Courthouse News Service, reported that
property owners in Libby, Montana, have until the end of this
month to have their homes or businesses cleaned of dangerous
asbestos particles left over from decades of mining in this small
northwest Montana town.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency notified property owners
in January of the final opportunity for those in Libby and Troy,
Montana, to participate in the cleanup of asbestos. The EPA
expects that less than 10 percent of remaining properties in the
federal Superfund site still need a cleanup.

Hundreds of people in Libby have died from asbestos disease, a
deadly lung condition caused by exposure to vermiculite asbestos.

A $24 million settlement with over 1,000 of the victims was
announced in January in state court, where civil suits were lodged
against the state of Montana and its insurance company for failing
to notify the public of dangerous conditions at the mine while it
was operating.

The civil lawsuits and the settlement stemmed from the Libby
vermiculite mine, where geologic vermiculite was mined and
processed into home products in the 1950s through 1991. The
vermiculite contained deadly asbestos that infected workers and
also carried it home on their clothes, infecting their friends and
families.

The EPA said cleanups have been effective in reducing cancer and
non-cancer risks in Libby and Troy since 1999, and the EPA has
completed investigations or cleanups at 7,500 of 8,100 private
properties identified within the Superfund site. Air asbestos
concentrations in Libby and Troy are about 100,000 times lower
than when the mine and processing facilities were operating, the
EPA said. It is now possible to live and work in Libby and Troy
without excessive exposure to asbestos, according to the EPA.

Property owners who do not participate in this last round of
cleanups could become financially responsible for future cleanup,
the EPA said in a statement.


ASBESTOS UPDATE: ND Legislature Looks at Changes in Asbestos Law
----------------------------------------------------------------
Bo Evans, writing for KFYRTV, reported that the North Dakota
Legislature is looking at a potential law that could change the
way victims sue for damages from exposure to asbestos.

The idea behind the law is to help those suffering from
Mesothelioma get the settlement money they are entitled to faster.

Mesothelioma, an aggressive form of cancer that is caused by
asbestos, affects thousands of Americans, many of whom have sued
successfully for damages from companies that knowingly produce or
worked with the harmful product.

This law would allow for victims to file to for multiple asbestos
trusts upfront which proponents say would help speed up the court
proceedings and allow victims to see money sooner.

"Today you have over 60 different trusts each representing a
different bankrupt defender. And collectively this trust system
holds about $37 billion," said Mark Behrens, U.S. Chamber
Institute for Legal Reform.

The bill seems to have a broad range of support including the US
Chamber Institute for Legal Reform, the North Dakota Association
for Justice, the American Insurance Association among others.


ASBESTOS UPDATE: Debate in Asbestos Diffusion Heats Up in Ankara
----------------------------------------------------------------
Hurriyet Daily News reported that the debate over potential
diffusion of asbestos into the air as part of the dismantling work
for a decades-old factory in central Ankara, which is certified of
bearing 350 tons of the carcinogenic material inside its building,
is heating up, as professional chambers and Ankara Mayor Melih
Gokcek make contradicting statements.

Both the Ankara bureau of the Union of Chambers of Turkish
Engineers and Architects' (TMMOB) and the Chamber of Chemical
Engineers (KMO) said a quarantine area must immediately be
declared around the factory, which contains asbestos, and applied
to court for a halt to the dismantling process. However, the Mayor
Gokcek denied the claims presented by the chambers.

The TMMOB released air-based asbestos surface measurements that
were conducted close to the factory and said amphibole, which is
the most dangerous asbestos type, was determined to be at a
dangerously high amount in the area.

Noting that the report and accompanying visuals would be presented
to the court, Tezcan Karakus Candan, the head of the TMMOB's
Ankara branch, said the area should be urgently placed under
quarantine as the process of decontamination is carried out.

The chamber also called on the Education Ministry to close all
schools around the factory until the dismantling work is complete.

The Ankara Municipality issued a statement saying it had taken
widespread measures against the potential diffusion of asbestos
into the air at the coal gas factory in the Maltepe neighborhood.
It added that the dismantling works had begun in garage areas and
a depot that do not contain asbestos.

Ankara Mayor Gokcek previously said the operation was aimed at
"preventing a problem for Ankara and a leakage that it might be
subjected to."

Candan, however, criticized Gokcek for not taking enough
precautions, while also calling on him to resign. He also said
they would file complaints against the mayor for "intending to
kill people."

He said asbestos had been spread all over Ankara by heavy
machinery and earth-moving trucks leaving the factory, adding that
asbestos fibers might also have entered closed spaces.

"The Ankara Municipality started dismantling works in a building
that includes 350 tons of asbestos. They are now trying to make a
show of taking precautions after we brought the subject to the
agenda. Gokcek says, 'Don't believe in the words of provocateurs,
we are taking precautions,' but we are acting in accordance with
science," Candan said, adding that workers in the area were also
at risk.

"There are no shower tools in the working area, there are just
primitive containers. The workers are under threat. You can't get
rid of asbestos with water. When it dries, poison will be spread.
You have to back up your words with scientific data. Everyone
living in that area is under threat," he said.

Gokcek has continued to reject the criticisms and claimed that
"leftist companies" are behind the allegations.

"They say that this [dismantling] should be done by experts. Our
tender was one in which only specialized companies could enter.
The firm that was most equipped took the tender and started the
work. The research they have done is not correct. They have
leftist firms in their hands and they probably made one of them do
the research. Those companies write whatever they are told to,"
Gokcek told daily Hurriyet on March 1.


ASBESTOS UPDATE: Asbestos Risk Forces Downtown Store to Shut Down
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Carla Wilson, writing for Times Colonist, reported that the Dollar
Tree store in downtown Victoria has been closed because of concern
that crumbling floor tiles containing asbestos could cause harm.

"WorkSafeBC prevention field officers determined that floor tiles
described as containing asbestos were found in poor condition,"
Trish Knight Chernecki, WorkSafe spokeswoman, said Tuesday.

The condition of the tiles contravene B.C. Occupational Health and
Safety Regulations, she said.

"The employer must ensure that all friable asbestos-containing
materials in the workplace are controlled by removal, enclosure or
encapsulation so as to prevent the release of airborne asbestos
fibre." Friable means that a material will crumble or break down
when disturbed.

A large yellow hand-printed sign stuck on one of the windows
states that the store is closed and the recessed entrance has been
blocked by a metal gate. In the darkened store, merchandise is
still stacked on shelves.

Dollar Tree, at 1416/1420 Douglas St., is a discount store
carrying a wide range of products at $1.25 or less.

Its website lists "housewares, glassware, dinnerware, cleaning
supplies, candy, snacks, food, health and beauty, toys, gifts,
gift bags and wrap, party supplies, stationery, craft supplies,
teaching supplies, books, seasonal decor, and more."

A company spokesperson could not be reached on Tuesday. The
company's Canadian corporate office is in Burnaby.

Dollar Tree Canada runs about 176 corporate stores in five
provinces, from B.C. to Ontario, and is in expansion mode, the
website states.

A City of Victoria official said that no building permit had been
taken out for the Douglas Street property.

The building is owned by Bernard Pastoral Ltd. of Saanich and its
assessed value is $1.7 million, according to provincial property
documents.

The closing of the store follows concerns about asbestos in a
James Bay rental apartment building. Tenants of Charter House, 435
Michigan St., have been moved out of their units by the property
manager because of the potential for asbestos exposure during
renovations.

"Exposure to asbestos can cause serious long-term health issues
and even death. Asbestos was widely used in B.C. as a building
material until the early 1990s, and it can be present in many
areas of older building," WorkSafe's website states. "If you
suspect asbestos is present, do not touch or move it. Only
qualified professionals can remove asbestos."


ASBESTOS UPDATE: Washington Great Grandad Diagnosed with Cancer
---------------------------------------------------------------
Lisa Hutchinson, writing for Chronicle Live, reported that former
shipbuilder and insulation manufacturer Dominic Valente worked all
his life to provide for his family.

But now in his retirement Dominic has been given the biggest blow
he could imagine.

At the age of 74 he is fighting mesothelioma -- an asbestos
related cancer, believed to have been brought on because of the
industry he worked in.

And now he is asking former work colleagues to step forward and
help him fight for justice.

Dominic, who worked for numerous firms across the region, has been
forced to take legal action as he seeks answers from one of his
previous employers following him being diagnosed with his cancer.

The father-of-four, from Washington, was diagnosed with
mesothelioma -- a terminal cancer caused by exposure to harmful
asbestos dust decades before the diagnosis is made.

Dominic has instructed a team of expert lawyers at Irwin Mitchell
to investigate how and where he was exposed to the deadly asbestos
dust and fibres which caused his mesothelioma.

His legal team believe that Dominic was exposed to injurious
quantities of asbestos dust and fibres while employed at Bartram
and Sons.

They have now issued formal court proceedings against the
Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, the holders
of liability for Bartram & Sons, after they refused liability for
his illness. The firm was nationalised in 1977 following the
Aircraft and Shipbuilding Industries Act.

With the backing of Irwin Mitchell, Dominic is appealing for
former colleagues who worked with him at Bartram Shipyard in
Sunderland, during 1958 to 1960 to come forward with any
information of the working conditions at the Shipyard.

Dominic, who has 12 grandchildren, said: "When I was diagnosed
with cancer, I was in shock, however when I found out that it was
likely caused by exposure to asbestos during my working life I
became extremely frustrated and angry.

"The disease has already had a significant impact on my day-to-day
life, as I suffer from serious discomfort in my chest and I become
breathless a lot more frequently than before my diagnosis.

"I am living on borrowed time and its hard not to think about it.
My youngest grandson is just over two weeks old, so I'm pleased I
got to see him."

Dominic added: "I only hope that some of my former colleagues will
come forward and contact my legal team at Irwin Mitchell with the
requested details about the working conditions at Bartram & Sons
to help get justice for me and ensure those responsible for my
exposure to asbestos are held to account."

Roger Maddocks, a Partner and expert industrial disease lawyer at
Irwin Mitchell, said: "We believe that Dominic was substantially
exposed to asbestos while working for Bartram & Sons due to the
general work done at the site, the duties that Dominic carried out
and the lack of protective equipment provided.

"We are working with Dominic in his fight for justice to confirm
where he was exposed to the asbestos. We urge any of Dominic's
former colleagues to come forward with any information about the
working conditions at the Shipyard as this will help our
investigation.

"Mesothelioma is an extremely aggressive form of cancer that can
only be treated temporarily. The effects of working with asbestos
don't often occur until decades later, and, sadly, Dominic is now
suffering terribly due to the fact he was not adequately protected
at work by his employers."

A BEIS spokesperson said: "The Department does not comment on on-
going legal claims."

Anyone who worked with Dominic and can provide any information is
asked to contact Sonia Akram on 0191 434 0719 or email
Sonia.Akram@IrwinMitchell.com.


ASBESTOS UPDATE: Study Points to Mesothelioma Risks in Dentists
---------------------------------------------------------------
The authors of a new report on asbestos-containing dental tape say
there have been at least six cases of mesothelioma in dentists
because of it. Surviving Mesothelioma has just posted an article
on the report.

Drs. Steven Markowitz of Queens College in New York and Jacqueline
Moline of Hofstra Northwell School of Medicine say asbestos was
used for decades to make the tape that lines dental casting rings.
"We report six cases of pathology-verified malignant mesothelioma,
mostly among dentists, following exposure to airborne dust from
asbestos dental tape, which resulted in asbestos tort litigation,"
write the authors.

The report in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine says
chrysotile or "blue" asbestos was used to help make the dental
tape resistant to heat during the making of dental prosthetics.

"This is just another example of a little-known use for asbestos
that could lead to pleural mesothelioma in people who were
exposed," says Alex Strauss, Managing Editor for Surviving
Mesothelioma. "Unfortunately, asbestos was used in many products
in the first half of the 20th century, from insulation to paint,
brake pads, firefighter's gear, and even Christmas decor, so many
people were exposed without even knowing it."

Markowitz and Moline say the message of their new report is that
doctors should gather a comprehensive exposure history in anyone
suspected of having malignant mesothelioma.

To read more about asbestos in dental tape and other places where
the mineral was once found, see The Hidden Mesothelioma Risk for
Dentists, now available on the Surviving Mesothelioma website.

Markowitz, SD and Moline, JM, "Malignant mesothelioma due to
asbestos exposure in dental tape", February 28, 2017, American
Journal of Industrial Medicine, Epub ahead of print,
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28244608

For more than a decade, Surviving Mesothelioma has brought readers
the most important and ground-breaking news on the causes,
diagnosis and treatment of mesothelioma. All Surviving
Mesothelioma news is gathered and reported directly from the peer-
reviewed medical literature. Written for patients and their loved
ones, Surviving Mesothelioma news helps families make more
informed decisions.


ASBESTOS UPDATE: Asbestos Leaking Into Irish Sea
------------------------------------------------
The Journal reported that toxic waste is leaking into the Irish
Sea at an old landfill site in Bray, Co Wicklow.

Hazardous waste, including fragments of asbestos and potassium,
are leaking into the sea at a beach where the former municipal
landfill was once operated by Bray Urban District Council (which
is now part of Wicklow County Council).

Much of the site is actually located within the boundary of Dun
Laoghaire Rathdown County Council (DLRCC).

Sinn Fein's Liadh Ni Riada, an MEP for Ireland South, has called
on the government and European authorities to clean up the site
urgently.

"I am extremely worried that this dangerous material is being
allowed to enter our natural water system.

This situation must be acted on without delay. Exposure to
hazardous waste has been proven historically to allow cancer
clusters to form in our local communities. Protecting public
health must be of paramount concern.

"In recent years, funding has been released to clean up and remove
hazardous waste located at sites in Waterford, Cork, Tipperary and
other locations in Ireland," Ni Riada said.

Wicklow TD John Brady has been raising the issue since 2005. "The
dump contains more than 104,000 cubic metres of waste including
broken asbestos tiles and excessive levels of ammoniacal nitrogen,
potassium and manganese in the groundwater," he said.

Long-term solution

When discussing the issue in the D†il recently, junior minister
Denis Naughten said: "The preparation and adoption of a waste
management plan is the statutory responsibility of the local
authority or authorities concerned."

Naughten noted that, at the end of January 2016, the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) advised DLRCC to carry out an
Environmental Risk Assessment.

"A detailed site investigation has been carried out and a
technical report is currently being considered by Dun Laoghaire
Rathdown County Council, Wicklow County Council and the EPA.

The purpose of this technical report is to identify any remedial
measures that may be required to protect the environment in the
immediate area of the former landfill.

Naughten added that "regular monitoring and inspections" of the
beach are being carried out by DLRCC, Wicklow County Council and
Woodbrook Golf Club, which now owns the majority of the affected
site.

The golf club has also assigned one of its employees to do a
regular clean-up of any debris found on the beach.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the Department of
Communications, Climate Action and Environment said the relevant
local authorities "are working together to develop a long-term
solution to the stabilisation of this landfill site".

"The landowner has arranged for the appropriate removal of any
materials that are being dislodged onto the beach. The minister
has no decision-making role in the matter," the statement added.

A spokesperson for the EPA said the organisation has an open
enforcement file in relation to the site at North Beach.

DLRCC are undertaking a full risk assessment to determine the
environmental risk of the former landfill and to identify any
remedial measures required to protect the environment in its
immediate area.

"The EPA is continuing to correspond with the council to ensure
that any recommendations or works required are completed within
appropriate timeframes," the spokesperson added.


ASBESTOS UPDATE: Funding Dispute Over Asbestos Clean-up
-------------------------------------------------------
Felicity James, writing for ABC News, reported that a dispute
about funding for asbestos removal in Northern Territory remote
communities is underway, prompted by the recent exposure of
material in Central Australia.

Heavy rains revealed several piles of buried asbestos near
Yuendumu's airstrip and a walking track, 300 kilometres north west
of Alice Springs, according to Central Land Council director David
Ross.

Mr Ross said the clean-up in Yuendumu would cost $1 million, and
$20 million would be needed to properly dispose of asbestos in
other Central Australian communities.

"I think we need to target the Commonwealth," Mr Ross said.

"The Commonwealth got up and walked out of those communities
without making sure that things were in good order."

Mr Ross said the asbestos problem should be treated as a "legacy"
issue, without determining who was responsible for bringing the
material into communities.

"They need to be put into that category, otherwise we're going to
end up with two governments pointing fingers at each other," he
said.

"There's no time to be pointing fingers, we actually need these
things fixed."

Who will take responsibility?

The land council, which represents traditional owners in the
region, met with the Central Desert Regional Council and local
residents in Yuendumu to discuss the issue.

Mr Ross said both councils would be asking Indigenous Affairs
Minister Nigel Scullion to approve funding for the clean-up
through the Aboriginal Benefits Account and the Indigenous
Advancement Strategy.

In a statement to the ABC, a spokesman for Senator Scullion said
the Northern Territory Government was responsible for the
management and removal of asbestos in regional towns and remote
communities.

"The Commonwealth Government has supported the NT Government with
this responsibility by providing around $45 million over four
years (2012-13 to 2015-16) to remove asbestos from houses and
other community buildings in remote areas of the NT," the
spokesman said.

The spokesman said Senator Scullion was "highly concerned" and
would be monitoring the situation in Yuendumu closely, while
seeking assurances from the NT Government that the issue would be
resolved.

A spokesperson for NT Worksafe said the authority did not have
responsibility for overseeing the removal of legacy asbestos
outside of a workplace environment.

The NT Government has not confirmed the status of its remote
community asbestos removal program or its plans for Yuendumu.

'Generations will suffer from this'

Andrew Ramsay is the chairman of the Queensland-based Asbestos
Disease Support Society, which is now targeting Northern Territory
remote communities.

"It's not stopping and if we don't make a stand and start pulling
up what's going on, it's going to keep going on forever," he said.

"For generation after generation, we're still going to suffer from
asbestos disease."
Mr Ramsay said the councils, federal and Northern Territory
governments needed to work out who would take responsibility for
the broader asbestos problem across communities.

"Everyone's sitting on their hands," he said.

"If they're dead-set serious about helping the problem, getting
rid of the problem, the Federal Government needs to chip in as
well.

"I can't see how the Territory Government or even the local
councils would be able to afford a clean-up of that size."

Mr Ramsay visited the remote town of Tennant Creek last month,
with the CFMEU, to inspect the demountable housing containing
asbestos.

The abandoned housing was imported from China in 2006 and brought
into the community by the region's Julalikari Council Aboriginal
Corporation.

Before Julalikari went into special administration this month, it
said it was working with NT Worksafe to remove the housing and
debris.


ASBESTOS UPDATE: Asbestos Found in Scarborough Theatre
------------------------------------------------------
Yorkshire Coast Radio reported that there's a warning to the
public not to try to get into the building of Scarborough's
Futurist Theatre.

It comes from the borough council after a company's found asbestos
inside, which was as expected.

It says there could be asbestos fibres in the air inside.

The council's Member for Project Leadership, Mike Cockerill, said:
"We are going to put signs up, warning people not to enter the
building due to this danger. We are aware that some people have
been in illegally and we have a responsibility to people whether
they're entering legally, or illegally. This is why we're putting
the warning signs up".


ASBESTOS UPDATE: Former Teacher Dies of Asbestos-related Cancer
---------------------------------------------------------------
David Gazet, writing for Kent Online, reported that a dedicated
former teacher who died of asbestos related cancer could have
inhaled toxic fibres in the classrooms where she worked.

Pearl Davis, 69, spent a decade working at St Mary's Primary
School in Gillingham, Glencoe Primary School in Chatham and North
Borough Primary School in Maidstone.

Last April, years after her retirement, she was diagnosed with
mesothelioma. She died earlier this year.

Speaking after her inquest this week, her widower and father-of-
three Freddie called on Kent County Council to do more to warn
people who could have been exposed.

The 71-year-old, of Upper Road, Maidstone, said: "You always think
labourers get mesothelioma because they work so closely with these
substances, but to be in a classroom day-in day-out with young
children, it came as such a shock to us.

"What was also incredibly upsetting to Pearl was the idea that
children may have been put at risk on those premises. It doesn't
bear thinking about."

Mrs Davis worked for a year at St Mary's from 1987.

Her classroom was a school outbuilding which is believed to have
contained asbestos ceiling panels.

Asbestos can cause terminal lung cancer. Library image.
At Glencoe she worked in a purpose-built hut, often built from
asbestos containing materials, where she pinned youngsters' work
to the wall panels and hung displays from ceiling tiles.

While at North Borough there was a fire that left the building
smoke damaged. Teachers were asked to help in cleaning up the
debris without masks or other protection.

Mr Davis, who has appointed solicitors Irwin Mitchell, said he
believed asbestos was removed from the cloakroom at this time.

Paying tribute, he said: "My wife loved writing poetry, she loved
gardening, animals and her dogs.

"She lived with pain all her life but carried on. She had a strong
personality and lived life to the full."

At the inquest, the coroner ruled the death was industrial
disease, but said it was not clear where Mrs Davis had been
exposed to asbestos.


ASBESTOS UPDATE: Experts Dispose of Asbestos at Nadi Airport
------------------------------------------------------------
Felix Chaudhary, writing for The Fiji Times Online, reported that
overseas experts were engaged to handle and dispose of asbestos
when it was found in the old arrivals concourse at the Nadi
International Airport

This was revealed by Stewart Lovelock, Hawkins Construction
contracts manager and overall head of the Nadi International
Airport upgrade project.

Mr Lovelock said the recruitment of experts also allowed locals to
be trained in the safe handling of asbestos.

"One of the significant finds was the asbestos in the arrivals
area which is one of the oldest parts of the building," he said.

Mr Lovelock added the asbestos discovery also provided workers
with a huge challenge.

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that once was used for
everything from fire-proof vests to home and commercial
construction. It was woven into fabric, and mixed with cement.

However, it is proven to be highly toxic and is a known cause of
mesothelioma cancer and is banned in more than 50 countries.


ASBESTOS UPDATE: Asbestos Found in Pool Demolition Site
-------------------------------------------------------
Mike James, writing for The Daily Independent, reported that
demolition of the natatorium at Paul Blazer High School is running
behind schedule but steps critical to the safety of adjoining
structures have been taken, according to district buildings and
grounds director Richard Oppenheimer.

The demolition contract calls for "substantial completion" by
March 1 and final completion by March 31, he said.

The bulk of the structure is still standing but multiple roof
sections have been removed along with roof-mounted heating and air
conditioning units, Oppenheimer said.

The openings will prevent any accumulation if a late-winter storm
were to dump snow on the roof. Engineers had warned that the
weight of a load of snow could collapse the roof and compromise
adjoining structures that share structural members with the pool
building.

Workers have installed a temporary wall between the pool and the
lobby of the James A. Anderson Gymnasium and are preparing for
removal of asbestos-bearing materials, he said.

Asbestos removal also is scheduled for buildings 3 and 4 on the
Blazer campus. Both buildings are being renovated as part of an
ongoing campus upgrade.

The district has hired the Portsmouth, Ohio company Solid Rock
Construction Services to remove the asbestos for $9,550.

The buildings have asbestos in floor tiles and pipe insulation and
removal requires specialized equipment and techniques to avoid
releasing cancer-causing particles into the air.

Removal and proper disposal of the asbestos will be more time
consuming than the remainder of the demolition, Oppenheimer said.

When the building is gone, the remaining slope will be graded to
match the surrounding terrain and reseeded.

The total price tag for the project is about $243,600.


ASBESTOS UPDATE: Asbestos Found in New Orleans Courthouse
---------------------------------------------------------
Ken Daley, writing for The Times-Picayune, reported that tthe
Orleans Parish criminal courthouse was shut down after inspectors
found peeling lead-based paint and crumbling asbestos insulation
that warranted prompt removal, according to reports prepared for
the construction firm the city contracted to remodel part of the
86-year-old building's interior.

The reports, obtained by The Times-Picayune from the New Orleans
City Attorney's office through a public records request, provide
the first glimpse at the scope of potentially hazardous materials
used within the courthouse. The reports said 63 of 79 paint
samples (80 percent) taken inside the building's first floor
tested positive for lead-based paint, and that all sample sites
were "in poor and peeling condition." Inspectors also surveyed the
building's ground and first floors for possible asbestos-
containing materials within insulation and found 40 percent of
bulk samples collected tested positive.

Two areas of first-floor pipe insulation were deemed to be "EPA
Hazard Category 1," thermal system insulation so badly damaged,
exposing dangerous asbestos fibers, that its removal required "an
immediate response action," according to the inspectors. The
reports were prepared by the Algiers-based Materials Management
Group on behalf of Battco Construction and Maintenance. Battco is
the Kenner-based company hired by the City of New Orleans to
complete the publicly funded renovation project.

Battco is tasked with building two new courtrooms on the west side
of the building along South White Street, where the most urgent
asbestos removal was recommended, to replace the two courtrooms
currently housed in the building's third-floor attic space.
Construction plans also call for new first-floor or ground-level
"basement" facilities for the courthouse's jury lounge, drug-
testing program, domestic violence court and Orleans Parish
Sheriff's Office deputies. City Hall spokeswoman Erin Burns said
work is expected to be completed in summer 2018.

But refurbishing a nearly century-old building in New Orleans is
not without its complications. The hazardous materials inspections
were conducted in January, and the abatement work to remove the
peeling lead paint and crumbling asbestos-containing pipe
insulation was scheduled for Mardi Gras week, when the courthouse
initially was scheduled to be closed for three days anyway. The
remediation contractor requested and was granted an additional two
days of public closure to complete its work, and Judicial
Administrator Robert Kazik said the courthouse is expected to
reopen for normal operations on March 6.

The courthouse at Tulane and Broad is expected to reopen for full
operations March 6.

Asbestos first was regulated in the United States as part of the
1970 Clean Air Act, but the Environmental Working Group Action
Fund estimates that 10,000 people still die each year in the U.S.
from asbestos-related illnesses. Lead-based paint has been shown
to contribute to developmental problems in children, primarily
through ingestion. Kazik said a liquid-based removal technique was
being employed at the courthouse to ensure the paint is stripped
without generating airborne dust or particles.

The inspection reports contained no mention of toxic mold or other
potential hazards within the building, which sustained flood
damage following the levee failures after Hurricane Katrina. Much
of the new construction work is taking place in the former Orleans
Parish Coroner work space heavily damaged by floodwaters.

Besides the two areas of exposed pipe insulation requiring
removal, inspectors identified other insulation -- cloth, wrap and
spray-on -- used in and around the first-floor courtroom of
Section C Judge Benedict Willard that also contains asbestos.
These materials, however, were deemed to be an EPA Hazard Category
7, in sufficiently good condition to require only warning labeling
and not immediate removal.

Inspectors wrote that the spray-on insulation found in this area
should be "assumed throughout the building." Inspections have not
been conducted in the courthouse's second floor (grand hall) or
third-floor attic space, as those levels are not part of the
remodeling construction plan.

For purposes of the interior paint evaluation, inspectors
explained that at least 1 milligram of lead per square centimeter
was sufficient to qualify as "lead-based paint," according to
state regulations. Most of the samples cited in the report bore
two to three times that minimum lead content, but one plaster
column at a staircase measured as high as 16 milligrams of lead
per square centimeter.

"Lead-based paint was detected throughout the interior painted
surfaces of the building," the inspectors wrote. "Due to the
deterioration of the painted surfaces, MMG recommends that a
contractor licensed for lead removal/abatement is employed to
control or abate these surfaces."


ASBESTOS UPDATE: Pa. Asbestos Case Beats Statute of Limitations
---------------------------------------------------------------
P.J. D'Annunzio, writing for The Legal Intelligencer, reported
that a federal judge has denied a pump manufacturer's argument
that an asbestos-related lung cancer case should be tossed because
it wasn't filed in time.

As asbestos litigation continues its steady decline and fewer
lawsuits against companies for asbestos-related illnesses make it
past the early stages of litigation, plaintiff Kathleen Conneen's
case on behalf of her deceased husband, Joseph Conneen, has
cleared a significant hurdle.

U.S. District Judge Eduardo C. Robreno of the Eastern District of
Pennsylvania denied defendant Goulds Pumps Inc.'s motion for
summary judgment based on Pennsylvania's two-year statute of
limitations in asbestos cases, and under maritime law. Joseph
Conneen worked in a shipyard.

The primary dispute centers on when Kathleen Conneen's husband
learned his exposure to asbestos could have been a factor in his
diagnosis. According to Robreno's opinion, Joseph Conneen, who
filed suit in January 2015, was diagnosed with lung cancer in
December of 2012.

Kathleen Conneen argued that her husband did not learn that
asbestos exposure was a possible factor until February 2013, while
Goulds countered that since Conneen's husband worked around
asbestos for 28 years and never smoked, he should have been more
diligent in trying to identify the cause of his cancer.

Goulds pointed to medical records indicating that Conneen's
husband talked about his history of exposure to his doctors in
2012. Joseph Conneen said his doctors wrote off asbestos exposure
as a possible cause, denying there was any "worrisome exposure."
Ultimately, Robreno held, "the evidence presented by defendant
does not establish that Mr. Conneen learned of asbestos as a
potential cause of his cancer in December of 2012."

"Moreover," the judge continued, "because Mr. Conneen asserts that
he first learned of this possible link in February 2013 (less than
two years before he filed his complaint), there is a genuine
dispute of material fact as to when Mr. Conneen learned of this
possible causal link. Therefore, if the statute of limitations
began to run when Mr. Conneen first knew of a possible causal link
between asbestos exposure and his cancer."

Joseph Conneen worked as a pipefitter and plumber from 1962 to
1980. He worked at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, and Rohm and
Haas Chemicals in Bristol and Philadelphia.

Kathleen Conneen is represented by Carla Jo Guttilla of the
Nemeroff Law Firm in Pittsburgh. Guttilla did not respond to a
request seeking comment.

Goulds' attorney, Joshua Scheets of Marshall Dennehey Warner
Coleman & Goggin, did not respond to a request for comment.

The case is OSEPH CONNEEN AND KATHLEEN CONNEEN, Plaintiffs, v.
AMATEK, INC., et al., Defendants, Civil Action No. 2:15-cv-1063-ER
(E.D. Pa.).

A full-text copy of the Memorandum penned by Judge Eduardo C.
Robreno of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of
Pennsylvania dated March 2, 2017, is available at
https://is.gd/bd0DWf and accompanying Order https://is.gd/S6rcn6
from Leagle.com.

OSEPH CONNEEN, Plaintiff, represented by CHRISTOPHER B. NORRIS,
NEMEROFF LAW FIRM.

JOSEPH CONNEEN, Plaintiff, represented by RICHARD NEMEROFF & CARLA
JO GUTTILLA, THE NEMEROFF LAW FIRM.

KATHLEEN CONNEEN, Plaintiff, represented by CARLA JO GUTTILLA, THE
NEMEROFF LAW FIRM, CHRISTOPHER B. NORRIS, NEMEROFF LAW FIRM &
RICHARD NEMEROFF.

BW/IP, INC., Defendant, represented by JOHN A. TURLIK, SEGAL
MCCAMBRIDGE SINGER & MAHONEY.

CBS CORPORATION, Defendant, represented by JOHN P. MCSHEA, MCSHEA
LAW FIRM PC.

CERTAINTEED CORPORATION, Defendant, represented by MICHAEL J.
BLOCK, WILBRAHAM, LAWLER & BUBA.

CHAMPLAIN CABLE CORPORATION, Defendant, represented by FRANCIS
MCGILL HADDEN, GIBBONS P.C..

CLEAVER-BROOKS, INC., Defendant, represented by DAVID P. LODGE,
REILLY JANICZEK MCDEVITT, LEAH A. LEWIS, REILLY JANICZEK &
MCDEVITT & SUSAN M. VALINIS, REILLY JANICZEK & MCDEVITT P.C..

COPES-VULCAN, INC., Defendant, represented by TIFFANY F. TURNER,
DICKIE MCCAMEY & CHILCOTE.

CRANE CO., Defendant, represented by G. DANIEL BRUCH, Jr., SWARTZ
CAMPBELL, LLC.

FMC CORPORATION, Defendant, represented by W. MATTHEW REBER,
KELLEY JASON MCGUIRE & SPINELLI & HANNA.

FOSTER WHEELER ENERGY CORPORATION, Defendant, represented by LEROY
J. JANICZEK, REILLY, JANICZEK & MCDEVITT, PC.

GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, Defendant, represented by JOHN P.
MCSHEA, MCSHEA LAW FIRM PC.

GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY, Defendant, represented by MARK
DOUGLAS EISLER, WILBRAHAM, LAWLER & BUBA, P.C. & MICHAEL J. BLOCK,
WILBRAHAM, LAWLER & BUBA.

GOULDS PUMPS, INC., Defendant, represented by MICHAEL L. TURNER,
MARSHALL DENNEHEY WARNER COLEMAN & GOGGIN & JOSHUA D. SCHEETS,
MARSHALL DENNEHEY WARNER COLEMAN & GOGGIN.

GEORGIA PACIFIC CORPORATION, Defendant, represented by KEVIN J.
O'BRIEN, MARKS, O'NEILL, O'BRIEN, DOHERTY & KELLY P.C..

GREENE TWEED & COMPANY, Defendant, represented by DAVID C.
WEINBERG, WILBRAHAM, LAWLER & BUBA & MICHAEL J. BLOCK, WILBRAHAM,
LAWLER & BUBA.

HAJOCA CORPORATION, Defendant, represented by JOHN C. MCMEEKIN,
RAWLE & HENDERSON.

IMO INDUSTRIES, Defendant, represented by JOSEPH I. FONTAK, LEADER
&BERKON LLP.

INGERSOLL RAND COMPANY, Defendant, represented by JOSHUA D.
SCHEETS, MARSHALL DENNEHEY WARNER COLEMAN & GOGGIN.

KAISER GYPSUM COMPANY, INC., Defendant, represented by JOSHUA D.
SCHEETS, MARSHALL DENNEHEY WARNER COLEMAN & GOGGIN.

ROHM AND HAAS COMPANY, Defendant, represented by JOEL D. GUSKY.

RILEY POWER, INC., Defendant, represented by JOAN P. DEPFER,
MARSHALL DENNEHEY WARNER COLEMAN & GOGGIN & JOSHUA D. SCHEETS,
MARSHALL DENNEHEY WARNER COLEMAN & GOGGIN.

SAFETY FIRST INDUSTRIES, INC., Defendant, represented by JOSEPH R.
SCHAPER, MARON BRADLEY & ANDERSON PA.

UNION CARBIDE CORPORATION, Defendant, represented by CATHERINE N.
JASONS, KELLEY JASONS MCGUIRE SPINELLI HANNA LLP & ROBERT N.
SPINELLI, KELLEY JASONS MCGOWAN SPINELLI & HANNA, LLP.

ZURN INDUSTRIES, INC., Defendant, represented by JOSHUA D.
SCHEETS, MARSHALL DENNEHEY WARNER COLEMAN & GOGGIN.


ASBESTOS UPDATE: Asbestos Exposure Still Making People Sick
-----------------------------------------------------------
Robert Jimison, writing for CNN, reported that researchers at the
US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are struggling to
understand why younger populations continue to suffer asbestos-
related medical issues despite efforts to reduce exposure from the
toxic mineral.

According to a report released by the CDC, numbers of deaths
related to malignant mesothelioma increased from 2,479 in 1999 to
2,597 in 2015.

The largest increase was seen in those over 85 years old, but
younger populations continue to be affected.

In those 16 years, 16,914 of the deaths were among people 75 to 84
years old. In the same period, 682 people between the ages of 25
and 44 died of mesothelioma-related problems.

"Although deaths among persons aged less than 35 years are of
concern, we do not have information to understand potential
causes," said Dr. Jacek Mazurek, lead author of the CDC report.

Asbestos refers to six naturally occurring minerals. Because of
their flexibility, resistance to heat and low cost, these mineral
fibers became popular in manufacturing during the 20th century.

Before the 1980s, they were used in home insulation and vehicle
brakes. Commercial products such as hair dryers and cigarette
filters also utilized asbestos.

When handled or damaged, the fibers that form asbestos easily
separate. Particles too small to see with the naked eye can be
inhaled into the lungs.

According to the National Cancer Institute, studies have also
suggested an association between asbestos exposure and
gastrointestinal and colorectal cancers, as well as an elevated
risk for cancers of the throat, kidney, esophagus and gallbladder.

The use of asbestos was widely reduced when it was discovered that
these microscopic fibers could embed in lung tissue, causing lung
diseases and respiratory problems. Built-up fibers can cause
mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer in the lining of the lungs,
chest, abdomen and heart.

Since the 1970s, the Environmental Protection Agency has banned
most asbestos-related products and materials in the United States,
dramatically reducing the amount of asbestos used nationwide.

However, almost 40 years later, people born after the mineral was
banned continue to fall victim to asbestos-related mesothelioma.

"The problem with asbestos exposure is, there are really so many
places where one can be exposed," said Dr. Hedy Kindler, professor
of medicine at the University of Chicago and director of its
mesothelioma program.

Kindler says exposure can occur in many places, with occupational
exposure being one of the most common. "This disease remains
relevant," she said, "and it remains a killer of people who, of no
fault of their own other than doing their job, ere exposed to
something that was preventable."

When working in areas where exposure to asbestos is possible,
protective equipment is a must. The US Department of Labor
requires employers to provide special equipment and additional
training for jobs that have an increased risk of exposure, as well
as medical monitoring.

When it comes to asbestos and mesothelioma today, cases in people
under 50 are declining but not as rapidly as some would like. One
possible reason: Symptoms can take a long time to manifest.

"It can take anywhere from 20 to 50 years from exposure to the
development of mesothelioma," Kindler said, adding that varying
amounts of asbestos exposure over periods of time can also make it
tricky to predict. "You can be exposed at small levels for a long
period or high levels for a brief period." Both circumstances
could lead to a diagnosis of mesothelioma or another lung
disorder.

Additionally, genetics can affect the likelihood of developing
respiratory issues. "This is what we call a gene-environment
interaction," she said. "You still need the asbestos exposure, but
the genetic predisposition can make you more likely to develop
mesothelioma with a lower level of asbestos exposure."

Screening for rare diseases such as mesothelioma is typically not
included in a routine physical examination. However, Kindler
points out that some groups should consider getting screened.

"People who have had a family member who had that disease should
think about getting screened," Kindler said.

But even early detection does not offer much help. "Unfortunately,
proven approaches do not currently exist to improve outcomes
through early detection of malignant mesothelioma," Mazurek said.

Kindler also emphasizes precautions: "We have to make sure that
people who could have been exposed have adequate protection and
are aware of it."


ASBESTOS UPDATE: Libby Victims Watch Fight Over ACA Repeal
----------------------------------------------------------
David McCumber, writing for Montana Standard, reported that Gayla
Benefield was diagnosed with asbestos-related disease in 2001.
Since then, she's lost her husband, who was diagnosed with lung
cancer from asbestos exposure. She lost both parents to the lung
disease asbestosis. And four of her five children have been
diagnosed with the disease.

Now she is one of thousands of sick Libby residents who are
worriedly watching the Washington drama over repealing the
Affordable Care Act. In the balance, she believes, is the way
she'll be able to live the rest of her life.

As the Affordable Care Act was being constructed in 2009,
Montana's Max Baucus just happened to be chairman of the U.S.
Senate Finance Committee.

That put Baucus in a position to do something of lasting value for
the residents of Libby. A decade earlier, the EPA began cleaning
up the massive contamination caused by asbestos from a vermiculite
mine that operated near Libby for more than half a century. More
than 400 people have died from asbestos in the little northwestern
Montana town, and more than 2,000 others have been diagnosed with
incurable, often fatal asbestos-related diseases.

Baucus built three special provisions within the healthcare law
for Libby asbestos victims:

   * Money for a screening program at the community's Center for
Asbestos Related Disease, known as the CARD clinic. Because of the
latency period -- the time between exposure and onset of symptoms
-- nobody knows how many more people in Libby will develop the
disease. More are being diagnosed each year, so the screening
program is vital to the entire town.

   * Anyone diagnosed with asbestos-related disease in Libby is
automatically eligible under the ACA for Medicare, no matter what
age they are.

   * Perhaps most importantly, the healthcare law pays for a pilot
program that provides wide-ranging medical care and home support
not covered by Medicare.

IMPERILED PROTECTIONS

Now many believe those protections are imperiled by the possible
repeal of the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare.

"I'll be frank," Sen. Jon Tester said. "Libby would have had a
hard time getting what it got if it weren't for Baucus's position
at the time. Libby presents huge healthcare challenges."

"It meant so much to me" to insert the Libby provision in the ACA,
Baucus said Saturday. "Libby so deserved it. It would be another
injustice if the Congress were to repeal it."

Baucus, who resigned from the Senate to serve as Ambassador to
China during the Obama Administration, added, "I wish I was still
in the Senate to make sure their health insurance continues."

Currently, Republicans are working on a plan to "repeal and
replace" Obamacare. The provisions of the draft bill are a closely
guarded secret; only one copy of the bill has been provided in a
reading room for Republicans in Congress to look at.

While House Republicans unsuccessfully voted to repeal the
healthcare law more than 50 times during the Obama administration,
the party is deeply divided as to exactly what should replace it.
In recent weeks, as the various Republican factions have feuded
over who would be covered in a new law and exactly what might
replace the current complex system of coverage mandates and
subsidies, polls show that public opinion has shifted in favor of
the current law.

Tester, a Democrat, believes the best hope for Lincoln County
residents is to avoid a full repeal. If the law were merely
modified, not repealed, he thinks there's a better chance that the
provisions Baucus engineered for Libby would survive.

Republican Sen. Steve Daines disagrees. "Obamacare is in a death
spiral -- in Montana, families are seeing insurance hikes that
average between 27 and 58 percent in 2017 alone," he said. He
agrees that "too many Libby families have suffered from the deadly
effects of asbestos exposure" and "those impacted by asbestos must
be taken care of," but he also says that "too many Montanans have
suffered under Obamacare."

Daines added, "It's critical that with repealing and replacing
Obamacare, we work in a bipartisan way to return healthcare
decisions back to Montanans and create solutions that better work
for rural Montana."

"It's very unlikely that this (the Libby provisions) will be
touched by repeal and replace of Obamacare," a Daines spokesperson
said Friday.

Tester is far less sanguine.

"The bottom line is that this is a pretty specific thing," he
says. "We'll never get time on the floor (to get a Libby-specific
fix done). And even under the best of circumstances -- and it
looks like we're going to be far from the best of circumstances --
I don't see how the special provisions for Libby survive a full
repeal."

He said that "we're going to advocate like hell, but it's going to
be tough."

"Bipartisan working ability?" Tester said. "They (Republicans)
aren't even letting all of their own members see the new plan.
They're working in a room protected by armed guards."

LIVING HER LIFE

For Benefield, now in her 70s, the pleural plaquing in her lungs
that was diagnosed 16 years ago is spreading, but she's still able
to function pretty well. The pilot program, she said, is a huge
help.

"It enables me to live in my house," she said. "It's that simple.
It provides me with assistance for my yard work and house work. It
provides me with winter snow-shoveling assistance. I could never
get that done any more."

She added that the pilot program "pays for hospital medications if
you have to go in for observation. Just that cost us a thousand
dollars" when her husband was sick, she said.

Benefield's brother-in-law has been diagnosed with treatable but
inoperable lung cancer, and he has to go back and forth to
Kalispell to see his doctor. The pilot program "pays 55 cents a
mile" for the travel for treatments, she said.

She says being on Medicare provides nighttime oxygen for asbestos-
disease sufferers. "Some of the young people who have it, that
nighttime oxygen gives them the energy to get up and go to work
the next morning," she said. "They'd be lost without it."

Dr. Brad Black runs the Libby CARD clinic. He's extremely worried
about the potential repeal of the Affordable Care Act.

"The liable company (for Libby contamination) evaded the
responsibility of providing healthcare for those affected by
filing bankruptcy in 2002," he said. "In 2009, the EPA declared
its first and only Public Health Emergency."

In response to that declaration, Baucus was able to fashion the
special provisions for Libby.

"Thousands of people have benefited from these programs," Black
said, "receiving the critical healthcare they need to live
successfully despite the health challenges they will face in the
future.

"The loss of these services will decrease access to care, decrease
quality of life for many, and likely result in increased
mortality."

He said he appreciates the efforts of Tester and Daines, and he
plans to keep in close touch with both of them as the issue comes
to a head in Congress.

For Benefield, the threat of losing care for so many in Libby is
disheartening.

"We've fought hard for everything we've gotten," she said, "and we
were so grateful to Max Baucus for what he did.

"Now, I can't believe they're going to kick us in the teeth again.

"Both of my parents died with nothing -- no help from anyone. Do
they really want us to go through that again?"


ASBESTOS UPDATE: Researchers Unsure Why Illness Still Rise
----------------------------------------------------------
Helen Clark, writing for The Marshalltown, reported that
researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
report in a new study that cases of malignant mesothelioma are on
the rise, and they don't understand why.

Malignant mesothelioma is caused by exposure to asbestos, a
substance comprised of six naturally occurring minerals, that was
commonly used before the 1980s in manufacturing, home insulation,
cigarette filters, vehicle brakes and other commercial products.

Asbestos is now considered a dangerous chemical because when the
substance is handled or damaged, airborne fibers can get into the
lungs causing lung disease, respiratory problems and a rare form
of cancer in the lungs, chest, abdomen and heart known as
mesothelioma.

The Environmental Protection Agency banned the use of most
asbestos-related products in the United States beginning in the
1970s due to the health risks associated with it.

The new report from the CDC found cases of malignant mesothelioma
have increased from 2,479 in 1999 to 2,597 in 2015. Overall,
between 1999 and 2015, there were 16,914 deaths from mesothelioma
in people between age 75 and 84, as well as 682 deaths in people
between age 25 and 44.

Scientists are baffled at why people born after asbestos was
banned in manufacturing -- there has been a series of bans enacted
since 1973 -- are still getting asbestos-related mesothelioma.

"Although deaths among persons aged less than 35 years are of
concern, we do not have information to understand potential
causes," Dr. Jacek Mazurek, lead author of the CDC study, told
CNN.

Researchers believe the asbestos exposure in younger people may be
a result of existing asbestos in older buildings and products made
before the ban, but further studies will need to be conducted to
determine if that is true.


ASBESTOS UPDATE: Corporate Spy Infiltrates Anti-Asbestos Network
----------------------------------------------------------------
Michael Gillard and Chris Graham, writing for New Matilda,
reported that in Australia, workers who mined and processed
asbestos were called "Snowmen" because they'd emerge at the end of
every shift covered in the white fibres. The companies who
employed those men -- firms like James Hardie and CSR -- knew that
their product was deadly and caused cancer. They mined it,
processed it and sold it anyway, until the Australian government,
under pressure from the anti-asbestos movement of activists,
unionists and lawyers, acted to protect public health. While
asbestos is now banned in Australia, the industry still thrives
overseas. In particular, growth is strong in our backyard of Asia,
where poor nations are targeted by the new asbestos lobby of
producers, manufacturers and their lawyers, some of whom are
prepared to go to almost any lengths to protect their profits and
peddle their poison. In this special New Matilda investigation,
British journalist Michael Gillard and New Matilda editor Chris
Graham reveal as yet unpublished details of a global spying
operation on Australian and other international activists and
officials, who remain locked in a battle to stop the trail of
death and misinformation in poorly regulated Asian economies.

A shadowy private detective agency hired by a Kazakhstan
multinational company linked to the asbestos industry has been
spying on a United Nations health agency and the international
anti-asbestos movement for the last four years, a New Matilda
investigation can reveal.

Parliamentarians, public health officials, activists, academics,
unionists, scientists and human rights lawyers from the UK to
Australia were targeted between 2012 and 2016.

The global spying operation, codenamed Project Spring, was the
brainchild of K2 Intelligence and run from its London office. It
involved placing a corporate spy at the heart of the anti-asbestos
movement, which for more than a decade has been building gradual
momentum for a world-wide ban on the deadly mineral.

Robert Moore, the spy, posed as a journalist wanting to make a
campaigning documentary about the nefarious activities of the
asbestos industry in Asia, a growth market where the material is
not banned.

However, internal documents reveal that Moore's real mission was
to collect intelligence, which K2 then passed to its publicity shy
client.

The UK courts have granted that client an injunction preventing
them from being named and shamed, because of the reputational
damage. However, that suppression order does not apply to
publications outside the UK.

New Matilda has seen court documents, including a witness
statement by Moore in which he identifies the client as the Kusto
Group, a construction, oil and gas conglomerate owned by oligarchs
from Kazakhstan.

Moore, 50, who was paid almost GBP500,000 in wages and expenses
for his treachery, handed over sensitive documents and filed
secret intelligence reports which helped undermine public health
efforts by the UN's World Health Organisation in Asia, where the
Kusto Group operates.

The espionage scandal has rocked the global anti-asbestos movement
who openly campaign against a bellicose industry, which for
decades downplayed the health risks of exposure to the cancer-
causing fibre and then fought compensation claims brought by
affected workers and communities.

The targets

Moore targeted Laurie Kazan-Allen, the renowned founder of the
International Ban Asbestos Secretariat (IBAS). He saw her as his
way into the wider international network.

"Moore was given a passport resulting from his acceptance by me,"
the 69-year-old American who lives in London said in a witness
statement. "He has misled us and compromised our life's work . . .
I am gravely concerned that through my actions I may have,
unwittingly, compromised the effectiveness and even lives of key
Ban Asbestos activists."

Moore claimed he was "well-connected" and could get funding for
his documentary from prominent comedian friends and a hedge fund,
Kazan-Allen recalled.

"An independent operator making documentaries in support of our
movement seemed a godsend -- too good to be true, we might think
now. Another tool in his arsenal of persuasion was the revelation
that his sister Charlotte Moore was highly placed in the BBC -- in
fact made Controller of BBC1 in 2013," she added.

Kazan-Allen and a high-profile human rights lawyer even donated
almost GBP10,000 to a charity, Stop Asbestos, which Moore set up
as a "cover" to infiltrate anti-asbestos groups in Australia and
Asia. The idea was secretly financed by K2 Intelligence.

In an initial briefing document on Project Spring prepared for K2
by Moore, he also lists individuals and organisations around the
world who he believes may be useful to infiltrate the anti-
asbestos movement.

New Matilda has confirmed at least three Australians -- all of
them union officials active in supporting the push for a world-
wide ban on asbestos -- were approached by Moore.

They are Barry Robson, a former senior official with the Maritime
Union of Australia and the current president of the Asbestos
Diseases Foundation of Australia; Andrew Ramsay, a senior
Queensland official with the CFMEU; and Andrew Dettmer, national
president of the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union.

All three met Moore at an international anti-asbestos conference
in Geneva in May 2015. Robson says Moore infiltrated a circle of
Australian, British, French and Indian officials, who would meet
after each day's sessions for a beer.

"It's so bloody expensive, Geneva. Everyone is on the black
American express cards there. We're just Trade Union officials, so
we were all staying in the same hotel . . . and we couldn't afford
to go anywhere else, so we would meet in the car park of the
Holiday Inn every night. This bloke and his partner would come in
in a caravan selling fish and chips, but also Heineken and
Guinness and red and white wine. That's where would Rob would do
his work."

Robson says Moore would shout drinks, but be careful not to have
too many himself. "He'd sit down, 'Can I buy you a Guinness, blah,
blah, blah. I want to talk about what you're doing back there in
Australia. He'd have a beer -- just the one -- and he'd sit on it.

"What was strange [is that you]never saw him with a notepad. You
can see in the photo the way he worked."

Robson had already met Moore at a conference in Washington a month
earlier in April 2015 and was warned by the organizer to be wary
of the journalist, whose presence had already raised suspicions.
Moore had sat in on a series of filmed interviews with conference
participants Robson recalled.

Andrew Dettmer -- who was part of the group in Geneva -- saw Moore
again at another anti-asbestos conference six months later in
Hanoi, Vietnam.

Court documents reveal Moore reported back to K2 from all three
conferences, although none of the Australian officials he met are
named in the Project Spring briefing document.

Two other Australians, however, are named in Moore's original
target list provided to K2 Intelligence -- John Sutton, the former
head of the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union
(CFMEU), and Robert Vojakovic, president of the Asbestos Diseases
Society of Australia based in Perth. Neither could recall ever
having any contact with him.

The spy company that 'does no harm'

Juls Kroll and his son, Jeremy, founded K2 in New York in 2009.
They claim clients are attracted by the corporate intelligence
agency's "ethical conduct", "integrity" and an ethos of "do no
harm".

The agency employs retired law enforcement and intelligence
officers and freelance journalists to conduct covert operations
for blue chip companies at arm's length.

The golden rules are don't get caught and protect the client.

However, matters unraveled last September when Leigh Day, a London
law firm working for asbestos claimants, was tipped off about
Moore's undercover activities.

Moore is currently being hauled through the UK courts to return
all the confidential information he illicitly obtained from the
law firm and IBAS.

The legal action panicked K2, which successfully obtained an
injunction to prevent the identity of their client, the Kusto
Group, from being revealed.

In a witness statement, K2 would only describe the client as a man
"with interests in the chrysotile (white asbestos) industry". It
said he had a "legitimate" reason to investigate a suspected
"corrupt association" between law firms acting for claimants
suffering from asbestos-related diseases, substitute manufacturers
and activists plotting to "destroy" the chrysotile industry in
India and Asia.

K2's lawyers also told the court that if identified their client
feared "aggressive" retaliation from the anti-asbestos movement
and irreparable reputational damage to other business interests.

Although the UK judge said the client must have been involved with
K2 in "wrongdoing", an anonymity order was granted and reporting
restrictions imposed on the UK media only.

The Kazakhstan connection

Yerkin Tatishev, a 40-year-old Kazak entrepreneur, runs the Kusto
Group. He made his name rescuing the Kostanai and Orenburg
chrysotile mines in Kazakhstan and Russia respectively.

Kusto is headquartered in Singapore and claims a US$1.2 billion
turnover. It has key building material and construction operations
in Vietnam, where campaigners want to ban asbestos, and where
Moore was active. It also owns a major paint supplier in Israel.

Tatishev himself has close links to Kazahk oligarch Mukhtar
Ablyazov, a former politician and banker who stands accused of the
largest fraud in global history. Ablyazov was found by the British
High Court to have stolen at least GBP2.6 billion from Bank
TuranAlem (BTA), Kazakhstan's largest bank, of which Ablyazov was
once Chairman and a major shareholder. At least another GBP3
billion remains unaccounted for.

Tatishev served on the board of BTA with Ablyazov, replacing his
older brother, Yerhan Tatishev, who died in mysterious
circumstances during a hunting trip in 2004. US diplomatic cables
at the time, published by Wikileaks, speculate that the older
Tatishev had helped Ablyazov liquidate his assets and move his
money offshore in the early 2000s, before Ablyazov fled Kazakhstan
claiming political persecution.

Ablyazov -- a key political opponent to autocratic Kazakhstan
president Nursultan Nazarbayev -- was sentenced to 22 months jail
in the United Kingdom in 2012 for perjury, after he was sued by
BTA over the missing billions. He fled England before he could be
jailed, and was eventually arrested in France in 2013, but
released in December last year after finally defeating an
extradition order to Russia.

In 2014, a spokesperson for Yerkin Tatishev publicly denied any
wrongdoing in relation to BTA. Kusto group media consultant Tal
Rabina told Globes magazine in 2014, "Mukhtar Ablyazov was a
member of the board of directors on a bank in Kazakhstan that was
nationalized, together with a representative of the Tatishev
family. At the same time, note that in contrast with the ongoing
investigation against Ablyazov reported in several media, the
entire investigation against other directors in that bank,
including Mr. Tatishev, ended in less than 24 hours, with the
legal authorities there making it clear to those under
investigation that they had found nothing wrong with their
activity, and the issuing of a written character reference. In
order to remove all doubt, in contrast to Ablyazov, the Tatishev
family members and the Kusto group are to this day accepted as
respectable businessmen in Kazakhstan."

According to press reports, in 2014 the Kusto Group was also
investigated on suspicion of money laundering in Israel after
purchasing a paint company at an apparently inflated price -- 500
million sheckels, 200 million more than an offer from previous
talks with a private equity firm -- without allegedly having
conducted any due diligence on the deal. There is no record of any
prosecution of the company or individuals associated with it, and
the Kusto Group has previously denied wrongdoing.

Tal Rabina told Globe magazine: "Both the Azrieli group and the
various banks in Israel examined the Kusto group carefully both
before and after completing the deal for the acquisition of
Tambour. Following the clear findings of these inquiries, which
found that all the sources of the group's money were known and
respectable, not only did they approve the deal, but they even
proposed to finance it, even though the Kusto group intended from
the start to finance the acquisition from its own resources.

"Incidentally, any state authority, such as the Money Laundering
Authority, is obviously obligated to carefully check any
information it obtains. As we have seen in recent affairs,
however, the very transferring of any kind of information to the
Authority, and even an examination of that information, if any was
performed, does not indicate that this 'information' has any real
reliability whatsoever. The group has received no official query
in this matter whatsoever, but if one is received, we will be glad
to cooperate with any authorised party."

Multiple attempts by New Matilda to seek comment from the The
Israel Money Laundering and Terror Financing Prohibition Authority
were unsuccessful.

Robert Moore names Kunin as K2's client in his witness statement.
"Two years ago, I found out that . . . Daniel Kunin was K2's
client. It took me another six months and a second trip to
Thailand to realize he worked for Yerkin Tatishev, the owner of
the biggest mines in Russia and Kazakhstan," he said.

Moore also claimed in the witness statement that Kunin, Kusto's
managing director, first approached K2 in May 2012.

Matteo Bigazzi, an executive managing director in the K2 London
office, then contracted Moore to infiltrate the anti-asbestos
movement. It was his second assignment for K2, but the journalist
was already in the betrayal business.

One of the family

Moore, a Buddhist, claims he first became a corporate spy for hire
in 2007 after an unremarkable television career producing comedy
programmes.

He reinvented himself as a freelance investigative documentary
maker. But this was really a cover to supplement his income by
infiltrating activists and lawyers on behalf of a range of
corporate intelligence agencies he has yet to name.

Moore received his secret orders for Project Spring from Bigazzi
in person or through a Gmail account. Both men had the password to
the account and Moore dropped documents and his reports in the
draft folder, to ensure nothing was ever sent over the Internet.

In one of his first reports, Moore discussed with his K2
controller how to win over Kazan-Allen. "I am confident," he told
Bigazzi, "I can enter this world relatively easily and with a high
level of legitimacy and credibility . . . If I am allowed to
genuinely pursue a story and endeavour to get it commissioned it
would add to my credibility with Kazan-Allen and, more
importantly, the veracity of my cover."

He continued: "The stand out story is the growth of the asbestos
industry throughout Asia . . . how developed countries are pushing
dangerous materials (that we banned) onto poorly educated people
in poorly regulated developing countries. There is lots for a
liberal minded TV producer to get angry about here."

Kazan-Allen said she soon came to see Moore as "one of the
family". Before long, the veteran campaigner was introducing the
spy at conferences in Brussels and Thailand. Moore later travelled
to the US, Canada, India and Vietnam.

Unknown to Kazan-Allen, his real mission was to find out about
potential legal threats from American and British class actions
lawyers, including her brother, who represents US asbestos
victims.

Targeting the UN

Another area of interest was gathering intelligence to neutralise
the push by campaigners to add white asbestos to the UN's list of
materials harmful to human health, thereby requiring producers to
obtain prior informed consent before they can export.

Moore specifically targeted the World Health Organisation (WHO), a
UN agency, and the International Labour Organisation to see if
they were funding law firms connected to IBAN.

In his witness statement, he said K2 instructed him in 2013 to
find out what action WHO was planning to take on white asbestos in
the Philippines and Thailand.

The spy gained the trust of leading health officials who,
convinced of his integrity, later part-funded him to make two
short asbestos films, which helped enhance his cover and access.

"Feedback from the client is very positive and they would like to
continue to mine the WHO vein," Bigazzi wrote in an email dated 19
July 2013.

Confidential access

Robert Moore wormed his way to the centre of the anti-asbestos
movement and by the start of 2015 he was attending key policy and
strategic legal meetings.

K2 had proposed a GBP185,000 budget to the client for the year.
GBP105,000 alone was earmarked for Moore's "monthly retainer".

In the end, Bigazzi informed his spy that the client was only
"prepared to go to the board and ask for a maximum of GBP160,000".
In return, they wanted Moore to focus on WHO, Vietnam, Thailand
and other "pan-Asian intel".

The spy agreed but was keen that K2 did not disclose his identity
to the client in case they inadvertently blew his cover when using
the sensitive intelligence he was providing. "We are now being
given access to the most confidential information that is shared
by an extremely (his italics) small circle. If any of this gets
out we will be exposed," he wrote in February 2015.

By July, Moore appeared particularly jumpy. He reiterated to K2
the risk of discovery. "I think the ramifications would be
particularly serious for us because of the approaches we are
deploying to get inside information from one of the United
Nation's most important agencies," he explained in a covering
email attached to his latest report on WHO.

To further his "cover", in late 2015 Moore set up the Stop
Asbestos charity in the UK. He persuaded well-known campaigners
and lawyers from Leigh Day and Doughty Street chambers to become
trustees.

They believed Moore when he said the charity could raise funds for
his research in Asia. However, in an email to his K2 controller,
he wrote: "I believe we now have a cover that could take us
through to the end of 2016 and visit all the desired destinations
. . .  I have now been invited to meet key parties in Australia."

Dr Barry Castleman, an American expert on asbestos, met Moore at a
conference in Vietnam. The veteran expert witness travels the
world appearing for claimants. He has given evidence for victims
of CSR, the owners of a blue asbestos mine in Wittenoom, Western
Australia once owned by mining magnate Lang Hancock.

In Vietnam, the doctor warmed to Moore after the Brit arranged a
surprise 69th birthday party.

Dr Castleman readily agreed to be a trustee of the charity.

Stephen Hughes, a British Socialist Member of the European
Parliament, was also invited to become a trustee. The now retired
parliamentarian was unaware that Moore had been reporting back to
K2 on his anti-asbestos advocacy in the Brussels parliament.

Moore exposed

As well as spying on asbestos activists, in late 2015 Moore took
on a new paid assignment for K2: to infiltrate Global Witness, a
human rights NGO, and Nigerian anti-corruption campaigners.

K2's client was concerned about a bribery investigation involving
a Nigerian Delta oil licence awarded to Shell and ENI, the Italian
energy firm.

However, after passing several intelligence reports to K2, in June
2016 Moore suddenly revealed that he was a spy. During a meeting
with Simon Taylor, the head of Global Witness, Moore admitted his
corporate espionage for K2. He said he wanted to expose the
asbestos industry and offered to work for the NGO as a double
agent on the Nigerian case.

The offer was refused as Taylor felt Moore could be a triple agent
and couldn't be trusted. Global Witness instead urged him to "come
clean" to all those he was betraying.

Meanwhile, Leigh Day was tipped off because of the risk to the
anti-asbestos movement. In October, the law firm ignored Moore's
pleas not to sue him and launched legal proceedings for misuse of
confidential information. Leigh Day, who is also acting for Laurie
Kazan-Allen, demanded he return documents. So far over 35,000 have
been handed over.

Dr Castleman recalled how Moore admitted spying for K2 when he
confronted him by phone. "But he said along the way he had
developed sympathy and didn't tell them anything they didn't
already know and was really on our side."

Dr Castleman does not buy it. "Rob had been telling me up to that
point he was onto a story connecting Russian oligarchs, Wall
Street and people in London profiteering off asbestos. He never
got round to explaining it and said it was all 'hush hush' the way
you would if you are making stuff up."

It appears that a spooked Moore first started developing an exit
strategy from corporate spying in mid-2015. The plan involved
reinventing himself as a whistleblower, much in the same way that
he had reinvented himself as a campaigning investigative
journalist in order to spy on people since 2007.

The need to get out of spying appears to be driven by a fear his
cover had been blown -- by 2015 some in the anti-asbestos movement
were already beginning to suspect him.

Linda Reinstein, the co-founder of the Asbestos Disease Awareness
Organisation in the US, invited Moore to two of her conferences --
one in 2013, and the second in April 2015 -- after an introduction
by Laurie Kazan-Allen.

It was Reinstein who warned Australian union official Barry Moore
to "be careful".

"There was definitely something amiss first time I saw him,"
Reinstein said. "I watched how he wandered around -- I'm a mum and
a widow and a businesswoman, and I get strange vibes sometimes. I
just knew that he stunk."

At the second conference two years later, Reinstein said Moore
drew even more attention -- and suspicion -- to himself. "He was
taking pictures of everyone there. I told him that in all my years
of organising conferences, I've never had anyone photograph
everyone and every slide. He was out to catch as much data from
our conference as he could get. He played me. He'd get an Oscar
for his role as a spy."

Andrew Dettmer, national president of the Australian Manufacturing
Workers Union, came across Moore twice -- once at an international
conference in Geneva in May 2015, and then six months later in
Hanoi, Vietnam.

Dettmer says that Moore ingratiated himself into a group of union
delegates, before he (Dettmer) was forced to confront him. "At one
stage, I had to take him aside and take him to task. He was
basically trying to get us to do things, putting all these
suggestions forward. At the time, I thought he was doing it for
the purposes of making a more convincing documentary, but of
course now I realize what he was trying to do was . . .  direct us
in particular ways that would potentially open us up to collateral
attacks from the asbestos lobby."

According to a source close to Moore, around this time, his
partner was "worried" about his double life and he was anxious
that his younger sister, the top BBC executive, would be tarnished
by his unmanaged exposure.

So in May 2015, Moore approached a very senior British television
executive from Mentorn Media, a leading production company, with
the idea of making a hard-hitting documentary about the asbestos
industry. He told the executive about his role as a spy but
insisted he must not be outed.

Moore offered to provide inside information on the Kusto group
while drawing wages for spying on the anti-asbestos movement. It
was an offer that raised some very ethical questions.

However, in the one year that Moore engaged with the TV executive,
he produced no hard evidence of anything like the financial
conspiracy story he had spun to Dr Castelman and others. Rather,
the spy went on to set up the bogus charity, Stop Asbestos, and
continued to submit invoices to K2.

In June 2016, the Mentorn executive introduced Moore to a senior
journalist at the BBC's flagship current affairs strand. He too
was underwhelmed by Moore's dossier of evidence and walked away
when the project started to mutate into a fly-on-the-wall
documentary about the spy's journey to redemption. Moore even
envisaged a heroic ending where he is filmed outing himself on
stage at an anti-asbestos conference full of delegates he had
spied on.

The whole scheme is not so surprising given Moore has claimed that
since 2007 some TV companies and broadcasters were aware of his
work as a corporate spy and saw it as a cheap and ethical way to
research programme ideas.

In the end, no hard-hitting film was ever made with Moore about
the asbestos industry. But neither did anyone in television
respond like Global Witness to Moore's confession by alerting
those he was betraying. It is not insignificant that the Judas
journalist's last invoice to K2 was dated October 2016.

Moore told New Matilda: "I remain in an impossible position where
I am prevented from discussing this case due to orders made by the
Court to protect parties to these proceedings. I intend to abide
by those orders. When all the facts can be made public, I will be
in a position to tell the whole truth about these events. When I
do so, I trust that my actions and the reasons behind them will
become clear."

K2 refuses to discuss its clients but has said it will defend the
action brought by Leigh Day in the UK courts.

The Kusto Group has no office telephone number and an email that
does not work. It has, however issued public statements in the
past denying money laundering and any link to the BTA fraud.

Contacts burnt

Retired Australian union official, Barry Robson -- like so many
anti-asbestos campaigners -- bristles with anger at the mere
mention of Robert Moore.

"If I ever see him again, I'll spit in his face. To me it was a
trust thing. You think that he was going to make this documentary
on banning asbestos around the world . . .  I'm so angry about
it," says Robson.

Laurie Kazan-Allen, whose near fatal heart attack Moore reported
back to his paymasters, is bruised but undiminished in her
conviction.

"Let the asbestos profiteers be warned," she said at a recent
conference. "Ours is a legitimate, grassroots campaign supported
by thousands of individuals around the world. Poisoning for
profits is reprehensible, unethical and indefensible. Industry
stakeholders can no longer hide behind their wealth or positions;
you cannot silence those who have stared death in the face as they
watched loved ones die excruciating deaths from asbestos cancer.
Ban asbestos campaigners will not be bullied or deterred from
their efforts to make the world a safer place."


ASBESTOS UPDATE: Report Finds Asbestos Mngt Problems in Schools
---------------------------------------------------------------
A report released in February by the English government finds that
more than 4,600 of 5,500 schools surveyed still contain asbestos
and that too many of them are not following regulations to make
sure that no one is exposed to it. Surviving Mesothelioma has just
published an article on the new report.

Asbestos was a common insulation material and building product
additive in the years after World War II. Tens of thousands of
homes, schools, and public buildings were constructed using the
material which was later linked to pleural mesothelioma,
asbestosis and lung cancer.

According to the new data collection report from the Education
Funding Agency, the rules put in place to minimize mesothelioma
risk as school buildings age are not helping as much as they
could.

"Around 20 percent [of schools] were not fully compliant in that
they did not have fully documented plans, processes, and
procedures in place at the time of the data collection or did not
know if asbestos was present," states the report.

Airborne asbestos fibers in the form of dust are the primary cause
of malignant mesothelioma around the world.

"This UK report should be a red flag to any country with aging
school buildings, including the US," says Surviving Mesothelioma
Managing Editor Alex Strauss. "The best way to prevent
mesothelioma among teachers and students is to ensure that
deteriorating asbestos is not ignored."

To read more about the UK report and the status of asbestos in
American school buildings, see Mesothelioma Risk in Older School
Buildings, now available on the Surviving Mesothelioma website.

Source: "Asbestos Management in School: Data Collection Report",
Education Funding Agency report, February 2017.


ASBESTOS UPDATE: Bedfordshire-based Contractor Fined
----------------------------------------------------
Builder & Engineer reported that Bedfordshire-based contractor
Anthony West has been fined almost GBP3,000 after failing to carry
out suitable assessment of asbestos removal work.

Contracted to complete demolition work at a building in
Biggleswade, West had a pre-demolition asbestos survey carried out
but when a member of the public reported the work, a Health and
Safety Executive (HSE) investigation was launched.

The investigation found that West did not adequately check the
pre-demolition asbestos survey before carrying out the work, and
did not follow advice to use a licensed asbestos removal
contractor.

West, of Earwig Farm House, Pavenham, Bedford pleaded guilty to
breaching sections 5,7,8 and 16 of the Control of Asbestos
Regulations 2012 at Luton Magistrates Court. He was fined GBP2,970
and ordered to pay costs of GBP5,419.

HSE inspector, Alison Outhwaite, said: "The safety failings in
this case could have led to severe illness in later years. West
not only put himself at risk to exposure but potentially to fellow
workers and members of the public walking past.

"Duty holders have the responsibility to ensure that adequate
assessments take place to avoid the risk of asbestos exposure.
This includes checking the accuracy and clarity of any information
provided by others."


ASBESTOS UPDATE: Tidewater Continues to Defend Suits at Dec. 31
---------------------------------------------------------------
Tidewater Inc. is involved in various legal proceedings that
relate to asbestos and other environmental matters, according to
the Company's Form 10-Q filing with the U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission for the quarterly period ended December 31,
2016.

The amount of ultimate liability, if any, with respect to these
proceedings is not expected to have a material adverse effect on
the company's financial position, results of operations, or cash
flows. The Company is proactive in establishing policies and
operating procedures for safeguarding the environment against any
hazardous materials aboard our vessels and at shore-based
locations. Whenever possible, hazardous materials are maintained
or transferred in confined areas in an attempt to ensure
containment if an accident were to occur.

Tidewater is a provider of large offshore service vessels to the
global energy industry.


ASBESTOS UPDATE: Briefing Underway in Calif. Suit v. Lorillard
--------------------------------------------------------------
Briefing is underway on the motion by RJR Tobacco to substitute
itself for Lorillard Tobacco in a lawsuit pending in California,
according to Reynolds American Inc.'s Form 10-K filing with the
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2016.

On July 30, 2014, in Major v. Lorillard Tobacco Co. (Super. Ct.
Los Angeles County, Cal., filed 2011), the jury awarded the
plaintiff approximately $17.74 million in compensatory damages on
the negligence and strict liability claims and found the plaintiff
50% at fault, Lorillard Tobacco 17% at fault, and RJR Tobacco and
another manufacturer collectively 33% at fault. Punitive damages
were not at issue. RJR Tobacco and the other manufacturer had been
dismissed prior to trial. The plaintiffs alleged that as a result
of the use of the defendants' products and exposure to asbestos,
the decedent, William Major, suffered from lung cancer, and sought
an unspecified amount of damages. In August 2014, the trial court
entered an initial final judgment of approximately $3.9 million
against Lorillard Tobacco. On July 1, 2015, the trial court
entered an amended final judgment in the amount of approximately
$3.78 million in compensatory damages, approximately $135,000 in
costs, approximately $1.9 million in prejudgment interest, and
post-judgment interest from August 25, 2014 in the amount of
approximately $1,100 per day. Lorillard Tobacco appealed from the
original and amended judgments, which appeals have been
consolidated, and posted a supersedeas bond in the amount of
approximately $9.1 million. On October 20, 2015, the appellate
court granted RJR Tobacco's motion to substitute itself for
Lorillard Tobacco. Briefing is underway.

Reynolds American Inc., through its subsidiaries, manufactures
tobacco and smokeless tobacco products. The Company's subsidiary
sells its products in the United States and its territories.


ASBESTOS UPDATE: "Parsons" Remains Dormant
------------------------------------------
Parsons v. A C & S, Inc., a class action against asbestos
manufacturers, and U.S. cigarette manufacturers, remains dormant,
according to Reynolds American Inc.'s Form 10-K filing with the
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2016.

In Parsons v. A C & S, Inc. (Cir. Ct. Ohio County, W. Va., filed
1998), the plaintiff brought a class action against asbestos
manufacturers, U.S. cigarette manufacturers, including RJR
Tobacco, Brown & Williamson Holdings, Inc., (B&W), Lorillard
Tobacco Co., and parent companies of U.S. cigarette manufacturers,
including RJR and Lorillard, on behalf of a putative class of
persons who allegedly have personal injury claims arising from
their exposure to respirable asbestos fibers and cigarette smoke.
The plaintiff seeks to recover $1 million in compensatory and
punitive damages individually for her purported injuries and an
unspecified amount for the class in compensatory and punitive
damages. In December 2000, three defendants, Nitral Liquidators,
Inc., Desseaux Corporation of North America and Armstrong World
Industries, filed bankruptcy petitions in the U.S. Bankruptcy
Court for the District of Delaware, In re Armstrong World
Industries, Inc. Pursuant to section 362(a) of the Bankruptcy
Code, Parsons is automatically stayed with respect to all
defendants who filed for bankruptcy. The case remains pending
against the other defendants, including RJR Tobacco and Lorillard
Tobacco, but it has long been dormant.

Reynolds American Inc., through its subsidiaries, manufactures
tobacco and smokeless tobacco products. The Company's subsidiary
sells its products in the United States and its territories.


ASBESTOS UPDATE: Lorillard Faces 78 Filter Cases at Dec. 31
-----------------------------------------------------------
Lorillard Tobacco and/or Lorillard, Inc., n/k/a Lorillard, LLC was
a defendant in 78 Filter Cases as of December 31, 2016, according
to Reynolds American Inc.'s Form 10-K filing with the U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission for the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2016.

Claims have been brought against Lorillard Tobacco and Lorillard
by individuals who seek damages resulting from their alleged
exposure to asbestos fibers that were incorporated into filter
material used in one brand of cigarettes manufactured by a
predecessor to Lorillard Tobacco for a limited period of time
ending more than 50 years ago. As of December 31, 2016, Lorillard
Tobacco and/or Lorillard was a defendant in 78 Filter Cases. Since
January 1, 2013, Lorillard Tobacco and RJR Tobacco have paid, or
have reached agreement to pay, a total of approximately $47.6
million in settlements to resolve 175 claims asserted in Filter
Cases.

Pursuant to the terms of a 1952 agreement between P. Lorillard
Company and H&V Specialties Co., Inc. (the manufacturer of the
filter material), Lorillard Tobacco is required to indemnify
Hollingsworth & Vose for legal fees, expenses, judgments and
resolutions in cases and claims alleging injury from finished
products sold by P. Lorillard Company that contained the filter
material.

Reynolds American Inc., through its subsidiaries, manufactures
tobacco and smokeless tobacco products. The Company's subsidiary
sells its products in the United States and its territories.


ASBESTOS UPDATE: "DeLisle" Remains Pending
------------------------------------------
Both a stay motion in the Florida Supreme Court and a motion to
recall the mandate in the Fourth District Court of Appeal (DCA)
are presently pending in the Filter Case, DeLisle v. A. W.
Chesterton Co., according to Reynolds American Inc.'s Form 10-K
filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for the
fiscal year ended December 31, 2016.

On September 13, 2013, the jury in a Filter Case, DeLisle v. A. W.
Chesterton Co. (Cir. Ct. Broward County, Fla., filed 2012), found
for the plaintiffs on the negligence and strict liability claims;
awarded the plaintiffs $8 million in compensatory damages; and
found Lorillard Tobacco 22% at fault, Hollingsworth & Vose 22% at
fault, and the other defendants 56% at fault. Punitive damages
were not at issue. On November 6, 2013, the trial court entered
final judgment against Lorillard Tobacco in the amount of $3.52
million. Lorillard Tobacco appealed to the Fourth DCA. On
September 14, 2016, the Fourth DCA ordered a new trial because the
trial court erred in admitting certain expert testimony and
concluded that the $8 million compensatory damages award should
have been remitted.  The plaintiffs filed a motion for rehearing
or rehearing en banc, which was denied by the Fourth DCA on
November 9, 2016. The plaintiffs filed an application for
discretionary review by the Florida Supreme Court on December 6,
2016. The Florida Supreme Court has issued a stay of the
proceedings in that court pending its disposition of a pending
application for review in another case.  The matter has not been
stayed in the trial court, and post-appeal motions are pending to
vacate the final judgment and discharge the surety bonds. The
plaintiffs have filed both a stay motion in the Florida Supreme
Court and a motion to recall the mandate in the Fourth DCA, which
motions are presently pending.

Reynolds American Inc., through its subsidiaries, manufactures
tobacco and smokeless tobacco products. The Company's subsidiary
sells its products in the United States and its territories.


ASBESTOS UPDATE: Ford Motor Still Faces Suits at Dec. 31
--------------------------------------------------------
Ford Motor Company continues to face various actions for injuries
claimed to have resulted from alleged exposure to Ford parts and
other products containing asbestos, according to the Company's
Form 10-K filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016.

The Company states: "Asbestos was used in some brakes, clutches,
and other automotive components from the early 1900s. Along with
other vehicle manufacturers, we have been the target of asbestos
litigation and, as a result, are a defendant in various actions
for injuries claimed to have resulted from alleged exposure to
Ford parts and other products containing asbestos. Plaintiffs in
these personal injury cases allege various health problems as a
result of asbestos exposure, either from component parts found in
older vehicles, insulation or other asbestos products in our
facilities, or asbestos aboard our former maritime fleet. We
believe that we are being targeted more aggressively in asbestos
suits because many previously-targeted companies have filed for
bankruptcy, or emerged from bankruptcy relieved of liability for
such claims.

"Most of the asbestos litigation we face involves individuals who
claim to have worked on the brakes of our vehicles. We are
prepared to defend these cases, and believe that the scientific
evidence confirms our long-standing position that there is no
increased risk of asbestos-related disease as a result of exposure
to the type of asbestos formerly used in the brakes on our
vehicles. The extent of our financial exposure to asbestos
litigation remains very difficult to estimate and could include
both compensatory and punitive damage awards. The majority of our
asbestos cases do not specify a dollar amount for damages; in many
of the other cases the dollar amount specified is the
jurisdictional minimum, and the vast majority of these cases
involve multiple defendants, sometimes more than one hundred. Many
of these cases also involve multiple plaintiffs, and often we are
unable to tell from the pleadings which plaintiffs are making
claims against us (as opposed to other defendants). Annual payout
and defense costs may become significant in the future."

Ford Motor Company is a global automotive and mobility company.


ASBESTOS UPDATE: Union Carbide Has $486MM Liability at Dec. 31
--------------------------------------------------------------
Union Carbide Corporation has $486 million asbestos-related
liability for pending and future claims at December 31, 2016,
according to the Company's Form 10-K filing with the U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission for the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2016.

The Company states: "...[T]he Corporation is and has been involved
in a large number of asbestos-related suits filed primarily in
state courts during the past four decades. These suits principally
allege personal injury resulting from exposure to asbestos-
containing products and frequently seek both actual and punitive
damages. The alleged claims primarily relate to products that UCC
sold in the past, alleged exposure to asbestos-containing products
located on UCC's premises, and UCC's responsibility for asbestos
suits filed against a former UCC subsidiary, Amchem Products, Inc.
In many cases, plaintiffs are unable to demonstrate that they have
suffered any compensable loss as a result of such exposure, or
that injuries incurred in fact resulted from exposure to the
Corporation's products.

"The Corporation expects more asbestos-related suits to be filed
against UCC and Amchem in the future, and will aggressively defend
or reasonably resolve, as appropriate, both pending and future
claims.

"Estimating the Liability for Asbestos-Related Pending and Future
Claims

"Based on a study completed by Analysis, Research & Planning
Corporation (now known as Ankura Consulting Group, LLC as a result
of the March 2016 merger of Analysis, Research & Planning
Corporation and Ankura) in January 2003, the Corporation increased
its December 31, 2002, asbestos-related liability for pending and
future claims for a 15-year period ending in 2017 to $2.2 billion,
excluding future defense and processing costs. Since then, the
Corporation has compared current asbestos claim and resolution
activity to the results of the most recent Ankura study at each
balance sheet date to determine whether the accrual continues to
be appropriate. In addition, the Corporation has requested Ankura
to review the Corporation's historical asbestos claim and
resolution activity each year since 2004 to determine the
appropriateness of updating the most recent Ankura study.

"In October 2014, the Corporation requested Ankura to review its
historical asbestos claim and resolution activity and determine
the appropriateness of updating its December 2012 study. In
response to that request, Ankura reviewed and analyzed data
through September 30, 2014. The resulting study, completed by
Ankura in December 2014, estimated the undiscounted cost of
disposing of pending and future claims against UCC and Amchem,
excluding future defense and processing costs, was between $540
million and $640 million through 2029 based on the data as of
September 30, 2014.

"In December 2014, based on Ankura's December 2014 study and the
Corporation's own review of the asbestos claim and resolution
activity, the Corporation determined that an adjustment to the
accrual was required due to the increase in mesothelioma claim
activity compared with what had been forecasted in the December
2012 study. Accordingly, the Corporation increased its asbestos-
related liability for pending and future claims by $78 million,
which was included in "Asbestos-related charge" in the
consolidated statements of income. At December 31, 2014, the
asbestos-related liability for pending and future claims was $513
million, and approximately 22 percent of the recorded liability
related to pending claims and approximately 78 percent related to
future claims.

"In October 2015, the Corporation requested Ankura to review its
historical asbestos claim and resolution activity and determine
the appropriateness of updating its December 2014 study. In
response to that request, Ankura reviewed and analyzed data
through September 30, 2015. In December 2015, Ankura stated that
an update of its December 2014 study would not provide a more
likely estimate of future events than the estimate reflected in
its study and, therefore, the estimate in that study remained
applicable. Based on the Corporation's own review of the asbestos
claim and resolution activity and Ankura's response, the
Corporation determined that no change to the accrual was required.
At December 31, 2015, the asbestos-related liability for pending
and future claims was $437 million, and approximately 21 percent
of the recorded liability related to pending claims and
approximately 79 percent related to future claims.

"In October 2016, the Corporation requested Ankura to review its
historical asbestos claim and resolution activity and determine
the appropriateness of updating its December 2014 study. In
response to the request, Ankura reviewed and analyzed asbestos-
related claim and resolution data through September 30, 2016. The
resulting study, completed by Ankura in December 2016, provided
estimates for the undiscounted cost of disposing of pending and
future claims against UCC and Amchem, excluding future defense and
processing costs, for both a 15-year period and through the
terminal year of 2049.

"Based on the study completed in December 2016 by Ankura, and the
Corporation's own review of the asbestos claim and resolution
activity, it was determined that an adjustment to the accrual was
necessary. The Corporation determined that using the estimate
through the terminal year of 2049 was more appropriate due to
increasing knowledge and data about the costs to resolve claims
and diminished volatility in filing rates. Using the range in the
Ankura December 2016 study, which was estimated to be between $502
million and $565 million for the undiscounted cost of disposing of
pending and future claims, the Corporation increased its asbestos-
related liability for pending and future claims through the
terminal year of 2049 by $104 million, included in "Asbestos-
related charge" in the consolidated statements of income. At
December 31, 2016, the Corporation's asbestos-related liability
for pending and future claims was $486 million, and approximately
14 percent of the recorded liability related to pending claims and
approximately 86 percent related to future claims.

"Estimating the Liability for Asbestos-Related Defense and
Processing Costs

"In September 2014, the Corporation began to implement a strategy
designed to reduce and to ultimately stabilize and forecast
defense costs associated with asbestos-related matters. The
strategy included a number of important changes including:
invoicing protocols including capturing costs by plaintiff; review
of existing counsel roles, work processes and workflow; and
utilization of enterprise legal management software, which enabled
claim-specific tracking of asbestos-related defense and processing
costs. The Corporation reviewed the information generated from
this new strategy and determined that it now had the ability to
reasonably estimate asbestos-related defense and processing costs
for the same periods that it estimates its asbestos-related
liability for pending and future claims. The Corporation believes
that including estimates of the liability for asbestos-related
defense and processing costs provides a more complete assessment
and measure of the liability associated with resolving asbestos-
related matters, which the Corporation believes is preferable in
these circumstances.

"In October 2016, in addition to the study for asbestos claim and
resolution activity, the Corporation requested Ankura to review
asbestos-related defense and processing costs and provide an
estimate of a reasonable forecast of defense and processing costs
associated with resolving pending and future asbestos-related
claims facing UCC and Amchem for the same periods of time that the
Corporation uses for estimating resolution costs. In December
2016, Ankura conducted the study and provided the Corporation with
an estimate of future defense and processing costs for both a 15-
year period and through the terminal year of 2049. The resulting
study estimated asbestos-related defense and processing costs for
pending and future asbestos claims to be between $1,009 million
and $1,081 million through the terminal year of 2049.

"In the fourth quarter of 2016, the Corporation elected to change
its method of accounting for asbestos-related defense and
processing costs from expensing as incurred to estimating and
accruing a liability. This change is believed to be preferable as
asbestos-related defense and processing costs represent
expenditures related to legacy activities that do not contribute
to current or future revenue generating activities of the
Corporation. The change is also reflective of the manner in which
the Corporation manages its asbestos-related exposure, including
careful monitoring of the correlation between defense spending and
resolution costs. Together, these two sources of cost more
accurately represent the "total cost" of resolving asbestos-
related claims now and in the future.

"This accounting policy change has been reflected as a change in
accounting estimate effected by a change in accounting principle.
As a result of this accounting policy change and based on the
December 2016 Ankura study of asbestos-related defense and
processing costs and the Corporation's own review of the data, a
pretax charge for asbestos-related defense and processing costs of
$1,009 million was recorded in the fourth quarter of 2016,
included in "Asbestos-related charge" in the consolidated
statements of income. The Corporation's total asbestos-related
liability, including defense and processing costs, was $1,490
million at December 31, 2016.

"Insurance Receivables

"The Corporation has receivables for insurance recoveries related
to its asbestos liability as well as receivables for defense and
resolution costs submitted to insurance carriers that have a
settlement agreement in place regarding their asbestos-related
insurance coverage. The Corporation continues to believe that its
recorded receivable for insurance recoveries from all insurance
carriers is probable of collection. At December 31, 2016, the
Corporation's receivable for insurance recoveries related to its
asbestos liability was $41 million ($61 million at December 31,
2015).

"Summary

"The Corporation's management believes the amounts recorded for
the asbestos-related liability (including defense and processing
costs) reflect reasonable and probable estimates of the liability
based on current, known facts. However, future events, such as the
number of new claims to be filed and/or received each year and the
average cost of defending and disposing of each such claim, as
well as the numerous uncertainties surrounding asbestos litigation
in the United States, could cause the actual costs for the
Corporation to be higher or lower than those projected or those
recorded. Any such event could result in an increase or decrease
in the recorded liability."

Union Carbide Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Dow
Chemical Company. It operates as a chemical and polymer company
worldwide.


ASBESTOS UPDATE: Union Carbide Has 16,141 Claims at Dec. 31
-----------------------------------------------------------
Union Carbide Corporation has 16,141 (18,778 in 2015) claims
unresolved at December 31, 2016, according to the Company's Form
10-K filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for
the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016. It has 10,450 claims
settled, dismissed or otherwise resolved in 2016 (14,882 in 2015).

The Corporation is and has been involved in a large number of
asbestos-related suits filed primarily in state courts during the
past four decades. These suits principally allege personal injury
resulting from exposure to asbestos-containing products and
frequently seek both actual and punitive damages. The alleged
claims primarily relate to products that UCC sold in the past,
alleged exposure to asbestos-containing products located on UCC's
premises, and UCC's responsibility for asbestos suits filed
against a former subsidiary, Amchem Products, Inc. In many cases,
plaintiffs are unable to demonstrate that they have suffered any
compensable loss as a result of such exposure, or that injuries
incurred in fact resulted from exposure to UCC's products.

UCC had a significant increase in the number of claims settled,
dismissed or otherwise resolved in 2015, resulting from a detailed
review of the status of individual claims and an update to
criteria used to classify claims.

The Company's Asbestos-Related Claim Activity may be viewed at:

                    https://is.gd/qUxNV5

Union Carbide Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Dow
Chemical Company. It operates as a chemical and polymer company
worldwide.


ASBESTOS UPDATE: Dow Chemical Unit has $1.49-Mil. Liability
-----------------------------------------------------------
A wholly owned subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company, had total
asbestos-related liability, including defense and processing
costs, of $1,490 million, according to the Company's Form 10-K
filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for the
fiscal year ended December 31, 2016.

Union Carbide Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of the
Company, is and has been involved in a large number of asbestos-
related suits filed primarily in state courts during the past four
decades. These suits principally allege personal injury resulting
from exposure to asbestos-containing products and frequently seek
both actual and punitive damages. The alleged claims primarily
relate to products that Union Carbide sold in the past, alleged
exposure to asbestos-containing products located on Union
Carbide's premises, and Union Carbide's responsibility for
asbestos suits filed against a former Union Carbide subsidiary,
Amchem Products, Inc.

In 2016, the Company and Union Carbide Corporation ("Union
Carbide"), a wholly owned subsidiary, elected to change the method
of accounting for asbestos-related defense and processing costs
from expensing as incurred to estimating and accruing a liability.
As a result of this accounting policy change, the Company recorded
a pretax charge of $1,009 million for asbestos-related defense
costs through the terminal year of 2049. The Company also recorded
a pretax charge of $104 million to increase the asbestos-related
liability for pending and future claims through the terminal year
of 2049.

In 2014, the Company recorded a pretax charge of $78 million
(reflected in Corporate) for an increase in the asbestos-related
liability for pending and future claims (excluding defense and
processing costs). Union Carbide determined that an adjustment to
the asbestos accrual was required due to an increase in
mesothelioma claim activity compared with what had been previously
forecasted. See Notes 1 and 15 to the Consolidated Financial
Statements for additional information on asbestos-related matters.

The Dow Chemical Company is a diversified chemical company that
provides chemical, plastic, and agricultural products and services
to various essential consumer markets.


ASBESTOS UPDATE: Scotts Miracle-Gro Still Faces Suits at Dec. 31
----------------------------------------------------------------
The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company continues to face cases related to
the use of vermiculite in certain of its products, according to
the Company's Form 10-Q filing with the U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission for the quarterly period ended December 31,
2016.

The Company has been named as a defendant in a number of cases
alleging injuries that the lawsuits claim resulted from exposure
to asbestos-containing products, apparently based on the Company's
historic use of vermiculite in certain of its products. In many of
these cases, the complaints are not specific about the plaintiffs'
contacts with the Company or its products. The cases vary, but
complaints in these cases generally seek unspecified monetary
damages (actual, compensatory, consequential and punitive) from
multiple defendants. The Company believes that the claims against
it are without merit and is vigorously defending against them. It
is not currently possible to reasonably estimate a probable loss,
if any, associated with these cases and, accordingly, no reserves
have been recorded in the Company's condensed consolidated
financial statements. The Company is reviewing agreements and
policies that may provide insurance coverage or indemnity as to
these claims and is pursuing coverage under some of these
agreements and policies, although there can be no assurance of the
results of these efforts. There can be no assurance that these
cases, whether as a result of adverse outcomes or as a result of
significant defense costs, will not have a material effect on the
Company's financial condition, results of operations or cash
flows.

ScottsMiracle-Gro brands provide consumers with a wide-range of
lawn care, garden and home protection products.


ASBESTOS UPDATE: 3M Faces 2,660 Respirator Suits at Dec. 31
-----------------------------------------------------------
3M Company faces numerous lawsuits in various courts that purport
to represent approximately 2,660 individual claimants, majority
alleging personal injury due to the use of mask and respirator
products, according to the Company's Form 10-K filing with the
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2016.

As of December 31, 2016, the Company is a named defendant, with
multiple co-defendants, in numerous lawsuits in various courts
that purport to represent approximately 2,660 individual
claimants, compared to approximately 2,130 individual claimants
with actions pending at December 31, 2015.

The vast majority of the lawsuits and claims resolved by and
currently pending against the Company allege use of some of the
Company's mask and respirator products and seek damages from the
Company and other defendants for alleged personal injury from
workplace exposures to asbestos, silica, coal mine dust or other
occupational dusts found in products manufactured by other
defendants or generally in the workplace. A minority of the
lawsuits and claims resolved by and currently pending against the
Company generally allege personal injury from occupational
exposure to asbestos from products previously manufactured by the
Company, which are often unspecified, as well as products
manufactured by other defendants, or occasionally at Company
premises.

Respirator Mask/Asbestos Liabilities and Insurance Receivables:

The Company annually conducts a comprehensive legal review of its
respirator mask/asbestos liabilities in connection with finalizing
and reporting its annual results of operations, unless significant
changes in trends or new developments warrant an earlier review.
The Company reviews recent and historical claims data, including
without limitation, (i) the number of pending claims filed against
the Company, (ii) the nature and mix of those claims (i.e., the
proportion of claims asserting usage of the Company's mask or
respirator products and alleging exposure to each of asbestos,
silica, coal or other occupational dusts, and claims pleading use
of asbestos-containing products allegedly manufactured by the
Company), (iii) the costs to defend and resolve pending claims,
and (iv) trends in filing rates and in costs to defend and resolve
claims, (collectively, the "Claims Data"). As part of its
comprehensive legal review, the Company provides the Claims Data
to a third party with expertise in determining the impact of
Claims Data on future filing trends and costs. The third party
assists the Company in estimating the costs to defend and resolve
pending and future claims. The Company uses these estimates to
develop its best estimate of probable liability.

3M Company is a technology company. It operates through five
segments. The Industrial segment serves a range of markets, such
as automotive original equipment manufacturer and automotive
aftermarket, electronics, appliance, paper and printing,
packaging, food and beverage, and construction.


ASBESTOS UPDATE: 3M Accrued $595MM Respirator Mask Liabilities
--------------------------------------------------------------
3M Company accrued $595 million for respirator mask/asbestos
liabilities (excluding Aearo Technologies accruals) as of December
31, 2016, according to the Company's Form 10-K filing with the
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2016.

Developments may occur that could affect the Company's estimate of
its liabilities. These developments include, but are not limited
to, significant changes in (i) the key assumptions underlying the
Company's accrual, including, the number of future claims, the
nature and mix of those claims, the average cost of defending and
resolving claims, and in maintaining trial readiness (ii) trial
and appellate outcomes, (iii) the law and procedure applicable to
these claims, and (iv) the financial viability of other co-
defendants and insurers.

As a result of the Company's regular comprehensive legal review
and underlying factors such as the costs of resolving claims of
persons who claim more serious injuries, including mesothelioma
and other malignancies, the Company recorded an expense in 2016
for respirator mask/asbestos liabilities of $69 million. In 2016,
the Company made payments for legal fees and settlements of $62
million related to the respirator mask/asbestos litigation. As of
December 31, 2016 and 2015, the Company had an accrual for
respirator mask/asbestos liabilities (excluding Aearo accruals) of
$595 million and $588 million, respectively. This accrual
represents the Company's best estimate of probable loss and
reflects an estimation period for future claims that may be filed
against the Company approaching the year 2050

The Company cannot estimate the amount or upper end of the range
of amounts by which the liability may exceed the accrual the
Company has established because of the (i) inherent difficulty in
projecting the number of claims that have not yet been asserted or
the time period in which future claims may be asserted, (ii) the
complaints nearly always assert claims against multiple defendants
where the damages alleged are typically not attributed to
individual defendants so that a defendant's share of liability may
turn on the law of joint and several liability, which can vary by
state, (iii) the multiple factors that the Company considers in
estimating its liabilities, and (iv) the several possible
developments that may occur that could affect the Company's
estimate of liabilities.

As of December 31, 2016, the Company's receivable for insurance
recoveries related to the respirator mask/asbestos litigation was
$4 million. As a result of a final arbitration decision in June
2016 regarding insurance coverage under two policies, 3M reversed
its receivable for the insurance recoveries related to respirator
mask/asbestos litigation by $35 million. The Company is seeking
coverage under the policies of certain insolvent and other
insurers. Once those claims for coverage are resolved, the Company
will have collected substantially all of its remaining insurance
coverage for respirator mask/asbestos claims.

3M Company is a technology company. It operates through five
segments. The Industrial segment serves a range of markets, such
as automotive original equipment manufacturer and automotive
aftermarket, electronics, appliance, paper and printing,
packaging, food and beverage, and construction.


ASBESTOS UPDATE: 3M Accrues $19MM for Aero-Related Liabilities
--------------------------------------------------------------
3M Company through its Aearo Technologies subsidiary, had accruals
of $19 million for product liabilities and defense costs related
to current and future Aearo-related asbestos and silica-related
claims, according to the Company's Form 10-K filing with the U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission for the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2016.

On April 1, 2008, a subsidiary of the Company purchased the stock
of Aearo Holding Corp., the parent of Aearo Technologies. Aearo
manufactured and sold various products, including personal
protection equipment, such as eye, ear, head, face, fall and
certain respiratory protection products.

As of December 31, 2016, Aearo and/or other companies that
previously owned and operated Aearo's respirator business
(American Optical Corporation, Warner-Lambert LLC, AO Corp. and
Cabot Corporation) are named defendants, with multiple co-
defendants, including the Company, in numerous lawsuits in various
courts in which plaintiffs allege use of mask and respirator
products and seek damages from Aearo and other defendants for
alleged personal injury from workplace exposures to asbestos,
silica-related, or other occupational dusts found in products
manufactured by other defendants or generally in the workplace.

As of December 31, 2016, the Company, through its Aearo
subsidiary, had accruals of $19 million for product liabilities
and defense costs related to current and future Aearo-related
asbestos and silica-related claims. Responsibility for legal
costs, as well as for settlements and judgments, is currently
shared in an informal arrangement among Aearo, Cabot, American
Optical Corporation and a subsidiary of Warner Lambert and their
respective insurers (the "Payor Group"). Liability is allocated
among the parties based on the number of years each company sold
respiratory products under the "AO Safety" brand and/or owned the
AO Safety Division of American Optical Corporation and the alleged
years of exposure of the individual plaintiff. Aearo's share of
the contingent liability is further limited by an agreement
entered into between Aearo and Cabot on July 11, 1995.

This agreement provides that, so long as Aearo pays to Cabot a
quarterly fee of $100,000, Cabot will retain responsibility and
liability for, and indemnify Aearo against, any product liability
claims involving exposure to asbestos, silica, or silica products
for respirators sold prior to July 11, 1995. Because of the
difficulty in determining how long a particular respirator remains
in the stream of commerce after being sold, Aearo and Cabot have
applied the agreement to claims arising out of the alleged use of
respirators involving exposure to asbestos, silica or silica
products prior to January 1, 1997. With these arrangements in
place, Aearo's potential liability is limited to exposures alleged
to have arisen from the use of respirators involving exposure to
asbestos, silica, or silica products on or after January 1, 1997.
To date, Aearo has elected to pay the quarterly fee. Aearo could
potentially be exposed to additional claims for some part of the
pre-July 11, 1995 period covered by its agreement with Cabot if
Aearo elects to discontinue its participation in this arrangement,
or if Cabot is no longer able to meet its obligations in these
matters.

3M Company is a technology company. It operates through five
segments. The Industrial segment serves a range of markets, such
as automotive original equipment manufacturer and automotive
aftermarket, electronics, appliance, paper and printing,
packaging, food and beverage, and construction.


ASBESTOS UPDATE: Cliffs Natural Still Faces Seamen Claims
---------------------------------------------------------
Cliffs Natural Resources Inc. and certain subsidiaries continue to
be involved in were involved in various claims relating to the
exposure of asbestos and silica to seamen, according to the
Company's Form 10-K filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016.

The Company states: "We also could be subject to litigation for
alleged bodily injuries arising from claimed exposure to hazardous
substances allegedly used, released, or disposed of by us. In
particular, we and certain of our subsidiaries were involved in
various claims relating to the exposure of asbestos and silica to
seamen who sailed until the mid-1980s on the Great Lakes vessels
formerly owned and operated by certain of our subsidiaries. While
several hundred of these claims against us had been combined in a
multidistrict litigation docket and have since been dismissed
and/or settled for non-material amounts, there remains a
possibility that similar types of claims could be filed in the
future."

Cliffs Natural Resources Inc. --
http://www.cliffsnaturalresources.com/-- is an iron ore mining
company based in the United States.


ASBESTOS UPDATE: Celanese Still Faces Exposure Claims at Dec. 31
----------------------------------------------------------------
Celanese Corporation is involved in legal and regulatory
proceedings, lawsuits, claims and investigations incidental to the
normal conduct of business, including asbestos exposure,
according to the Company's Form 10-K filing with the U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission for the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2016.

The Company is involved in legal and regulatory proceedings,
lawsuits, claims and investigations incidental to the normal
conduct of business, relating to such matters as product
liability, land disputes, commercial contracts, employment,
antitrust or competition compliance, intellectual property,
workers' compensation, chemical exposure, asbestos exposure,
taxes, trade compliance, prior acquisitions and divestitures,
claims of legacy stockholders, past waste disposal practices and
release of chemicals into the environment. The Company is actively
defending those matters where the Company is named as a defendant
and, based on the current facts, does not believe the outcomes
from these matters would be material to the Company's results of
operations, cash flows or financial position.

Celanese Corporation -- https://www.celanese.com/ -- exports
chemicals.


ASBESTOS UPDATE: BorgWarner Has 9,400 Asbestos Claims at Dec. 31
----------------------------------------------------------------
BorgWarner Inc. has approximately 9,400 pending asbestos-related
claims as of December 31, 2016, according to the Company's Form
10-K filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for
the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016.

Like many other industrial companies that have historically
operated in the United States, the Company, or parties that the
Company is obligated to indemnify, continues to be named as one of
many defendants in asbestos-related personal injury actions.  We
believe that the Company's involvement is limited because these
claims generally relate to a few types of automotive products that
were manufactured over 30 years ago and contained encapsulated
asbestos.  The nature of the fibers, the encapsulation of the
asbestos, and the manner of the products' use all lead the Company
to believe that these products were and are highly unlikely to
cause harm.  Furthermore, the useful life of nearly all of these
products expired many years ago.

As of December 31, 2016 and 2015, the Company had approximately
9,400 and 10,100 pending asbestos-related claims, respectively.
The decrease in the number of pending claims is primarily a result
of the Company's continued efforts to obtain dismissal of dormant
claims. It is probable that additional asbestos-related claims
will be asserted against the Company in the future.  The Company
vigorously defends against these claims, and has been successful
in obtaining the dismissal of the majority of the claims asserted
against it without any payment.  The Company likewise expects that
the vast majority of the pending asbestos-related claims in which
it has been named (or has an obligation to indemnify a party which
has been named), and asbestos-related claims that may be asserted
in the future, will result in no payment being made by the Company
or its insurers.  In 2016, of the approximately 2,800 claims
resolved, 352 (13%) resulted in payment being made to a claimant
by or on behalf of the Company.  In 2015, of the approximately
5,300 claims resolved, 349 (7%) resulted in payment being made to
a claimant by or on behalf of the Company. The comparatively large
number of claims resolved in 2015 reflected the Company's efforts
to dismiss large numbers of inactive or otherwise unmeritorious
claims in order to be better positioned to evaluate remaining and
future claims, while the smaller number of total claims resolved
in 2016 reflects in part the outcome of those efforts.

BorgWarner, Inc. -- https://www.borgwarner.com/ -- is engaged in
the manufacturing, supplying engineered automotive systems and
components, primarily for powertrain applications.


ASBESTOS UPDATE: BorgWarner Estimates $879.3MM Asbestos Liability
-----------------------------------------------------------------
BorgWarner Inc. estimates $879.3 million aggregate liability both
for asbestos-related claims asserted but not yet resolved and
potential asbestos-related claims not yet asserted as of December
31, 2016, according to the Company's Form 10-K filing with the
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2016.

Through December 31, 2016 and 2015, the Company had accrued and
paid $477.7 million and $432.7 million in indemnity (including
settlement payments) and defense costs in connection with
asbestos-related claims, respectively. During 2016 and 2015, the
Company had paid indemnity and related defense costs totaling
$45.3 million and $54.7 million, respectively. These gross
payments are before tax benefits and any insurance receipts.
Indemnity and defense costs are incorporated into the Company's
operating cash flows and will continue to be in the future.

The Company reviews, on an ongoing basis, its own experience in
handling asbestos-related claims and trends affecting asbestos-
related claims in the U.S. tort system generally, for the purposes
of assessing the value of pending asbestos-related claims and the
number and value of those that may be asserted in the future, as
well as potential recoveries from the Company's insurers with
respect to such claims and defense costs.  As of December 31,
2015, the Company also recorded an estimated liability of $108.5
million for asbestos-related claims asserted but not yet resolved
and their associated defense costs.  The Company further stated
that, as of that date, its ultimate liability could not be
reasonably estimated in excess of the amounts it had then accrued
for claims that had been resolved and the estimated liability for
claims asserted but not yet resolved and their associated defense
costs.  The inability to arrive at a reasonable estimate of the
liability for potential asbestos-related claims that may be
asserted in the future was based on, among other factors, the
volatility in the number and type of asbestos claims that may be
asserted, changes in asbestos-related litigation in the United
States, the significant number of co-defendants that have filed
for bankruptcy, the magnitude and timing of co-defendant
bankruptcy trust payments, the inherent uncertainty of future
disease incidence and claiming patterns against the Company, and
the impact of tort reform legislation that may be enacted at the
state or federal levels.

The Company has continued efforts to evaluate these factors and,
if possible, arrive at a reasonable estimate of the number and
value of potential future asbestos-related claims.  In recent
years, there have been more observable trends in the Company's
claims data that would indicate that claiming patterns against the
Company have stabilized. Concurrently, in recent years, the
Company has made enhancements to the management and analysis of
asbestos-related claims, including specifically: the engagement of
new National Coordinating Counsel with significant asbestos
litigation experience and a global presence, the engagement of
several new local counsel panels; outsourcing administration and
claims handling to a third party; implementing various
improvements in the processing of asbestos-related claims so as to
allow the Company's management to have greater real-time insight
into the handling of individual asbestos-related claims; and
increasing audits and compliance reviews of counsel handling
asbestos-related claims.  This process has as of the end of 2016
resulted in improvements in both the quantity and the quality of
the information available to the Company's management respecting
individual asbestos-related claims and their handling and
disposition. This process has also resulted, in the Company's
view, in an increased ability to reasonably forecast the aggregate
number of potential future asbestos-related claims that may be
asserted against the Company.

The Company has further engaged in a sustained effort to obtain
the dismissal of thousands of dormant asbestos-related product
liability claims, which has resulted in a reduction in the number
of its pending claims by 48 percent over the past few years.
Legislative and judicial developments affecting the U.S. tort
system generally, including medical criteria legislation,
procedural reforms, and docket control measures relating to so-
called unimpaired claims, have also stabilized certain aspects of
the Company's defense efforts respecting asbestos-related claims
and allowed the Company greater insight into the number and value
of potential future claims in recent years.

As part of its review and assessment of asbestos-related claims,
the Company hired a third party consultant in the third quarter of
2016 to further assist in the analysis of potential future
asbestos-related claims.  The consultant's work utilized the
updated data and analysis resulting from the Company's claim
review process and included the development of an estimate of the
potential value of asbestos-related claims asserted but not yet
resolved as well as the number and potential value of asbestos-
related claims not yet asserted.  The Company determined based on
the several factors, including the analysis and input of the
consultant, that its best estimate of the aggregate liability both
for asbestos-related claims asserted but not yet resolved and
potential asbestos-related claims not yet asserted, including an
estimate for defense costs, is $879.3 million as of December 31,
2016.  This liability reflects the actuarial central estimate,
which is intended to represent an expected value of the most
probable outcome. This estimate is not discounted to present value
and includes an estimate of liability for potential future claims
not yet asserted through December 31, 2059 with a runoff through
2067. The Company currently believes that December 31, 2067 is a
reasonable assumption as to the last date on which it is likely to
have resolved all asbestos-related claims, based on the nature and
useful life of the Company's products and the likelihood of
incidence of asbestos-related disease in the U.S. population
generally.

In developing the estimate of liability for potential future
claims, the third-party consultant projected a potential number of
future claims based on the Company's historical claim filings and
patterns and compared that to anticipated levels of unique
plaintiff asbestos-related claims asserted in the U.S. tort system
against all defendants.  The consultant also utilized assumptions
based on the Company's historical proportion of claims resolved
without payment, historical settlement costs for those claims that
result in a payment, and historical defense costs.  The
liabilities were then estimated by multiplying the pending and
projected future claim filings by projected payments rates and
average settlement amounts and then adding an estimate for defense
costs.

The Company's estimate of the indemnity and defense costs for
asbestos-related claims asserted but not yet resolved and
potential claims not yet asserted is its best estimate of such
costs. That estimate is subject to numerous uncertainties.  These
include future legislative or judicial changes affecting the U.S.
tort system, bankruptcy proceedings involving one or more co-
defendants, the impact and timing of payments from bankruptcy
trusts that presently exist and those that may exist in the
future, disease emergence and associated claim filings, the impact
of future settlements or significant judgments, changes in the
medical condition of claimants, changes in the treatment of
asbestos-related disease, and any changes in settlement or defense
strategies. The amount recorded at December 31, 2016 for asbestos-
related claims is based on currently available information and
assumptions that the Company believes are reasonable. Any amounts
that are reasonably possible of occurring in excess of amounts
recorded are believed to not be significant. The various
assumptions utilized in arriving at the Company's estimate the
number of future claims that may be asserted, the percentage of
claims that may result in a payment, the average cost to resolve
such claims, and potential defense costs -- may also change over
time, and the Company's actual liability for asbestos-related
claims asserted but not yet resolved and those not yet asserted
may be higher or lower than the estimate provided herein as a
result of such changes.

The Company has certain insurance coverage applicable to asbestos-
related claims.  Prior to June 2004, the settlement and defense
costs associated with all asbestos-related claims were paid by the
Company's primary layer insurance carriers under a series of
interim funding arrangements. In June 2004, primary layer
insurance carriers notified the Company of the alleged exhaustion
of their policy limits.  A declaratory judgment action was filed
in January 2004 in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois by
Continental Casualty Company and related companies against the
Company and certain of its historical general liability insurers.
The Cook County court has issued a number of interim rulings and
discovery is continuing in this proceeding. The Company is
vigorously pursuing the litigation against all carriers that are
parties to it, as well as pursuing settlement discussions with its
carriers where appropriate.  The Company has entered into
settlement agreements with certain of its insurance carriers,
resolving such insurance carriers' coverage disputes through the
carriers' agreement to pay specified amounts to the Company,
either immediately or over a specified period.

Through December 31, 2016 and 2015, the Company had received
$270.0 million and $263.9 million in cash and notes from insurers,
respectively, on account of indemnity and defense costs respecting
asbestos-related claims.  The Company additionally recorded assets
as of December 31, 2015 in the amount of (i) $168.8 million ,
representing the difference between the $432.7 million in defense
and indemnity costs paid by the Company as of December 31, 2015
for asbestos-related claims and the $263.9 million received from
insurers prior to that date, and (ii) $108.5 million, representing
the then-estimated amount of asbestos-related claims asserted but
not yet resolved for which the Company believes it has insurance
coverage. In each case, such amounts were expected to be fully
recovered.

The Company continues to have additional excess insurance coverage
available for potential future asbestos-related claims.  In
connection with the Company's ongoing review of its asbestos-
related claims, the Company also reviewed the amount of its
potential insurance coverage for such claims, taking into account
the remaining limits of such coverage, the number and amount of
claims on our insurance from co-insured parties, ongoing
litigation against the Company's insurers, potential remaining
recoveries from insolvent insurers, the impact of previous
insurance settlements, and coverage available from solvent
insurers not party to the coverage litigation.  Based on that
review, the Company estimates as of December 31, 2016 that it has
$386.4 million in aggregate insurance coverage available with
respect to asbestos-related claims already satisfied by the
Company but not yet reimbursed by the insurers, asbestos-related
claims asserted but not yet resolved, and asbestos-related claims
not yet asserted, in each case together with their associated
defense costs.  In each case, such amounts are expected to be
fully recovered. However, the resolution of the insurance coverage
litigation, and the number and amount of claims on our insurance
from co-insured parties, may increase or decrease the amount of
insurance coverage available to us for asbestos-related claims
from the estimates.

As a result of all of the foregoing estimates of asbestos-related
liabilities and related insurance assets, the Company in the
fourth quarter of 2016 recorded a charge of $703.6 million before
tax, or $440.6 million after tax, resulting from the difference in
the total liability from what was previously accrued, consulting
fees, less available insurance coverage.

BorgWarner, Inc. -- https://www.borgwarner.com/ -- is engaged in
the manufacturing, supplying engineered automotive systems and
components, primarily for powertrain applications.





                            *********

S U B S C R I P T I O N  I N F O R M A T I O N

Class Action Reporter is a daily newsletter, co-published by
Bankruptcy Creditors' Service, Inc., Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania,
USA, and Beard Group, Inc., Washington, D.C., USA.  Marion
Alcestis A. Castillon, Ma. Cristina Canson, Noemi Irene A. Adala,
Joy A. Agravantefor, Valerie Udtuhan, Julie Anne L. Toledo,
Christopher G. Patalinghug, and Peter A. Chapman, Editors.

Copyright 2017. All rights reserved. ISSN 1525-2272.

This material is copyrighted and any commercial use, resale or
publication in any form (including e-mail forwarding, electronic
re-mailing and photocopying) is strictly prohibited without prior
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Information contained herein is obtained from sources believed to
be reliable, but is not guaranteed.

The CAR subscription rate is $775 for six months delivered via
e-mail. Additional e-mail subscriptions for members of the same
firm for the term of the initial subscription or balance thereof
are $25 each. For subscription information, contact
Peter A. Chapman at 215-945-7000 or Nina Novak at 202-362-8552.



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