Meegan is a trial lawyer who has been defending and advising retailers, hospitality companies and product manufacturers for her entire career.
The bread and butter of her practice is defending retailers against consumer class actions alleging unfair or deceptive business practices, most often involving false advertising, privacy and automatic renewal issues. She has defended many dozens of these cases across the country throughout her career. Many of her cases have involved products in FDA-regulated industries, including cosmetics, food/beverage and drugs/medical devices. Retailers also regularly call on her to defend and advise them on matters involving new and rapidly evolving issues—most recently, the use of session replay technology, social media pixels and data cooperatives. Outside of the consumer class action context, Meegan has also defended numerous cases brought by government enforcers, including winning at trial in a deceptive pricing case brought by the People of California, and representing clients in investigations and subsequent litigation brought by other local and state enforcers, including the California Automatic Renewal Taskforce and Greenwashing Taskforce.
Additionally, Meegan serves as outside marketing counsel for dozens of retailers. She offers practical, actionable and litigation-minded advice on issues including pricing and promotional advertising, environmental and other ESG claims, "Made in the USA" labels, automatic renewal laws, sponsored endorsements, sweepstakes and contests, and textile disclosures. Meegan has been designated as a Certified Information Privacy Professional, United States (CIPP/US) by the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP), and is frequently called on to speak and write about privacy-related trends impacting the retail industry.
Previously, Meegan served as an extern for the Federal Public Defender for the Western District of Washington. While there, she worked on some of the office's highest-profile cases, including a terrorism case that reached the United States Supreme Court.
*Matter handled prior to joining Benesch.
Representative Experience
- In support of a motion to dismiss based on feigned injury, secured prompt voluntary dismissal after introducing video surveillance footage showing Plaintiff taking photographs and videos of in-store price displays at the time she was allegedly duped into making a purchase.*
- Engaged by largest retailer industry group in the country to prepare comments on updates to the FTC’s Endorsement Guides.*
- Defended more than 40 class actions across the country alleging deceptive pricing practices with an unmatched track record, including winning at trial, summary judgment, defeating class certification, and multiple appeals.*
- Representing multiple retailers with respect to investigations by California’s “Greenwashing Taskforce” into their advertising of biodegradable and plastic-free products.*
- Acting as outside marketing counsel for several household names, which routinely involves reviewing and revising pricing policy; advising on online and in-store marketing campaigns; representing the company in government actions for weights and measures violations; advising on changes to return policy; advising on changes to website’s terms and conditions; and advising on influencer negotiations and related agreements.*
- Defended more than 100 retailers in more than 200 filed or threatened lawsuits nationwide alleging violations of federal and state disability laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), California’s Unruh Act, and New York’s Human Rights Law. Met with the Department of Justice in Washington, DC to discuss potential legislative solutions to this onslaught of litigation.*
- Representing multiple e-commerce companies with respect to investigations by the California Auto Renewal Taskforce (CART) into their subscription programs.*
- Defending fifteen retailers against claims brought under the federal Wiretap Act and California’s Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA) concerning the alleged recording of chat conversations, use of session replay technology, and use of the Facebook Pixel.*
- Defended a dozen putative class action alleging that the sale of customer information to data cooperatives and list brokers, who in turn sold their information to telemarketers and other advertisers without notice or their consent, in violation of state law.*
- Defended the largest cosmetics company in North America in four putative class actions in both federal and state court concerning advertising representations made in relation to its branded cosmetic products.*