Michael Pendell & Chelsea Monroe | New Mexico v. Meta Platforms Inc. | $942 Million Awarded

Steve Lowry sits down with Motley Rice partners Michael Pendell and Chelsea Monroe about State of New Mexico/DOJ v. Meta Platforms, Inc., which produced a $375 million jury verdict for Unfair Practices Act violations and a $567 million bench-trial public nuisance abatement award, totaling $942 million.

CASE SUMMARY:

The case, brought by New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez, alleged Meta designed and operated its platforms with inadequate protections that enabled predators to find, groom, and exploit vulnerable children. The complaint asserted multiple violations of the state’s Unfair Practices Act, supported by claims that defendants misrepresented or omitted material facts about the risks their products posed to minors. Motley Rice served as trial counsel for the State of New Mexico. (READ MORE)

GUEST BIOS

CHELSEA L. MONROE: Chelsea Monroe represents victims of defective medical devices, medical drugs and cosmetic products, as well as families and communities harmed by toxic exposure.

Specifically, Chelsea’s casework focuses on women’s health issues. She is a member of the Leadership Development Committee in MDL 3060 In re: Hair Relaxer Marketing Sales Practices and Products Liability Litigation in the Northern District of Illinois. The thousands of plaintiffs in the MDL argue they developed gynecological cancers after using certain chemical hair relaxers. They assert defendant manufacturers failed to adequately test the products and warn customers about potential harms. (READ MORE)

MICHAEL J. PENDELL: Michael Pendell is a trial lawyer who represents people affected by corporate wrongdoing, including whistleblowers, people harmed by tobacco, prescription medications, dangerous medical devices, and victims of international terrorism.

He also represents pension fund trustees and other institutional investors in securities, consumer fraud, and other complex class actions. Michael served as trial counsel in a number of prescription opioid lawsuits representing dozens of governmental entities, including states, cities, and counties in litigation against several pharmaceutical drug manufacturers and distributors for the alleged deceptive marketing and distribution of highly addictive prescription opioids. (READ MORE)

LINKS FROM THE EPISODE:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/motleyricelaw/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MotleyRice

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/motley-rice/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MotleyRice

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Production Team:

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FIND A FAVORITE SPOT IN THIS EPISODE:

00:00 Welcome and Guests

01:39 Meet Michael Pendell

03:19 Meet Chelsea Monroe

04:15 Motley Rice Tribute

05:08 Case Verdict Breakdown

06:10 What Meta Did Wrong

08:59 How Damages Were Calculated

11:56 Phase Two Public Nuisance

15:25 Injunctions and COPPA

20:07 Building the Trial Machine

23:01 Parallel California Trial

25:54 Shocking Evidence and Whistleblowers

34:14 Whistleblower Culture Shift

36:05 Section 230 Strategy

39:53 Jury Selection Reality Check

44:19 Focus Groups And Timing

46:29 Meta Defense Tactics

50:08 Mosseri Safety Slipup

53:55 Appeals And Wrap Up