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Marianne Spencer

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Marianne Spencer is an associate in the firm’s Washington, DC office, where her practice focuses on class actions and complex civil litigation. She has defended clients in the financial services, sports, pharmaceutical, and technology industries against class actions in state and federal courts across the country.

Marianne previously served as a law clerk to the Honorable Steven M. Colloton on the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. She maintains an active pro bono practice focused on civil rights and housing issues.

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The Supreme Court recently granted certiorari in a case to resolve a circuit split that has serious implications for companies who are unsuccessful in their efforts to enforce arbitration provisions in federal district courts. 

In Coinbase, Inc. v. Bielski, No. 22-105, the defendant moved to compel arbitration in two putative class actions.  The motions to compel were denied, and the defendant sought stays while it appealed the denials—which the Federal Arbitration Act gives defendants an automatic right to do.  See 9 U.S.C. § 16.  Both motions to stay were denied, and the Ninth Circuit affirmed both decisions.…

Continue Reading SCOTUS Set to Resolve Circuit Split over Stays Pending Arbitration Appeal

Banks, lenders, and other financial institutions who submit information to credit reporting agencies should take note of a recent Third Circuit decision adopting a “reasonable reader” standard for evaluating whether a credit report was inaccurate or misleading under Fair Credit Reporting Act (“FCRA”).…

Continue Reading Third Circuit Adopts “Reasonable Reader” Standard to Evaluate FCRA Claims.

On May 23, 2022, the Supreme Court unanimously held that a party opposing arbitration is not required to demonstrate prejudice to show that the other party has waived its contractual arbitration rights. 

Before today’s decision, nine federal courts of appeals had adopted the rule that a “party can waive its arbitration right by litigating only when its conduct has prejudiced the other side.”  Morgan v. Sundance, 596 U.S. __ (2022).  Two other circuits had held no showing of prejudice was required.…

Continue Reading Supreme Court Decision Makes It Easier to Waive Right to Arbitration