A free and fair marketplace is crucial to the safety and well-being of our state and country. When transnational corporations violate the rules, Sugerman Dahab stands up for consumers.
Scharfstein v. BP West Coast Products, LLC, No 1112-17046 (Multnomah Cnty. Cir. Ct.)
Across Oregon, ARCO gas stations and am-pm minimarkets charged consumers an illegal debit card charge 13,000 times a day. Over 2 million consumers were overcharged. David led a team of talented lawyers in what is widely recognized as a landmark consumer protection case. David and team tried the case to a jury and obtained a judgment in excess of $400 million. The case was fully affirmed on appeal. Years later, BP settled, and the settlement resulted in a payment of $185 to each overcharged consumer. Unclaimed funds from the case provided $80 million in funding to Oregon Legal Aid and $80 million to start a new consumer protection center, Oregon Consumer Justice.
Surrett v. Western Culinary Institute, No. 0803-03530 (Multnomah Cnty. Cir. Ct.)
It took a total of 12 years, but along with co-counsel, David successfully represented former students of a predatory, for-profit trade school in class actions under the Oregon Unlawful Trade Practices Act. The school, which was owned by Career Education Corporation, falsely advertised its training and placement rates. Students who purchased costly culinary training were refunded between 44 and 50 percent of their tuition.
Stewart v. Albertsons, Inc., No. 16CV15125 (Multnomah Cnty. Cir. Ct.)
Sugerman Dahab leads a talented team of consumer protection lawyers as we take on a predatory practice at Oregon Safeway stores. Every day, 365 days a year, Oregon Safeway puts various meat products on sale, marking them “Buy one, get one free.” Sometimes they even make it “Buy one, get two free.” But there is nothing “free” about it, as Safeway stores routinely raised the unit price of meat before putting it on sale. The case is ongoing.
Civelli v. CenturyLink Communications, LLC, No. 3:23-cv-01739-AN (D. Or.)
CenturyLink aggressively marketed residential internet service with an attractive offer: a “price for life.” Consumers were told that if they signed up and stayed current on their accounts, prices would not increase for as long as consumers kept the CenturyLink internet service. Then, CenturyLink raised prices.
In this ongoing case, Sugerman Dahab, alongside Tim Quenelle and Tycko & Zavareei LLP, represent a proposed class of CenturyLink consumers seeking damages in federal court. CenturyLink profited from their “price for life” offer. It must stand behind its representations and keep its promises.
Blumm v. Northwest Natural Gas Co., No. 24CV48490 (Mult. Cnty. Cir. Ct.)
In October 2024, Sugerman Dahab, along with colleagues at FarmSTAND, filed a greenwashing class action complaint against Northwest Natural Gas Company, an Oregon utility. The case takes on the utility’s Smart Energy Program and Northwest Natural Gas’s marketing of “renewable natural gas.” Northwest Natural Gas Company’s customers pay additional monthly fees to “offset their carbon emissions” through the utility’s Smart Energy Program.
In the case, consumers claim that Northwest Natural Gas Company’s representations are false; consumers are not, in fact, offsetting their carbon emissions. Instead, the utility is taking money from consumers who think they are doing the right thing to fight climate change. Consumers seek refunds because Northwest Natural Gas misrepresented its program and broke its promises to consumers. Plaintiffs allege claims under Oregon’s Unlawful Trade Practices Act
Bohr v. Tillamook County Creamery Association, 19CV36208 (Mult. Cnty. Cir. Ct.)
For years, Tillamook Creamery marketed its artisan cheeses as products of the small family farms of Tillamook County. The images, ads, and marketing materials highlighted dairy cows on verdant pastures under the blue skies of the Tillamook Valley.
In truth, two-thirds of Tillamook’s milk comes from a mega-dairy, where cows are kept 24/7 in crowded, unsanitary conditions. Sugerman Dahab, alongside Animal Legal Defense Fund, represents consumers who challenge Tillamook Creamery’s misrepresentations as a violation of Oregon’s Unlawful Trade Practices Act. The case is currently pending in the Oregon Supreme Court.