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Pure self-interest seemingly motivates parties in the adversarial system; but insurance presents a twist on that common understanding when it comes to litigation over coverage. That is because courts have held that a coverage action does not terminate certain obligations existing between an insured and its insurer ' even with respect to the particular claim at issue in the coverage dispute. With increasing frequency, aggressive attorneys representing policyholders argue that, despite traditional common law or statutory litigation and settlement privileges and protections, an insurer's conduct during a coverage lawsuit should be scrutinized with the aim of identifying evidence of 'bad faith' that can be used against the insurer.
The widespread use of arbitration in insurance and reinsurance disputes was intended to allow parties to resolve complex disputes quickly and efficiently by having persons with knowledge of the specialized terminology, standards, and practices of the insurance industry act as decision makers. This aspiration has been superseded by protracted and voluminous discovery, continual delays and postponements, extensive briefing, and lengthy hearings. In essence, all of the foibles of litigation have crept into the world of arbitration, leaving the insurance industry once again in search of an efficient method to resolve disputes.
The recently released final FTC Rule ('New Rule') on franchising is notable not only for the revised disclosure requirements in Items 1 through 23, but also for the changes it makes to the franchise disclosure process.
Let's not be overly critical of the Amended FTC Disclosure Rule, which was promulgated in January 2007 after being 10 years in the development stage. As Stephen Toporoff of the Federal Trade Commission ('FTC') has convinced me in recent discussions, amending a federal regulation is an arduous task. In this instance, it required an extensive amount of background research on the history of the original Disclosure Rule, several hearings, careful review of the hundreds of comments, careful examination of the UFOC Guidelines and their origins and assumptions, comparing them with the original Disclosure Rule's format, and testing in many cases the care and thought that went behind the original language of the UFOC Guidelines. The Amended Disclosure Rule was no shot from the hip. In light of this background information, and considering simply the politics of federal agencies, it is not very surprising that it took a decade for the FTC to issue the Amended Disclosure Rule.
No one in the federal government is more closely associated with the New Franchise Rule ('New Rule' or 'amended Rule') than Steven Toporoff, franchise program coordinator, Federal Trade Commission ('FTC'). Since the review process began more than a decade ago, Toporoff has fielded comments about how the Commission can improve franchising regulations for the benefit of franchisors, franchisees, and prospective franchisees. Now, with the New Rule released in final form, Toporoff has the dual challenges of educating the franchise industry and consumers about the new provisions, while also ensuring compliance with its standards. In this Q&A, FBLA speaks with Toporoff about what the New Rule contains (and does not contain), and how the FTC is reaching out to the franchise industry to ensure a smooth transition over the next 16 months.
On Jan. 22, 2007, after more than a decade of study, the FTC released its long-anticipated new Federal Trade Commission Rule on Franchising (the 'New Rule'). The New Rule comes into effect on a voluntary basis on July 1, 2007, with compliance becoming mandatory on July 1, 2008. Additional compliance guides are expected by July 1, 2007. Franchisors will have to make significant changes to their existing disclosure documents and follow new rules for how and when they are delivered to prospective franchisees.