Average law firm partner rates increased by 4.5% in 2022, the highest increase since CounselLink launched its Annual Trends Report in 2013; “Largest 50” firms continue to increase market share
RALEIGH, N.C., May 22, 2023 — Law firm billing rates rose faster last year than they have in a decade, an exclusive new report from LexisNexis® CounselLink®has found.
The average partner rate increased by 4.5% (compared to 3.4% in 2021 and 3.5% in 2020). Average rate increases were up compared to 2021 in all law firm tiers and practice areas.
“Inflation affected most sectors of the economy in 2022, and legal services were no exception,” said Pam Gelfond, VP and GM of LexisNexis Legal Business Solutions. “We hope our report can help the legal community understand where costs are rising fastest, and we know our tools can help them successfully navigate what’s ahead.”
The CounselLink trends report, now in its tenth year, draws on CounselLink’s extensive database of over $52 billion in legal spending across more than 420,000 timekeepers and more than 1.4 million matters. It provides detailed insights on seven key metrics, including law firm consolidation, alternative fee arrangements, and hourly rates by practice area, firm size, and location.
“This report furthers CounselLink’s mission of providing corporate decision-makers with world-class solutions to inform their legal staffing choices,” Gelfond added.
The report’s other key findings include:
Partners from the largest firms (those with more than 750 lawyers) charged 46% more on average than partners from the next tier of firms (501-750 lawyers). That gap has narrowed from 54% in 2021, primarily because rate increases for partners in the second tier of firms outpaced those of partners in larger firms.
The “Largest 50” firms increased market share from 44.8% in 2021 to 47.3% in 2022, with the largest gains coming in Corporate, Regulatory & Compliance, and Real Estate practice areas.
High numbers of billers are performing minimal work on any given matter. On average, 37% of lawyers working on a matter will bill fewer than five hours to it.
Corporate counsel can mitigate individual attorney rate increases by adjusting staffing mix. For example, even though the median M&A partner rate increased by 6.4% in 2022, the median M&A blended average rate was flat compared to the prior year.
“Corporate legal departments are facing increasing pressure to do more with less. Our latest CounselLink Trends Report provides insights that can be leveraged to negotiate fees, utilize different law firms, and inform staffing decisions,” said Gelfond. “We’re excited to also provide new analysis this year on the number of lawyers billing per matter. The CounselLink benchmarking database is a gold mine, and we continue to look for new ways to harness the information contained in it to help legal departments improve performance.”
LexisNexis® CounselLink® is a leading enterprise legal and contract lifecycle management solution designed to help corporate legal departments gain 100% visibility into their work, matters, contracts, vendors, and financials. CounselLink delivers Work Management, Financial Management, Matter Management, Contract Lifecycle Management, and Vendor Management solutions in one easy-to-use, cloud-based platform for controlling costs, maximizing productivity, and making better decisions — all supported by powerful analytics that provides data to demonstrate legal department value across the enterprise. For nearly 30 years, LexisNexis has been providing innovative solutions for corporate legal departments crafted from the insights of thought leaders, industry expertise, and customer feedback. Discover more about CounselLink online at https://counsellink.com.
About LexisNexis Legal & Professional LexisNexis
LexisNexis Legal & Professional® provides legal, regulatory, and business information and analytics that help customers increase their productivity, improve decision-making, achieve better outcomes, and advance the rule of law around the world. As a digital pioneer, the company was the first to bring legal and business information online with its Lexis® and Nexis® services. LexisNexis Legal & Professional, which serves customers in more than 150 countries with 11,300 employees worldwide, is part of RELX, a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers.
2023 cohort includes 15 students from six colleges in the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Law School Consortium
NEW YORK — LexisNexis Legal & Professional® today announced the third cohort of 15 students for its LexisNexis African Ancestry Network & LexisNexis Rule of Law Foundation Fellowship program. New this year, the program will take a team-based approach, focusing on five projects that eliminate systemic racism and create greater equity and accessibility in the U.S. legal system. To further drive the impact of the program, LexisNexis has created corporate sponsorship opportunities, enabling law firms and corporations to demonstrate their commitment to inclusion and diversity, gain access to diverse HBCU law school talent, and help increase equity in the legal system. Reed Smith is the first law firm to sponsor the program.
This year’s fellows were selected from a large and competitive applicant pool representing all six law schools that comprise the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Law School Consortium (HBCULSC). The 2023 cohort includes:
Florida A&M University College of Law: Jai’Ehir Jackson-Hawkins and Veronica Alba
Howard University School of Law: Morigan Tuggle, Lauren Fleming, and Favour Okhuevbie
North Carolina Central University School of Law: Zaria Graham and Larry Futrell
Southern University Law Center: Qwantaria Russell, Tatiyana Brown-Harper, Skylar Dean, Jaylon Denkins, and Whitney Triplet
Thurgood Marshall School of Law: Christian Wolford
University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law: Imani Roberson and Paul Campbell
“We are striving to increase the representation of diverse legal practitioners in prestigious and lucrative fields of law by providing HBCU law school students with additional professional development, career support, and industry exposure to ensure their access to opportunities,” said Adonica Black, Director, Global Diversity and Inclusion at LexisNexis Legal & Professional. “This year our cross-departmental team of LexisNexis employees took a deep dive into the research published by the first two Fellowship cohorts and identified five specific areas of focus in which we believe we can make a meaningful impact.”
“Supporting talented and deserving law students at HBCUs with the resources to fulfill their potential is critically important in breaking down the systemic barriers that have denied opportunities to far too many,” said Reggie McGahee, Reed Smith’s Global Head of Diverse Recruiting. “Reed Smith’s support of the LexisNexis African Ancestry Network & LexisNexis Rule of Law Foundation Fellowship program is one example of how collaboration within the legal industry can provide the resources necessary to move the profession in the direction of inclusion, equality and equity. As a firm, and as members of the larger community, we remain committed to this worthy cause.”
The five projects selected by LexisNexis include:
The Gavel League: An App Providing Legal Education to Children and Adolescents
I, Too, Sing America: Uncovering Untold U.S. History Through the Law
Technology Solutions to Alleviate Racial Bias in Jury Selection
Pathways to Practice Pipeline: Building Bridges for HBCU Students to Legal Fields Lacking Diversity
Law Clinic Support Tools & Resources to Combat Systemic Racism in the Legal System
The cohort will participate in an annual Fellowship Innovation Retreat in Raleigh where they will partner with the LexisNexis product team to uncover how technology can accelerate equity in the legal system by utilizing LexisNexis products to bolster their projects. Additionally, the fellows will provide reciprocal consultative feedback to the product team on ways to further innovate for equity.
The LexisNexis Fellowship Program was launched in 2021 by the African Ancestry Network (AAN) and LexisNexis Rule of Law Foundation as a part of LexisNexis’ commitment to eliminate systemic racism in legal systems and build a culture of inclusion and diversity at the company. The program was created in partnership with the National Bar Association and the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Law School Consortium (HBCULSC).
“Our vision is that we can make the world a better place for everyone by advancing the rule of law for everyone,” said Ian McDougall, President of the LexisNexis Rule of Law Foundation. “It’s exciting to see LexisNexis marshaling its resources, and the dedication of its people, to make a practical, tangible impact on the rule of law – and on the lives and careers of its fellows.”
Each fellow is awarded $10,000 and spends nine months engaging in a unique experience to accelerate their career, develop their leadership skills, and create opportunities to make a real difference. As in previous years, LexisNexis employees will mentor and work with fellows on their projects with the shared goal of implementing solutions to eliminate systemic racism in our legal system while advancing the four key elements of the rule of law — equality under the law, transparency of law, an independent judiciary, and accessible legal remedy.
At the culmination of the fellowship, fellows will present the results of their projects to LexisNexis executives, employees, HBCULSC deans, and program sponsors at the annual LexisNexis Equity in the Law Symposium.
Editor’s Note: Photos of the 2023 Fellowship cohort are available upon request.
About LexisNexis Legal &Professional
LexisNexis® Legal & Professional provides legal, regulatory, and business information and analytics that help customers increase their productivity, improve decision-making, achieve better outcomes, and advance the rule of law around the world. As a digital pioneer, the company was the first to bring legal and business information online with its Lexis® and Nexis® services. LexisNexis Legal & Professional, which serves customers in more than 150 countries with 11,300 employees worldwide, is part of RELX, a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers.
The African Ancestry Network (AAN) is organized as an official network for employees of African descent at RELX. AAN embraces RELX corporate diversity initiatives aimed at improving the company’s competitiveness by increasing the representation, development, promotion, and retention of black employees.
About LexisNexis Rule of Law Foundation
LexisNexis Rule of Law Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which has the mission to advance the rule of law around the world. The foundation efforts focus on the four key elements of the rule of law: transparency of the law, accessible legal remedy, equal treatment under the law, and independent judiciaries.
Media Contacts
Dana Greenstein
Director of Corporate Communications, North America & UK
LexisNexis Legal & Professional
212-448-2163 dana.greenstein@lexisnexis.com
AMSTERDAM— 22 mei 2023— LexisNexis® Legal & Professional heeft vandaag de lancering aangekondigd van Nexis® Hub, een nieuwe tool die elke onderzoeksworkflow ondersteunt om zo sneller tot nieuwe inzichten te komen. De innovatieve oplossing, ontwikkeld om te voldoen aan de behoeften van drukke professionals, kan worden geïntegreerd met Google Chrome en Microsoft Word om gebruikers te helpen het complexe en tijdrovende proces van het verzamelen van onderzoek en het maken van rapporten te stroomlijnen.
“In het afgelopen jaar hebben we met honderden professionals gesproken over hun onderzoeksproces en hun feedback was dat ze hulp nodig hadden bij het sneller en efficiënter verzamelen en rapporteren van inzichten”, aldus Dani McCormick, Vice President Product. “Nexis Hub vereenvoudigt de onderzoeksworkflow aanzienlijk, waardoor gebruikers efficiënter informatie kunnen verzamelen en organiseren in bewerkbare rapporten, zodat ze minder tijd besteden aan handmatige taken en meer tijd aan de zo belangrijke data-analyse.”
Nexis Hub geeft drukke zakelijke professionals de mogelijkheid om belangrijke informatie – samen met bijbehorende URL’s en metadata – te verzamelen van elke nieuwsbron, waaronder een verscheidenheid aan Nexis-producten en op internet, deze te ordenen in collecties en bevindingen te integreren in rapporten. Hiermee kunnen Nexis Hub-gebruikers een tijdsbesparing tot wel 50% behalen.
Met Nexis Hub kunnen gebruikers:
Het onderzoeksproces van begin tot eind versnellen en zo meer tijd besteden aan de taken die echt belangrijk zijn.
Sneller het gehele plaatje zien door eenvoudig informatie uit verschillende bronnen op één locatie te verzamelen en te ordenen, waardoor het gemakkelijker wordt om trends te ontdekken, belangrijke inzichten te identificeren en informatie te prioriteren.
Informatieverlies verminderen door tools die dagelijks worden gebruikt (waaronder Google Chrome en Microsoft Word) te integreren in een centrale ‘hub’, zodat onderzoekers zich nooit zorgen hoeven te maken over het verliezen van belangrijke informatie.
LexisNexis® Legal & Professional biedt juridische, regelgevende en zakelijke informatie en analyses die klanten helpen hun productiviteit te verhogen, besluitvorming te verbeteren, betere resultaten te bereiken en de rechtsstaat over de hele wereld te bevorderen. Als digitale pionier was LexisNexis de eerste die juridische en zakelijke informatie online aanbood met de Lexis®– en Nexis®-oplossingen. LexisNexis Legal & Professional, dat klanten bedient in meer dan 150 landen met wereldwijd 11.300 werknemers, maakt deel uit van RELX, een internationale leverancier van op informatie gebaseerde analyses en beslissingstools voor professionele en zakelijke klanten.
Investment will increase capacity at Junction City plant
More agricultural rubber tracks to serve aftermarket and original equipment market
Around 200 jobs will be added in upcoming years
Junction City, Kan., May 22, 2023 – Michelin, a leader in sustainability and innovation, today announced its plan to invest more than $100 million into its Junction City, Kan. operations over the next five years to increase production capacity of tracks for agricultural equipment.
“At Michelin, we are proud to partner with our customers who are meeting the challenge of feeding the world more efficiently while protecting the environment,” said Alexis Garcin, president and CEO of Michelin North America, Inc. “This investment in agricultural tracks capacity is further evidence of our commitment to bring Michelin’s all-sustainable strategy to life in North America, positioning the company as a leader in this fast-growing market segment and creating careers that will benefit 200 families in the community.”
The investment, part of Michelin’s global growth strategy, will increase the output of Camso agricultural rubber tracks to better respond to market evolution. This includes both aftermarket and original equipment customers.
Camso, a brand under the Michelin Group, specializes in off-road tires, rubber tracks and systems for material handling, construction, agriculture and powersports industries. Camso products are designed to meet the unique mobility needs of each application in the off-highway vehicle market.
Growing with customers
“As a leader in the beyond road segment, this investment is additional proof of our commitment to partner with our customers,” said Erick Bellefleur, Sr. VP of the global Beyond Road business line. “With this investment, we’ll not only be able to meet a growing need in the agriculture market, but we will also continue to add to our workforce in Kansas where our teams are eager to meet tomorrow’s challenges and serve our customers who are also our neighbors.”
Kansas is home to three Michelin manufacturing plants, specializing in agricultural rubber tracks and wheels. These products are designed to meet unique mobility needs of agricultural applications in the off-highway market. Through steady investment in the area, the company has increased production and the number of people employed in the state.
Investing in North American production
This is the latest investment in recent years to help Michelin better serve its customers. In March, the company announced a $300 million CAD investment in three Nova Scotia facilities, following a $175 million USD investment in its South Carolina production facilities announced in 2020. The company also invested more than $20 million USD in the last two years to expand and improve the two Michelin facilities in Emporia, Kan.
Building the workforce
Michelin is the most awarded tire brand in the U.S. and has been recognized for achievements in customer satisfaction, performance, durability, technology and innovation. As an employer, Michelin has been named:
No. 1 employer in the automotive category, Forbes America’s Best Large Employers
No. 4 on the list of Top 50 Diversity Employer of Choice, Equal Opportunity Magazine
No. 5 on the list of Top 50 Diversity Employer of Choice, Minority Engineer Magazine
Top Employers List – Best of the Best, Black EOE Journal
America’s Greatest Workplaces for Diversity list – Newsweek
The company currently employs about 175 people in the Junction City facility. The investment will add about 200 jobs between 2023 and 2026. For information on how to join one of America’s top employers, visit jobs.michelinman.com.
About Michelin North America
Michelin, the leading mobility company, is working with tires, around tires and beyond tires to enable Motion for Life. Dedicated to enhancing its clients’ mobility and sustainability, Michelin designs and distributes the most suitable tires, services and solutions for its customers’ needs. Michelin provides digital services, maps and guides to help enrich trip and travels and make them unique experiences. Bringing its expertise to new markets, the company is investing in high-technology materials, 3D printing and hydrogen, to serve a wide variety of industries – from aerospace to biotech. Headquartered in Greenville, South Carolina, Michelin North America has approximately 23,000 employees and operates 34 production facilities in the United States and Canada.
The British Council’s Cultural Protection Fund, in partnership with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, announces seven new cultural heritage protection projects.
The grants announced today will help protect endangered global heritage, preserve local communities and protect sites at risk from conflict or climate change.
Just over £700,000 will be awarded to the various projects which will commence from July 2023, reaching completion by the end of January 2025.
To be eligible for support from the Cultural Protection Fund, projects must include activities that safeguard cultural heritage for future generations, protect heritage from risks relating to conflict, instability and/or climate change (and related disasters) and include meaningful involvement of the communities closest to the heritage.
New projects awarded funding are:
Revitalising the intangible Cultural Heritage of the Endorois people led by the Jamii Asilia Centre in partnership with Global Wisdom Collective
The Endorois were some of the first inhabitants in the Baringo and Laikipia Counties in Kenya and their intangible heritage is at risk due to the rising water levels of nearby Lake Bogoria. The project will deliver training in oral history skills and record conversations with Endorois Elders focussing on the knowledge systems, practices and rituals connected to their pastoralist culture.
Documentation and Conservation of Lebanon’s Coastal Castles led by Iconem
The coastal heritage of Lebanon is at risk of erosion due to climate change. This project will carry out conservation, documentation and 3D photogrammetric digitisation of four historically significant archaeological sites, as well as building capacities by providing local training in heritage preservation.
Batroun in Lebanon – Iconem Fund
Khan Musallah led by Living Mesopotamia CIC
This impressive 19th Century monument in Iraq was built to accommodate pilgrims travelling between the holy cities of Najaf and Karbala and was a key point for contact and exchange along the Silk and Ottoman trade routes. It suffered significant damage during conflict and faces further deterioration due to climate change. This project will improve the condition of the site, create a conservation plan and support local heritage professionals and the community to care for and protect this and other local heritage sites in the future.
Khan Musalla, Najaf, Iraq – Living Mesopotamia CIC
Securing the Archives of a Travelling Merchant led by Dar Yusuf Nasri Jacir for Art and Research
The 19th century Dar Jacir house and its rare archival collection in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, are in danger of being lost due to ongoing conflict. This project will protect the building against further damage, provide access to new areas for collections display and will enable the creation of a professional standard archive room.
Emergency intervention and damage assessment in Manbij led by Heritage for Peace
This project will see the implementation of emergency and consolidation interventions to stabilise three at risk monuments in Northern Syria, dating from the late Byzantine to early 20th century.
Turath Benghazi led by World Monuments Fund
The historic city centre of Benghazi in Libya hosts many important religious and cultural sites and has suffered significant damage due to civil war. This project will provide local architects and officials with training in cultural heritage preservation and urban design, building capacity for conservation and restoration of this ancient city.
Silphium Plaza in Benghazi after the war in 2020.
Cultural Heritage Preservation Northern Karamoja led by Kara-Tunga Foundation
The Ik community in North East Uganda have a unique language and culture that is under threat due to marginalisation and displacement through conflict and climate change. This project aims to protect their cultural identity through documentation, community engagement and training.
Stephanie Grant, Director of the Cultural Protection Fund at The British Council said:
“The threat to global cultural heritage because of conflict and climate change is growing and it is more critical than ever that we make efforts to safeguard what we value. The projects we are announcing today will protect valuable archives, sites of historic importance and the cultural practices of marginalised communities. I am immensely proud that the Cultural Protection Fund supports this vital work and look forward to hearing more about the progress of each project.”
Arts and Heritage Minister Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay said:
“We have a duty to protect not only our own rich heritage here in the UK but also our shared human heritage around the world.
“I am delighted that the funding for these projects will help us all to learn more about these fascinating sites, collections, and practices while preserving them for future generations.”
Find outmoreabout these projects and the work of the Cultural Protection Fund
Notes to Editor
About the British Council – The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. We support peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide. We work with people in over 200 countries and territories and are on the ground in more than 100 countries. In 2020–21 we connected with 67 million people directly and with 745 million people overall. www.britishcouncil.org
About the Cultural Protection Fund – The Cultural Protection Fund is managed by the British Council – the UK’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations – in partnership with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). It aims to foster, safeguard and promote cultural heritage overseas. The Fund is a key part of the British Council’s work in Culture and Development overseas, which focuses on ambitious, artistic and creative initiatives that foster social cohesion, freedom of expression, inclusive institutions, dynamic communities, and improved social and economic well-being. For more information on the Cultural Protection Fund: https://www.britishcouncil.org/arts/culture-development/cultural-protection-fund
Las Vegas, NV—For more than 20 years, Edvisors has offered students free resources to help them plan and pay for college. To date, Edvisors Network, Inc. has awarded over $1 million in scholarships under their brand ScholarshipPoints.com. And today, we are proud to announce the expansion of our scholarship offerings to a monthly $1,000 scholarship opportunity for students and their parents through our flagship brand www.Edvisors.com.
The Edvisors’ Higher Education Scholarship is open to students 17 years of age or older, who are enrolled or intend to enroll in college after high school, or a parent of a child who is a high school senior or enrolled in college. Each month one $1,000 scholarship winner will be chosen.
“We understand the financial struggle a student faces when it comes time to pay for college,” says Director of Corporate Communications Elaine Rubin. “Even if a student does everything right, they may still face a financial gap they need to fill. These gaps can sometimes become obstacles to completion. By offering this scholarship opportunity through Edvisors.com, it expands our ability to help as many students as possible achieve their goals.”
About Edvisors: For 20 years we have been known as one of the largest and most trusted resources to help students find their path to success. Everyone needs to find their own path, and we know that first-hand. We work to provide information from both our professional and personal experiences, to help individuals through college and beyond. Every year, millions of students and their families turn to the company’s flagship site, Edvisors.com, for timely, accurate information, advice and tools that help them confidently make the best decisions about paying for college. Additionally, Edvisors owns ScholarshipPoints.com, where students earn points to enter scholarship drawings (the site has awarded over $1 million to date). Founded in 1998, Edvisors is based in Las Vegas, Nevada. More information can be found at www.edvisors.com.
Contact Information
Name: Elaine Rubin Email: erubin@edvisors.com Job Title: Director of Corporate Communications
Nexis® Hubstreamlines and accelerates the research process from start to finish.
NEW YORK— May 16, 2023—Today, LexisNexis® Legal and Professional announced the launch of Nexis® Hub—a new tool that supports and streamlines any research workflow to accelerate time to insight. The innovative new solution, created to meet the needs of today’s busy professionals, integrates with Google Chrome and Microsoft Word to help users streamline the complicated and time-consuming process of collecting research and creating reports.
“Over the past year, we have spoken with hundreds of professionals about their research process, and their overwhelming feedback was that they need help compiling, synthesizing and reporting on insights more quickly and efficiently,” said Dani McCormick, Vice President, Product. “Nexis Hub dramatically simplifies the research workflow, allowing users to more efficiently collect and organize information into accessible, editable reports, so they can spend less time on manual tasks and more time on the data analysis that matters most.”
Nexis Hub empowers today’s busy professionals to collect important information and references—along with corresponding URLs and metadata—from any news source including a variety of Nexis products and across the internet, organize them into collections, and seamlessly integrate findings into reports with the tools they use every day. In fact, Nexis Hub users can see a time savings of up to 50%.
With Nexis Hub, users can:
Accelerate the research process from start to finish, and significantly reduce the time spent on low value tasks.
See the whole picture, faster by easily collecting and organizing research from across numerous sources in a single location, making it easier to notice trends, identify key insights and prioritize information highlights.
Reduce information loss by integrating with tools used every day (including Google Chrome and Microsoft Word) into a central “hub” so researchers never need to worry about losing critical information.
To learn more about how Nexis Hub can help simplify your organization’s research workflow, please visit https://www.lexisnexis.com/nexishub.
About LexisNexis Legal & Professional
LexisNexis® Legal & Professional provides legal, regulatory, and business information and analytics that help customers increase their productivity, improve decision-making, achieve better outcomes, and advance the rule of law around the world. As a digital pioneer, the company was the first to bring legal and business information online with its Lexis® and Nexis® services. LexisNexis Legal & Professional, which serves customers in more than 150 countries with 11,300 employees worldwide, is part of RELX, a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers.
New York, NY – May 16, 2023 – The National Advertising Division (NAD) of BBB National Programs determined that certain claims made by Comcast Cable Communications Management, LLC for its Xfinity home internet were supported. However, NAD recommended that Comcast modify or discontinue other Xfinity home internet service claims, as well as claims for Xfinity’s mobile service.
The claims at issue, which appeared in television and online advertising, were challenged by T-Mobile USA, Inc, provider of T-Mobile home internet service (T-HINT). T-HINT uses T-Mobile’s wireless network. Comcast Xfinity cable home internet service uses Comcast’s wired cable infrastructure.
Challenged “Nocturnal” Commercial
NAD determined that although consumers may not literally take away a message that T-HINT customers must become “nocturnal” to access the internet, the overall net impression is that T-HINT is frequently unusable during the day.
NAD found that Comcast’s evidence did not establish that T-HINT users regularly experience unusable speeds during daytime hours. Therefore, NAD recommended that Comcast discontinue the challenged claims made in the context of the Nocturnal commercial that:
“Everyone is online during the day, so we lose speeds” using T-HINT
“Well if you just switch, maybe you don’t have to be vampires.”
As well as the related implied claims:
“Daily periods of congestion on T-Mobile’s network last until 2 a.m.”
“T-Mobile is not sufficiently fast or reliable to be used during daytime hours”
“T-HINT customers need to switch to Xfinity in order to access reliably fast internet service during the day”
“T-Mobile’s order of prioritization of mobile customers materially renders T-HINT unusable except in the dead of night”
“As a general matter, slower speeds under certain conditions described in T-Mobile’s disclaimers and disclosures reflect typical consumer experience using T-HINT”
NAD noted that nothing in its decision precludes Comcast from making other truthful and non-misleading comparative claims relating to internet speed and reliability.
Challenged “Birdwatchers” Commercial
NAD determined that one of the messages reasonably conveyed is that T-HINT is unusable for online gaming.
NAD concluded that Comcast’s evidence did not demonstrate that all online gaming would be affected by T-HINT’s latency. However, NAD found that the evidence demonstrated that certain “response-sensitive” gamers might have their gaming experience materially impacted by the lag associated with T-HINT, thus supporting the claim that “T-Mobile fixed home internet customers experience 2-4x the latency of wired internet customers.”
Because the evidence did not support the message that T-HINT speeds are insufficient to enjoy all types of gaming, NAD recommended that Comcast discontinue the challenged claims made in the context of the Birdwatchers commercial, including the claims:
T-HINT “lags and it throws the whole thing off”
“Getting Xfinity is the “adult” thing to do
“INTERNET ISSUES?” “If ONLY THEY HAD XFINITY”
As well as the related implied claims:
T-HINT lags too much to be useful for gaming
T-HINT customers need to switch to Xfinity in order to enjoy gaming
In the alternative, NAD noted that Comcast may modify the Birdwatchers commercial to clearly communicate the types of gaming impacted by the increased lag associated with T-HINT.
“TMo Facts” Webpage
T-Mobile challenged claims about T-HINT which appeared on the “TMo Facts” page of the Xfinity website that states “Xfinity vs. T-Mobile 5G home internet” and includes a series of comparative claims comparing T-HINT and Xfinity internet, as well as other monadic claims and information about Xfinity internet.
Speed comparison claims: Comcast’s evidence did not demonstrate that an appreciable number of consumers are likely to attain 36x faster service with Xfinity or 36x slower service with T-HINT. Therefore, NAD recommended that Comcast modify the following unqualified speed claims to reflect speed differences experienced by a material number of consumers, and noted that such advertising may state that T-HINT users experience a range of speeds, including by reference to the speeds in that range:
Xfinity home internet is “up to 30x faster than [T-]HINT”
Xfinity home internet is “up to 36x faster than T-Mobile’s 5G home internet”
T-HINT “is 10-30x slower” than Xfinity home internet
NAD also recommended that Comcast disclose specifically the basis of the comparative claim in the main claim or in similar font size and in immediate proximity to the comparative claim (e.g., that Xfinity Gigabit Plus tier is being compared to median T-HINT speeds).
NAD found that the claim that “Storms, mountains, cars – being inside – can slow your speed. T-Mobile says: ‘Weather, the surrounding terrain, use inside a building or moving vehicle’ all affect speed and performance,” is substantiated because the claim is consistent with T-Mobile’s own statements about T-HINT and how it may be affected by these factors.
“Bad Internet”: NAD determined that, in context, the “Bad internet happens to good people. We can help,” claim is a broad claim which may reasonably communicate the message that T-HINT service is substandard in one or more important aspects. Because Comcast did not provide evidence that T-HINT is “bad internet,” NAD recommended that the claim be discontinued.
Xfinity Mobile Advertising
NAD recommended that Comcast modify its advertising to clearly and conspicuously disclose that its “Xfinity Mobile now has the fastest mobile service” claim is based on combined WiFi and cellular speeds and that the claim is true only within its WiFi footprint or when connected to WiFi.
In its advertiser statement, Comcast stated that it “agrees to comply with NAD’s recommendations.” Comcast further stated that while it “disagrees that any of the challenged ads convey unsupported messages concerning T-HINT’s performance, Comcast appreciates NAD’s acknowledgment that Comcast can make truthful and non-misleading comparative claims relating to internet speed and reliability, including qualified claims differentiating speeds experienced by T-HINT customers versus Xfinity WiFi customers.”
All BBB National Programs case decision summaries can be found in the case decision library. For the full text of NAD, NARB, and CARU decisions, subscribe to the online archive.
About BBB National Programs: BBB National Programs, a non-profit organization, is the home of U.S. independent industry self-regulation, currently operating more than a dozen globally recognized programs that have been helping enhance consumer trust in business for more than 50 years. These programs provide third-party accountability and dispute resolution services that address existing and emerging industry issues, create a fairer playing field for businesses, and a better experience for consumers. BBB National Programs continues to evolve its work and grow its impact by providing business guidance and fostering best practices in arenas such as advertising, child-and-teen-directed marketing, data privacy, dispute resolution, automobile warranty, technology, and emerging areas. To learn more, visit bbbprograms.org.
About the National Advertising Division: The National Advertising Division (NAD) of BBB National Programs provides independent self-regulation and dispute resolution services, guiding the truthfulness of advertising across the U.S. NAD reviews national advertising in all media and its decisions set consistent standards for advertising truth and accuracy, delivering meaningful protection to consumers and leveling the playing field for business.
RALEIGH, NC, May 15, 2023 – LexisNexis®CounselLink® today announced a fully redesigned version of CounselLink FastTrack, an invoice prompt payment service that allows CounselLink corporate customers to bolster their balance sheet by holding funds longer while accelerating cash payments to their legal service providers.
The new FastTrack enables CounselLink customers to streamline invoice payments by outsourcing them to a designated bank partner – with no added fees or changes in business processes. The bank promptly pays law firms and other legal service providers while allowing corporations 90 days to review, process and fund the invoices.
Corporations also save time and money by eliminating vendor invoice inquiries and refocusing accounts payable teams on higher-value tasks; earning interest from retained funds; and earning CounselLink Credits which can be applied to CounselLink subscriptions or other services. FastTrack supports international corporations, law firms, and all law-related vendors.
For a small service fee, law firms enrolled in FastTrack can receive payments within two business days of invoice approval. This greatly improves law firm cash flow, unlocks working capital, eliminates invoice inquiries, and preserves the firm’s existing banking relationships.
“There is a lot of internal pressure on GCs to conform to corporate cash policies, yet at the same time their law firms and vendors are also pressuring them to get paid faster,” said Aaron Pierce, CounselLink’s Vice President of Product Management. “With CounselLink FastTrack, legal service providers can get paid quickly but clients still maintain cash flow predictability and control of where and when corporate funds are allocated. In fact, CounselLink FastTrack can add another 1.5 percent in the form of capital savings, making it a strategic partner to CFOs while aligning with larger corporate goals.”
“FastTrack is particularly impactful for law firms, which may have a third of their receivables tied up in client invoices at any given moment,” continued Pierce. “With so many firms concerned about current financial issues, FastTrack can help firms maintain their operations and thrive during challenging economic times.”
CounselLink FastTrack is free to enroll, requires no special integration or technology and no change in process. It will be available to customers beginning May 18. For additional details about the program, please visit CounselLink®(lexisnexis.com).
CounselLink’s advanced legal work management and financial management capabilities – including effective workflow, contracts and automation tools, robust analytics and reporting capabilities – optimize corporate legal operations and provide data-driven insights that can save organizations an average of 8-10 percent on legal costs each year. For more information, please visit www.counsellink.com.
About CounselLink LexisNexis®CounselLink®is the leading enterprise legal management solution designed to help corporate legal departments gain 100 percent visibility into their work, matters, and invoices. CounselLink delivers Work Management, Financial Management, and Vendor Management solutions in one easy-to-use, cloud-based platform for controlling costs, maximizing productivity, and making better decisions — all supported by powerful analytics that provides you with data to demonstrate your department’s value. For nearly 30 years, LexisNexis has been providing innovative solutions for corporate legal departments crafted from the insights of thought leaders, industry expertise, and customer feedback. Discover more about CounselLink online at www.counsellink.com.
About LexisNexis Legal & Professional
LexisNexis®Legal & Professional provides legal, regulatory, and business information and analytics that help customers increase their productivity, improve decision-making, achieve better outcomes, and advance the rule of law around the world. As a digital pioneer, the company was the first to bring legal and business information online with its Lexis®and Nexis®services. LexisNexis Legal & Professional, which serves customers in more than 150 countries with 11,300 employees worldwide, is part of RELX, a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers.
McLean, VA – May 12, 2022 – The Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU) of nonprofit BBB National Programs has found Roblox in violation of CARU Advertising Guidelines for responsible advertising to children under age 13. Roblox ranks as one of the top online entertainment platforms for audiences under the age of 18, with the largest demographic consisting of users 9 to 12 years old.
Roblox came to CARU’s attention through its routine monitoring of child-directed content. CARU determined that Roblox is a child-directed platform and is subject to CARU Guidelines. CARU’s inquiry concerned whether certain advertising to children present on the platform or disseminated by Roblox’s influencers was adequately disclosed as advertising.
CARU made the following findings and recommendations:
Roblox did not adequately disclose to children when advertising is present within “experiences” on Roblox. CARU recommended that Roblox ensure that advertisements are clearly and conspicuously identified as ads in language and/or audio that children can see, hear, and easily understand.
Roblox did not adequately disclose to children when content integrated into a video is advertising. CARU recommended that Roblox clearly and conspicuously disclose to children in language and/or audio that they can see, hear, and easily understand that the integrated content in the video is advertising.
Roblox did not take adequate measures to ensure that social media influencers with child audiences adequately disclose material connections. CARU recommended that Roblox monitor their endorsers and influencers to ensure they are clearly and conspicuously disclosing their material connection to Roblox in a way that children can easily understand.
One of CARU’s concerns in this inquiry was whether Roblox provides adequate tools and guidance to developers, brands, and content creators to clearly and conspicuously disclose to children under the age of 13 when advertising is present in their games and experiences or when branded experiences within the platform are advertising.
During the investigation, Roblox informed CARU it had established new Advertising Standards for its platform, which will no longer allow advertising to children under 13. This policy will “require developers to programmatically identify advertising content in experiences to users under the age of 13,” and, according to Roblox, developers will have tools to code whether children will see nothing in place of an ad or see non-advertising content in place of the ad. This new policy will go into effect on June 15, 2023.
This new Roblox policy is not a result of a CARU recommendation. CARU helps companies comply with laws and guidelines that protect children under age 13 from deceptive or inappropriate advertising.
Once the new Roblox Ad Standards policy goes into effect, the advertising practices outlined above, apart from the endorser and influencer practices, will no longer be at issue. CARU will continue to monitor the platform to ensure compliance with CARU Advertising Guidelines once the new policy is implemented.
CARU recommends that Roblox establish and implement a monitoring process to enforce its new advertising policy and community standards.
Endorsers & Influencers
Roblox informed CARU that the policy change does not apply to the Roblox Video Stars Program members’ social media content that takes place off the Roblox platform, such as on YouTube or Twitch.
CARU found that social media influencers in Roblox’s Influencer Program who had large child audiences did not clearly and conspicuously disclose their material connection to Roblox in their videos in a way children can understand, and that influencers in the Video Stars Program who promoted their unique Star Code did not clearly and conspicuously disclose, in a way children can understand, that they will receive a commission when Robux (Roblox currency) are purchased.
Additionally, CARU found that there was a lack of guidance and tools for Roblox “Video Stars” social media influencers as to how to disclose their material connection clearly and conspicuously to child audiences.
During the investigation, Roblox provided CARU with the Influencer Monitoring Program agreement. The Monitoring Program requires Roblox team members to periodically and randomly check the posts of influencer participants to ensure compliance with platform rules and policies and the FTC Endorsement Guides.
CARU found that Roblox’s guidance to its influencers regarding disclosure requirements did not specifically address how to make adequate disclosures to children. While CARU noted that several influencers are compliant with all guidelines, CARU also observed some influencer videos where the disclosures were either partially compliant or entirely non-compliant with CARU Guidelines on making disclosures understandable to children.
As a result, CARU recommended that:
The Roblox Video Stars Program and Monitoring Program be modified to provide influencers with additional guidance and examples of clear and conspicuous disclosures for children to understand the material connection between Roblox and the influencer and that influencers get paid when using the Roblox Star Code.
Roblox increase monitoring efforts to uphold and enforce its Roblox Video Stars Program Rules, CARU Ad Guidelines, industry best practices, and other applicable rules and regulations.
Children’s Privacy Issues
In CARU’s inquiry letter to Roblox, CARU raised privacy concerns in addition to the advertising concerns addressed in this decision. CARU is working directly with Roblox’s COPPA Safe Harbor to address these issues accordingly.
In the opening to its advertiser’s statement, Roblox pointed out that the company “has made policy changes regarding child-directed advertising that render many aspects of the Decision moot.” Roblox later indicated that it disagrees with “some of the recommendations and statements made in the decision.” However, Roblox agreed to “comply with CARU’s recommendations regarding influencers and ask that our influencers with child-directed content use the word ‘paid’ in their disclosures,” adding: “We also appreciate the acknowledgment that Roblox has an influencer monitoring program that spots issues and has them corrected. Finally, we will continue to improve our platform to support the needs of users of all ages.”
All BBB National Programs case decision summaries can be found in the case decision library. For the full text of NAD, NARB, and CARU decisions, subscribe to the online archive.
About BBB National Programs: BBB National Programs, a non-profit organization, is the home of U.S. independent industry self-regulation, currently operating more than a dozen globally recognized programs that have been helping enhance consumer trust in business for more than 50 years. These programs provide third-party accountability and dispute resolution services that address existing and emerging industry issues, create a fairer playing field for businesses, and a better experience for consumers. BBB National Programs continues to evolve its work and grow its impact by providing business guidance and fostering best practices in arenas such as advertising, child-and-teen-directed marketing, data privacy, dispute resolution, automobile warranty, technology, and emerging areas. To learn more, visit bbbprograms.org.
About Children’s Advertising Review Unit: The Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU), a division of BBB National Programs and the nation’s first Safe Harbor Program under the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), helps companies comply with laws and guidelines that protect children from deceptive or inappropriate advertising and ensure that, in an online environment, children’s data is collected and handled responsibly. When advertising or data collection practices are misleading, inappropriate, or inconsistent with laws and guidelines, CARU seeks change through the voluntary cooperation of companies and where relevant, enforcement action.
Contact Information
Name: Abby Hills Email: press@bbbnp.org Job Title: Director of Communications
