Overview
Abby Meyer is an Orange County, California-based partner in Paul Hastings’ Complex Litigation practice. Her practice focuses on defending class actions that target consumer products and services, including in the retail and food industries.
Abby’s clients include food, beverage, cosmetics and retail/consumer goods brands and specialty services companies. She represents companies facing business disputes with their vendors/suppliers, licensors/licensees and business partners/resellers. She defends companies against consumer class actions targeting product information found on the labels of packaged goods or associated advertising materials. She has defended claims alleging false or misleading use of the terms “natural,” “vanilla,” “Made in USA” and “flushable,” as well as sustainability claims. She has also defended against alleged slack fill, underfill, contamination (heavy metals, PFAS), pricing/discount and health halo class actions. She handles all aspects of litigation, from early resolution to case filing, trial and appellate work, in both state and federal court.
Outside of the courtroom, Abby advises clients on compliance issues including FDA regulations, FTC compliance and unique marketing issues presented under California state law. In addition to her legal practice, Abby is an advocate for women and parents. She previously served as co-chair of the Orange County Bar Association’s Mommy Esquire committee and served for several years as a director of the board for the Orange County Women Lawyers Association.
Earlier in her career, Abby served as an extern for the Honorable Andrew J. Wistrich of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.
Accolades
- Ones to Watch — Construction Law, Best Lawyers (2021-25)
- Southern California Rising Star, Super Lawyers (2020-23)
Education
- University of California, Los Angeles, J.D.
- University of Southern California, B.A. (magna cum laude)
Representations
- In a hard-fought consumer class action alleging false labeling and marketing, defeated class certification and achieved partial summary judgment. (Usler v. Vital Farms, Inc., 2024 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 172095 (W.D. Tex. Sept. 23, 2024).)
- Substantially prevailed on a motion to dismiss a class action complaint that asserted 25 claims for relief, including under the laws of nine states; court dismissed 17 claims, including purported violations of seven different states’ laws. (Miller v. NextGen Healthcare, Inc., 2024 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 131254 (N.D. Ga. July 25, 2024).)
- Defeated putative class action alleging that the company misrepresented or omitted information regarding PFAS in clothing products on a motion to dismiss. (Garland v. Child’s Place, Inc., 2024 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 59395 (N.D. Ill. Apr. 1, 2024).)
- Representing a technology retailer with a false pricing class action.
- Represented a beverage manufacturer during a three-day bench trial on whether consumption of the beverage exposed consumers to a Prop 65 chemical. The judge found that the plaintiffs did not establish a prima facie case of exposure.
- Represented beverage retailer in false advertising class action. Prevailed on motion for summary judgment.
- Represented specialty foods manufacturer in false advertising class action. Prevailed on motion to dismiss.
- Following scorched-earth litigation related to an easement and involving seven parties, drafted, argued and won summary adjudication of all claims against our client, ending our client’s involvement in the matter; argued and affirmed on appeal (Rickley v. Gulf Oil Corp., 2021 Cal. App. Unpub. LEXIS 1307).
- Obtained a complete defense verdict for a financial institute following a downtown Los Angeles jury trial in a wrongful foreclosure action.