--- title: 2016 February url: https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2016-february --- # [2016 February](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2016-february "2016 February") [![Advocate Feb16 cvr ezine](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/images/issues/2016/02-february/Advocate-Feb16-cvr-ezine.jpg)](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/ezines/2016/February2016/html5/Advocate-February2018-issue.html) Articles in this issue: ## [Multidistrict Litigation Consolidation: Pros and cons](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2016-february/multidistrict-litigation-consolidation-pros-and-cons "Multidistrict Litigation Consolidation: Pros and cons") MDL has commonalities of purpose with the class action, but they are quite different in practice [Rachel Abrams](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/rachel-abrams "Rachel Abrams") ## [Multidistrict Litigation Consolidation: Pros and cons](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2016-february/multidistrict-litigation-consolidation-pros-and-cons-2 "Multidistrict Litigation Consolidation: Pros and cons") MDL has commonalities of purpose with the class action, but they are quite different in practice [Rachel Abrams](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/rachel-abrams "Rachel Abrams") ## [Consumer Financial Protection Bureau considering important rule on arbitration agreements](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2016-february/consumer-financial-protection-bureau-considering-important-rule-on-arbitration-agreements "Consumer Financial Protection Bureau considering important rule on arbitration agreements") Agency plans to propose a rule to prevent arbitration clauses in consumer-financial contracts from blocking class-action litigation [F. Paul Bland](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/f-paul-bland "F. Paul Bland") [Gabriel Hopkins](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/gabriel-hopkins "Gabriel Hopkins") ## [Medical liens and the current status of [[case]]Howell[[/case]]](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2016-february/medical-liens-and-the-current-status-of-case-howell-case "Medical liens and the current status of [[case]]Howell[[/case]]") A review of [[case]]Howell[[/case]] and its progeny: their impact on valuing medical damages and negotiating hospital liens [Bruce Brusavich](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/bruce-brusavich "Bruce Brusavich") ## [Holding payday lenders accountable](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2016-february/holding-payday-lenders-accountable "Holding payday lenders accountable") Payday lenders trap consumers in a cycle of debt; class-action suits can hold them accountable [Arthur H. Bryant](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/arthur-h-bryant "Arthur H. Bryant") ## [The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau considers proposal to end payday debt traps](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2016-february/the-consumer-financial-protection-bureau-considers-proposal-to-end-payday-debt-traps "The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau considers proposal to end payday debt traps") [Arthur H. Bryant](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/arthur-h-bryant "Arthur H. Bryant") ## [Three…Two…One…Engage](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2016-february/three-two-one-engage "Three…Two…One…Engage") Looking towards a fantastic 2016, the Board is cocked, locked, and ready to rock! [Vincent D. Howard](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/vincent-d-howard "Vincent D. Howard") ## [Ethical issues in developing a class or collective case](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2016-february/ethical-issues-in-developing-a-class-or-collective-case "Ethical issues in developing a class or collective case") Common questions in the early stages of class cases and the applicable ethical rules [Megan E. Ryan](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/megan-e-ryan "Megan E. Ryan") [William C. Jhaveri-Weeks](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/william-c-jhaveri-weeks "William C. Jhaveri-Weeks") ## [Identifying a potential whistleblower claim](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2016-february/identifying-a-potential-whistleblower-claim "Identifying a potential whistleblower claim") How to determine whether a potential client may be able to assert claims under federal and state programs [Eric Bell](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/eric-bell "Eric Bell") [Ian Samson](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/ian-samson "Ian Samson") [Steven Lipscomb](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/steven-lipscomb "Steven Lipscomb") ## [Employment class action: The Year 2015 in Review](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2016-february/employment-class-action-the-year-2015-in-review "Employment class action: The Year 2015 in Review") A year of perseverance and creativity by plaintiffs’ counsel [Cristina Molteni](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/cristina-molteni "Cristina Molteni") ## [The bottom line is this: Go try cases!](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2016-february/the-bottom-line-is-this-go-try-cases "The bottom line is this: Go try cases!") Young, eager and prepared beats experienced but burnt-out [David M. Ring](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/david-m-ring "David M. Ring") ## [Spotting FLSA & California overtime-exemption violations](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2016-february/spotting-flsa-california-overtime-exemption-violations "Spotting FLSA & California overtime-exemption violations") Who is classified as exempt from overtime and how to spot misclassification by employers [Jahan C. Sagafi](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/jahan-c-sagafi "Jahan C. Sagafi") [Tanisha Shafer](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/tanisha-shafer "Tanisha Shafer") ## [The 2016 Presidential Election](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2016-february/the-2016-presidential-election "The 2016 Presidential Election") Ten months away but already the most important election of our lifetime [Stuart Zanville](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/stuart-zanville "Stuart Zanville")