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E. Crystal Lopez

Associate

[email protected]

+1.310.586.3203

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Crystal focuses her practice on class action defense, with an emphasis on consumer fraud, data privacy, marketing, accessibility, technology and compliance issues. These claims often involve the alleged improper breach or disclosure or use of private information and related data.  Crystal has extensive experience successfully defending against class action claims brought under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, state data breach laws, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Title II, III and state accessibility law compliance and public accommodations, Unfair Competition Laws, False Advertising Laws, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the Hobby Protection Act and Auto-Renewal Law in both state and federal courts.

She has defended corporate clients against class actions at all stages of litigation, including through class certification, preliminary, and final approval of settlements. She has a track record for early and efficient dispute resolution and saving costs associated with discovery through early informal negotiations, mediation and class action settlements. Crystal is also a member of the firm's Sports & Entertainment Practice.

Prior to joining Mintz, Crystal worked as an associate at a global firm, and clerked for the Honorable Frederick J. Martone in the US District Court for the District of Arizona. Before pursuing her legal education, Crystal was a junior consultant at the World Bank, a Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute fellow, and Editor in Chief at Human Rights Law Review and staff editor of A Jailhouse Lawyer’s Manual.

Experience

  • Successfully defended companies in numerous industries against putative class actions alleging website inaccessibility and violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
  • Negotiated a successful settlement on behalf of JB Line, a cosmetics retailer, in a class action alleging violations of New York false advertising laws in connection with a beauty product.
  • Successfully settled a class action alleging violation of the TCPA against Popeye’s, a fast-food restaurant chain. At the outset we filed and won a motion to stay the case pending the Supreme Court’s decision in Spokeo. After the stay was lifted we informed plaintiff’s counsel of our intent to file a motion to dismiss for lack of standing and they made a settlement demand.
  • Represented 24 Hour Fitness in a TCPA class action matter in CA. Matter was resolved quickly and efficiently via favorable settlement agreement.
  • Represented Western Union in a class action for unfair business practices. Successfully settled on an individual basis on the eve of filing a motion to dismiss without any discovery.
  • Obtained an early dismissal before an answer or motion practice in various class actions, including:
    • Coerver v. Webimax., Southern District of Texas
    • Makaron v. World Wide Vacations, Central District of California
  • Obtained multiple favorable settlements in class actions involving statutory violations for the TCPA and the recording of telephone calls
  • Counseled corporate clients to ensure compliance with telemarketing laws
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viewpoints

Eleventh Circuit Confirms the FCC’s Solicited Fax Rule is Dead and Reverses Course on Interpretation of the Hobbs Act in TCPA Appeal
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Monthly TCPA Digest – August 2019

August 14, 2019 | Article | By Joshua Briones, Russell Fox, Crystal Lopez

This TCPA Digest reviews FCC anti-spoofing rules covering spoofing outside the U.S. directed at US consumers and an 11th Circuit decision that the FCC's solicited fax rule is invalid.
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Monthly TCPA Digest – January 2019

January 16, 2019 | Article | By Joshua Briones, Russell Fox, Alexander Hecht, Radhika Bhat, Crystal Lopez, Esteban Morales

This TCPA Digest covers an FCC petition on how the TCPA defines telemarketing and dual purpose and an Eighth Circuit holding for an insurance carrier based on record-keeping.
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Monthly TCPA Digest – December 2018

December 17, 2018 | Article | By Joshua Briones, Russell Fox, Alexander Hecht, Radhika Bhat, Crystal Lopez, Esteban Morales

This TCPA Digest examines recently introduced Congressional bills focused on combatting robocalls and the FCC’s order to establish a single reassigned numbers database.
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TCPA Class Action Update – December 2018

December 17, 2018 | Article | By Crystal Lopez, Joshua Briones

Despite the overwhelming focus this year on the issue of what constitutes an automatic telephone dialing system, defendants should not ignore other defenses that could substantially gut TCPA class action lawsuits.
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Monthly TCPA Digest – November 2018

November 19, 2018 | Article | By Joshua Briones, Russell Fox, Alexander Hecht, Radhika Bhat, Crystal Lopez, Esteban Morales

This TCPA Digest covers the Supreme Court’s decision to hear the PDR Network, LLC v. Carlton & Harris Chiropractic case and provides news from the FCC, including a notice to voice providers that action will be taken if the industry-led call authentication system doesn’t materialize soon.
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TCPA & Consumer Calling Digest – October 2018

October 22, 2018 | Article | By Joshua Briones, Russell Fox, Alexander Hecht, Radhika Bhat, Crystal Lopez, Esteban Morales

Read about recent TCPA cases and FCC comment periods on automatic telephone dialing systems, call blocking technologies, and a proposed emergency use exemption to the TCPA.
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TCPA & Consumer Calling Digest – September 2018

September 20, 2018 | Article | By Joshua Briones, Russell Fox, Alexander Hecht, Radhika Bhat, Crystal Lopez, Esteban Morales

In this issue, we look at industry comments on the FCC’s report on robocalling and efforts to urge the agency to reconsider its reassigned numbers database proposal. In addition, we examine a recent circuit split on what constitutes an automatic telephone dialing system (ATDS) in the Third and Ninth Circuits and what that means for TCPA defendants. The split follows the D.C. Circuit’s May 2018 decision in ACA International v. Federal Communications Commission, which set aside the FCC’s “unreasonably expansive interpretation” of what constitutes an automatic telephone dialing system.

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TCPA Class Action Update: Circuit Split Further Entrenches TCPA Landscape

September 20, 2018 | Article | By Crystal Lopez, Esteban Morales

In May 2018, the D.C. Circuit set aside the FCC’s “unreasonably expansive interpretation” of what equipment constitutes an automatic telephone dialing system (“ATDS”). See ACA International v. Federal Communications Commission, No. 15-1211 at 5 (D.C. Cir. 2018). The FCC’s 2015 promulgations broadly interpreted the TCPA’s statutory language, subjecting “ordinary calls from any conventional smartphone to the Act’s coverage.” Id. at 5. This unconfined interpretation caused TCPA lawsuits and settlement figures to skyrocket. After ACA Int’l, technology needs to actually generate telephone numbers to qualify as an ATDS. In this post-ACA landscape, at least eight district courts have held that the FCC’s expansive rulings on the TCPA have been vacated.
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TCPA & Consumer Calling Digest - August 2018

August 13, 2018 | Article | By Joshua Briones, Russell Fox, Alexander Hecht, Radhika Bhat, Crystal Lopez, Esteban Morales

This issue provides insurance information for companies facing TCPA lawsuits and identifies the types of policies and provisions that may offer coverage. You will also find an update on the status of the proposed reassigned numbers database as well as information about a new FCC Public Notice, released August 10. Comments on the Public Notice are expected to lay the groundwork for the FCC’s next major action on call-blocking and methods to eliminate illegal robocalls.

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News & Press

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Los Angeles Managing Member Joshua Briones and Associates Crystal Lopez and Grecia Rivas co-authored an article published in Law360 analyzing three key class action trends to expect in 2024.
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Mintz is pleased to announce that 120 firm attorneys have been recognized as leaders by Best Lawyers® in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America©.
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Los Angeles Managing Member Joshua Briones, and Associates Sofia Nuño and Crystal Lopez co-authored an articled published by Corporate Counsel detailing specific class action cases to watch for in the upcoming year.
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Los Angeles Managing Member Joshua Briones, and Associates Sofia Nuño and Crystal Lopez co-authored an articled published by Corporate Counsel forecasting the consumer class actions trends to look out for in 2023.
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Managing Member of Mintz's Los Angeles Office Joshua Briones and Members Todd Rosenbaum and Arameh O'Boyle co-authored an article published by Corporate Counsel summarizing major developments for consumer class actions in 2021, many of which they wrote will carry over into 2022. The article included extensive contributions from Associates Crystal Lopez, Esteban Morales, and Adam Korn.
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Mintz Member Arameh O’Boyle and Associate Crystal Lopez co-authored an article published by Natural Products Insider examining proposed regulation and litigation risks associated with labeling cosmetics products as “natural.”
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Mintz Member Arameh O’Boyle and Associate Crystal Lopez co-authored an article published by Beauty Packaging Magazine that addressed how manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, and retailers can minimize litigation risks associated with labeling products as “natural.”
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Managing Member of Mintz’s Los Angeles Office Joshua Briones, Associates Crystal Lopez and Adam Korn, and client Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of Hot Topic Kim Matthews co-authored an article published by Corporate Counsel that examined some of the challenges facing subscription-based companies during the pandemic, including regulation and litigation spurred by COVID-19, and offered tips on how to protect these businesses.
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Managing Member of Mintz’s Los Angeles office Joshua Briones and Associate Crystal Lopez, along with Senior Vice President of Legal, Fry Cook and Cashier at Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers Camille Penniman, co-authored this article published by Corporate Counsel examining common law trends in bet the company class actions in 2019.
Litigators Joshua Briones and Crystal Lopez authored this “Expert Analysis” column discussing growing interest in California Invasion of Privacy Act class actions and what recent decisions mean for businesses.
This coverage highlights the decision by a San Francisco judge tossing out a proposed class action against Yelp Inc. for allegedly monitoring and recording conversations between the named plaintiff and Yelp sales representatives.
Joshua Briones, Managing Member in Mintz’s Los Angeles office and Crystal Lopez, a Litigation Associate, authored a Law360 article on the importance for businesses to be vigilant about internal and third-party Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) compliance.
This piece, published by Bloomberg BNA Product Safety & Liability Reporter, highlights the faulty damages models of food companies and the companies’ defenses to consumer fraud class actions over product labeling.
Joshua Briones, Managing Member in Mintz’s Los Angeles office and Crystal Lopez, a Litigation Associate, authored a Law360 column on the worry businesses nationwide are experiencing over facing “no-injury” class action lawsuits.
Mintz and Ansell Grimm & Aaron, P.C., have achieved a dismissal – among the first of its kind – on behalf of Work Out World, which faced a class action alleging violations of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act and attempting certification of a nationwide class. 
Joshua Briones, Managing Member in Mintz’s Los Angeles office, and Associates Esteban Morales and Crystal Lopez, authored this Inside Counsel article covering three U.S. Supreme Court decisions in separate Telephone Consumer Protection Act TCPA class action cases.
Mintz Litigation Associate Crystal Lopez authored this Daily Journal article on the U.S. Supreme Court’s highly anticipated decision in Tyson Foods, Inc. v. Bouaphakeo.
Joshua Briones, Member and leader of the Los Angeles office, and Los Angeles-based Litigation Associate Crystal Lopez authored this Computerworld column with a warning to companies that implement the automatic subscription renewal business model.
Crystal Lopez, a Mintz Associate, authored this Daily Journal article discussing recent class action lawsuits that reached the U.S. Supreme Court and the implications of these cases.
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Events & Speaking

Moderator
Mar
5
2020

Lawyer for a Day

Los Angeles, CA

Panelist
Panelist
Mar
11
2019

Avoid False Advertising Scandals that Damage Your Brand

ACC Southern California In-House Counsel Conference - January 31, 2019

Hollywood, CA

Speaker
Mar
6
2019
Speaker
Apr
26
2018

Trailblazers - 21st Century Women Leaders

Shutters Hotel 1 Pico Bl.vd., Grand Salon Santa Monica, CA 90405

Moderator
Mar
22
2017

Women Leaders in Law

Los Angeles, CA

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Recognition & Awards

  • Best Lawyers of America Ones to Watch - Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants (2021-2023)

  • Best Lawyers in America "Ones to Watch": Commercial Litigation (2024)

  • Southern California Super Lawyers Rising Star: Class Action (2018-2020)

  • BTI Consulting Group Client Service All-Star (2020)

  • Southern California Super Lawyers Top Women Attorneys Rising Star: Class Action (2019)

  • Recognized by the Los Angeles Business Journal as one of the Leaders in Law - Attorney Nominees (2017)

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