Connection lost
Server error
Labmd, Inc. v. Fed. Trade Comm'n Case Brief
Why Top Law Students (And Those Aspiring to Be) Use LSD+ Briefs
Let's be real, law school is a marathon. Our exclusive Flash-to-Full case system is designed by Harvard Law School and MIT grads to match your pace: Quick summaries when you're slammed, detailed analysis when you need to go deep. Only LSD+ offers this kind of flexibility to genuinely fit your study flow.
Adaptive Case Views
Toggle between Flash, Standard, and Expanded. Get what you need, when you need it.
Exam-Ready IRAC Format
We deliver the precise structure professors look for in exam answers.
Complex Cases, Clarified
We break down dense legal reasoning into something digestible, helping you grasp core concepts.
Case Brief Summary & Legal Analysis
tl;dr: The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) found LabMD’s data security practices unfair and issued a broad remedial order. The Eleventh Circuit vacated the order, holding it was unenforceably vague because it failed to prohibit any specific conduct and instead mandated an indeterminate standard of ‘reasonableness.’
Legal Significance: This case limits the FTC’s enforcement power by requiring its cease and desist orders to prohibit specific, identifiable acts or practices. An order mandating a general standard of conduct, such as ‘reasonable’ data security, is too vague to be enforceable by a court.
Labmd, Inc. v. Fed. Trade Comm'n Law School Study Guide
Use this case brief structure for your own legal analysis. Focus on the IRAC methodology to excel in law school exams and cold calls.
Case Facts & Court Holding
Key Facts & Case Background
LabMD, a now-defunct medical testing company, maintained sensitive personal information on its computer network. Contrary to company policy, an employee installed a peer-to-peer file-sharing application, LimeWire, on a company computer. This resulted in the exposure of a 1,718-page file containing the personal information of approximately 9,300 consumers. A data security firm, Tiversa, downloaded the file and later provided it to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC initiated an administrative enforcement action, alleging that LabMD’s data security practices, ‘taken together,’ constituted an ‘unfair act or practice’ under Section 5 of the FTC Act. The complaint did not allege specific wrongful acts but rather a collection of failures, such as not conducting adequate risk assessments or training employees. After an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) dismissed the complaint, the full Commission reversed. The Commission found LabMD’s practices were unfair and issued a cease and desist order. The order did not prohibit specific conduct but required LabMD to establish and maintain a ‘comprehensive information security program that is reasonably designed to protect the security, confidentiality, and integrity of personal information.’ LabMD petitioned the Eleventh Circuit for review.
Court Holding & Legal Precedent
Issue: Is a Federal Trade Commission cease and desist order that requires a company to implement a ‘reasonably designed’ data security program, without prohibiting any specific act or practice, sufficiently specific to be enforceable?
No. The court vacated the FTC’s order, holding that it was unenforceable Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse ci
IRAC Legal Analysis
Complete IRAC Analysis for Higher Grades
IRAC (Issue, Rule, Analysis, Conclusion) is the exact format professors want to see in your exam answers. Our exclusive Flash-to-Full briefs combine holding, analysis, and rule statements formatted to match what A+ students produce in exams. These structured briefs help reinforce the essential legal reasoning patterns expected in law school.
Legal Issue
Is a Federal Trade Commission cease and desist order that requires a company to implement a ‘reasonably designed’ data security program, without prohibiting any specific act or practice, sufficiently specific to be enforceable?
Conclusion
The decision significantly curtails the FTC's ability to regulate data security through Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea co
Legal Rule
A cease and desist order issued by the Federal Trade Commission must Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint
Legal Analysis
The court reasoned that the FTC's power to prevent unfair practices through Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adi
Flash-to-Full Case Opinions
Summary unavailable
No flash summary is available for this opinion.