“Would it kill you to say you’re sorry?” blazes the huge type at the top of the Taco Bell ad. Never naming the law firm, the ad starts “The law firm that brought false claims about our product quality and advertising integrity has voluntarily withdrawn their class action suit.” No payment by Taco Bell, no changes to products or ads, no settlement agreement. Vetted by the law department for sure, this is litigation prevention with a vengeance. A flame in a newspaper ad as a litigation management tool!
A decision by a judge makes in-house litigators feel good; a case dropped during months or years into the action makes them feel better; a withdrawal so humiliating inspires a trumpeting ad in the New York Times!
Here is the close of the ad. “As for the lawyers who brought this suit: You got it wrong, and you’re probably feeling pretty bad right about now. But you know what always helps? Saying to everyone, ‘I’m sorry.’ C’mon, you can do it!”
The co-counsel for the aborted suit are listed online.