Winston Successfully Represents LG Electronics in False Advertising Dispute with Whirlpool Corp.

Winston & Strawn partners Larry Desideri and Ron Rothstein, both based in the Chicago office, were quoted in Bloomberg's October 20 article titled "Whirlpool, LG Claim Victories in Dispute Over Steam Capability of Dryers," regarding their representation of LG Electronics.

A split verdict was reached by the jury in the trial of a case filed by LG Electronics USA against Whirlpool Corp.; LG accused Whirlpool of defrauding consumers by falsely advertising the capabilities of its dryers. Unlike LG dryers, which heat water to boiling point prior to injecting the resultant vapor into a cold dryer drum, Whirlpool's unit injects a cold, fine mist into a hot dryer drum. In his opening statement, Mr. Desideri stated Whirlpool's dryer "doesn't boil water. It doesn't create steam." The jurors agreed with LG's claim that Whirlpool violated the Illinois Deceptive Trade Practices Act.

The objective of the suit, Rothstein said, was to stop Whirlpool from using the word "steam" to advertise its dryers. Rothstein said he will ask U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve, who presided over the trial, to bar Whirlpool from using the word "steam" in the advertising of its dryers.