Jury Rules in Favor of FIGS, Tosses Out False Advertising Lawsuit

Samson Amore

Samson Amore is a reporter for dot.LA. He holds a degree in journalism from Emerson College. Send tips or pitches to samsonamore@dot.la and find him on Twitter @Samsonamore.

​FIGS model showing off scrubs
Courtesy of FIGS

Scrubs maker FIGS gained a win in court this week after a jury found there was no merit to the false advertising and misleading business practices claims brought by rival medical apparel maker Strategic Partners Inc. (SPI).


The lawsuit which was first filed in January 2019 alleged that FIGS co-founders Trina Spear and Heather Hasson were making false claims about their scrubs’ ability to protect the wearer from bacteria or disease.

A jury ruled SPI’s claims against FIGS weren’t valid on Nov. 3. An attorney for SPI—which does business under the moniker Careismatic Brands—told dot.LA the jury ruled that SPI didn’t meet its obligation to prove to the court that FIGS’ alleged false advertising negatively affected a substantial portion of customers.

In a jury verdict viewed by dot.LA Friday, the jury said that FIGS' claims that their scrubs killed bacteria were both not literally false nor deceived a "substantial segment of FIGS' audience of consumers." The jury also ruled that FIGS did not engage in false advertising, and that SPI was not entitled any damages.

In response, FIGS’ chief legal officer Todd Maron said in a statement Friday that “this verdict is a powerful win, not only for FIGS, but for fair competition.” Maron added that, “this marks the end of a nasty, four-year campaign against FIGS, engineered by SPI’s former CEO Mike Singer and based on outright falsehoods. SPI has sued competitors at least twice before in similar situations, and we felt it was important to stand up for the truth when confronted with a baseless lawsuit.”

SPI’s counsel told dot.LA the medical apparel maker plans to appeal the ruling. Charismatic Brands CEO Girisha Chandraraj added in a statement that, “Careismatic Brands takes our position as a leader in the medical apparel industry seriously, and brought this case to protect healthcare workers, force FIGS to stop making false claims, and ensure a fair and transparent marketplace.”

To that end, since the SPI trial first came to light, a securities class action lawsuit has been filed against FIGS. Any class action claims are likely to suffer a dead end since FIGS’ terms of service clearly states that people who buy its products online agree to an arbitration clause that prevents a class action case.

In addition FIGS is currently being investigated for several other securities lawsuits, many of which have been announced in recent days. According to an attorney at a firm investigating one such lawsuit, it is common for law firms that focus on securities to trawl for cases such as FIGS v. SPI. Many law firms will use cases like this one as a jumping-off point to encourage disgruntled investors to band together and sue for compensation.

FIGS declined to comment on the other pending litigation.

As of this writing, FIGS’ stock is trending up by 1.5% to $6.70 per share. Though that’s far from its debut stock price of $29 per share after its May 2021 IPO when the scrubs maker was valued at over $4.5 billion.

For now, FIGS can turn its focus away from the courtroom and towards its third quarter earnings, which are expected Nov. 10. The upcoming earnings could also potentially shed light on how this lawsuit has affected FIGS’ business, if at all. The company reported $4.9 million in net income last quarter, and if it can continue to work around supply chain constraints and shipping delays, analysts expect that trend to continue.

Correction: This story has been updated to reflect when SPI first sued FIGS in January 2019.

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🌴🧑‍💻 Your Guide to LA Tech Week 2024

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Happy Friday Los Angeles,

As many of you know, LA Tech Week is right around the corner, kicking off next Monday October 14th bringing together founders, creatives, investors, and engineers for a week of immersive events, panels, and socials across the city. From blockchain and AI to biotech and design, LA Tech Week is a chance to dive into the ideas shaping today’s technology landscape.


What to Look Forward To

Insights from Visionary Leaders: Hear firsthand from industry trailblazers as they share stories, challenges, and key lessons from their experiences. Expect fresh perspectives on AI, venture capital, biotech, and the ethical questions around emerging technologies.

Interactive Panels: This week isn’t about watching from the sidelines; it’s about engaging directly with the tech community. Participate in hands-on panels discussing everything from startup scaling to ethical AI, with honest insights from those actively shaping these fields.

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Plan your week with the daily lineup, organized by location for easy navigation:

For updates or more event information, visit the official Tech Week calendar.

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LA Companies

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      9:00 PM

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      10:00 AM

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      6:00 PM

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      Founders Running Club

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      9:00 AM

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      10:00 AM

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      10:30 AM

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      7:00 AM

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      11:00 AM

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      12:30 AM

      New Moon, Warner UK Innovations

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      3:00 PM

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      8:00 AM

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      2:00 PM

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      Check out Friday, October 18th's schedule for LA Tech Week 2024! Events are sorted by location so you can easily find what matches your goals for the day.

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      8:00 AM

      Scrappy

      BRENTWOOD

      7:30 AM

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      9:00 AM

      Intersections LA

      1:30 PM

      • Showcasing Bioscience Innovation in LA County (Invite Only)

      BioscienceLA, County o LA, Larta Institute, LAEDC

      5:00 PM

      Grid110

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      ACT House, Sip & Sonder

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      7:00 PM

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      • Pizza, Wine, & Connectivity: Celebrating the Nomadic App Revolution:See Details Here

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      12:00 PM

      Ripe and Teddy's Hot House

      5:30 PM

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      7:00 PM

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