Trainer or Touter? The Deception That Can Be Training

    Clay Brewer is an associate attorney at Thompson Burton PLLC. His practice area focuses primarily on serving young, direct selling companies. He assists Kevin Thompson in providing exceptional legal support for companies ranging from early-stage startups to well-established entities.

    Courage: Emotional strengths that involve the exercise of will to accomplish goals in the face of opposition, external or internal; examples include bravery, perseverance, and authenticity (honesty). – How to be a Stoic, Massimo Pigliucci  The presence of trainers and motivational speakers in the world of network marketing is nothing new. From the most experienced network […]

    The Truth Beneath the Pyramid: A Deep Dive of FTC v. Noland

      Clay Brewer is an associate attorney at Thompson Burton PLLC. His practice area focuses primarily on serving young, direct selling companies. He assists Kevin Thompson in providing exceptional legal support for companies ranging from early-stage startups to well-established entities.

      On May 11, 2023, the United States District Court for the District of Arizona announced the long-awaited decision in Federal Trade Commission v. James D. Noland, Jr., et al regarding the future of the network marketing company known as Success By Health (“SBH”). Unlike many both within and without the network marketing industry, I like […]

      Back to the Basics

        Clay Brewer is an associate attorney at Thompson Burton PLLC. His practice area focuses primarily on serving young, direct selling companies. He assists Kevin Thompson in providing exceptional legal support for companies ranging from early-stage startups to well-established entities.

        Whenever I sit down to write an article, I find myself trying to come up with some obscure, groundbreaking topic to discuss. Sadly, I do not have these monumental epiphanies as frequently as I would like. But the truth of the matter is that why should we discuss such grand topics, when the industry of […]

        So You Received a Notice of Penalty Offenses, Now What?

          Clay Brewer is an associate attorney at Thompson Burton PLLC. His practice area focuses primarily on serving young, direct selling companies. He assists Kevin Thompson in providing exceptional legal support for companies ranging from early-stage startups to well-established entities.

          Roughly 1,100 entities received a Notice of Penalty Offenses from the Federal Trade Commission on October 26, 2021. It’s important to know that being a recipient does not mean you have previously or are currently violating the law. Candidly, it’s not all bad being on the list. The companies that did not make the cut […]

          Recent Victory: Thompson Burton Obtains Take Nothing Result in Arbitration Win

            Cole is a commercial litigator who has extensive experience resolving business-related disputes involving a wide variety of legal issues. Cole’s practice includes handling trials and appeals in state and federal court, in addition to alternative dispute resolution forums, such as mediation and arbitration. He has served as counsel to clients in courts and arbitration forums across the country, including Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, New York, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas. Cole was selected as a Mid-South Rising Star by Super Lawyers Magazine for 2014.

            Sarah Ferraro and I (Cole Dowsley), both commercial litigation attorneys with Thompson Burton PLLC, recently successfully defended a well-known multi-level marketing (MLM) company in an arbitration proceeding brought by a distributor of the company. The MLM company, a leading provider of nutritional supplements and health products, faced claims from one of its distributors that the […]

            Forex and MLM: Good fit or meatball sundae?

              Kevin Thompson is an MLM attorney, proud husband, father of four and a founding member of Thompson Burton PLLC. Named as one of the top 25 most influential people in direct sales, Kevin Thompson has extensive experience to help entrepreneurs launch their businesses on secure legal footing. Recently featured on Bloomberg TV and several national publications, Thompson is a thought-leader in the industry.

              The “meatball sundae” analogy comes from my favorite Seth Godin book. The premise: simply because someone likes ice cream and meatballs does not mean it’s a good idea to mix the two. Is it a good idea to mix energy drinks and alcohol, steak and donuts, diamond rings and young wives? Maybe, but not always. […]