Food & Beverage

  • February 06, 2026

    Anti-Pot Advocates Vow To Fight Legalization In Courts

    Principals and allies of a leading antidrug nonprofit pledged Friday to pursue the fight against marijuana legalization and normalization in the courts by challenging a pending proposal to loosen federal cannabis restrictions and directly suing some of the country's largest marijuana companies.

  • February 06, 2026

    Japan's Kirin Selling Bourbon Brand To Gallo For Up To $775M

    Kirin Holdings said Friday it has agreed to sell its U.S.-based Four Roses bourbon whiskey business to E. & J. Gallo Winery for up to 120 billion yen ($775 million).

  • February 06, 2026

    5 Firms Guide Refresco's $768M Acquisition Of SunOpta

    Netherlands-based Refresco said Friday it has agreed to acquire Minnesota-based SunOpta in an all-cash deal valuing the U.S.-listed company at $6.50 per share, or roughly $768 million, in a deal steered by at least five law firms. 

  • February 06, 2026

    Pa. Grocer Denied Bid To Bar Competition From Walmart

    A Pittsburgh-area grocery store can't get a court order barring a neighboring Walmart from selling groceries, after a federal judge found that the store could not convincingly link its decline in sales to Walmart's recent expansion of its food offerings.

  • February 05, 2026

    7th Circ. Deems Pilgrim's Price-Fix Settlement Non-Binding

    The Seventh Circuit on Thursday held that Pilgrim's Pride did not definitively settle chicken and other protein price-fixing claims with Sysco via a brief email acceptance and unsigned agreement, ruling that "a barebones email exchange" and unsigned agreement wasn't enough to formally resolve the dispute.

  • February 05, 2026

    Conagra Owes $25M For Man's Lung Disease From Pam Spray

    A California state civil jury hit Conagra Brands with a $25 million verdict after unanimously finding it liable for causing a debilitating lung disease known as bronchiolitis obliterans of a man who says he was exposed to diacetyl that was added to the company's Pam butter-flavored cooking spray.

  • February 05, 2026

    Consumers Fight To Keep Frozen Potato Antitrust Suit Alive

    Consumer groups pursuing price-fixing allegations against the nation's leading frozen potato product producers and certain others have urged an Illinois federal judge to let their claims proceed, arguing they've plausibly outlined a "classic antitrust story" that should be allowed to enter the evidence-gathering stage.

  • February 05, 2026

    8th Circ. Says Farmer Must Face Water Dispute In Tribal Court

    The Eight Circuit ruled that a Minnesota farmer can't block White Earth Tribal Court proceedings in federal court while his river water permitting case is still being litigated in the tribe's court system.

  • February 05, 2026

    Wash. Lawyer Faces Sanction Threat Over Alleged AI Errors

    A federal judge has ordered an attorney in Washington state to submit a sworn declaration explaining why she shouldn't be sanctioned for what opposing counsel claimed are dozens of artificial intelligence "hallucinations" across multiple case filings.

  • February 05, 2026

    NC Biz Court Bulletin: Dual Representation DQ, Biting Censure

    The North Carolina Business Court kicked off 2026 with a flurry of rulings and a few rebukes from the bench, including partially disqualifying counsel in a restaurant mismanagement melee and censuring a solo attorney who sought to circumvent the specialized superior court's rules.

  • February 05, 2026

    David Protein Gets Ingredient Supply Antitrust Claims Tossed

    A New York federal court dismissed a lawsuit from several low-calorie food producers accusing protein bar-maker David Protein of refusing to sell them a fat replacement ingredient after it purchased the ingredient's only supplier.

  • February 05, 2026

    Tyson Won't Have To Hand Over Poultry Welfare Records

    The Delaware Chancery Court on Thursday recommended against greenlighting a Tyson Foods Inc. stockholder's effort to obtain wide-ranging internal records about poultry welfare and labor practices, concluding the plaintiff failed to show a credible basis to suspect corporate wrongdoing that would justify further inspection.

  • February 05, 2026

    DOL Must Pay Retaliation Suit Atty Fees, Farm HR Head Says

    The U.S. Department of Labor should pay attorney fees and expenses that a human resources manager at a Tennessee pork farm incurred to defend the agency's retaliation suit, the manager told a federal court Thursday, saying the department failed to investigate the claims against her before suing.

  • February 05, 2026

    Nerds And Other Ferrara Candies Allegedly Contain Arsenic

    Ferrara Candy Co. was hit with a proposed class action Wednesday in Illinois federal court over allegations that popular brands of its candy, including Nerds, Trolli gummy candy, Laffy Taffy and Sweet Tarts, contain toxic levels of arsenic.

  • February 05, 2026

    FAT Brands Seeks OK To Use Subsidiary Stock Sale Cash

    FAT Brands is asking a Delaware bankruptcy judge for permission to use the proceeds from a sale of new shares in one of its subsidiary restaurant chains, saying it needs the more than $3 million in cash to fund its Chapter 11 case.

  • February 05, 2026

    Fla. Judge Recommends Axing Some Claims Against IP Atty

    A Florida federal judge Thursday recommended tossing several claims in a lawsuit alleging a patent attorney defamed an inventor in the press, saying the claims are unsupported.

  • February 05, 2026

    FDA Changes 'No Artificial Colors' Food Claims Rules

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday said that companies can promote their products as containing "no artificial colors" when the colors aren't derived from petroleum, a move intended to make it easier for companies to claim that their foods aren't artificially colored.

  • February 05, 2026

    Judge Caps Off 'Beer Law' Trademark Case

    A federal judge has dismissed a trademark lawsuit from a North Carolina law firm that brands itself as the "Beer Law Center" against a Colorado firm that calls itself the "Beer Law HQ," finding the latter company lacked sufficient connections to North Carolina for the court to hear the case.

  • February 05, 2026

    News Orgs Urge 1st Circ. To Reject Lobster Industry Libel Suit

    The New York Times, The Atlantic and other national news media organizations have asked the First Circuit to sink a defamation suit by lobster fishermen over a conservation group's warning not to eat lobster because of the purported impact on an endangered whale species.

  • February 04, 2026

    Fla. Court Urged To Hold IP Atty Liable For Defamation

    An inventor alleging an intellectual property attorney defamed him in the press urged a Florida federal court Wednesday to hold the attorney accountable, arguing the allegation is well-founded.

  • February 04, 2026

    4th Circ. Backs Chicken Processor In Fired Worker's ADA Suit

    The Fourth Circuit declined Wednesday to reinstate a suit from a worker who said a chicken processor unlawfully terminated him after a shooting left him with lingering medical issues, saying he failed to show he could perform the key functions of his job.

  • February 04, 2026

    Minn. Court Denies Agricultural Tax Break For Property

    A Minnesota property doesn't qualify for a lower property assessment under a Green Acres tax classification because only a small portion of the property was used for agricultural reasons, the state Tax Court ruled. 

  • February 04, 2026

    Pet Treat Maker, Ex-Workers Score OK For $975K Wage Deal

    An Illinois federal judge preliminarily approved a $975,000 settlement to resolve a proposed class and collective action alleging a pet product manufacturer failed to pay its employees for the time they spent putting on and removing personal protective equipment, according to a court filing.

  • February 04, 2026

    EU Lawmakers May Vote On US Trade Deal This Month

    The European Parliament will resume work on carrying out a framework trade agreement with the United States later this month following President Donald Trump's withdrawal of tariff threats in an effort to obtain Greenland, the parliament's trade committee chair said Wednesday.

  • February 04, 2026

    Restaurant Can't Include Morning Staff In Tip Pool, Court Says

    A steakhouse chain violated tip credit rules by including morning-shift employees in its tip pool even though they worked primarily while the restaurant was closed to guests, a Colorado federal judge has ruled, finding those workers were not "customarily and regularly tipped" because their customer interaction was minimal.

Expert Analysis

  • A Simple Way Courts Can Help Attys Avoid AI Hallucinations

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    As attorneys increasingly rely on generative artificial intelligence for legal research, courts should consider expanding online quality control programs to flag potential hallucinations — permitting counsel to correct mistakes and sparing judges the burden of imposing sanctions, say attorneys at Lankler Siffert & Wohl and Connors.

  • DOJ Consumer Branch's End Leaves FDA Litigation Questions

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    With the dissolution of the U.S. Department of Justice's Consumer Protection Branch set to occur by Sept. 30, companies must carefully monitor how responsibility is reallocated for civil and criminal enforcement cases related to products regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, say attorneys at Foley & Lardner.

  • The Evolving Legal Landscape For THC-Infused Beverages

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    A recent Eighth Circuit ruling, holding that states may restrict the sale of intoxicating hemp-derived products without violating federal law, combined with ongoing regulatory uncertainty at both the federal and state levels, could alter the trajectory of the THC-infused beverage market, say attorneys at Pashman Stein.

  • Cos. Must Tailor Due Diligence As Trafficking Risks Increase

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    As legislators, prosecutors and plaintiffs attorneys increasingly focus on labor and sex trafficking throughout the U.S., companies must tailor their due diligence strategies to protect against forced labor trafficking risks in their supply chains, say attorneys at Steptoe.

  • Series

    Creating Botanical Art Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Pressing and framing plants that I grow has shown me that pursuing an endeavor that brings you joy can lead to surprising benefits for a legal career, including mental clarity, perspective and even a bit of humility, says Douglas Selph at Morris Manning.

  • What To Expect As Calif. Justices Weigh Arbitration Fee Law

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    If the California Supreme Court’s upcoming ruling in Hohenshelt v. Superior Court holds that the Federal Arbitration Act does not preempt the California Arbitration Act's strict fee deadlines, employers and businesses could lose the right to arbitrate over minor procedural delays, say attorneys at Bird Marella.

  • Opinion

    The Legal Education Status Quo Is No Longer Tenable

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    As underscored by the fallout from California’s February bar exam, legal education and licensure are tethered to outdated systems, and the industry must implement several key reforms to remain relevant and responsive to 21st century legal needs, says Matthew Nehmer at The Colleges of Law.

  • E-Discovery Quarterly: Rulings On Relevance Redactions

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    In recent cases addressing redactions that parties sought to apply based on the relevance of information — as opposed to considerations of privilege — courts have generally limited a party’s ability to withhold nonresponsive or irrelevant material, providing a few lessons for discovery strategy, say attorneys at Sidley.

  • Opinion

    Section 1983 Has Promise After End Of Nationwide Injunctions

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    After the U.S. Supreme Court recently struck down the practice of nationwide injunctions in Trump v. Casa, Section 1983 civil rights suits can provide a better pathway to hold the government accountable — but this will require reforms to qualified immunity, says Marc Levin at the Council on Criminal Justice.

  • Series

    Playing Soccer Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Soccer has become a key contributor to how I approach my work, and the lessons I’ve learned on the pitch about leadership, adaptability, resilience and communication make me better at what I do every day in my legal career, says Whitney O’Byrne at MoFo.

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: Learning From Failure

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    While law school often focuses on the importance of precision, correctness and perfection, mistakes are inevitable in real-world practice — but failure is not the opposite of progress, and real talent comes from the ability to recover, rethink and reshape, says Brooke Pauley at Tucker Ellis.

  • Series

    Adapting To Private Practice: From ATF Director To BigLaw

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    As a two-time boomerang partner, returning to BigLaw after stints as a U.S. attorney and the director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, people ask me how I know when to move on, but there’s no single answer — just clearly set your priorities, says Steven Dettelbach at BakerHostetler.

  • Influencer Marketing Partnerships Face Rising Litigation Risk

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    In light of recent class actions claiming that brands and influencers are misleading consumers with deceptive marketing practices — largely premised on the Federal Trade Commission's endorsements guidance — proactive compliance measures are becoming more important, say attorneys at Olshan Frome.

  • Mulling Worker Reclassification In Light Of No Tax On OT

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    The One Big Beautiful Bill Act's no-tax-on-overtime provisions provide tax relief for employees who regularly work overtime and are nonexempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act, but reclassifying employees may lead to higher compliance costs and increased wage and hour litigation for employers, says Steve Bronars at Edgeworth Economics.

  • 7 Ways Employers Can Avoid Labor Friction Over AI

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    As artificial intelligence use in the workplace emerges as a key labor relations topic in the U.S. and Europe, employers looking to reduce reputational risk and prevent costly disputes should consider proactive strategies to engage with unions, say attorneys at Baker McKenzie.

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