Food & Beverage

  • January 08, 2026

    NYAG Presses Instacart On Algorithmic Pricing Compliance

    The New York Attorney General's Office on Thursday sent a letter to Instacart requesting information about the online grocery shopping platform's compliance with a new state law on the use of algorithmic pricing following a report indicating users were being charged different prices for the same products.

  • January 08, 2026

    NC Wins Appeal To Use Smithfield Funds For Enviro Grants

    The North Carolina Attorney General's Office can continue putting money from a decades-old hog waste agreement toward environmental grants, a state appeals court panel ruled, overturning a lower court order earmarking the money exclusively for public schools.

  • January 08, 2026

    Cracker Barrel Servers Tell Justices To Avoid Collective Row

    Cracker Barrel servers urged the U.S. Supreme Court not to take up the restaurant's chain's bid to review evidentiary standards used to authorize collective action notices, arguing that no circuit split exists because the Ninth Circuit ruled on the permissibility of a two-step certification process and not required showings for notice authorization.

  • January 08, 2026

    EPA's Water Rule Dispute Paused Amid Legal Uncertainty

    A North Dakota federal judge is holding in abeyance seven states' challenge to a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's rule revision that considers tribal rights in addressing water quality standards until the agency determines if it wants to defend the final law or start a new rulemaking process.

  • January 08, 2026

    3 Firms Advise On $500M Good Culture PE Buyout

    Consumer-focused investment firm L Catterton has agreed to purchase a majority stake in Good Culture in a deal that values the dairy brand at $500 million, with law firms Winston & Strawn LLP, Kirkland & Ellis LLP and Cooley LLP advising, Good Culture said Thursday. 

  • January 07, 2026

    Ill. Poultry Processor Improperly Calculates OT, Suit Says

    A former Koch Foods employee in Ohio has hit the Illinois-based poultry processor with a proposed collective wage dispute in Chicago federal court, claiming the company has illegally short-changed its workers by failing to factor their nondiscretionary bonus pay into its overtime wage calculations.

  • January 07, 2026

    Baking Mix Co. Sued Over Alleged Water Pollution In Wash.

    Baking mix manufacturer Continental Mills Inc. was hit with a Clean Water Act lawsuit in Washington federal court Wednesday by an environmental group that claims the company's Seattle-area plant released wastewater laden with heavy metals into nearby creeks, in excess of legal pollution limits.

  • January 07, 2026

    Belgian Restaurant Chain Files For Ch. 11 In Ohio

    Taste of Belgium Rookwood LLC launched a streamlined Chapter 11 in Ohio bankruptcy court late on Tuesday, reporting about $156,000 in assets against $3 million in liabilities and aiming to stabilize its remaining three-site business.

  • January 07, 2026

    Amazon Seeks To Halt Supplement Suit As FDA Nixes Rule

    Amazon called on a Seattle federal judge to pause a proposed class action accusing the e-commerce platform of failing to make certain disclosures on supplement product pages, saying the U.S. Food and Drug Administration plans to revoke the so-called each panel labeling rule at the center of the case.

  • January 07, 2026

    Colo. Knife Manufacturer Says Rival Misused Trademarks

    A Colorado-based knife manufacturer accused one of its competitors in federal court Wednesday of selling products with its trademark brand name and logo without authorization.

  • January 07, 2026

    Poultry Cos. Seek Stay Of Water Pollution Ruling For Appeal

    Tyson Foods and other poultry operators found responsible for polluting Oklahoma waters with chicken waste argued that, without a stay in the court's judgment pending a Tenth Circuit appeal, companies not subject to its orders will have an economic advantage.

  • January 07, 2026

    Commerce Opens Probe Into Canadian Mushroom Imports

    The U.S. Department of Commerce announced Wednesday that it has opened a pair of investigations into whether fresh mushrooms from Canada should be subject to antidumping and countervailing duties.

  • January 07, 2026

    DC, New Jersey Delis Reach Deal To End Trademark Fight

    Washington, D.C.-based bagel shop and deli Call Your Mother Corp. has agreed to drop a federal trademark lawsuit against a New Jersey deli after the parties reached a deal to end the case.

  • January 07, 2026

    Lionel Messi Energy Drink Spat Voluntarily Dismissed

    A beverage company behind the White Claw hard seltzer brand and an energy drink company co-owned by internet personalities Logan Paul and Olajide "KSI" Olatunji have agreed to drop a suit seeking a declaration of noninfringement and counterclaims alleging trade dress copying.

  • January 06, 2026

    5th Circ. Pushes FDA On 'De Facto' Vape Marketing Ban

    A Fifth Circuit panel seemed leery of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's claim that it had no de facto ban in place for flavored refillable e-cigarette products, saying Tuesday that denying hundreds of thousands of applications seemed an awful lot like a ban.

  • January 06, 2026

    Tyson Foods Tries To Pare Down Meat Packer's Wage Claims

    Tyson Foods Inc. is asking a Washington federal judge to throw out the bulk of a proposed wage and hour class action, arguing that the plaintiff's amended complaint is too short on details to proceed.

  • January 06, 2026

    DC's Compass Coffee Hits Ch. 11 Amid Rent, Other Disputes

    The Washington, D.C.-based coffee chain Compass Coffee filed for Chapter 11 protection Tuesday with at least $11.7 million of estimated liabilities amid rent disputes with landlords, promising to soon disclose plans for an asset sale to a strategic buyer in the global retail coffee business.

  • January 06, 2026

    Cider-Maker Challenges Federal Ban On Vintage Labeling

    A Washington state maker of alcoholic beverages is challenging a federal government restriction that prevents producers of cider, mead and wines made from any fruit besides grapes from including vintage years on their product labels, arguing that the policy withholds information from consumers and violates the First Amendment.

  • January 06, 2026

    Public Health Atty Talks Botulism, Infants And FDA Staffing

    Three years ago, a bacterial outbreak at a Michigan manufacturing plant sparked a shutdown and a national infant formula shortage. Another episode last year at a formula plant in Iowa should be a red flag for the public and a short-handed FDA, according to Sarah Sorscher of the Center for Science in the Public Interest.

  • January 06, 2026

    NJ Bill Aims To Earmark $2.5B In Development Tax Credits

    New Jersey would earmark $2.5 billion in economic development tax credits, with up to $300 million designated for sports and entertainment projects, as part of a bill introduced in the state Assembly.

  • January 06, 2026

    Distribution Co. Drops Suit Alleging Kraft Stole Database

    A distribution company has voluntarily dismissed a suit accusing The Kraft Heinz Co. of stealing confidential information by having one of its executives in the Netherlands download a database in violation of a licensing agreement.

  • January 06, 2026

    Cracker Barrel Asks Justices To Avoid Collective Opt-Ins Fight

    Cracker Barrel urged the U.S. Supreme Court not to take up an appeal of a Ninth Circuit decision that only Arizona employees could opt in to a collective suit over tipped wages, arguing that there isn't a wide enough circuit split to merit review.

  • January 06, 2026

    KFC Inks Deal To End EEOC Sex Harassment Probe

    KFC will pay $200,000 to end a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission investigation into claims that the company ignored sexual harassment at a Florida restaurant, the EEOC said Tuesday.

  • January 06, 2026

    Creek Nation Fights Okla. Over Tribal Hunting Rights

    The Muscogee (Creek) Nation has joined three fellow Oklahoma tribes in asking a federal court to block state wildlife officials from requiring tribal citizens to obtain state licenses to hunt and fish on their reservation lands, arguing that the practice violates its sovereignty and right to self-govern.

  • January 06, 2026

    Food Distribution Co. Misclassified Supervisors, Suit Says

    A food distribution company misclassified supervisors as salaried employees exempt from overtime even though they did not meet the legal requirements to satisfy the carveout under federal wage law, according to a proposed collective action filed in Colorado federal court.

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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