Food & Beverage

  • May 14, 2025

    Walmart Hit With $223M Verdict In Trade Secrets Fight

    An Arkansas federal jury has awarded Zest Labs Inc. nearly $223 million in a suit that had accused Walmart of swiping the startup's trade secrets related to shelf-freshness technology.

  • May 13, 2025

    Pot Payment Co. Wants Court To Enforce $1.3M Deal

    A Boulder, Colorado, fintech company said its former business associates in a failed joint venture to create a cannabis payment system cannot be trusted to pay the $1.3 million settlement meant to end all claims of fraud, urging a Nevada federal court to step in and force them to follow through.

  • May 13, 2025

    Gov't To Restore Climate Webpages After Lawsuit Pressure

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture is reversing course and has committed to restore climate change-focused webpages that were taken offline following the January presidential inauguration, according to a court filing in a lawsuit from environmental groups challenging the removals.

  • May 13, 2025

    Hooters Can Tap Full $40M DIP In Chapter 11

    Restaurant chain Hooters can tap the last $30 million of its $40 million Chapter 11 debtor-in-possession loan after it agreed to escrow disputed royalty revenue to quell a creditor's objection during a Tuesday hearing in a Texas bankruptcy court.

  • May 13, 2025

    Target Slapped With Class Action Over IPhone Warranties

    Target Corp. is facing a proposed class action alleging it misled cellphone buyers about who is responsible for repairs, how much repairs cost and the warranty terms for its phones.

  • May 13, 2025

    Grocery Giants Fight Washington's 'Redundant' $32.4M Fee Bid

    Kroger and Albertsons are fighting a bid by Washington's attorney general to recover a record $32.4 million in legal fees for winning a lawsuit to block a $24.6 billion merger of the grocery giants, saying that the state's "go-it-alone" litigation was unnecessary and wasteful because of parallel antitrust action by the Federal Trade Commission.

  • May 13, 2025

    Texas Investigates Gen­er­al Mills Over Food Coloring In Cereal

    Texas launched an investigation against General Mills Inc. over allegedly illegal misrepresentations the company made about its cereals such as Trix and Lucky Charms, saying in a Tuesday announcement the cereals contain artificial dyes that pose severe health risks for children.

  • May 13, 2025

    Cannabis Water Co. Escapes $10M Fraud Charges With DPA

    A cannabis-infused beverage maker on Tuesday inked a deferred prosecution agreement to resolve charges over its alleged role in a $10 million pump-and-dump scheme, with the deal including compliance provisions but no monetary penalty.

  • May 13, 2025

    Golden Corral Franchisee Settles Death Suit As Trial Kicks Off

    A Golden Corral franchisee on Tuesday reached a settlement with the widow of a man who died after he tripped over a chair leg at a restaurant in Newnan, Georgia, ending the dispute shortly after a jury was seated for trial.

  • May 13, 2025

    Farberware, Walmart Can't Duck Pressure Cooker Burn Suit

    A Pennsylvania federal judge on Tuesday denied Walmart Inc. and Farberware Licensing Co.'s bid to prevail in a suit alleging they sold a defective pressure cooker that erupted and burned a woman using it to make steak.

  • May 13, 2025

    11th Circ. Eyes Restarting Seafood Workers' ESOP Suit

    The Eleventh Circuit seemed Tuesday to lean toward reviving a lawsuit from former workers of a seafood company who allege that their employee stock ownership plan was overcharged in a $92 million deal, as judges questioned a lower court's decision to toss the case with prejudice.

  • May 13, 2025

    Walmart Settles Biometric Privacy Suit Ahead Of June Trial

    Walmart and a driver for Walmart's grocery delivery platform have resolved his claims that the platform's identity verification process violates Illinois' biometric privacy law by scanning geometric facial data in their selfies and licenses to authenticate an applicant's identity without informed consent.

  • May 13, 2025

    Tariffs Blamed For Upstart Wine And Spirits Co.'s Bankruptcy

    Oracles Capital Inc., a Florida-based wine and spirits brand investor, filed for bankruptcy in Delaware to quickly sell its assets, saying macroeconomic conditions and wine import tariffs have prevented it from raising new money.

  • May 13, 2025

    Vegan Restaurant Chain Planta Hits Ch. 11 With Sale Plans

    Vegan restaurant chain Planta Group has filed for Chapter 11 protection in Delaware, listing up to $50 million in debt and saying it intends to sell the business as part of the bankruptcy process.

  • May 12, 2025

    Instacart Beats Investor Suit Over Pre-IPO Business

    A California federal judge tossed a shareholder class action accusing grocery delivery company Instacart of misrepresenting its potential in the lead-up to its initial public offering, finding, among other things, that the plaintiffs did not sufficiently plead any actionable misleading statements or that the defendants acted with a motive to deceive investors.

  • May 12, 2025

    Kraft Heinz, IPS Head To Trial Over $12.5M Project Dispute

    Neither Kraft Heinz Co. nor contractor Industrial Power Systems Inc. can avoid continuing toward a trial in their dispute over cost and time overruns on a $12.5 million project to upgrade an Ohio production facility, after a federal judge denied both sides' motions for summary judgment Monday.

  • May 12, 2025

    Wiretap Evidence Allowed In $200M Forced Labor Case

    A Georgia federal judge has accepted a magistrate judge's recommendation that wiretap evidence be allowed into the prosecution of an alleged $200 million international forced labor scheme.

  • May 12, 2025

    Pet Treat Maker Doesn't Fully Pay Employees, Suit Says

    A pet product manufacturer with locations in Illinois and Colorado has been hit with proposed class and collective accusations in federal court in Chicago that the company illegally fails to pay employees for key work tasks they perform before and after their shifts.  

  • May 12, 2025

    Walmart, Transportation Manager End OT Suit

    Walmart and a transportation operations manager have agreed to end the worker's suit in Georgia federal court accusing the retailer of misclassifying her as overtime-exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act, according to a joint filing Monday.

  • May 12, 2025

    Will Justices Finally Rein In Universal Injunctions?

    The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to address for the first time Thursday the propriety of universal injunctions, a tool federal judges have increasingly used to broadly halt presidential orders and policy initiatives, and whose validity has haunted the high court's merits and emergency dockets for more than a decade.

  • May 12, 2025

    Proskauer, Cooley Guide Up To $880M Hand Sanitizer Deal

    Arm & Hammer owner Church & Dwight Co. Inc. said Monday it has agreed to acquire fast-growing hand sanitizer brand Touchland for up to $880 million, in a deal steered by Proskauer Rose LLP for Church & Dwight and Cooley LLP for Touchland.

  • May 12, 2025

    2nd Circ. Sides With Subway In Russia Franchisee Arbitration

    The Second Circuit on Monday affirmed two arbitration awards that allowed sandwich chain Subway International BV to sever ties with its former Russian franchise owner.

  • May 12, 2025

    Broker Wants To Trim Chipwich Maker's $4.5M Recall Suit

    An insurance broker asked a Connecticut state court to trim a suit seeking $4.5 million for losses that the maker of Chipwich ice cream sandwiches alleges it incurred because of insufficient product recall coverage, saying the company can't sustain its breach of contract claim.

  • May 09, 2025

    TTAB Shoots Down Attempt To Register 'Cuadra' Alcohol Mark

    A Mexican shoe and apparel brand has lost its bid to register the mark "Cuadra" for certain types of alcoholic beverages, with the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board finding the company didn't show it actually planned to use the mark for its intended purpose.

  • May 09, 2025

    Food Importer Can't Secure Lower Duty Rate On Frozen Fruit

    The Federal Circuit on Friday denied a company's efforts to have its mixed frozen fruit imports from Canada reclassified as "other food preparations" instead of frozen fruit in order to secure duty-free treatment for the products.

Expert Analysis

  • Surprise NC COVID Ruling Revises Reasonable Expectations

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    The North Carolina Supreme Court's recent finding in favor of policyholders in a suit for business interruption coverage due to COVID-19 shutdown orders runs contrary to most other state and federal courts' holdings on the issue, and may revitalize the reasonable expectations doctrine in the state, say attorneys at Goldberg Segalla.

  • Complying With Seasonal Product Labeling Requirements

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    Though the holiday season is in the rearview, many seasonal alcohol products remain in the market, and producers should ensure that their labels comply with the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau's additional requirements for such products, say attorneys at McDermott.

  • Series

    Exercising On My Peloton Bike Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    While I originally came to the Peloton bike for exercise, one cycling instructor’s teachings have come to serve as a road map for practicing law thoughtfully and mindfully, which has opened opportunities for growth and change in my career, says Andrea Kirshenbaum at Littler.

  • 5 Drug And Device Developments That Shaped 2024

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    The last year saw significant legal developments affecting drug and device manufacturers, with landmark decisions and regulatory changes that require vigilance and agility from the industry, say attorneys at Faegre Drinker.

  • How To Manage During A Trade Dispute With USMCA Partners

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    Companies can try to minimize the potential impacts of future tariffs on Mexican and Canadian goods, and uncertainty about future trade relations, by evaluating supply chains, considering how they may be modified, and engaging with the new administration over exemptions and the upcoming review of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, say attorneys at Holland & Knight.

  • Exploring Venue Strategy For Trump-Era Regulatory Litigation

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    Litigation will likely play a prominent role in shaping policy outcomes during the second Trump administration, and stakeholders have several tools at their disposal to steer regulatory litigation toward more favorable venues, say attorneys at Covington.

  • Product Safety Issues In 2024 Highlight Need For Vigilance

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    A look at some of the medications and foods that led to significant class actions last year demonstrates the need for robust regulatory systems and proactive measures to protect consumers from defective and harmful products, says Jennifer Taylor at the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin.

  • Lessons Learned From 2024's Top ADA Decisions

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    Last year's major litigation related to the Americans with Disabilities Act highlights that when dealing with accommodation requests, employers must communicate clearly, appreciate context and remain flexible in addressing needs, say attorneys at Dechert.

  • Series

    Playing Esports Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Competing in a global esports tournament at Wimbledon last year not only fulfilled my childhood dream, but also sharpened skills that are essential to my day job, including strategic thinking, confidence and networking, says AJ Schuyler at Jackson Lewis.

  • The 6 Most Significant FCRA Litigation Developments Of 2024

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    From a key sovereign immunity decision at the U.S. Supreme Court to a ruling on creditworthiness out of the Seventh Circuit, several important Fair Credit Reporting Act cases wound their way through the courts in 2024, each offering takeaways for both plaintiffs and defendants, say attorneys at Shipkevich.

  • An Associate's Guide To Career Development In 2025

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    As the new year begins, associates at all levels should consider establishing career metrics, fostering key relationships and employing other specific strategies to help move through the complexities of the legal profession with confidence and emerge as trailblazers, say EJ Stern and Amanda George at Fractional Law Firm.

  • Series

    Fixing Up Cars Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    From problem-solving to patience and adaptability to organization, the skills developed working under the hood of a car directly translate to being a more effective lawyer, says Christopher Mdeway at Kaufman Dolowich.

  • 2024's Most Notable FTC Actions Against Dark Patterns And AI

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    In 2024 the Federal Trade Commission ramped up enforcement actions related to dark patterns, loudly signaling its concern that advertisers will use AI to manipulate consumer habits and its intention to curb businesses' use and marketing of AI to prevent alleged consumer deception, say attorneys at Goodwin.

  • Making The Pitch To Grow Your Company's Legal Team

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    In a compressed economy, convincing the C-suite to invest in additional legal talent can be a herculean task, but a convincing pitch — supported by metrics and cost analyses — may help in-house counsel justify the growth of their team, say Elizabeth Smith and Roger Garceau at Major Lindsey.

  • When US Privilege Law Applies To Docs Made Outside The US

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    As globalization manifests itself in disputes over foreign-created documents, a California federal court’s recent trademark decision illustrates nuances of both U.S. privilege frameworks and foreign evidentiary protections that attorneys must increasingly bear in mind, say attorneys at Hunton.

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