Food & Beverage

  • June 10, 2025

    Class Decertified In Hill's Prescription Pet Food Suit

    An Illinois federal judge has decertified a class of pet food buyers alleging that Hill's Pet Nutrition Inc. misled them into thinking its "prescription" pet food was necessary medicine, saying a recent summary judgment renders the plaintiffs' damages model inadequate for certification.

  • June 10, 2025

    Atlanta Drag Bar Agrees To $50K Deal In Wage Suit

    An Atlanta bar that provides drag show entertainment has agreed to pay $50,000 to end a performer's proposed collective action alleging it failed to pay minimum wage and overtime, and both parties urged a Georgia federal court to greenlight the deal.

  • June 09, 2025

    Del. Justices Reverse Chancery On Insider Trade Claims

    Citing lower court errors, Delaware's Supreme Court revived on Monday two counts in a Court of Chancery suit alleging that Kraft Heinz Co. insiders with ties to a Brazilian controlling investor sold $1.2 billion worth of shares based on nonpublic information.

  • June 09, 2025

    Senate Confirms Gibson Dunn Partner For EPA's No. 2 Post

    The U.S. Senate on Monday confirmed David Fotouhi, a partner at Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP, to serve in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's No. 2 post.

  • June 09, 2025

    3rd Circ. Rejects Ralph Lauren's COVID-19 Coverage Appeal

    The Third Circuit on Monday rejected a consolidated appeal from Ralph Lauren Corp. and luggage retailers Tumi Inc. and Samsonite LLC over property insurance coverage for COVID-19-related losses, finding a New Jersey Supreme Court decision from January 2024 wholly settled the matter.

  • June 09, 2025

    Fruits, Veggies Supplement Label Isn't Deceiving, Judge Says

    An Illinois consumer who says Balance of Nature misrepresents its dietary supplements' nutritional value cannot pursue legal claims over the assertion because he's reading too much into the product label, an Illinois federal judge said Monday.

  • June 09, 2025

    Smithfield Averts Trial In Last-Ditch Deal With NC Hog Supplier

    A defunct hog supplier in North Carolina has settled its contract scuffle with Smithfield Foods Inc. just as the parties were primed to begin trial on Monday, putting to bed claims that Smithfield flouted their production agreement and forced the supplier out of business.

  • June 09, 2025

    Sam's Club Sued Over Botulism Death Linked To Potato Soup

    Sam's Club West Inc. sold a 76-year-old woman some potato soup that was "tainted by botulism" and caused her to be hospitalized for almost a month before she ultimately died from her illness, according to a wrongful death suit the grocer removed to Colorado federal court.

  • June 06, 2025

    3rd Circ. Partially Undoes Chipotle's Change-Shorting Suit Win

    The Third Circuit on Friday declined to fully undo Chipotle's win against a proposed class action that alleged it shortchanged customers during a COVID-19 pandemic coin shortage in 2020, reversing a lower court's determination that a Pennsylvania man waived a breach of contract claim by accepting his change without coins.

  • June 06, 2025

    Mich. Farm Labor Contractor Trafficked Workers, Jury Finds

    A Michigan federal jury on Friday ruled that a migrant farmworker contractor engaged in forced labor, finding in favor of five farmworkers who said they were coerced into working long hours without pay.

  • June 06, 2025

    Judge Won't Toss 'Patent Ambush' Case Against Clorox, Brita

    A Pennsylvania federal judge has shot down a bid from Clorox Co. and its Brita brand to toss an antitrust lawsuit accusing the companies of engaging in a "patent ambush" to corner the market on home water filters, saying the request was premature.

  • June 06, 2025

    NJ Milk Co. Says Pa. Regulations Violate Commerce Clause

    A New Jersey dairy company on Friday called out two Pennsylvania laws for how they charge out-of-state milk dealers for doing business with producers in the Keystone State, arguing the statutes violate the commerce clause of the U.S. Constitution.

  • June 06, 2025

    Ore. Pot Regulators Say No Contract In Firing Suit

    The Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission is urging a federal court to throw out a suit from its former deputy director alleging that the OLCC breached his employment agreement by firing him following a whiskey pocketing scandal, saying the state's Statute of Frauds voids the alleged employment agreement.

  • June 06, 2025

    NY Tribe Urges Supreme Court To Overturn Eel Fishing Ruling

    A Long Island tribe is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to undo a Second Circuit ruling that rejected its challenge to New York's regulations on eel fishing harvests, arguing that if the decision is held, it would set a precedent allowing district courts to give up their gatekeeping roles on expert testimony.

  • June 06, 2025

    Kroger-Owned Grocery Escapes Baby Food Metal Claims

    Harris Teeter escaped a proposed class action against parent Kroger and other grocery stores alleging that their Simple Truth baby teething wafers contain unsafe levels of toxic metals, according to a Friday order.

  • June 06, 2025

    Frito-Lay Sun Chips Not 100% Whole Grain, False Ad Suit Says

    Frito-Lay's brand of Sun Chips are deceptively labeled as containing "100% Whole Grain," despite the fact the products contain maltodextrin derived from corn, which is a highly refined grain stripped of important nutrients amid the refining process, alleges a proposed class action filed in California federal court.

  • June 06, 2025

    4th Circ. Stays Ruling Restoring Frozen Federal Grant Funding

    A split Fourth Circuit panel has blocked a South Carolina federal judge's order directing the federal government to restore 32 congressionally funded grants that were frozen by the Trump administration, while casting doubt on nonprofits' and cities' legal challenge.

  • June 05, 2025

    USDA Sued Over Ending 600 Grants Via Flawed Form Letters

    A group of environmental and food sustainability nonprofits hit the U.S. Department of Agriculture with a lawsuit in D.C. federal court Thursday, accusing the Trump administration of unconstitutionally exceeding its authority by abruptly rescinding nearly 600 grants via "minimally edited form letters" that had errors and lacked detailed explanations.

  • June 05, 2025

    Poultry Workers Get Final OK On $398M Wage-Fixing Deals

    A Maryland federal judge granted final approval Thursday to settlements worth nearly $400 million for poultry processing workers who claimed that the nation's biggest chicken producers conspired to suppress their wages.

  • June 05, 2025

    Starbucks Can't Scotch $50M Verdict For Tea-Scorched Driver

    A California judge has affirmed a jury verdict awarding $50 million to a gig economy driver who suffered a severely burned penis after scalding hot tea spilled in his lap due to a Starbucks worker's negligence, saying the verdict was not excessive given his "horrific injuries."

  • June 05, 2025

    Ga. Court Nixes 'Massive' $65M Punitive Award In Fraud Case

    The Georgia Court of Appeals on Thursday struck down $65 million in punitive damages awarded to a doctor who was defrauded of his investments in a series of restaurants, ruling that the verdict was "grossly excessive" at more than 100 times the value of the compensatory damages awarded by a state court jury.

  • June 05, 2025

    Spice Co. Hid Lead Levels In Products, Suit Claims

    Florida-based Badia Spices sold ground ginger and cinnamon with elevated levels of lead, according to a New York federal lawsuit that leans on laboratory testing conducted by state food safety regulators.

  • June 05, 2025

    Hooters Closes Locations As It Pursues Ch. 11 Franchise Shift

    Bankrupt casual dining chain Hooters of America began shuttering dozens of restaurant locations throughout the United States Wednesday as it pursues a Chapter 11 restructuring that will see its plan disclosure statement up for approval next week.

  • June 05, 2025

    USDA Sued Over $13M Food Aid Cut In Pennsylvania

    Pennsylvania sued the U.S. Department of Agriculture for pulling $13 million in funds meant for a local food purchase assistance program, telling a federal judge that the decision will have a "devastating effect" on the state's farmers and food banks contrary to the department's mission.

  • June 05, 2025

    KFC Parent Co. Fights $4B IRS Bill In Tax Court

    The parent company of Pizza Hut, KFC and Taco Bell is challenging $2.5 billion in taxes and penalties that the IRS claims it owes for a corporate reorganization to restructure its international operations, according to a U.S. Tax Court petition served Thursday, a figure that has topped $4 billion with interest.

Expert Analysis

  • NLRB One-Two Punch Curbs Employer Anti-Organizing Tools

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    The National Labor Relations Board’s recent decisions in Siren Retail and Amazon, limiting employer speech about the impact of unionization and outlawing captive audience meetings, severely curtail employers' arsenal of tools to combat an organizing campaign — though this may soon change under a new administration, say attorneys at Benesch.

  • What Trump's Next Term May Mean For Biz Immigration

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    Leonard D'Arrigo at Harris Beach discusses the employment-based immigration policies businesses can potentially expect during President-elect Donald Trump’s second term, based on policies enacted during his first administration, statements made during his campaign and proposals in Project 2025.

  • Defense Insights As PFAS Consumer Product Claims Rise

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    Amid the recent proliferation of lawsuits seeking damages for failure to disclose the presence of PFAS in consumer products, manufacturers, distributors and consumer product companies should follow the science and consider a significant flaw in many of the filings, say attorneys at Farella Braun.

  • Series

    Circus Arts Make Me A Better Lawyer

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    Performing circus arts has strengthened my ability to be more thoughtful, confident and grounded, all of which has enhanced my legal practice and allowed me to serve clients in a more meaningful way, says Bailey McGowan at Stinson.

  • Recent Listeria Outbreaks Hold Key Compliance Lessons

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    Listeria outbreaks in ready-to-eat foods from Boar's Head and other companies, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Food and Drug Administration responses to these outbreaks, should be closely evaluated from an overall compliance and risk management perspective by food manufacturers, retailers and industry investors, say attorneys at Kirkland.

  • 3 Ways To Train Junior Lawyers In 30 Minutes Or Less

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    Today’s junior lawyers are experiencing a skills gap due to pandemic-era disruptions, but firms can help bring them up to speed by offering high-impact skill building content in bite-sized, interactive training sessions, say Stacey Schwartz at Katten, Diane Costigan at Winston & Strawn and Lauren Tierney at Freshfields.

  • What Cos. Can Learn from Water Microplastics Class Actions

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    Class actions against companies whose bottled spring water allegedly contains microplastics, challenging claims such as "natural" and "100% spring water," seem to be drying up — but these cases serve as a good reminder to other businesses to review regulatory standards, and carefully vet plaintiff allegations at the outset, say attorneys at Keller and Heckman.

  • The Bar Needs More Clarity On The Discovery Objection Rule

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    Almost 10 years after Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 34 was amended, attorneys still seem confused about what they should include in objections to discovery requests, and until the rules committee provides additional clarity, practitioners must beware the steep costs of noncompliance, says Tristan Ellis at Shanies Law Office.

  • What's Next For The CFTC After The Election

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    While much of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission's enforcement actions in line with its traditional priorities will continue as usual in the near term, postelection leadership changes at the CFTC and new congressional priorities may alter the commission's regulatory framework in 2025 and beyond — particularly its oversight of crypto, say attorneys at WilmerHale.

  • Series

    Being A Navy Reservist Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Serving this country in uniform has not only been one of the greatest honors of my life, but it has also provided me with opportunities to broaden my legal acumen and interpersonal skills in ways that have indelibly contributed to my civilian practice, says Phillip Smith at Weinberg Wheeler.

  • So You Want To Move Your Law Practice To Canada, Eh?

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    Google searches for how to move to Canada have surged in the wake of the U.S. presidential election, and if you’re an attorney considering a move to the Great White North, you’ll need to understand how the practice of law differs across the border, says David Postel at Henein Hutchison.

  • Why K-Cup Claims Landed Keurig In Hot Water With SEC

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    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's recent settlement with Keurig Dr. Pepper for making incomplete statements regarding the recyclability of K-cup pods highlights the importance of comprehensive corporate disclosures, particularly with respect to ESG matters, say attorneys at BCLP.

  • Legislation Most Likely To Pass In Lame Duck Session

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    As Congress begins its five-week post-election lame duck session, attorneys at Greenberg Traurig break down the legislative priorities and which proposals can be expected to pass.

  • Promoting Diversity In The Selection Of ADR Neutrals

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    Choosing neutrals from diverse backgrounds is an important step in promoting inclusion in the legal profession, and it can enhance the legitimacy and public perception of alternative dispute resolution proceedings, say attorneys at Lowenstein Sandler.

  • Series

    Playing Ultimate Makes Us Better Lawyers

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    In addition to being fun, ultimate Frisbee has improved our legal careers by emphasizing the importance of professionalism, teamwork, perseverance, enthusiasm and vulnerability, say Arunabha Bhoumik and Adam Bernstein at Regeneron. 

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