Food & Beverage

  • April 11, 2024

    Judge Invalidates Software Patents Over Generic Parts

    A Nebraska federal judge ruled Thursday that agricultural software developer AGI Suretrack's claims for a series of software hardware patents were too abstract to be valid.

  • April 11, 2024

    FDA Commissioner Says Congress Must Act On Hemp, CBD

    The commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Thursday that the agency did not consider hemp-derived CBD safe enough to be sold lawfully as a dietary supplement, and urged Congress to create a new pathway to regulate the substance.

  • April 11, 2024

    Black Workers, Fish Farm Settle Claims Of Migrant Hiring Bias

    Black farmers and a Mississippi-based fish farm have agreed to settle claims that the farm pushed out the U.S. citizen farmers in favor of Mexican migrant workers, they announced to a Mississippi federal court on Thursday.

  • April 11, 2024

    AG Asked To Weigh In On Jack Daniel's TM Dispute

    An Arizona federal judge has certified a constitutional question from VIP Products LLC asking U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland whether the First Amendment supports the Lanham Act provision authorizing injunctive relief in cases of trademark dilution by tarnishment.

  • April 11, 2024

    Fla. Restaurateur Gets Prison Time For Dodging Payroll Taxes

    The ex-CEO of a defunct Jacksonville, Florida-based restaurant chain was sentenced to 2½ years in federal prison after pleading guilty earlier this year to willfully failing to pay more than $5 million in payroll taxes.

  • April 11, 2024

    Vineyard Wind Project Thoroughly Vetted, Feds Tell 1st Circ.

    The federal government on Thursday urged the First Circuit to uphold a Massachusetts federal judge's decision tossing a fishing group's challenge to the Vineyard Wind project, saying it was approved by the U.S. Department of the Interior after extensive analysis.

  • April 11, 2024

    Judge Grants $3.2M In Fees For Wawa Class Counsel

    There is no evidence of side agreements or collusion between attorneys representing a proposed class in a suit against Wawa Inc. and the convenience store's defense counsel, according to a Pennsylvania federal judge's order approving $3.2 million in attorney fees following appellate court review.

  • April 11, 2024

    State Enforcers: Not Joining Fed Cases No Sign Of Opposition

    Several state enforcers said Thursday they choose which antitrust cases being brought by federal enforcers they join based on a number of factors, and it doesn't mean they are opposed to a case if they decide not to join.

  • April 11, 2024

    1st Challenge To NLRB Structure Axed For Lack Of Standing

    A Washington, D.C., federal judge tossed a constitutional challenge to the National Labor Relations Board's structure filed by two Starbucks employees, ruling that the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation-represented baristas did not have standing to sue.

  • April 10, 2024

    No Retrial Over NC Farm Worker's $2.5M Severed Foot Verdict

    A North Carolina farm failed in its bid for a new trial following a $2.5 million verdict against it, a federal judge ruled Wednesday, as a worker who lost his foot to a grain silo auger had enough evidence to support the award.

  • April 10, 2024

    Colo. AG Says Kroger Divestiture Plan Is Best Left For Trial

    Colorado's attorney general wants a state judge to block Kroger and Albertsons from presenting evidence about a new divestiture plan at an upcoming hearing on the state's motion to temporarily block the grocers' merger, claiming the yet-to-be revealed plan is a strategy to "win by ambush."

  • April 10, 2024

    WTO Forecasts Global Trade Rebound But Warns Of Risks

    The World Trade Organization on Wednesday said it is forecasting an uptick in global trade this year and into 2025 following a decline in 2023 due to high energy prices and inflation, but warned that geopolitical tensions could hinder the rebound.

  • April 10, 2024

    Retailer 99 Cents Can Tap $60.8M DIP For Ch. 11 Winddown

    99 Cents Only can access $20.5 million of its Chapter 11 financing package, a Delaware bankruptcy judge ruled Wednesday, after attorneys for the discount retail chain resolved a handful of objections to first day approval of its debtor-in-possession loan.

  • April 10, 2024

    Beer Biz Investors Beg NC Justices To Clear Legal Haze

    Former shareholders looking to revive their fraud suit against the CEO of a beverage company and his wife asked the North Carolina Supreme Court on Wednesday to tie up an unsettled area of fiduciary law, saying a lower court's disparate jurisprudence "cries out" for clarity.

  • April 10, 2024

    'Let's Get Physical': Pa. Justices Tune In To COVID-19 Coverage

    One of late singer Olivia Newton-John's greatest hits struck a chord with a Pennsylvania Supreme Court justice Wednesday as he considered whether insurers should cover business losses stemming from government shutdown orders during the COVID-19 pandemic 

  • April 10, 2024

    Maine Says Lobster Boat Tracking Counts As Legal Search

    Maine's top fisheries' regulator is arguing that newly required electronic location tracking for some lobstering boats is a legal administrative search of commercial premises and has urged a federal judge to toss a lawsuit alleging the rule violates lobster fishers' constitutional rights.

  • April 10, 2024

    Starbucks Fired Barista For Having Panic Attack, Court Told

    A Starbucks manager berated a barista who suffered from anxiety and depression until he had a panic attack, then fired him, according to a suit filed in Florida federal court.

  • April 10, 2024

    EPA Finalizes First-Ever PFAS Drinking Water Standards

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday announced the final version of its first-ever regulatory limits on "forever chemicals" in drinking water, a move the EPA said will be accompanied by nearly $1 billion in new funding for implementation.

  • April 09, 2024

    9th Circ. Says Hotel, Restaurant Virus Losses Not Covered

    The Ninth Circuit on Tuesday said two groups of Washington state restaurants and hotels can't claim COVID-related business losses under their insurance policies because they failed to show they physically lost functional use of their properties as a result of the virus.

  • April 09, 2024

    Dole Escapes Fruit Snack False Ad Suit, For Now

    A California federal judge has tossed a proposed class action accusing Dole Packaged Foods LLC of falsely labeling its fruit snacks as nutritious and healthy when the products are filled with sugar, saying the challenged statements are "puffery."

  • April 09, 2024

    Starbucks' Calif. Stores Lack Lactation Spaces, Suit Says

    A Starbucks employee brought a proposed class action in California state court on behalf of similarly situated workers in the Golden State over the coffeehouse chain's "systemic failure" to provide adequate lactation spaces and sufficient pumping time for nursing employees.

  • April 09, 2024

    StarKist, PE Co. Settle Tuna Price-Fixing Claims For $3.9M

    Canned tuna buyers are hoping to settle their long-running price-fixing suit with StarKist and Bumble Bee, asking a California federal judge for preliminary approval of two class action payouts worth a total of $3.87 million.

  • April 09, 2024

    Lack Of Evidence Kills Pupuseria's Bid For H-2B Line Cooks

    A U.S. Department of Labor appeals board affirmed the rejection of a California pupuseria's request to hire two line cooks under the H-2B temporary foreign worker program, finding that a certifying officer correctly determined that the business failed to show it had a seasonal need for the employees.

  • April 09, 2024

    Challengers To H-2A Wage Rule Denied Extra Discovery

    A federal judge has refused to let agricultural businesses gather more information on the decision-making behind new H-2A agricultural worker minimum wages, rejecting claims that more discovery was warranted in light of a September order allowing the wages to take hold.

  • April 09, 2024

    UK Court Affirms Sweet VAT Ruling For Jumbo Marshmallows

    Jumbo-size marshmallows are not candy like regular marshmallows because they're meant to be roasted, so they qualify for a value-added tax exemption for food, the U.K. Upper Tribunal ruled in upholding a lower court's findings.

Expert Analysis

  • Series

    ESG Around The World: Singapore

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    Singapore is keen to establish itself as a leading international financial center and a key player in the sustainable finance ecosystem, and key initiatives led by its government and other regulatory bodies have helped the Asian nation progress from its initially guarded attitude toward ESG investment and reporting, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

  • Series

    The Pop Culture Docket: Judge D'Emic On Moby Grape

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    The 1968 Moby Grape song "Murder in My Heart for the Judge" tells the tale of a fictional defendant treated with scorn by the judge, illustrating how much the legal system has evolved in the past 50 years, largely due to problem-solving courts and the principles of procedural justice, says Kings County Supreme Court Administrative Judge Matthew D'Emic.

  • Series

    Performing Music Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    The discipline of performing live music has directly and positively influenced my effectiveness as a litigator — serving as a reminder that practice, intuition and team building are all important elements of a successful law practice, says Jeff Wakolbinger at Bryan Cave.

  • Breaking Down High Court's New Code Of Conduct

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    The U.S. Supreme Court recently adopted its first-ever code of conduct, and counsel will need to work closely with clients in navigating its provisions, from gift-giving to recusal bids, say Phillip Gordon and Mateo Forero at Holtzman Vogel.

  • High Court's Chevron Review May Be A Crypto Game-Changer

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    The outcome of the U.S. Supreme Court's review of the Chevron doctrine in its pending Loper v. Raimondo case will potentially usher in a paradigm shift in cryptocurrency regulation, challenging agency authority and raising hopes for a recalibrated approach that favors judicial interpretation, says Sylvia Favretto at Mysten Labs.

  • Alcohol's E-Commerce Spike Brings Regulatory Dilemmas

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    In the evolving landscape of beverage alcohol e-commerce, the clash between supplier marketing and tied-house laws poses challenges, with regulators grappling to keep pace with the digital marketplace, leaving the industry in a gray area, says Jaci Flug at Greenspoon Marder.

  • Opinion

    Legal Profession Gender Parity Requires Equal Parental Leave

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    To truly foster equity in the legal profession and to promote attorney retention, workplaces need to better support all parents, regardless of gender — starting by offering equal and robust parental leave to both birthing and non-birthing parents, says Ali Spindler at Irwin Fritchie.

  • New Regs Will Strengthen Voluntary Carbon Offset Market

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    Voluntary carbon offsets are a vital tool for organizations seeking to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions — and recent efforts by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the state of California and others are essential to enhancing the reliability and authenticity of carbon credits, says David Smith at Manatt.

  • Series

    Writing Thriller Novels Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Authoring several thriller novels has enriched my work by providing a fresh perspective on my privacy practice, expanding my knowledge, and keeping me alert to the next wave of issues in an increasingly complex space — a reminder to all lawyers that extracurricular activities can help sharpen professional instincts, says Reece Hirsch at Morgan Lewis.

  • What Lawyers Must Know About Calif. State Bar's AI Guidance

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    Initial recommendations from the State Bar of California regarding use of generative artificial intelligence by lawyers have the potential to become a useful set of guidelines in the industry, covering confidentiality, supervision and training, communications, discrimination and more, say attorneys at Debevoise.

  • Industry Must Elevate Native American Women Attys' Stories

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    The American Bar Association's recent research study into Native American women attorneys' experiences in the legal industry reveals the glacial pace of progress, and should inform efforts to amplify Native voices in the field, says Mary Smith, president of the ABA.

  • Understanding Discovery Obligations In Era Of Generative AI

    Excerpt from Practical Guidance
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    Attorneys and businesses must adapt to the unique discovery challenges presented by generative artificial intelligence, such as chatbot content and prompts, while upholding the principles of fairness, transparency and compliance with legal obligations in federal civil litigation, say attorneys at King & Spalding.

  • IP Suits Over Brand Owner Font Use Offer Cautionary Tales

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    Dyan Finguerra-DuCharme and Mallory Chandler at Pryor Cashman consider the history of fonts and point to recent court decisions that show how brand owners can avoid legal typeface troubles.

  • Series

    ESG Around The World: Mexico

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    ESG has yet to become part of the DNA of the Mexican business model, but huge strides are being made in that direction, as more stakeholders demand that companies adopt, at the least, a modicum of sustainability commitments and demonstrate how they will meet them, says Carlos Escoto at Galicia Abogados.

  • The Case For Post-Bar Clerk Training Programs At Law Firms

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    In today's competitive legal hiring market, an intentionally designed training program for law school graduates awaiting bar admission can be an effective way of creating a pipeline of qualified candidates, says Brent Daub at Gilson Daub.

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