Food & Beverage

  • August 25, 2026

    Mass. Eatery Workers Sue Chain Over Tip, Wage Violations

    A former server and bartender at a Massachusetts restaurant chain is accusing the company in a state court suit of improperly paying tipped workers the subminimum service rate for nontipped side work, sending workers home early without their full wages and unlawfully deducting fees from employees' tips.

  • August 25, 2026

    7-Eleven Reaches Deal To End Worker's Tobacco Fee Suit

    7-Eleven struck a deal to settle a proposed class action claiming it didn't give workers who used tobacco but agreed to quit an adequate chance to avoid paying a $720 annual health plan fee, according to a filing in Texas federal court.

  • August 24, 2026

    'So What?': Albertsons Judge Skeptical Of Wash. Opioid Suit

    A Washington state judge considering Albertsons' mid-trial motion to dismiss allegations it fueled the state's opioid epidemic told lawyers for the state Monday that while they might have shown the pharmacy chain failed to implement an adequate monitoring system, she's still skeptical the company's conduct actually caused the overdose crisis.

  • August 24, 2026

    Ben & Jerry's Suit Against Magnum Trimmed, But Not Tossed

    A New York federal judge has largely trimmed a Ben & Jerry's lawsuit accusing its former parent company, Unilever, and its current parent, Magnum, of failing to respect the ice cream company's social mission, tossing seven out of 10 claims in the breach of contract suit.

  • August 24, 2026

    Seattle Hookah Lounge Sued Over Fatal Shooting

    The family of a woman shot and killed at a hookah lounge in Seattle are suing several companies connected to the establishment in Washington state court, claiming they negligently allowed violence to occur and failed to provide adequate security despite a known "history of criminal activity" at the location.

  • August 24, 2026

    Sony Sues Kroger Over Influencer Ads With Copyrighted Music

    Sony Music has filed a copyright suit against grocery chain Kroger, saying influencer ad videos promoting its brands, stores, products and latest sales have been using copyrighted sound bites without permission.

  • August 24, 2026

    Taylor Farms Sued Over Tainted Lettuce At Chicago Taco Bell

    Taylor Farms failed to adequately test, inspect and safeguard iceberg lettuce later linked to a multistate Cyclospora outbreak, alleges a Chicago man who says he became seriously ill after eating the company's lettuce at Taco Bell.

  • August 24, 2026

    Wis. Grocery Chain Settles Manager OT Suit For $7.5M

    A Wisconsin grocery chain and a group of department managers have asked a federal court to preliminarily approve a $7.5 million settlement resolving claims that the workers were misclassified as overtime-exempt, a deal expected to cover roughly 1,000 current and former employees.

  • August 23, 2026

    US-Canada Trade Talks Crater Ahead Of 50% Tariffs

    Canada will place tariffs on American goods in response to 50% U.S. tariffs that took effect Saturday on goods arriving from across the Northern border after talks to strike a broader economic deal fell apart.

  • August 21, 2026

    Butterball Signs $34M Price-Fixing Deal With Turkey Buyers

    Butterball LLC has agreed to shell out $34 million to put to rest turkey buyers' claims in sprawling price-fixing litigation, according to a motion filed Friday in Illinois federal court, bringing the long-running battle to an end ahead of a scheduled trial.

  • August 21, 2026

    9th Circ. Rules Workers' Vaccine Bias Suit Must Go To Trial

    The Ninth Circuit ruled Friday that a jury must decide workers' religious-discrimination claims against the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife, finding the lower court erred in concluding the agency accommodated the workers' religious-exemption requests from a COVID-19 vaccine mandate by offering them limited reassignment options.

  • August 21, 2026

    Texas Hemp Cos. Bring New Challenge To Delta-8 Rules

    A group of companies in the hemp industry asked a Texas state court to pare back Department of State Health Services actions that curb delta-8 in hemp, taking another swing at agency rules after the Texas Supreme Court rejected a similar case.

  • August 21, 2026

    Natural Fish Co.'s Sardines Contain Arsenic, Says Suit

    Natural canned seafood company Wild Planet Foods Inc. was hit with a proposed class action in California federal court alleging that its sardines contain dangerous levels of arsenic above the state's Proposition 65 threshold and exceeding the levels found in competitors' products.

  • August 21, 2026

    Albertsons Twists Record In Opioid Trial Motion, Wash. Says

    Washington state is urging a Seattle judge to reject Albertsons' latest dismissal bid in a suit accusing the grocery giant of fueling the state's opioid epidemic, arguing the motion rehashes failed arguments and distorts evidence presented over the past five weeks in an ongoing bench trial.

  • August 21, 2026

    Uber, DoorDash Lose Most Of NYC Tip Prompt Suit

    A New York federal judge kept alive DoorDash and Uber's compelled-speech challenge to New York City laws requiring delivery platforms to display a tipping prompt at or before checkout that includes an option of at least 10%, but tossed their remaining five claims.

  • August 21, 2026

    DC Circ. Voids Block On OMB Funding Freeze

    The D.C. Circuit on Friday vacated a district judge's block on the Trump administration's pause on a wide array of federal grants, loans and financial assistance, ruling that the Office of Management and Budget's rescission of the memorandum rendered the lawsuit moot.

  • August 21, 2026

    NJ Medicaid Fee Law Barred By ERISA, Trade Groups Argue

    A coalition of restaurant, retail and hotel industry groups has urged a New Jersey federal court to strike down a state law requiring businesses to pay a fine when their employees are enrolled in the state Medicaid program, arguing the statute conflicts with federal benefits law.

  • August 21, 2026

    Papa John's Wage Deal Is 'Collusive Fiction,' Judge Says

    A North Carolina federal judge rejected a proposed $225,000 settlement that would resolve delivery drivers' wage claims against a Papa John's franchisee, finding the deal was a "collusive fiction" that benefited the company and class counsel rather than the drivers, who would likely receive no more than $35,000.

  • August 21, 2026

    Trump Says He Reached Deal For Tariff-Free Ground Beef

    President Donald Trump said Friday he has cut a deal to allow up to 300,000 metric tons of ground beef to be imported into the U.S. without an added tariff in exchange for lower prices for consumers.

  • August 20, 2026

    Abbott Inks $670M Deal To End Some Preterm Formula Claims

    Abbott Laboratories announced Thursday that it has agreed to pay about $670 million to partially resolve ongoing litigation alleging its specialty baby formula caused premature babies to suffer a disabling intestinal condition.

  • August 20, 2026

    What To Know As Cyclosporiasis Cases Continue To Climb

    While the iceberg lettuce linked to a multistate cyclosporiasis outbreak that sickened nearly 9,500 people in 17 states is now off the market, cases have reached roughly 11,000, and suits against produce supplier Taylor Fresh Foods and fast-food chain Taco Bell are expected to keep climbing, as well — shining a light on the issues of litigating foodborne illness during one of the largest outbreaks in the U.S. this century.

  • August 20, 2026

    Costco Asks Judge To Rethink Ruling, Toss Moonlighting Suit

    Costco is urging a Washington state judge to reconsider her order denying its bid for a pretrial win over claims that it illegally bars workers from taking on additional employment, arguing that its employee agreements are sufficiently narrow and that plaintiffs' claims are "simply speculation and attorney argument."

  • August 20, 2026

    Ruling Clears Path For Nov. 3 Vote On Miami Marina Project

    A Florida state judge has declined to block a November voter referendum on a developer's proposed $80 million overhaul of a city-owned Miami marina site in a July lawsuit aiming to invalidate the deal brought by the marina's operator.

  • August 20, 2026

    Magistrate Report Draws Fire From Both Sides In LIV TM Feud

    Both litigants in a courtroom dispute over the rights to the "LIV" trademark have objected to a magistrate judge's report that found a Long Island distillery would likely succeed on its claims against the LIV golf tour, but that the tour be allowed to continue using the mark.

  • August 20, 2026

    Costco Drops Chicken Drippings Slip-And-Fall Coverage Row

    Costco has agreed to dismiss claims seeking coverage for an underlying suit from a man who was injured when he slipped on rotisserie chicken drippings in a California store, according to a joint motion to dismiss Wednesday.

Expert Analysis

  • What To Know As Legal Duty To Consider AI Takes Shape

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    While the U.K. Jurisdiction Taskforce’s recent statement on liability for artificial intelligence harms is nonbinding for both U.K. and U.S. lawyers, it highlights the importance of being able to distinguish between the availability of a tool and a professional obligation to use it, say Jonny Frank and Michael Costa at StoneTurn.

  • Costco Chicken Case Highlights Food Labeling Lessons

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    Recent litigation over allegedly deceptive food labels, including the ongoing proposed class action in a California federal court over Costco's rotisserie chicken, shows that plaintiffs rarely focus on single label statements in isolation — so product claims that comply with regulations could still incur litigation risk, says Brandy Alonzo-Mayland at Michelman & Robinson.

  • Monitor Exposure, Stay Flexible Amid Tariff Uncertainty

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    To navigate an unstable trade environment, businesses must evaluate their exposure to new tariffs invoked under a patchwork of statutory authorities and be prepared to adapt to further changes that may be on the horizon, says Bhargav Prajapati at Capital Trade.

  • Series

    Being In A Band Made Me A Better Lawyer

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    Playing shows in storied New York City venues and rehearsing with my bandmates in poorly ventilated rooms helped develop the professional qualities I rely on as a litigator, including an ability to collaborate with strong-minded equals and the determination to treat each client with singular focus, says Eliad Shapiro at Herrick Feinstein.

  • 10th Circ. Ruling Undermines False Ad 'Two Clicks' Rule

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    The Tenth Circuit’s recent ruling in KetoNatural Pet Foods v. Hill's Pet Nutrition substantially challenges a long-standing assumption that a company can avoid responsibility for promotional claims simply because the consumer encountered them by clicking a hyperlink to a third-party website, say attorneys at Venable.

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: Surviving A Long Trial

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    Most of law school trial advocacy is geared toward the sprint of trying a short case, but beyond managing a cross-examination or closing argument, effectively handling the marathon of a lengthy trial requires the ability to maintain composure, organization and credibility with the jury, says Mihir Elchuri at Hirschler.

  • Whiskey Business: Parsing The 9th Circ. Jack Daniel's IP Toss

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    The Ninth Circuit's recent ruling in VIP Products v. Jack Daniel's, holding a toy did not tarnish the whiskey maker's trademarks, gives fact-finders great latitude by showing that there may exist no categories of per se tarnishing content, says attorney Sara Gold.

  • Series

    Going To Hardcore Shows Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    While government contracts law and the hardcore scene may seem entirely unrelated, in my experience, both are about community, focus, being prepared for the unexpected and managing chaos, says Isaac Natter at Fluet.

  • Fla. Justices Give Trial Judges More Dismissal Discretion

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    The Florida Supreme Court's recent decision in Publix Supermarkets Inc. v. Goga confirmed that appellate courts should not apply a heightened standard when reviewing severe sanctions for fraud on the court, granting greater deference to trial courts, says Brent Hartman at RumbergerKirk.

  • Lessons From 5 Months Of DOJ Corporate Policy Deals

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    Recent declinations and prosecution agreements between the U.S. Department of Justice and corporations since the March unveiling of the corporate enforcement and voluntary disclosure policy provide takeaways for management considering how to respond to corporate misconduct, says Brendan Quigley at Baker Botts.

  • Opinion

    After Monsanto, Defense Bar Must Build Case Against Lohr

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    The U.S. Supreme Court's recent decision in Monsanto v. Durnell has helped to demolish the foundation for its problematic 1996 ruling in Medtronic v. Lohr — so now defense counsel should lay the groundwork for the high court to overturn Lohr, say attorneys at Blank Rome.

  • FTC-Deere Deal Tells Cautionary Tale On Repair Access Limits

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    A recent proposed Federal Trade Commission antitrust settlement in Illinois federal court requires Deere & Co. to provide access to repair services previously available only to authorized dealers, and companies that limit access to aftermarket resources should ensure they can substantiate the reasoning behind any restrictions, say attorneys at Freshfields.

  • What Cos. Must Know About EPA Water Monitoring Proposal

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    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's newly proposed rule that would require public water systems to monitor for 30 unregulated drinking water contaminants does not impose new obligations on companies, but the data collected could affect future policy, investigations and litigation, says Ayodeji Ayolola at Gordon Rees.

  • Series

    Being A Sommelier Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Being a sommelier has quietly shaped how I practice law by changing the way I think, communicate and connect with people, and offers a constant reminder that expertise is about making your knowledge useful and accessible to others, says Kara Du at Sheppard.

  • 3 Private Suits Test Influencer Ads As FTC Stays On Sidelines

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    Three lawsuits filed so far this year illustrate how influencer campaigns are facing growing scrutiny from private plaintiffs, despite the Federal Trade Commission not bringing an influencer marketing enforcement action since revising its endorsement guides to address the topic in 2023, but brands can take concrete steps to reduce the risks, says Gonzalo Mon at Kelley Drye.

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