Food & Beverage

  • June 23, 2025

    Execs Nix Worker's ERISA Suit Over Food Co. Sale Side Deals

    A Wisconsin federal judge tossed a worker's suit claiming PDQ Food Stores executives and GreatBanc brokered millions in self-serving side payments when organizing the company's sale, finding her complaint devoid of detail that any of the payments were illegal.

  • June 23, 2025

    Conn. Firm's Claims Against Restaurant Attys Trimmed

    Connecticut employment law firm Hayber McKenna & Dinsmore LLC may advance vexatious litigation claims, but not abuse of process claims, against attorneys for several restaurants who previously accused the firm of violating state unfair trade practices laws to target potential clients, a state trial court judge has ruled.

  • June 23, 2025

    Gibson Dunn, Cleary Guide $1.77B C&S-SpartanNash Deal

    C&S Wholesale Grocers will acquire grocery distributor and retailer SpartanNash in a $1.77 billion all-cash deal, the companies said in a joint statement Monday, with Gibson Dunn and Cleary serving as legal counsel to the buyer and seller, respectively.

  • June 20, 2025

    Science Research Funding Cuts Blocked By Mass. Judge

    A Massachusetts federal judge Friday prohibited the Trump administration from cutting certain National Science Foundation research funding associated with facilities and administrative costs, ruling that the policy runs afoul of multiple laws and the government hasn't adequately explained its reasoning.

  • June 20, 2025

    Wash. AG Says Hops Farm Favored H-2A Workers Over Locals

    Washington state's attorney general launched a lawsuit on Friday accusing a hops grower of illegally firing local employees, often women, and replacing them with foreign farmworkers, abusing the federal H-2A temporary visa program for seasonal agricultural labor.

  • June 20, 2025

    2nd Circ. Backs Chubb's Win In $49M Sandy Coverage Fight

    The Second Circuit on Friday cemented a Chubb unit's win in a decade-long dispute over a chocolatier's bid for an additional $49 million in coverage for Superstorm Sandy losses, affirming a decision denying the chocolatier's requests to set aside a jury verdict or hold a new trial.

  • June 20, 2025

    Attys Face Sanctions For 'Sweeping' Copying Of Firm's Motion

    A California federal judge has ordered The Neil Jones Food Co.'s defense counsel to explain why she shouldn't sanction them for filing a dismissal motion that appears to plagiarize a losing motion filed by another firm in another case in the district, slamming the "sweeping copy and paste" conduct as "patently unacceptable."

  • June 20, 2025

    Microplastics Focus May Force Change In Biz Practices

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency confirmed it's considering research that could lead to microplastics regulation, and although policies may be years away, businesses are already facing pressure to change their practices from increasing state regulation and consumer litigation.

  • June 18, 2025

    FDA Says Vape Co.'s Suit Doesn't Merit Jury Trial

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration told a Texas federal court a company that allegedly sold illegal vapes does not have the right to a jury trial, saying that Congress expressly created administrative proceedings for infractions such as the one the company allegedly committed.

  • June 18, 2025

    Pilgrims Pride Investors Get Final OK To $41.5M Deal

    Investors of poultry giant Pilgrim's Pride Corp. received the final nod for a $41.5 million deal to settle claims that trading prices for the company's shares were artificially inflated amid its participation in a broiler chicken price-fixing scheme.

  • June 18, 2025

    Psychedelics And The Law In Focus At Colo. Conference

    Colorado Gov. Jared Polis announced a pardon for all state-level convictions for psilocybin and psilocin possession at a psychedelics conference this week, in recognition that these substances are now legal in the state and in another indication that their relationship with the law is in flux.

  • June 18, 2025

    9th Circ. Backs Papa John's Win Against Wiretapping Suit

    The Ninth Circuit refused to reinstate a customer's proposed class action accusing Papa John's of recording website visitors' activities in violation of the California Invasion of Privacy Act, ruling Wednesday the pizza chain, as a party to the communications, can't be liable for spying on its own conversation. 

  • June 18, 2025

    Jury Awards $76M To Pipefitter Burned In Kroger Explosion

    A pipefitter and HVAC technician has been awarded $76.7 million by a Michigan jury after a chemical accident at a Kroger store caused him to lose several fingers.

  • June 18, 2025

    NY Tribe Looks To Block Long Island Town Code Enforcement

    A Long Island tribe is asking a New York federal court to block the Town of Southampton from imposing its municipal codes on 84 acres of their lands, saying its officials are attempting to prevent them from using the site for economic gain.

  • June 18, 2025

    Opt-Out 'Oversight' May Not Excuse Burford In Price-Fix Deal

    An Illinois federal judge considering a $32 million price-fixing settlement between turkey producer Cargill and a group of direct purchasers seemed skeptical Wednesday of two Burford Capitol subsidiaries' assertion that they should be considered excluded from the deal despite submitting their opt-out request a day late.

  • June 18, 2025

    Mushroom Farm Faces $6M Tax Liens Tied To Fraud Case

    A defunct Pennsylvania mushroom farm failed to pay the outstanding balance in a payroll tax fraud case that sent its owner to jail last year and owes more than $6 million worth of tax liens, the U.S. Department of Justice told a federal court.

  • June 18, 2025

    Wash. Panel Sides With Insurer In Café Fire Damage Suit

    A couple's commercial property insurer has no duty to cover damage from a kitchen fire at their café, a Washington state appeals court affirmed, finding the couple lacked certain protective safeguards that were required as part of their fire suppression system.

  • June 18, 2025

    Applebee's Franchise Settles NY Pay Disparity Claims

    The operator of New York City-area Applebee's restaurants entered into a National Labor Relations Board settlement after a former server claimed he was fired after complaining about Black workers getting paid less than white employees, advocacy group One Fair Wage announced Wednesday.

  • June 17, 2025

    6th Circ. Revives Ex-Chili's Manager's Age Discrimination Suit

    The Sixth Circuit Tuesday revived a terminated Chili's restaurant manager's age discrimination case against the casual dining chain, saying the former employee offered enough evidence to rebut the chain's contention he was actually fired for not "living the Chili's way."

  • June 17, 2025

    Beverage Co.'s Rihanna Rum Claims Were Bunk, SEC Says

    A purported beverage company and its founder face Securities and Exchange Commission claims they defrauded would-be investors out of $3.6 million by misrepresenting how they aimed to use funds they raised and inaccurately suggesting the company was poised to collaborate with pop star Rihanna.

  • June 17, 2025

    8th Circ. Says NLRB Misapplied Standard In Starbucks Case

    The National Labor Relations Board improperly ignored a Starbucks employee's impression of her manager's comments during a union campaign when concluding the comments were unlawful, a split Eighth Circuit panel ruled Tuesday, resolving a case that challenged the board's standard for determining when an employer's anti-union rhetoric violates labor law.

  • June 17, 2025

    Agri Beef, Indiana Packers Strike $2.5M Deal In Wage-Fix Suit

    Agri Beef, the Indiana Packers Corporation and a proposed class of workers at red meat processing plants have reached settlements totaling $2.5 million in a suit alleging a nationwide conspiracy to suppress wages.

  • June 17, 2025

    Org. Urges 9th Circ. To OK NFL Sunday Ticket Verdict Dismissal

    A legal foundation focused on promoting free enterprise principles is offering support to the NFL as the league defends a California federal judge's dismissal of a jury's $4.7 billion Sunday Ticket price-fixing award, arguing Tuesday the district court was right to correct a "gatekeeping failure" in expert testimony.

  • June 17, 2025

    David Protein Avoids Court Ordered Ingredient Sale For Now

    A New York federal court has refused to issue an early order requiring David Protein to supply a fat replacement ingredient to several low-calorie food producers after the protein bar-maker purchased the ingredient's only manufacturer.

  • June 17, 2025

    Ill. Increases Sports Betting, Tobacco Tax And Taxes Airbnbs

    Illinois increased its tax on sports betting and tobacco products and extended its tax on hotel operators to include short-term rentals like Airbnbs and Vrbos under a budget bill approved by the governor.

Expert Analysis

  • Takeaways From DOJ's Latest FCA Customs Fraud Intervention

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    The U.S. Department of Justice's recent intervention in a case alleging customs-related reverse False Claims Act fraud underlines the government’s increased scrutiny of, and importers’ corresponding exposure from, information related to product classification, country of origin and pricing, say attorneys at Bass Berry.

  • Crisis Management Lessons From The Parenting Playbook

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    The parenting skills we use to help our kids through challenges — like rehearsing for stressful situations, modeling confidence and taking time to reset our emotions — can also teach us the fundamentals of leading clients through a corporate crisis, say Deborah Solmor at the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation and Cara Peterman at Alston & Bird.

  • Series

    Adapting To Private Practice: From NY Fed To BigLaw

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    While the move to private practice brings a learning curve, it also brings chances to learn new skills and grow your network, requiring a clear understanding of how your skills can complement and contribute to a firm's existing practice, and where you can add new value, says Meghann Donahue at Covington.

  • Berry Ruling Shows Why Plant IP Suits Can Be Thorny

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    A California federal court's recent decision in Driscoll's v. California Berry Cultivars illustrates that while a path exists for asserting U.S. plant patent rights against extraterritorial breeders, it can be difficult to prove infringement based on importation of plant parts, say Travis Bliss and Stephany Small at Panitch Schwarze.

  • Top 3 Litigation Finance Deal-Killers, And How To Avoid Them

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    Like all transactions, litigation finance deals can sometimes collapse, but understanding the most common reasons for failure, including a lack of trust or a misunderstanding of deal terms, can help both parties avoid problems, say Rebecca Berrebi at Avenue 33 and Boris Ziser at Schulte Roth.

  • How Attys Can Use A Therapy Model To Help Triggered Clients

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    Attorneys can lean on key principles from a psychotherapeutic paradigm known as the "Internal Family Systems" model to help manage triggered clients and get settlement negotiations back on track, says Jennifer Gibbs at Zelle.

  • 3 Steps For In-House Counsel To Assess Litigation Claims

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    Before a potential economic downturn, in-house attorneys should investigate whether their company is sitting on hidden litigation claims that could unlock large recoveries to help the business withstand tough times, says Will Burgess at Hilgers Graben.

  • Series

    Teaching College Students Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Serving as an adjunct college professor has taught me the importance of building rapport, communicating effectively, and persuading individuals to critically analyze the difference between what they think and what they know — principles that have helped to improve my practice of law, says Sheria Clarke at Nelson Mullins.

  • Series

    Adapting To Private Practice: From DOJ Enviro To Mid-Law

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    Practitioners leaving a longtime government role for private practice — as when I departed the U.S. Department of Justice’s environmental enforcement division — should prioritize finding a firm that shares their principles, values their experience and will invest in their transition, says John Cruden at Beveridge & Diamond.

  • Legal Ethics Considerations For Law Firm Pro Bono Deals

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    If a law firm enters into a pro bono deal with the Trump administration in exchange for avoiding or removing an executive order, it has an ethical obligation to create a written settlement agreement with specific terms, which would mitigate some potential conflict of interest problems, says Andrew Altschul at Buchanan Angeli.

  • Series

    Playing Football Made Me A Better Lawyer

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    While my football career ended over 15 years ago, the lessons the sport taught me about grit, accountability and resilience have stayed with me and will continue to help me succeed as an attorney, says Bert McBride at Trenam.

  • 10 Arbitrations And A 5th Circ. Ruling Flag Arb. Clause Risks

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    The ongoing arbitral saga of Sullivan v. Feldman, which has engendered proceedings before 10 different arbitrators in Texas and Louisiana along with last month's Fifth Circuit opinion, showcases both the risks and limitations of arbitration clauses in retainer agreements for resolving attorney-client disputes, says Christopher Blazejewski at Sherin and Lodgen.

  • Series

    Power To The Paralegals: The Value Of Unified State Licensing

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    Texas' proposal to become the latest state to license paraprofessional providers of limited legal services could help firms expand their reach and improve access to justice, but consumers, attorneys and allied legal professionals would benefit even more if similar programs across the country become more uniform, says Michael Houlberg at the University of Denver.

  • What Greenwashing Looks Like, And How To Navigate Claims

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    Recent cases show that consumers seeking to challenge sustainability claims as greenwashing face significant legal hurdles, and that companies can avoid liability by emphasizing context, says Felicia Boyd at Norton Rose.

  • AI Use In Class Actions Comes With Risks And Rewards

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    The use of artificial intelligence in class actions holds promise for helping to analyze complex evidence, but attorneys and experts must understand how to use it correctly, and how to explain it clearly, say Simone Jones and Eric Mattson at Sidley and Anna Shakotko at Cornerstone Research.

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