Food & Beverage

  • July 10, 2025

    Groups Ask 9th Circ. To Sink EPA Pesticide Seed Exemption

    Green groups on Wednesday asked the Ninth Circuit to revive their lawsuit alleging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is violating federal law by failing to regulate pesticide-coated crop seeds.

  • July 10, 2025

    Ferrero, Kellogg Ink $3.1B Deal Led By Davis Polk, Kirkland

    Italian food company The Ferrero Group has agreed to acquire WK Kellogg Co. in a $3.1 billion all-cash deal, the companies said Thursday, marking a major expansion for Ferrero into the North American breakfast market. 

  • July 10, 2025

    Publix Pushed For Off-Clock Work, Underpaid OT, Suit Says

    Grocery chain Publix pressured a department manager to work off-the-clock to bolster store profits and shorted him on overtime by failing to incorporate bonus pay into its time-and-a-half calculations of his hourly rate, the worker said in a suit filed in Georgia federal court.

  • July 10, 2025

    SpaceX Seeks Record $400B Valuation, Plus More Rumors

    Elon Musk's satellite and rocket maker SpaceX is planning to raise money in a private round that would value the company at a record $400 billion, Starbucks China is seeking bids for a stake sale that could value the chain at $10 billion, plus online fashion giant Shein hopes to salvage its long-awaited IPO by listing in Hong Kong.

  • July 09, 2025

    Amazon Customer Grilled On Whole Foods Ad Suit At 9th Circ.

    A Ninth Circuit panel appeared critical on Wednesday of a consumer's claim that Amazon duped Prime members by pulling its free Whole Foods grocery delivery perk, as the judges pointed to subscriber terms allowing the e-commerce giant to change the benefits package.

  • July 09, 2025

    Former Josh Wine Exec Sues Over Soured Buyout Deal

    The former president of the wine and spirits company that owns multibillion-dollar brand Josh Cellars has filed suit in New York state court, claiming the family-run enterprise has withheld millions in royalty payments that he was due after his employment contract expired, exposing "the dark underbelly of the adage that blood is thicker than water."

  • July 09, 2025

    Costco Says Insurer Owes Defense In Heavy Box Injury Suit

    A Hartford unit violated Washington state's Insurance Fair Conduct Act by unreasonably denying additional insured coverage for a man's lawsuit alleging he suffered severe injuries when moving a product at Costco, the retail giant alleged in a lawsuit recently removed to Washington federal court.

  • July 09, 2025

    8th Circ. Finds 'Chicken Coop' Trade Secrets Fight Can't Fly

    The Eighth Circuit will not reinstate an Iowa restaurant operator's lawsuit seeking a declaration that it did not misappropriate the trade secrets of another restaurant of the same name in Nebraska, saying there is no federal question that federal courts can answer.

  • July 09, 2025

    US Chamber Backs Anheuser-Busch's 4th Circ. Class Fight

    The U.S. Chamber of Commerce backed Anheuser-Busch LLC's bid to flip a Virginia federal court's decision granting class certification to workers alleging the brewing giant failed to pay for mandatory pre- and post-shift work, telling the Fourth Circuit that the workers didn't clear certification standards.

  • July 09, 2025

    Globa Terra SPAC Raises $152M To Target Agribusiness Deals

    Special purpose acquisition company Globa Terra Acquisition Corp. began trading Wednesday after pricing a $152 million initial public offering, enabling the vehicle to pursue mergers in the agribusiness or water sectors, represented by Paul Hastings LLP.

  • July 08, 2025

    Grocer's Octopus In Olive Oil Also Comes With Lead, Suit Says

    Natural grocery store chain Lazy Acres has been selling a tinned "octopus in olive oil" product that also contains lead in violation of California's Proposition 65, according to a suit lodged in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Tuesday.

  • July 08, 2025

    11th Circ. Rejects Fla. Jurisdiction In $17M Cheese Fraud Case

    The Eleventh Circuit declined Tuesday to revive a lawsuit accusing Savencia Cheese USA LLC and its executives of fraudulently selling two Florida companies a worthless cheese distribution company for $17 million, finding that the presence of deal counsel in Miami is not enough to keep the suit in Florida federal court.

  • July 08, 2025

    Copter Pilot's Death Suit Revived By 4th Circ. After Rehearing

    The Fourth Circuit has once again reinstated a lawsuit by the widow of a crop-dusting pilot whose helicopter became tangled in a steel cable stretched over the property, causing him to crash, ruling that a jury must be the one to decide whether the landlord should have known that the wire posed a danger, according to a published opinion issued Tuesday following a rehearing.

  • July 08, 2025

    Wash. Seafood Plant, Steel Shop Slapped With CWA Suits

    Environmental groups launched a pair of Clean Water Act lawsuits in Washington federal court on Tuesday accusing an Evergreen State seafood producer and specialty machinery firm of releasing pollutants into local waterways in violation of state and federal permitting regulations.

  • July 08, 2025

    Poultry Farm Urges NC Justices To Reject Animal Cruelty Case

    A North Carolina poultry farm lambasted a chicken welfare group as allegedly seeking a "third bite at the proverbial apple" by petitioning the state's highest court to revive its animal cruelty case, saying the state's animal protection statute doesn't apply to commercial farmers.

  • July 08, 2025

    Fishing Industry Alleges Feds Allow Red Snapper Overfishing

    A group of commercial fishers and buyers is claiming in a new lawsuit that the National Marine Fisheries Service has failed to set proper catch limits and allowed the overfishing of red snapper due to massive "dead discards." 

  • July 08, 2025

    Trade Court Judge Sworn In As USDA Deputy Secretary

    Judge Stephen A. Vaden of the U.S. Court of International Trade has resigned from his judgeship to join the U.S. Department of Agriculture as the second-in-command.

  • July 07, 2025

    Bar Urges NC Court To Affirm Exit From Shooting Suit

    A Charlotte-based bar told a North Carolina state appeals court that it bears no blame for a man's fatal shooting at another restaurant, arguing its staff couldn't have foreseen the attack even if they supposedly overserved the shooter hours earlier.

  • July 07, 2025

    Burford Entities Can't Opt Out Of $32M Cargill Price-Fix Deal

    An Illinois federal judge Monday denied two Burford Capital entities' day-late bid to opt out of a $32 million price-fixing settlement between Cargill and a direct turkey purchasers class, rejecting their contention that their attorneys' busy schedule and separate actions they filed against the turkey producer warranted their exclusion.

  • July 07, 2025

    Japanese Eatery Group Azumi Pays $3.6M To Settle PPP Claims

    A group of high-end Japanese restaurants will pay $3.6 million to resolve allegations that they fraudulently obtained loans meant to help small businesses struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Monday.

  • July 07, 2025

    Mich. Starbucks Customer Drops Hot-Drink Burn Suit

    Starbucks Corp. and a customer who suffered severe burns when hot tea spilled on her lap at a Michigan drive-through have confidentially settled her negligence lawsuit, culminating in a dismissal with prejudice in federal court.

  • July 07, 2025

    Alaskan Tribe's Immunity Upheld In Anchorage Casino Fight

    A federal court judge on Monday denied a bid by a group of Anchorage, Alaska, residents to reconsider a ruling that found the Native Village of Eklutna is immune from the residents' lawsuit seeking to block a casino development, saying their arguments are no more than a disagreement with the court's analysis.

  • July 07, 2025

    Mich. Wineries Win Nearly $50M In Zoning Dispute

    A Michigan federal judge awarded more than $49.2 million in damages Monday to a group of wineries that challenged local zoning restrictions but declined to block the township from enforcing its current ordinances.

  • July 07, 2025

    Deere & Co. Needn't Give More Financial Docs In Repair Suit

    An Illinois federal judge overseeing twin cases alleging Deere & Co. is violating the Sherman Antitrust Act through its control of repair tools decided Monday not to force the company to produce its dealer financial analysis documents, saying any relevant information in them has already been produced elsewhere in the cases.

  • July 07, 2025

    Biggest Enviro Cases To Watch In 2025: Midyear Report

    Law360 previews the lawsuits environmental attorneys will be watching closely during the second half of 2025, including the Trump administration's challenge to states' efforts to slow climate change, a lawsuit seeking to continue federal funding for climate change projects and product liability cases over forever chemicals in consumer goods.

Expert Analysis

  • Opinion

    Lawsuits Shouldn't Be Shadow Assets For Foreign Capital

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    Third-party litigation financing amplifies inefficiencies from litigation and facilitates national exposure to foreign influence in the U.S. justice system, so full disclosure of financing arrangements should be required as a matter of institutional integrity, says Roland Eisenhuth at the American Property Casualty Insurance Association.

  • How To Accelerate Your Post-Attorney Career Transition

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    Professionals seeking to transition to nonattorney careers may encounter skepticism as nontraditional candidates, but there are opportunities for thought leadership and to leverage speaking and writing to accelerate a post-attorney career transition, say Janet Falk at Falk Communications and Evgeny Efremkin at Toronto Metropolitan University.

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: Be An Indispensable Associate

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    While law school teaches you to research, write and think critically, it often overlooks the professional skills you will need to make yourself an essential team player when transitioning from a summer to full-time associate, say attorneys at Stinson.

  • Series

    Birding Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Observing and documenting birds in their natural habitats fosters patience, sharpens observational skills and provides moments of pure wonder — qualities that foster personal growth and enrich my legal career, says Allison Raley at Arnall Golden.

  • HHS Directive Could Overhaul Food Ingredient Safety Rules

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    If the U.S. Food and Drug Administration eliminates the self-affirmed pathway that allows food ingredients to be used without premarket approval, per the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' directive, it would be a sea change for the food industry and the food-contact material industry, say attorneys at K&L Gates.

  • Series

    Adapting To Private Practice: From DOJ Leadership To BigLaw

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    The move from government service to private practice can feel like changing one’s identity, but as someone who has left the U.S. Department of Justice twice, I’ve learned that a successful transition requires patience, effort and the realization that the rewards of practicing law don’t come from one particular position, says Richard Donoghue at Pillsbury.

  • Law Firm Executive Orders Create A Legal Ethics Minefield

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    Recent executive orders targeting BigLaw firms create ethical dilemmas — and raise the specter of civil or criminal liability — for the government attorneys tasked with implementing them and for the law firms that choose to make agreements with the administration, say attorneys at Buchalter.

  • Trade Policy Shifts Raise Hurdles For Gov't And Cos. Alike

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    The persistent tension between the Trump administration's fast-moving and aggressive trade policies and the compliance-heavy nature of the trade industry creates implementation challenges for both the business community and the government, says Sara Schoenfeld at Kamerman.

  • Firms Must Embrace Alternative Billing Models Or Fall Behind

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    As artificial intelligence tools eliminate inefficiencies and the Big Four accounting firms enter the legal market, law firms that pivot from the entrenched billable hour model to outcomes-based pricing will see a distinct competitive advantage, says attorney William Brewer.

  • How Attorneys Can Master The Art Of On-Camera Presence

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    As attorneys are increasingly presented with on-camera opportunities, they can adapt their traditional legal skills for video contexts — such as virtual client meetings, marketing content or media interviews — by understanding the medium and making intentional adjustments, says Kerry Barrett.

  • Series

    Baseball Fantasy Camp Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    With six baseball fantasy experiences under my belt, I've learned time and again that I didn't make the wrong career choice, but I've also learned that baseball lessons are life lessons, and I'm a better lawyer for my time at St. Louis Cardinals fantasy camp, says Scott Felder at Wiley.

  • Series

    Adapting To Private Practice: From Fed. Prosecutor To BigLaw

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    Making the jump from government to private practice is no small feat, but, based on my experience transitioning to a business-driven environment after 15 years as an assistant U.S. attorney, it can be incredibly rewarding and help you become a more versatile lawyer, says Michael Beckwith at Dickinson Wright.

  • How Importers Can Minimize FCA Risks Of Tariff Mitigation

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    False Claims Act risks are inherent in many tariff mitigation strategies, making it important for importers to implement best practices to identify and report potential violations of import regulations before they escalate, says Samuel Finkelstein at LMD Trade Law.

  • Firms Still Have Lateral Market Advantage, But Risks Persist

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    Partner and associate mobility data from the fourth quarter of 2024 shows that we’re in a new, stable era of lateral hiring where firms have the edge, but leaders should proceed cautiously, looking beyond expected revenue and compensation analyses for potential risks, say Julie Henson and Greg Hamman at Decipher Investigative Intelligence.

  • Opinion

    We Must Allow Judges To Use Their Independent Judgment

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    As two recent cases show, the ability of judges to access their independent judgment crucially enables courts to exercise the discretion needed to reach the right outcome based on the unique facts within the law, says John Siffert at Lankler Siffert & Wohl.

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