Food & Beverage

  • May 30, 2025

    Smithfield Can't Split Trial In Contract Clash With Hog Supplier

    Smithfield Foods Inc. can't cleave an upcoming trial into two parts over whether its pricing practices violated a production agreement with a longtime hog supplier in North Carolina, a state judge ruled Friday, finding that it would be disruptive and drag out the proceedings unnecessarily.

  • May 30, 2025

    Peet's Coffee, AddShoppers Beat Cert. Bid In Privacy Suit

    A California federal judge refused to certify a proposed class action alleging AddShoppers and Peet's Coffee illegally tracked visitors' browsing activities to send targeted advertising emails, ruling Thursday that the named plaintiffs' claims are not typical of the groups they want to represent, since they did not receive emails about any products.

  • May 30, 2025

    Farm Groups' Challenge To H-2A Wage Rule Back On Track

    The U.S. Department of Labor failed to show it would be necessary to push back litigation challenging a Biden-era H-2A wage rule, especially in the context of farm groups' ongoing harm allegations, a Florida federal judge ruled.

  • May 30, 2025

    Giant Eagle Worker Seeks Initial OK For $669K ERISA Deal

    A proposed class of employees at Pennsylvania-based gas and grocery chain Giant Eagle asked a federal court for preliminary approval of an almost $669,000 settlement of their claims that the company overspent their retirement savings on administrative fees.

  • May 30, 2025

    Judge Balks At Trimming Ex-GC's Bias Suit Before Arbitration

    A New York federal judge rejected a recommendation to narrow and then send to arbitration a Black former general counsel's suit claiming she was fired from The Palm steakhouse chain out of race bias after her cancer diagnosis, saying the whole dispute needs to go to an arbitrator.

  • May 29, 2025

    Fla. AG Says Letter To Cops Doesn't Rise To Contempt

    Florida's attorney general told a federal judge on Thursday that a letter he sent to law enforcement agencies saying he could not force them to comply with a temporary restraining order blocking enforcement of a state law criminalizing the entry of unauthorized immigrants did not rise to the level of civil contempt.

  • May 29, 2025

    Monsanto-Funded Researcher Influenced Panel, Jury Hears

    A Missouri jury hearing the latest trial over cancer claims related to Monsanto's glyphosate pesticides heard Thursday that a Monsanto-funded researcher was able to change the course of a prestigious international panel weighing the chemical's carcinogenicity.

  • May 29, 2025

    Texas Justices Keep Court Orders On $3.4B Water Pipeline

    A Texas appeals court mostly kept intact court orders barring a groundwater company from interfering with several leases as a part of a $3.4 billion pipeline venture to supply water to San Antonio, finding in a Thursday opinion the company was undercutting its lessee.

  • May 29, 2025

    Deere Says No Monopoly, Seeks End Of Right-To-Repair Suit

    Deere & Co. is pushing to end a suit from the Federal Trade Commission and five states alleging it violated the Sherman Act by restricting access to its repair tools and services, saying it doesn't participate in the repair market so it can't have a monopoly.

  • May 29, 2025

    Mich. Farmers Must Bring New Suit To Challenge Crop Policy

    A group of Michigan dry-bean farmers can't challenge the Federal Crop Insurance Corp.'s reapproval of a crop revenue insurance program after remand, a federal court ruled, saying the farmers must initiate a new suit to challenge a remanded agency decision.

  • May 29, 2025

    Split 5th Circ. OKs Acting NLRB GC's Drop Of Teamsters Case

    A divided Fifth Circuit panel again blessed the National Labor Relations Board's order that supported a former acting general counsel's withdrawal of an unfair labor practice complaint against two Teamsters locals, analyzing the dispute on remand from the U.S. Supreme Court.

  • May 28, 2025

    16 States Sue Trump Admin Over Cuts To Science Grants

    A coalition of 16 state attorneys general have sued the Trump administration in New York federal court on Wednesday to stop it from cutting millions of dollars in grant funds from the National Science Foundation for scientific research and programs aimed at enhancing diversity, equity and inclusion in STEM fields and environmental justice.

  • May 28, 2025

    5-Hour Energy Price Discrimination Suit Falls Short Again

    A California federal judge ruled Wednesday that family-owned wholesalers proved competition with Costco in their price-discrimination suit against the maker of 5-Hour Energy and that the energy "shot" company offered Costco disproportionate promotions, but the wholesalers did not prove that this discrimination caused them antitrust injury.

  • May 28, 2025

    Feds Won't Appeal Offshore Fish Farming Permit Decision

    The federal government will not appeal a decision to set aside a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' permit intended to speed up industrial aquaculture in public ocean waters, ending the dispute and any future use of the structures off the country's eastern and western coasts.

  • May 28, 2025

    Distiller Denied New Shot At Wash. State Alcohol Sales Regs

    A federal judge in Washington state gave short shrift to a bid for reconsideration from a New York distillery and two Washington whiskey drinkers who lost their challenge to the Washington state liquor board's rules requiring a physical in-state presence to sell online.

  • May 28, 2025

    Flamin' Hot Cheetos Defamation Suit Snuffed Out, For Now

    A California federal judge Wednesday granted Frito-Lay Inc.'s motion to strike a former employee's discrimination and defamation suit claiming he invented Flamin' Hot Cheetos and had his livelihood destroyed when the company disavowed his story, finding he's unlikely to win his claims, but giving him another shot at amendment.

  • May 28, 2025

    NC BBQ Joint Roasts Flagship Over Trademark Use

    A chain of fast casual barbecue restaurants in North Carolina has accused the original location of misusing the brand's trademarks to sell sauces and rubs beyond the bounds of its alleged licensing agreement, according to a newly designated state Business Court complaint.

  • May 28, 2025

    Coca-Cola Sued Over '100% Natural Flavors' In Sprite, Fanta

    The Coca-Cola Co. deceptively labels its Sprite and Fanta brands of sodas as being made with "100% natural flavors" despite that they contain synthetic sweetener ingredients and additives like citric acid and aspartame, according to a proposed class action filed Tuesday in California federal court.

  • May 27, 2025

    Texas Legislature Sends THC Ban To Governor's Desk

    Texas lawmakers on Tuesday gave final approval to a bill banning products with hemp-derived THC and sent the legislation to Gov. Greg Abbott's desk, advancing one of the goals of his administration.

  • May 27, 2025

    Renaissance Fair Co. Says Landlord Planned 'Knock-Off' Event

    The operator of a New England Renaissance fair has accused its landlord of stalling on a long-term lease extension in order to plan a "knock-off version" of the event.

  • May 27, 2025

    Next Meats Beats Investor Suit Over 'Short Swing' Profits

    The controlling shareholders of Japan-based Next Meats have beaten, for good, a suit alleging they collected unlawful short-swing profits after a New York federal judge found the plaintiff could not satisfy the so-called Morrison test of demonstrating a domestic securities transaction that can be tried in U.S. courts.

  • May 27, 2025

    Bayer, Monsanto On Hook For $611M Roundup Cancer Awards

    A Missouri appellate panel Tuesday affirmed a trial court's $611 million award reduced from a jury's $1.56 billion verdict for three people who claimed their cancer was caused by Bayer unit Monsanto Co.'s Roundup weedkiller, saying a law professor's testimony about a Ninth Circuit decision was not prejudicial.

  • May 27, 2025

    Mobile App Infringement Suit Against Bridgestone Dropped

    A New Jersey company and tire maker Bridgestone Americas Inc. on Tuesday jointly asked a Texas federal judge to dismiss a case in which Bridgestone was accused of using patented mobile device communication technology in its mobile app.

  • May 27, 2025

    6th Circ. Urged To Revive FedEx, Kellogg Pension Suits

    FedEx and Kellogg retirees urged the Sixth Circuit to revive two proposed class actions alleging their ex-employers' use of outdated actuarial assumptions shortchanged the value of their pension annuity benefits, arguing that definitions of the term "actuarial equivalent" from the time federal benefits law was enacted supported their appeals.

  • May 27, 2025

    DOJ Pushes Back Against Agri Stats Recusal Bid

    The U.S. Department of Justice told a Minnesota federal judge Friday there is no reason to recuse himself from a case accusing Agri Stats of helping meat processors exchange sensitive information because the clerk who allegedly created a conflict is not working on the case.

Expert Analysis

  • What To Expect From 'Make America Healthy Again' Actions

    Author Photo

    The Make America Healthy Again Commission recently established by President Donald Trump and chaired by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will potentially bring energy and attention to important public health topics, and stakeholders should be aware of pathways for sharing their input and proactively informing proceedings, says Nicholas Manetto at Faegre Drinker.

  • How Law Firms Can Counteract The Loneliness Epidemic

    Author Photo

    The legal industry is facing an urgent epidemic of loneliness, affecting lawyer well-being, productivity, retention and profitability, and law firm leaders should take concrete steps to encourage the development of genuine workplace connections, says Michelle Gomez at Littler and Gwen Mellor Romans at Herald Talent.

  • 5 Keys To Building Stronger Attorney-Client Relationships

    Author Photo

    Attorneys are often focused on being seen as the expert, but bonding with clients and prospects by sharing a few key personal details provides the basis for a caring, trusted and profoundly deeper business relationship, says Deb Feder at Feder Development.

  • Series

    Racing Corvettes Makes Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    The skills I use when racing Corvettes have enhanced my legal practice in several ways, because driving, like practicing law, requires precision, awareness and a good set of brakes — complete with the wisdom to know how and when to use them, says Kat Mateo at Olshan Frome.

  • Opinion

    Attorneys Must Act Now To Protect Judicial Independence

    Author Photo

    Given the Trump administration's recent moves threatening the independence of the judiciary, including efforts to impeach judges who ruled against executive actions, lawyers must protect the rule of law and resist attempts to dilute the judicial branch’s authority, says attorney Bhavleen Sabharwal.

  • Rethinking 'No Comment' For Clients Facing Public Crises

    Author Photo

    “No comment” is no longer a cost-free or even a viable public communications strategy for companies in crisis, and counsel must tailor their guidance based on a variety of competing factors to help clients emerge successfully, says Robert Bowers at Moore & Van Allen.

  • Reading The Tea Leaves On Mexico, Canada And China Tariffs

    Author Photo

    It's still unclear whether the delay in the imposition of U.S. tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports will result in negotiated resolutions or a full-on trade war, but the outcome may hinge on continuing negotiations and the Trump administration's possible plans for tariff revenues, say attorneys at Eversheds Sutherland.

  • How Design Thinking Can Help Lawyers Find Purpose In Work

    Author Photo

    Lawyers everywhere are feeling overwhelmed amid mass government layoffs, increasing political instability and a justice system stretched to its limits — but a design-thinking framework can help attorneys navigate this uncertainty and find meaning in their work, say law professors at the University of Michigan.

  • Series

    Competitive Weightlifting Makes Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    The parallels between the core principles required for competitive weightlifting and practicing law have helped me to excel in both endeavors, with each holding important lessons about discipline, dedication, drive and failure, says Damien Bielli at VF Law.

  • NC COVID Ruling May Have Greater Coverage Implications

    Author Photo

    While the North Carolina Supreme Court's recent finding in favor of policyholders in a suit for business interruption coverage due to COVID-19 comes too late for most insureds to benefit, it should nonetheless have coverage implications far beyond COVID-19 claims, say attorneys at Robinson Bradshaw.

  • Opinion

    DOJ's Visa Suit Shows Pitfalls Of Regulating Innovative Tech

    Author Photo

    A policy of allowing free-market mechanisms to operate without undue interference remains the most effective way to foster innovation, and the U.S. Department of Justice's 2024 case against Visa illustrates the drawbacks of regulating innovative technology, says attorney Thomas Willcox.

  • Nippon Order Tests Gov't Control Over Foreign Investments

    Author Photo

    The U.S. government is primarily interested in restraining foreign transactions involving countries of concern, but former President Joe Biden’s January order blocking the merger of Nippon Steel and U.S. Steel shows that all foreign direct investments are under the federal government’s microscope, say attorneys at Blank Rome.

  • Opinion

    Inconsistent Injury-In-Fact Rules Hinder Federal Practice

    Author Photo

    A recent Third Circuit decision, contradicting a previous ruling about whether consumers of contaminated products have suffered an injury in fact, illustrates the deep confusion this U.S. Supreme Court standard creates among federal judges and practitioners, who deserve a simpler method of determining which cases have federal standing, says Eric Dwoskin at Dwoskin Wasdin.

  • In-House Counsel Pointers For Preserving Atty-Client Privilege

    Author Photo

    Several recent rulings illustrate the challenges in-house counsel can face when attempting to preserve attorney-client privilege, but a few best practices can help safeguard communications and effectively assert the privilege in an increasingly scrutinized corporate environment, says Daniel Garrie at Law & Forensics.

  • What's Next For State Regulation Of Hemp Cannabinoids

    Author Photo

    Based on two recent federal court cases that indisputably fortify broad state authority to regulate intoxicating hemp cannabinoid products, 2025 will feature continued aggressive state regulation of such products as industry stakeholders wait for Congress to release its plans for the next five-year Farm Bill, say attorneys at Foley Hoag.

Want to publish in Law360?


Submit an idea

Have a news tip?


Contact us here
Can't find the article you're looking for? Click here to search the Food & Beverage archive.