Food & Beverage

  • May 08, 2025

    Trulieve Wants Cannabis Concentrate Potency Suit Tossed

    A group of cannabis companies and sellers led by Trulieve Holdings Inc. on Wednesday asked an Arizona federal court to throw out a man's claim that they mislabel cannabis edibles as concentrates to get around state THC limits, saying he has no standing to sue and the products are exactly what they are labeled as.

  • May 07, 2025

    Judge Certifies Class In Wheat Futures Manipulation Case

    An Illinois federal judge Wednesday certified a class of traders who held positions in certain wheat futures contracts in a class action accusing agribusiness The Andersons Inc. of manipulating its wheat futures and options price, saying, "most importantly, the efficiencies of adjudicating this matter as a class action are overwhelming."

  • May 07, 2025

    Tupperware's Post-Sale Ch. 11 Plan Approved

    The Chapter 11 plan of liquidation of food storage container company Tupperware Brands Corp. received court approval Wednesday in Delaware without any opposition, marking a complete turnaround from the turmoil at the outset of the case.

  • May 07, 2025

    Coffee Exporter Hit With $31M Judgment Over Missed Shipments

    A Florida federal judge said Wednesday she would enter a roughly $31 million judgment for a "green" coffee retailer that said it prepaid for coffee shipments that were never received from a Nicaraguan green coffee bean exporter.

  • May 07, 2025

    Splenda Maker Can't Claim Scientist's Research Is 'Defamation'

    A North Carolina federal judge has partially dismissed claims from the maker of sweetener Splenda alleging that a scientist defamed the company by saying in a television interview that Splenda contains a harmful chemical, saying accurately stating the results of her research is protected by the First Amendment.

  • May 07, 2025

    LA Firm Sues Fisher Phillips Over 'Ridiculous' SLAPP Suit

    A Los Angeles employment lawyer has sued Fisher Phillips for malicious prosecution, alleging the international labor firm targeted him with a "frivolous Rube Goldberg-esque legal argument" in an attempt to block him from representing workers at a Southern California diner chain in claims against their employer.

  • May 07, 2025

    Baking Co. Says Trade Secret Sanctions Bid Is Undercooked

    An Ohio baking products company says it shouldn't be sanctioned for sharing some of the ingredients in one of its products in a temporarily public court filing, since the same ingredients had been discussed in open court during testimony about how that product allegedly differed from the trade-secret recipe a rival was trying to protect.

  • May 07, 2025

    Bimbo Bakeries Accused Of Misclassifying Drivers

    A pair of New England drivers who deliver Sara Lee and other branded baked goods said Tuesday in a proposed class action that Bimbo Bakeries violates Massachusetts law by treating them as independent contractors rather than employees.

  • May 06, 2025

    Whole Foods Beef Buyers Urge Judge Not To Wait On Justices

    An attorney for a group of consumers alleging Whole Foods falsely advertises its beef as free from antibiotics urged a California federal judge Tuesday not to wait for a pending U.S. Supreme Court ruling about class certification standards for uninjured members, saying that all the purchasers were injured because they paid inflated prices. 

  • May 06, 2025

    WeightWatchers Files Ch. 11 To Eliminate $1.15B Of Debt

    WeightWatchers filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in Delaware bankruptcy court Tuesday, saying the restructuring will eliminate $1.15 billion in debt and allow the company to focus on its telehealth services.

  • May 06, 2025

    Mars Dog Food Has Dangerous Vitamin D Levels, Suit Says

    Mars Petcare's Pedigree brand of kibble is falsely marketed as a "100% Complete & Balanced" diet for pets despite containing dangerous levels of vitamin D that leads to vomiting and diarrhea in dogs, according to a recently filed proposed class action in Tennessee federal court.

  • May 06, 2025

    Judge Backs Kellanova In $330M Teamsters Pension Row

    An Illinois federal judge on Monday sided with Kellanova in considering cross-motions from the food company and a Teamsters pension fund to enforce and modify an arbitration award governing Kellanova's withdrawal liability after it ended its participation in the multiemployer pension plan in 2019.

  • May 06, 2025

    Cipriani Bellini Maker Says Drink Importer Copies Cocktail Dress

    Cipriani Bellini maker Altunis and its U.S. licensee Bicobi Ltd. have sued alcohol importer Monsieur Touton Selection in New York federal court for allegedly infringing its trade dress by using an Altunis cocktail's seafoam green color bottle and package for its own products after Bicobi walked away from a distribution agreement.

  • May 06, 2025

    4th Circ. Flags Possibly New Arguments In Severed-Foot Case

    A Fourth Circuit judge on Tuesday suggested a North Carolina farm had sandbagged a federal district court judge by raising arguments on appeal that weren't fleshed out for the lower court in an effort to overturn a $2.5 million jury verdict favoring a worker who lost his foot to a grain silo auger.

  • May 06, 2025

    Mich. Judge Urges Contract Suit Settlement After $32M Verdict

    A Michigan federal judge on Tuesday granted a pot farm's bid for prejudgment interest on a $31.8 million verdict in its contract dispute against two Curaleaf units, but declined to sanction the units and said it was advisable for both sides to reach a settlement in post-judgment proceedings.

  • May 06, 2025

    Diageo Overstates Agave Content In Tequilas, Suit Says

    Global liquor giant Diageo North America falsely advertises its Casamigos and Don Julio beverages as containing 100% tequila agave, despite that the distilled spirits are adulterated with significant amounts of cane or other types of alcohol, according to a proposed class action filed Monday in New York federal court. 

  • May 06, 2025

    Ill. Judge Trims False Ad Suit Over Smartfood Popcorn

    An Illinois federal judge on Monday partially granted a bid by PepsiCo to dismiss a putative class action alleging popcorn made by subsidiary Smartfoods Inc. was deceptively marketed as containing no artificial flavors or preservatives, when it contains maltodextrin, while saying the plaintiffs had done enough at this stage to allege the ingredient is an artificial preservative.

  • May 06, 2025

    Pa. House OKs Pot Legalization Bill With State-Run Shops

    Pennsylvania's House of Representatives approved on Tuesday a Democrat-backed bill to legalize recreational adult-use marijuana and regulate its sale through state-run stores.

  • May 06, 2025

    Firms Beat Malpractice Suit Over Chicken Plant Pollution

    Delaware's Supreme Court on Tuesday affirmed a trial court's dismissal of a malpractice suit against Brockstedt Mandalas Federico LLC and Schochor Staton Goldberg & Cardea PA for their alleged mishandling of claims associated with a child's "catastrophic injuries" purportedly caused by contamination from a chicken plant.

  • May 06, 2025

    Ex-Investor In Cannabis-Infused Water Wants Charges Tossed

    A former shareholder of American Premium Water Corp. is urging an Ohio federal judge to throw out the charges against him alleging that he participated in a $10 million pump-and-dump scheme, saying the indictment doesn't properly allege his wrongdoing.

  • May 06, 2025

    Food Co. Harvest Sherwood Hits Ch. 11 Amid Sprouts Lawsuit

    Meat distributor Harvest Sherwood Food Distributors Inc. has filed for Chapter 11 protection in Texas bankruptcy court with up to $559 million in debt, saying it intends to wind down its remaining business and pursue claims against Sprouts Farmers Market over allegedly withheld payments.

  • May 05, 2025

    CoreLife Eatery Settles $7.8M Fraud Claim Over COVID Funds

    CoreLife Eatery will pay over $7.8 million to settle allegations that it falsely claimed eligibility for a pandemic-era program meant to boost small businesses, the U.S. Attorneys' Office for the Northern District of New York announced Monday.

  • May 05, 2025

    Citizens Policy May Cover BIPA Claim, 7th Circ. Says

    An Illinois food ingredient manufacturer may be able to tap into one of its Citizens insurance policies for coverage of an underlying biometric privacy suit, if the company can prove it provided the insurer with timely notice of the claim, the Seventh Circuit said.

  • May 05, 2025

    Judge Backs Biden-Era Protections For H-2A Farmworkers

    A North Carolina federal judge tossed a challenge to a Biden-era regulation that enhanced the organizing rights of seasonal farmworkers with H-2A visas, saying Monday that the U.S. Department of Labor didn't act arbitrarily and capriciously when it issued the regulation.

  • May 05, 2025

    PCA Tribunal Favors UK In Sandeel Fishing Dispute With EU

    The United Kingdom has a right to stop the commercial fishing of sandeels in U.K. waters as it looks to protect endangered seabirds, a Permanent Court of Arbitration tribunal has ruled in a dispute brought by the European Union.

Expert Analysis

  • So You Want To Move Your Law Practice To Canada, Eh?

    Author Photo

    Google searches for how to move to Canada have surged in the wake of the U.S. presidential election, and if you’re an attorney considering a move to the Great White North, you’ll need to understand how the practice of law differs across the border, says David Postel at Henein Hutchison.

  • Why K-Cup Claims Landed Keurig In Hot Water With SEC

    Author Photo

    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's recent settlement with Keurig Dr. Pepper for making incomplete statements regarding the recyclability of K-cup pods highlights the importance of comprehensive corporate disclosures, particularly with respect to ESG matters, say attorneys at BCLP.

  • Legislation Most Likely To Pass In Lame Duck Session

    Author Photo

    As Congress begins its five-week post-election lame duck session, attorneys at Greenberg Traurig break down the legislative priorities and which proposals can be expected to pass.

  • Promoting Diversity In The Selection Of ADR Neutrals

    Excerpt from Practical Guidance
    Author Photo

    Choosing neutrals from diverse backgrounds is an important step in promoting inclusion in the legal profession, and it can enhance the legitimacy and public perception of alternative dispute resolution proceedings, say attorneys at Lowenstein Sandler.

  • Series

    Playing Ultimate Makes Us Better Lawyers

    Author Photo

    In addition to being fun, ultimate Frisbee has improved our legal careers by emphasizing the importance of professionalism, teamwork, perseverance, enthusiasm and vulnerability, say Arunabha Bhoumik and Adam Bernstein at Regeneron. 

  • E-Discovery Quarterly: Recent Rulings On Metadata

    Author Photo

    Several recent rulings reflect the competing considerations that arise when parties dispute the form of production for electronically stored information, underscoring that counsel must carefully consider how to produce and request reasonably usable data, say attorneys at Sidley.

  • The 3rd-Party Bankruptcy Release Landscape After Purdue

    Author Photo

    In its Purdue Pharma ruling prohibiting nonconsensual third-party releases, the U.S. Supreme Court did not comment on criteria to render a third-party release consensual, opening a debate in the bankruptcy courts on the permissibility of opt-out versus opt-in releases, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

  • Website Accessibility Ruling Leaves Circuit Split Unresolved

    Author Photo

    A New York federal court's recent decision in Mejia v. High Brew Coffee, holding that stand-alone websites are not "public accommodations" subject to the Americans with Disabilities Act, further complicates a long-running circuit split on this question — even as courts are burdened with thousands of similar lawsuits, say attorneys at Mandelbaum Barrett.

  • Striking A Balance Between AI Use And Attorney Well-Being

    Author Photo

    As the legal industry increasingly adopts generative artificial intelligence tools to boost efficiency, leaders must note the hidden costs of increased productivity, and work to protect attorneys’ well-being while unlocking AI’s full potential, says Ed Sohn at Factor.

  • Empathy In Mediation Offers A Soft Landing For Disputes

    Author Photo

    Experiencing a crash-landing on a recent flight underscored to me how much difference empathy makes in times of crisis or stress, including during mediation, says Eydith Kaufman at Alternative Resolution Centers.

  • Series

    Being An Artist Makes Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    My work as an artist has highlighted how using creativity and precision together — qualities that are equally essential in both art and law — not only improves outcomes, but also leads to more innovative and thoughtful work, says Sarah La Pearl at Segal McCambridge.

  • How Judiciary Can Minimize AI Risks In Secondary Sources

    Author Photo

    Because courts’ standing orders on generative artificial intelligence and other safeguards do not address the risk of hallucinations in secondary source materials, the judiciary should consider enlisting legal publishers and database hosts to protect against AI-generated inaccuracies, say attorneys at Lankler Siffert & Wohl.

  • NC Ruling Takes Practical Approach To Duty-To-Defend Costs

    Author Photo

    In Murphy-Brown v. Ace American Insurance, a case of first impression, the North Carolina Business Court adopted the commonsense rationale of many state courts in holding that policyholders' defense costs should be deemed presumtively reasonable when a insurer breaches its duty to defend, say attorneys at McGuireWoods.

  • How Attorneys Can Break Free From Career Enmeshment

    Author Photo

    Ambitious attorneys can sometimes experience career enmeshment — when your sense of self-worth becomes unhealthily tangled up in your legal vocation — but taking the time to discover and realign with your core personal values can help you recover your identity, says Janna Koretz at Azimuth Psychological.

  • Where Can Privacy Plaintiffs Sue When Injury Is Online?

    Author Photo

    Website owners need to understand wiretapping laws to understand whether they may be sued for activity tracking in California or Pennsylvania courts, where the statutory damages for violations of half-century-old laws can be substantial — and a recent Third Circuit decision suggests establishing specific jurisdiction is not as easy as 1-2-3, say attorneys at Crowell & Moring.

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.