Food & Beverage

  • April 10, 2026

    Ill. Jury Adds $17M Punitive Award To Baby Formula Verdict

    Illinois jurors on Friday slapped another $17 million in punitive damages atop the $53 million they awarded the previous afternoon to four mothers who accused Abbott Laboratories of selling preterm infant formula that contributed to a serious and often fatal gut condition their babies developed.

  • April 10, 2026

    UK Litigation Roundup: Here's What You Missed In London

    The past week in London has seen the owner of an oil tanker stuck in the Strait of Hormuz sued by an energy company and an insurer, law firm Boodle Hatfield LLP and two Serle Court barristers sued by a group of Winston Churchill's great-grandchildren, and Welsh Water hit with a fresh class action over polluted rivers.

  • April 09, 2026

    Uber Fights Uphill To Ax FTC, States' Subscription Fight

    A California federal judge appeared open Thursday to keeping alive the Federal Trade Commission and states' claims that Uber dupes consumers into its paid subscription service, doubting that Uber's disclosures clearly communicate its subscription practices "as a matter of law," and saying certain state claims are "on very firm ground."

  • April 09, 2026

    BuzzBallz Rival Says 'Joke' Domain Grab Not Funny Or Legal

    A claim by cocktail company BuzzBallz that its purchase of an upcoming rival's web domains was a "joke" is a shallow attempt to avoid responsibility for its anticompetitive cybersquatting actions, beverage company Patco Brands argued while urging a California federal court to deny BuzzBallz's motion for summary judgment.

  • April 09, 2026

    LA Cannabis Edibles Maker Settles Prop 65 Warning Suit

    A Los Angeles cannabis-infused edibles producer has agreed to pay $70,000 to end a Proposition 65 lawsuit accusing the company of deliberately hiding the state-required warning with a peel-back product label, with most of the money going to the plaintiff's lawyer.

  • April 09, 2026

    Mich., Animal Rights Groups Take Aim At US's Egg Price Suit

    Animal advocacy groups and Michigan officials moved to end the U.S. government's federal lawsuit seeking to void the state's ban on eggs produced by caged hens, arguing Thursday the federal government lacks standing because it isn't the subject of enforcement, as it doesn't commercially sell, produce or distribute eggs in Michigan.

  • April 09, 2026

    Judge Says Poultry Enviro Deals In 20-Year Suits Fall Short

    An Oklahoma federal judge has rejected a bid by the state and several poultry companies to enter consent decrees in their two-decade-old dispute, finding the agreements did not go far enough to address pollution of the Illinois River Watershed.

  • April 09, 2026

    Abbott Hit With $53M Verdict Over Baby Formula Harms

    A Cook County jury on Thursday awarded a total of $53 million in damages to four mothers claiming Abbott Laboratories' preterm baby formula contributed to their babies' development of a serious and often fatal gut condition, in the first of such claims to go to trial in Illinois.

  • April 09, 2026

    Dunkin' Stores Cut $250K Deal In EEOC Disability Bias Suit

    Fifteen Dunkin' franchisees and their management company will pay $250,000 to end a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission lawsuit alleging they forced employees with disabilities and medical restrictions onto unpaid leave, according to a Thursday filing in Massachusetts federal court.

  • April 09, 2026

    Welch's Maker Tells ITC Rival Infringing 2 Fruit Snack Patents

    The manufacturer of Welch's Fruit Snacks brought its fight against what it claims are patent-infringing yogurt-covered snacks produced by rival Cibo Vita to the U.S. International Trade Commission, the ITC said Thursday.

  • April 09, 2026

    Fed Circ Probes Standing In Cocoa Import Child Labor Case

    Federal Circuit judges challenged a labor rights organization's arguments for standing to force U.S. Customs and Border Protection's response to a petition to ban U.S. chocolate producers from importing cocoa from the Ivory Coast during oral arguments Thursday.

  • April 09, 2026

    Restaurant Slams Sushi Chef's 'Soap Opera' Sanctions Bid

    A Connecticut restaurant urged a federal judge to reject sanctions sought by a sushi chef alleging wage violations, arguing that the plaintiff's counsel has tried to turn a routine deposition dispute into a "soap opera."

  • April 09, 2026

    Chancery Agrees To Fast-Track $58M Food Sale Fight

    The Delaware Chancery Court on Thursday agreed to fast-track a dispute over a $58 million food distribution deal, finding that the buyer's claims of ongoing competitive harm warrant expedited proceedings and a near-term hearing on a preliminary injunction.

  • April 09, 2026

    DOL Urges 11th Circ. To Scrap ERISA Exhaustion Rule

    The U.S. Department of Labor urged the full Eleventh Circuit to overturn precedent making it the only appellate court requiring workers to exhaust administrative remedies before bringing any statutory claims under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. arguing that the standard is unfair and in conflict with ERISA.

  • April 08, 2026

    Starbucks Ends Wash. 'Patent Troll' Suit Against 2 Irish Cos.

    Starbucks Corp. agreed to drop its lawsuit against two Irish companies the coffee giant had accused of breaking a Washington law against "bad faith" patent infringement claims, according to a joint motion Tuesday asking a Washington federal judge to dismiss the action.

  • April 08, 2026

    JLL Lines Up $115M Retail Centers Portfolio Sale

    JLL Capital Markets arranged the $115 million sale of a seven-property, 558,000-square-foot portfolio of grocery-anchored retail centers operating in four East Coast states, the company has announced.

  • April 08, 2026

    SEC Says Booze Co. Ginned Up Bogus Sales In Investor Fraud

    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has sued the former CEO of a now-defunct organic alcohol company in Minnesota federal court for allegedly raising $2.4 million from investors after recording sham transactions to prop up the company amid financial difficulties.

  • April 08, 2026

    Abbott Urges Ill. Jury To Reject Claims Formula Led To NEC

    Counsel for Abbott Laboratories told an Illinois jury Wednesday that four infants, whose mothers allege the company's preterm baby formula caused their serious intestinal illness, would have developed the disease "even without a drop of formula" given other risk factors and that the absence of other feeding options at the time of the babies' births dooms their parents' claims.

  • April 08, 2026

    Texas Hemp Interests Say New THC Rule Defies Legislature

    A group of Texas hemp interests is suing state officials to halt implementation of new regulations restricting the sale of certain hemp products, alleging that the policy unlawfully sidestepped the authority of state lawmakers.

  • April 08, 2026

    MatchaBar Sold Lower-Grade Tea As 'Ceremonial,' Suit Says

    A matcha powder by MatchaBar Inc. is falsely marketed as "ceremonial grade" worthy of a Japanese tea ceremony despite independent testing by an expert showing the product actually exhibits "bitterness and astringency in taste," making it unlikely for formal ceremonies, according to a proposed class action by two consumers.

  • April 08, 2026

    Stella Rosa Maker Sues Texas Rival Over 'Rosa 32' Name

    San Antonio Winery hit a Houston-based family-owned beverage company with a trademark infringement suit in Texas federal court on Tuesday, contesting its use of "Rosa 32" in connection with its wines, which is confusingly similar to the plaintiff's "Rosa 22" digestif that is part of its famed Stella Rosa collection.

  • April 07, 2026

    11th Circ. Reinstates Ex-Pepsi Worker's Title VII Race Bias Suit

    The Eleventh Circuit on Tuesday revived a Black former Pepsi-Cola Bottling Co. employee's suit alleging he was fired for complaining about racist harassment, saying the lower court relied too heavily on a long-established legal framework for analyzing workplace bias evidence when dismissing his case.

  • April 07, 2026

    Keurig's K-Cup Pods Are Largely Unrecyclable, Suit Says

    Keurig Dr Pepper was hit with a proposed class action in California federal court Tuesday alleging that it misleads consumers into believing that its single-serve plastic coffee pods are recyclable despite the fact that most recycling centers in the country don't accept them due to their size, irregular shape and other characteristics.

  • April 07, 2026

    Wash. Panel Nixes Insurer's Gordon Rees Malpractice Claims

    A Washington Court of Appeals panel said a Great American insurance unit can't inherit an equipment manufacturer's legal malpractice claims against Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani LLP and Sinars Slowikowski LLC because of "potential conflict" between the insurer and manufacturer in the underlying dispute over a climber's fall.

  • April 07, 2026

    Squires Panel To Rehear Herd Management Patent Invalidation

    U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Director John Squires has convened a rehearing panel to reconsider whether a Patent Trial and Review Board decision that invalidated an animal management patent had done so properly.

Expert Analysis

  • When Trade Secret Litigation And Criminal Law Collide

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    An increasing convergence of trade secret litigation and white collar defense, especially with several recent criminal prosecutions from the Justice Department, should prompt businesses and counsel to adapt within the overlapping landscapes, says Kenneth Notter at MoloLamken.

  • 5 Tips For Navigating Your Firm's All-Attorney Summit

    Excerpt from Practical Guidance
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    Law firm retreats should be approached strategically, as they present valuable opportunities to advance both the firm's objectives and attorneys' professional development through meaningful participation, building and strengthening internal relationships, and proactive follow-up, says James Argionis at Cozen O’Connor.

  • Series

    Coaching Soccer Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Coaching youth soccer for my 7-year-old son's team has sharpened how I communicate with clients, prepare witnesses, work within teams and think about leadership, making me a more thoughtful and effective lawyer in many ways, says Joshua Holt at Smith Currie.

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: The Human Element

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    Law school teaches you to quickly apply intellect and logic when handling a legal issue, but every fact pattern also involves a person, making the ability to balance expertise with empathy critical to the growth of relationships with clients, colleagues and adversaries, says Rachel Adcox at Adcox Strategies.

  • Opinion

    High Court's Hain Ruling Undermines Diversity Jurisdiction

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    The U.S. Supreme Court's most recent decision on the limits of federal jurisdiction, Hain Celestial Group v. Palmquist, further legitimizes the plaintiffs bar's long practice of intentionally pleading around diversity jurisdiction — and could have far-reaching implications for how future product liability and consumer fraud cases are litigated, say attorneys at Patterson Belknap.

  • The Benefits Of Choosing A Niche Practice In The AI Age

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    As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly accessible, lawyers with a niche practice may stand out as clients seek specialized judgment that automation cannot replicate, but it is important to choose a niche that is durable, engaging and a good personal fit, says Daniel Borneman at Lowenstein Sandler.

  • Section 122 Tariffs Show Shift In Strategy, Not Trade Policy

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    By imposing temporary tariffs under Section 122 of the Trade Act as a stopgap measure while it pivots to less transitory statutory authorities, the Trump administration sent a clear message that the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Learning Resources v. Trump, invalidating duties imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, will not precipitate a change in policy direction, say attorneys at Snell & Wilmer.

  • What New Animal Welfare Enforcement Push Means For Cos.

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    The Trump administration's recently announced multiagency focus on violations of the Animal Welfare Act and related laws will likely lead to broader enforcement actions across industries, heightened scrutiny of compliance standards and a need for businesses to adopt effective risk management practices, says Shennie Patel at Crowell & Moring.

  • In Hain, Justices Increase Stakes For Jurisdictional Errors

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    The U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Hain Celestial Group v. Palmquist, addressing the consequences of a district court's erroneous dismissal of a nondiverse party before final judgment, has amplified the risk that a mistaken jurisdictional ruling in district court will render moot everything that comes after, says Steven Boranian at Reed Smith.

  • Series

    Podcasting Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Podcasting has changed how I ask questions and connect with people, sharpening my ability to listen without interrupting or prejudging, and bringing me closer to what law is meant to be: a human profession grounded in understanding, judgment and trust, says Donna DiMaggio Berger at Becker.

  • Lessons From Justices' Split On Major Questions Doctrine

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    The justices' varied opinions in Learning Resources v. Trump, which held the International Emergency Economy Powers Act did not confer the power to impose tariffs, offer a meaningful window into the U.S. Supreme Court's perspective on the major questions doctrine that will likely shape lower courts' approach to executive action challenges, say attorneys at Venable.

  • How The New Tariff Landscape May Unfold

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    To replace tariffs formerly imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, the administration will rely on a patchwork of statutes, potentially leading to procedural challenges and a complex tariff landscape with varying levels, durations and applicability, says Joseph Grossman-Trawick at King & Spalding.

  • Weighing Confusion Claims In Shoes-NFL Steakhouse TM Suit

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    A recent New York federal infringement complaint by 1587 Sneakers against Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce's Kansas City steakhouse 1587 Prime confronts the thorny question of how much operating in different industries should factor into likelihood-of-confusion analysis and why consumer perception can matter most in trademark fights, says Nate Garhart at Spencer West.

  • Series

    Volunteering With Scouts Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Serving as an assistant scoutmaster for my son’s troop reaffirmed several skills and principles crucial to lawyering — from the importance of disconnecting to the value of morality, says Michael Warren at McManis Faulkner.

  • Compliance Takeaways Amid Subscription Practices Scrutiny

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    The Federal Trade Commission's prioritization of enforcement regarding deceptive billing and cancellation practices in recurring subscriptions, and new click-to-cancel rulemaking expected on the horizon, carry key takeaways for companies using recurring subscriptions to sell products or services, say attorneys at Arnold & Porter.

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