Food & Beverage

  • August 25, 2025

    Major Food Cos. Beat Suit Over Selling Kids Addictive Foods

    A Pennsylvania federal judge on Monday threw out a suit claiming that The Kraft Heinz Co., Nestle USA, General Mills and other major food companies are aggressively marketing highly addictive, ultra-processed foods to children, ruling that the plaintiff hasn't adequately alleged that he was harmed by the companies' products.

  • August 25, 2025

    NC Justices Serve State 2 Blows In Bars' COVID Closure Suits

    The North Carolina Supreme Court served bars dual victories in lawsuits against the state Friday, finding that the businesses had colorable claims under the state's constitution that COVID-19 closures violated their fundamental rights, thus permitting the cases to unfold in state trial court.

  • August 25, 2025

    Kraft Sued Over Oscar Mayer Turkey Bacon Listeria Recall

    A Kraft Heinz customer has filed a proposed class action in Florida federal court amid the company's recent recall of more than 367,000 pounds of Oscar Mayer brand of turkey bacon due to possible listeria contamination, claiming the company failed to disclose on its packaging that the products may be contaminated.

  • August 25, 2025

    Curaleaf Units Appealing $32M Pot Farm Verdict In 6th Circ.

    Two Curaleaf units have turned to the Sixth Circuit in their effort to unravel a $32 million verdict over claims they breached their contract with a cannabis farm, the next phase in the already four-year-old legal battle.

  • August 25, 2025

    NC Woman Says Starbucks' Lid Design Led To Severe Burns

    A North Carolina woman has claimed she suffered "severe burns" and permanent scarring when her Starbucks coffee lid "popped off without warning," spilling a hot Americano onto her lap, according to a product liability lawsuit recently removed to federal court.

  • August 25, 2025

    Co. Not Covered For $7.5M Crash Judgment, Insurer Says

    A food service distributor isn't entitled to coverage of a nearly $7.5 million judgment entered against it in a suit over a collision involving one of its trucks and another driver, an insurer told a Connecticut federal court Monday, saying the company breached the policy's notice conditions.

  • August 25, 2025

    Campbell's Says CBA Sorted Out Donning Pay

    Soup producer Campbell's told a New Jersey federal court Monday that a former filler operator failed to mention to the court that a collective bargaining agreement regulated her employment, including whether time spent donning and doffing personal protective equipment was paid.

  • August 25, 2025

    Judge Refuses To Bar NC BBQ Joint From Selling Sauces

    A North Carolina federal judge has declined to block a chain of barbecue restaurants from selling its sauces and rubs through third-party retailers, saying the company that runs its sister restaurants had not shown that it will suffer irreparable harm without an injunction.

  • August 25, 2025

    Mariano's Managers Keep Collectives In OT Suit

    Supermarket meat, bakery and deli managers can keep their collectives in place in their suit accusing Kroger subsidiary Mariano's of misclassifying them as overtime-exempt, an Illinois federal judge ruled, saying that certain discrepancies don't move the certification needle.

  • August 25, 2025

    MusclePharm Ex-CEO Pays $175K To End SEC Fraud Claims

    A former CEO of supplements company MusclePharm Corp. will pay the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission $75,000 and reimburse his former company $100,000 as part of an agreement ending the regulator's claims he failed to properly oversee the company's accounting and financial reporting, including by not reporting $231,000 worth of perks he received.

  • August 25, 2025

    3 Firms Steer $18.4B Keurig Dr Pepper, JDE Peet's Coffee Deal

    Keurig Dr Pepper will acquire JDE Peet's in an approximately $18.4 billion deal that aims to create a "global coffee champion" through the combination of the Keurig brand single-serve coffee platform and JDE Peet's coffees, the companies announced Monday, with three law firms guiding the transaction. 

  • August 22, 2025

    Golden Corral Restaurant Workers See Wage Suit Trimmed

    A Virginia federal judge handed down a mixed ruling in a suit accusing several Golden Corral franchises and their owner of cheating restaurant employees out of wages, narrowing their claims under federal law and denying their class certification bids.

  • August 22, 2025

    Canada To Toss Tariffs On US Goods Under USMCA

    The Canadian government will remove retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods that comply with the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, excluding steel, aluminum and automobiles, in a move aimed at jump-starting trade talks akin to an exemption made by the U.S. government, Canada's prime minister said Friday.

  • August 22, 2025

    Stoli Offers Revised Ch. 11 Plan With Lender Backstop

    Vodka maker Stoli Group USA on Friday told a Texas bankruptcy judge it has modified its plan to partially pay off its secured debt with liquor by giving the lender a partial real estate backstop, but that it still hopes to pay off much of the loan with barrels of unfinished bourbon.

  • August 22, 2025

    Panda Express Meal Caused Arterial Damage, Patron Says

    A Virginia man is suing Panda Express, which calls itself "America's favorite Chinese restaurant," claiming that the chicken with noodles and mushrooms he ate caused him intestinal problems that required surgery and left him with lifelong injuries, according to a suit removed to North Carolina federal court.

  • August 22, 2025

    'Gorilla Mind' Energy Drink Can't Block Rival Amid TM Suit

    A company that sells energy drinks and dietary supplements called "Gorilla Mind" lost its bid to block a rival from selling energy drink products with the word "Gorilla" while its trademark infringement suit plays out in California federal court.

  • August 22, 2025

    Saladworks Operator Reaches Settlement In Workers' OT Suit

    A Pennsylvania-based franchisee of fast-casual salad eatery Saladworks reached a settlement with a former employee to end a proposed class action accusing it of misclassifying assistant managers as overtime-exempt, according to a signed order issued in federal court.

  • August 22, 2025

    DC Circ. Rejects NM Ranchers' Bird Protection Challenge

    The D.C. Circuit on Friday rejected New Mexico ranchers' challenge to the federal government's decision to preserve Endangered Species Act protections for a small, migratory songbird.

  • August 22, 2025

    Food And Beverage-Focused SPAC Eyes $100M IPO

    AA Mission Acquisition Corp. II, a special purpose acquisition company targeting the food and beverage industry, filed plans with U.S. regulators to raise up to $100 million in its initial public offering.

  • August 21, 2025

    Amazon Bags Toss Of Grocery Delivery Fee Disclosure Suit

    A Washington federal judge on Wednesday threw out a proposed class action that alleged the Amazon Fresh website waited too late in the checkout process to disclose delivery fees, saying the conditions of use on Amazon.com Inc.'s websites prevented a woman from lodging claims under California law.

  • August 21, 2025

    Houston Urges Texas Justices To Reject Pappas Contract Row

    A lower appellate court got it right when it ruled that the city of Houston was shielded from a lawsuit over an airport concessions contract under the state's government code, the city told the Texas Supreme Court.

  • August 21, 2025

    Steakhouse Again Asks To Decertify Class In Conn. Wage Suit

    A Connecticut state court's findings that a steakhouse at the Foxwoods Resort Casino was not liable for untipped work should have dismantled a class of tipped servers claiming unpaid wages, the steakhouse argued.

  • August 21, 2025

    Tyson Foods Sued In Del. For Docs On Poultry Care, Deaths

    A Tyson Foods Inc. stockholder on Thursday sued the company — which is the largest among the nation's chicken producers — for a Delaware Court of Chancery ruling compelling release of records on alleged child labor violations and failures by Tyson to assure proper feeding and treatment of poultry grown on contract farms.

  • August 21, 2025

    Ore. Whiskey Distillery Asks To Add $500K To Ch. 11 Loan

    Portland, Oregon-based whiskey producer House Spirits has asked a Delaware bankruptcy judge for permission to borrow an additional $500,000 in cash to finance its Chapter 11 case, raising the amount of its debtor-in-possession loan to more than $2 million.

  • August 21, 2025

    EPA Denies 'Sitting On Its Hands' On Pesticide Ban Request

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday asked the Ninth Circuit to reject green groups' effort to force it to respond to their petition to ban organophosphate pesticides, saying it "has not unreasonably delayed action."

Expert Analysis

  • Series

    Adapting To Private Practice: From ATF Director To BigLaw

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    As a two-time boomerang partner, returning to BigLaw after stints as a U.S. attorney and the director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, people ask me how I know when to move on, but there’s no single answer — just clearly set your priorities, says Steven Dettelbach at BakerHostetler.

  • Influencer Marketing Partnerships Face Rising Litigation Risk

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    In light of recent class actions claiming that brands and influencers are misleading consumers with deceptive marketing practices — largely premised on the Federal Trade Commission's endorsements guidance — proactive compliance measures are becoming more important, say attorneys at Olshan Frome.

  • Mulling Worker Reclassification In Light Of No Tax On OT

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    The One Big Beautiful Bill Act's no-tax-on-overtime provisions provide tax relief for employees who regularly work overtime and are nonexempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act, but reclassifying employees may lead to higher compliance costs and increased wage and hour litigation for employers, says Steve Bronars at Edgeworth Economics.

  • 7 Ways Employers Can Avoid Labor Friction Over AI

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    As artificial intelligence use in the workplace emerges as a key labor relations topic in the U.S. and Europe, employers looking to reduce reputational risk and prevent costly disputes should consider proactive strategies to engage with unions, say attorneys at Baker McKenzie.

  • Series

    Playing Baseball Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Playing baseball in college, and now Wiffle ball in a local league, has taught me that teamwork, mental endurance and emotional intelligence are not only important to success in the sport, but also to success as a trial attorney, says Kevan Dorsey at Swift Currie.

  • What Cos. Must Note From EU's Delivery Hero-Glovo Ruling

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    The European Commission’s recent landmark decision in Delivery Hero-Glovo, sanctioning companies for the first time over a stand-alone no-poach cartel agreement, underscores the potential antitrust risks of horizontal cross-ownership between competitors, say lawyers at McDermott.

  • Ultra-Processed Food Claims Rely On Unproven Science

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    Plaintiffs' arguments that ultra-processed foods are responsible for the nationwide increase in certain chronic illnesses, though a novel approach to food-based personal injury claims, depend on theories that are still being tested, say attorneys at DLA Piper.

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: Skillful Persuasion

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    In many ways, law school teaches us how to argue, but when the ultimate goal is to get your client what they want, being persuasive through preparation and humility is the more likely key to success, says Michael Friedland at Friedland Cianfrani.

  • A Look At Trump 2.0 Antitrust Enforcement So Far

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    The first six months of President Donald Trump's second administration were marked by aggressive antitrust enforcement tempered by traditional structural remedies for mergers, but other unprecedented actions, like the firing of Federal Trade Commission Democrats, will likely stoke heated discussion ahead, says Richard Dagen at Axinn.

  • Litigation Inspiration: How To Respond After A Loss

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    Every litigator loses a case now and then, and the sting of that loss can become a medicine that strengthens or a poison that corrodes, depending on how the attorney responds, says Bennett Rawicki at Hilgers Graben.

  • Tips For Cos. From California Climate Reporting FAQ

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    New guidance from the California Air Resources Board on how businesses must implement the state's sweeping climate reporting requirements should help companies assess their exposure, understand their disclosure obligations and begin documenting good-faith compliance efforts, says Thierry Montoya at Frost Brown.

  • FDA's Hasty Policymaking Approach Faces APA Challenges

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    Though the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has abandoned its usual notice-and-comment process for implementing new regulatory initiatives, two recent district court decisions make clear that these programs are still susceptible to Administrative Procedure Act challenges, says Rachel Turow at Skadden.

  • The Metamorphosis Of The Major Questions Doctrine

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    The so-called major questions doctrine arose as a counterweight to Chevron deference over the past few decades, but invocations of the doctrine have persisted in the year since Chevron was overturned, suggesting it still has a role to play in reining in agency overreach, say attorneys at Crowell & Moring.

  • What 9th Circ. Cracker Barrel Ruling Means For FLSA Cert.

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    The Ninth Circuit's decision in Harrington v. Cracker Barrel suggests a settling of two procedural trends in Fair Labor Standards Act jurisprudence — when to issue notice and where nationwide collectives can be filed — rather than deepening circuit splits, says Rebecca Ojserkis at Cohen Milstein.

  • Defense Lessons From Freshworks' Win In Post-IPO Case

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    A California federal court’s recent decision to grant Freshworks’ summary judgment bid in a proposed investor class action helpfully clarifies two important points for defendants facing postoffering securities claims under Section 11 of the Securities Act, say attorneys at Paul Weiss.

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