Food & Beverage

  • April 30, 2025

    Wine Tasting Death Suit Revived After Judge Rethinks Order

    The estate of a woman killed in a drunk driving crash after an allegedly mandatory wine tasting event at the Connecticut restaurant where she worked can pursue claims against a server and his employer, who were originally brought into the case as apportionment defendants, a state court judge has ruled after rethinking a prior decision.

  • April 30, 2025

    IHOP Franchisee Dodges Most Of Fired Server's Bias Suit

    A North Carolina federal judge let an IHOP franchisee escape the bulk of a fired waitress's suit claiming she was propositioned for sex by a male manager and fired for complaining about it, ruling she had failed to put forward any corroboration about the alleged harassment to keep her claims in court.

  • April 30, 2025

    Unaccepted Offer Can't End Server's Tip Credit Suit

    A Texas federal court ruled that it still had jurisdiction over a server's proposed collective action accusing a Houston-area restaurant of violating tip credit requirements, saying the worker has not accepted a $1,000 offer to end her case.

  • April 29, 2025

    FTC Defends John Deere Right-To-Repair Suit

    Farm machinery-maker Deere & Co. is trying to get out of an FTC enforcement action using the same arguments that didn't help it escape multidistrict litigation accusing the company of breaking antitrust laws by restricting access to repair services, the government says.

  • April 29, 2025

    Sports Illustrated Owner Ends TM Row With Former Publisher

    Sports Illustrated's owner has agreed to permanently end its trademark dispute against its former publisher over claims that the publisher tore apart a long-standing licensing agreement while sabotaging the brand and holding hostage valuable intellectual property, according to a stipulation filed Tuesday in New York federal court. 

  • April 29, 2025

    Pork Producers Want Ruling Tossed Over Clerk's Conduct

    Pork producers and Agri Stats Inc., which are defending themselves against a major price-fixing suit, are calling on the Minnesota federal judge overseeing the case to recuse himself and vacate his recent rulings, accusing one of his clerks of having inappropriate relationships with plaintiffs' attorneys in a new filing this week.

  • April 29, 2025

    Kroger-Owned Chain Fights To Keep UFCW Suit Alive

    The Kroger-owned grocery chain King Soopers urged a Colorado federal judge Tuesday to preserve its lawsuit against a United Food and Commercial Workers local, saying the company can prove that the union is placing unlawful pressure on it to bargain with multiple locals at once.

  • April 29, 2025

    DoorDash, Grubhub Settle Fee Cap Fight With NYC

    DoorDash, Grubhub and Uber Eats have reached a settlement in a case accusing New York City officials of passing legislation that unconstitutionally capped fees the delivery apps could charge restaurants, prompting a federal judge to sign off on a joint stipulation and order Monday that stayed the matter pending final resolution.

  • April 29, 2025

    Ex-Pot Water CEOs Denied Bid For More Info In Stock Case

    An Ohio federal judge on Tuesday denied bids by former CEOs of and others associated with American Premium Water Corp. for bills of particulars on an indictment alleging they manipulated the company's stock prices, finding the indictment gives them enough information to prepare their defenses.

  • April 29, 2025

    Judge Blocks Fla. Migrant Law, Wants Briefs On TRO Violation

    A Florida federal judge on Tuesday issued a preliminary injunction blocking enforcement of a state law criminalizing the entry of unauthorized migrants and set a show cause hearing on whether the attorney general should be held in contempt for possibly violating the judge's temporary restraining order against the law.

  • April 29, 2025

    Chicken Joint Sticky's Gets $2M Sale After Turnaround Woes

    Chicken restaurant Sticky's won a Delaware bankruptcy judge's tentative permission Tuesday to sign a contract to sell its assets to an investment fund for $2 million after surging poultry prices and New York City's congestion pricing program imperiled the company's Chapter 11 turnaround plan.

  • April 29, 2025

    Drinkers Not Vexed By Brand In 'Sea Of Tequilas,' 5th Circ. Told

    A Fifth Circuit panel seemed hesitant to accept a U.S. tequila startup's argument that it was selling its product in a "sea of tequilas" that all have similar marks, questioning Tuesday whether its branding had enough similarities to an older Mexican brand called "Clase Azul" to confuse consumers.

  • April 29, 2025

    Dem Reps. Introduce Bill To Repeal Ban On Fed. Pot Studies

    The co-chairs of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus on Tuesday introduced a bill to eliminate a portion of federal law blocking the Office of National Drug Control Policy from researching use of substances on Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act.

  • April 29, 2025

    Union Pension Fund Wins $132M Bailout Suit At 2nd Circ.

    A union pension fund won its multimillion-dollar dispute with the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. on appeal Tuesday, with the Second Circuit reversing a New York federal judge's 2023 decision that the PBGC was within its rights to reject the fund's 2022 application for $132 million in financial assistance.

  • April 29, 2025

    Boston Seafood Co. Says Salmon Exec Stole Trade Secrets

    A former C-suite executive and head of salmon accounts at a Boston-area seafood distributor spent months emailing sensitive trade secrets from his work account to a Norwegian competitor before joining it to launch a rival business in the U.S., according to a federal lawsuit filed Tuesday. 

  • April 29, 2025

    Opioid MDL Judge Won't Recuse Over Ex Parte Allegations

    An Ohio federal judge will not step aside from multidistrict opioid litigation after the plaintiffs' attorney, who had alleged the judge "regularly communicates" with other lawyers involved in the litigation, testified that there was no such communication after all, the judge ruled Tuesday.

  • April 28, 2025

    3rd Circ. Won't Rethink Teamsters Fund's Win In $39M Row

    The Third Circuit won't give a group of dairy businesses a second chance to prevent a Teamsters union pension fund from suing them and their affiliates to enforce a $39 million settlement, the court announced Monday.

  • April 28, 2025

    Ex-Celsius VP Gets 13 Months In Prison For Insider Trading

    A Florida federal judge sentenced Celsius Holdings Inc.'s former vice president and controller to more than a year in prison on Monday after the former executive of the energy drink company admitted to insider trading and using confidential financial information to acquire stocks and options, then sold them a month later for a profit.

  • April 28, 2025

    Judge In NY Dismisses Athlete's Suit Over Gatorade Gummies

    A New York federal judge on Monday tossed a lawsuit lodged by a promising Texas-based sprinter alleging the Gatorade Co. supplied him with contaminated recovery gummies that led to his doping ban, saying lost endorsement opportunities were purely economic harm and not a personal injury.

  • April 28, 2025

    Ziploc 'Microwave Safe' Bags Shed Microplastics, Buyer Says

    S.C. Johnson & Son Inc. falsely markets Ziploc bags and containers as "microwave safe" and suitable for use in freezers despite knowing they are made from materials that shed microplastics into food when the products are used as directed, according to a proposed class action filed in California federal court.

  • April 28, 2025

    High Court Takes On Removal Issue In Hain Baby Food Case

    The U.S. Supreme Court will decide whether the erroneous dismissal of a defendant upon a case's removal to federal court warrants undoing the years-later final result, agreeing Monday to hear Whole Foods and Hain Celestial Group's bid to preserve a midtrial win over allegedly tainted baby food. 

  • April 28, 2025

    Estate Sues Insurer Over 'Paltry' Offer In DUI Death Case

    The estate of a motorcyclist killed by a driver allegedly overserved at a Washington bar has sued to force the bar's specialty insurance company to cover a partial settlement in an underlying wrongful death suit.

  • April 28, 2025

    EPA Touts Intention To Act On PFAS Contamination

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Monday said it's planning a series of actions to address pollution from forever chemicals, including the designation of a leader for PFAS regulation and issues at the EPA.

  • April 28, 2025

    China Doesn't Need US Grains, Seed Oils, State Planner Says

    China doesn't need to import grains and seed oils from the U.S. because it can source them domestically or internationally, an official from the country's state planning commission said Monday about the most valuable category of U.S. exports to China.

  • April 28, 2025

    High Court Passes On Coke Sweetener Patent Case

    The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected a Texas chemical company's challenge to a Federal Circuit decision scratching claims in a patent on the process to create the artificial sweetener used in Coke Zero, in a case that addressed whether the secret usage of that process could preclude its patent eligibility. 

Expert Analysis

  • 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.

  • Class Actions At The Circuit Courts: March Lessons

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    In this month's review of class actions appeals, Mitchell Engel at Shook Hardy discusses three federal appellate court decisions and identifies practice tips from cases involving antitrust allegations against coupon processing services, consumer fraud and class action settlements.

  • Series

    Performing Stand-Up Comedy Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Whether I’m delivering a punchline on stage or a closing argument in court, balancing stand-up comedy performances and my legal career has demonstrated that the keys to success in both endeavors include reading the room, landing the right timing and making an impact, says attorney Rebecca Palmer.

  • Series

    Adapting To Private Practice: From SEC To BigLaw

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    As I adjusted to the multifaceted workflow of a BigLaw firm after leaving the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, working side by side with new colleagues on complex matters proved the fastest way to build a deep rapport and demonstrate my value, says Jennifer Lee at Jenner & Block.

  • Making The Case For Rest In The Legal Profession

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    For too long, a culture of overwork has plagued the legal profession, but research shows that attorneys need rest to perform optimally and sustainably, so legal organizations and individuals must implement strategies that allow for restoration, says Marissa Alert at MDA Wellness, Carol Ross-Burnett at CRB Global, and Denise Robinson at The Still Center.

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