The Delaware Chancery Court on Thursday denied Albertsons Cos. Inc.'s bid to force The Kroger Co. to submit additional internal law firm communications in litigation over the companies' failed $24.6 billion merger, ruling that Kroger's waiver of attorney-client privilege does not extend to lawyers' brainstorming that was never communicated to the client.
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FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2026 Law360 iOS App Law360 Android App Follow Law360 on Facebook Follow Law360 on LinkedIn Follow Law360 on Twitter

TOP NEWS

Del. Shields Kroger Lawyers' Brainstorming In Albertsons Suit

By Jarek Rutz

The Delaware Chancery Court on Thursday denied Albertsons Cos. Inc.'s bid to force The Kroger Co. to submit additional internal law firm communications in litigation over the companies' failed $24.6 billion merger, ruling that Kroger's waiver of attorney-client privilege does not extend to lawyers' brainstorming that was never communicated to the client.

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Monsanto Wins High Court Fight Over Roundup Cancer Warnings

By Emily Field

The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday handed Monsanto a win in its long-running litigation battle over the labeling of alleged cancer risks of its bestselling weedkiller Roundup, clearing the path for a $7.25 billion settlement to end thousands of suits facing the Bayer AG unit by finding that the state law claims underlying a $1.25 million jury verdict are barred.

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11th Circ. Judges Question Coke's View Of IRS As Arbitrary

By Molly Moses

Judges for the Eleventh Circuit probed attorneys for Coca-Cola and the government Thursday about whether the IRS was arbitrary in abandoning its position in a closing agreement the beverage company had relied on for decades to calculate its transfer prices with related foreign suppliers.

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Walmart Worker's $23M Retaliation Verdict Slashed To $300K

By Grace Elletson and Rachel Riley

A Washington federal judge on Thursday reduced a $23 million verdict handed to a former Walmart employee who claimed she was fired for reporting sexual harassment, saying a statutory damages cap requires the court to cut the victory to $300,000.

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Brad Pitt Gets OK To Sue Oligarch In Calif. Over Winery Sale

By Hailey Konnath

A California appellate court has vacated a lower court's jurisdictional ruling, holding that Brad Pitt could indeed sue the new part-owner of the French winery he once owned with his ex-wife Angelina Jolie in California court because the owner has sufficient ties to the Golden State.

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5th Circ. Backs FDA's Block On Vape Marketing

By Aneeta Mathur-Ashton

The Fifth Circuit affirmed the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's decision to block two vape companies from marketing their menthol-flavored e-cigarette products after finding the benefits to adult smokers didn't outweigh the risk to minors.

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POLICY & REGULATION

EU Implements US Trade Deal, With Safeguards

By Jack McLoone

The European Union granted final approval Thursday to its modified version of a trade deal with the U.S. that will cut tariff rates on U.S. goods, albeit with guardrails.

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Brief

Canadian, Indian Citric Acid Face Countervailing Duties

By Jack McLoone

Citric acid and citric salts from Canada and India are facing possible countervailing duties after the U.S. Department of Commerce preliminarily found them to be benefiting from government subsidies Thursday.

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LITIGATION

Kraft Heinz Must Arbitrate Union Pension Dispute, Judge Says

By MJ Koo

An Iowa federal judge has ordered Kraft Heinz Co. to submit a pension eligibility grievance to arbitration, finding the company's collective bargaining agreement requires it to arbitrate the dispute and rejecting its bid to block the proceedings.

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Wash. Justices Back Climate Act Farm Fuel Exemption Regs

By Rachel Riley

The Washington Supreme Court unanimously rejected the Washington Farm Bureau's challenge to regulations surrounding a farm fuel exemption in a landmark 2021 law establishing the state's cap-and-invest program, finding Thursday the rule aligns with lawmakers' ultimate goal of curbing top greenhouse gas emitters.

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9th Circ. Says Farmworkers' Attys Deserve Higher Fee

By MJ Koo

The Ninth Circuit has ordered a Washington federal court to increase an attorney fee award for farmworkers who successfully challenged the federal government's agricultural wage survey methodology, finding the lower court's explanation for slashing the award by 75% was insufficient.

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Ark. Farmers Say Crop Dusting Drones Crash And Burn

By Mike Curley

A proposed class of farmers is suing the makers of the EAVision J100 agricultural spray drones in Arkansas federal court, saying despite being advertised as having lidar and collision-avoidance technology, the drones have been known to crash and catch fire, endangering farmworkers, crops and livestock.

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Detroit Club Hit With Nearly $6.3M In Race Retaliation Verdict

By Melanie Dorsey

Former Detroit Club server Miya Shani Hooks audibly sobbed Thursday as a federal jury found the club and its owner liable for retaliating against three former employees who said they had spoken out against racist treatment of Black guests and staff. 

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Attys Urged To Challenge Clients Who Demand AI Research

By Aaron Keller

A Connecticut federal judge urged attorneys during a Thursday sanctions hearing to push back against clients who demand lawyers use generative artificial intelligence tools to conduct legal research, saying the technology is no substitute for professional judgment and discretion because it "aims to please" and can misstate the law.

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Mich. Justices Revive BAC Proof In Fatal Crash Prosecution

By Susan Smiley

The Michigan Supreme Court ruled that a jury should be allowed to hear evidence that a motorcyclist killed in a traffic collision may have been intoxicated at the time of the crash, reversing lower court decisions that excluded the evidence from a criminal prosecution against the driver of the other vehicle.

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Brief

Retail Center, AIG Unit Settle Suit Over Foundation Damage

By Hope Patti

A real estate management company has settled its suit accusing an AIG unit of failing to cover property damage at a retail complex in Calabasas, California, according to a federal court filing.

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EXPERT ANALYSIS

Series

Moshing Makes Me A Better Lawyer

Entering a mosh pit is much like entering the practice of law — it is difficult, you have to know both the written and unwritten rules, and conduct yourself according to the expectations of each community, says Christopher Deubert at Constangy Brooks.

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LEGAL INDUSTRY

Roundup

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

By Laura Stewart Liberty

The past week in London has seen Michelle Mone sued by PPE Medpro, Broadfield Law sued by the founders of an international aid company, and litigation funder Fortress bring a claim against Edwin Coe and businesses the law firm represented in a cartel claim.

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Chicago IP Duo Leave Winston & Strawn For King & Spalding

By Tracey Read

King & Spalding LLP has added two more Winston & Strawn LLP partners who will reunite with 15 former colleagues who joined the firm earlier this year.

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Q&A

This Pride Month, LGBTQ+ Bar Leader Talks Community, Hope

By Emma Cueto

In 2026, the LGBTQ+ Bar is focused on expanding programs, especially those focused on law students and younger attorneys, and building up community ties at a time of growing legal threats to LGBTQ people.

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Insurer Says NJ Atty Sank Coverage By Not Cooperating

By Christine DeRosa

Hanover Insurance Co. has asked a New Jersey federal court for a declaratory judgment finding that it doesn't have to defend an attorney and his firm in a suit over a real estate deal gone wrong, telling the court that the attorney refuses to cooperate with the firm it hired to defend him in the underlying suit.

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Trump Reportedly Mulls FCC Attorney For DOJ Antitrust Chief

By Matthew Perlman

President Donald Trump is reportedly preparing to nominate the Federal Communications Commission's general counsel to serve as the top antitrust official in the U.S. Department of Justice.

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Judge Stays Jackson Walker RICO Suit Over Sorrento Ch. 11

By Clara Geoghegan

A California federal judge has paused Sorrento Therapeutics shareholders' litigation after a Texas bankruptcy court ruled they lacked standing to pursue racketeering claims over a former Jackson Walker attorney's relationship with the judge who initially oversaw the biotech company's Chapter 11.

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Roundup

GC Cheat Sheet: The Hottest Corporate News Of The Week

By Michele Gorman

A Connecticut federal judge told attorneys to challenge clients who demand use of generative artificial intelligence tools to conduct legal research, and a Kansas federal judge blocked a state law imposing requirements on proxy advisers' voting recommendations. These were among the stories in corporate legal news you may have missed in the past week.

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Scientologists Want 'Ignored' Boies Schiller AI Errors Review

By Emily Sawicki

The Church of Scientology has asked the California Supreme Court to review an appellate order that didn't impose sanctions on Boies Schiller Flexner LLP for filing a brief containing artificial intelligence-generated citation errors in a harassment and retaliation suit pending against the church.

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High Court To Issue Big Decisions In Term's Final Days

By Katie Buehler

As the U.S. Supreme Court enters the final days of its term, the justices still have several major decisions to issue, including some concerning birthright citizenship, the president's power to remove independent agency officials, transgender athletes and election rules. 

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Law360's Legal Lions Of The Week

By Kevin Penton

Clement & Murphy PLLC, Covington & Burling LLP and Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP lead this week's edition of Law360 Legal Lions, after the U.S. Supreme Court handed Monsanto a win in its long-running battle over the labeling of alleged cancer risks of its bestselling weedkiller Roundup.

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Homebuilder Says Colo. Atty Took Its Info To Adversary Firm

By Rachel Konieczny

A Colorado lawyer who represented a homebuilding company for more than a decade stole tens of thousands of the company's files when he went to work for a law firm that is a regular adversary to the homebuilder, the company alleged in Colorado state court. 

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King & Spalding Insists On Fraud Suit Pause Amid 'Conflicts'

By Brian Steele

King & Spalding LLP has urged a Connecticut state court to keep its involvement in a $300 million fraud lawsuit on hold while it challenges the denial of its attorneys' withdrawal from representing several individual defendants, citing "serious, nonwaivable conflicts of interest" that will prevent the firm from proceeding.

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PACER Fees Will Rise To Fund Cyber Defense Upgrades

By Bonnie Eslinger

The federal judiciary announced Friday it will temporarily increase the fees for electronic access to court records to pay for a potential $800 million upgrade that will modernize and strengthen court records systems PACER and CM/ECF, an upgrade it previously said is needed to respond to escalating cyberattacks.

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Analysis

Bosch DOJ Declination Shows Benefits Of Early Self-Reporting

By Sarah Jarvis

The U.S. Department of Justice's recent decision not to prosecute German technology company Bosch for exporting products to a sanctioned Chinese company signals to businesses that prompt self-reporting to the government can help them secure a declination even for serious national security offenses.

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Messner Reeves Says $8.3M Fraud Suit Repeats Utah Case

By Zach Dupont

Colorado law firm Messner Reeves LLP has claimed in federal court that a lawsuit accusing it of stealing more than $8 million as part of a fraudulent loan scheme should be dismissed because the plaintiffs' Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act claims were dismissed by another court with prejudice.

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COMPANIES IN TODAY'S NEWS

3M Co.

AT&T Inc.

AirAsia Bhd.

Albertsons Cos. Inc.

American Arbitration Association

American Civil Liberties Union

American Federation of Labor & Congress of Industrial Organizations

American International Group Inc.

Anthropic PBC

Archer-Daniels-Midland Co.

Association of Flight Attendants-CWA

Aviva Investors Holdings Ltd.

Bayer AG

Bio-Techne Corp.

Boyer Co.

Cargill Inc.

Century Communities Inc.

Cisco Systems Inc.

Columbia Legal Services

DAF Trucks NV

Daimler AG

Dubai International Financial Centre

Electronic Frontier Foundation

Emirates NBD Bank PJSC

Exxon Mobil Corp.

First Liberty Institute

Gerald Holdings LLC

Glass Lewis & Co. LLC

Google LLC

Haleon PLC

Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd.

Institutional Shareholder Services Inc.

International Business Machines Corp.

Kobalt Music Group Ltd.

Laing O'Rourke

Lexington Insurance Co.

Merck & Co. Inc.

Meta Platforms Inc.

Michigan State University

Monsanto Co.

Rhapsody International Inc.

Robert Bosch GmbH

SEI Investments Co.

Scania

Solicitors Regulation Authority Ltd.

Sorrento Therapeutics Inc.

StoneX Group Inc.

Techne Corp.

The Coca-Cola Co.

The District of Columbia Bar

The Kraft Heinz Co.

The Kroger Co.

United Food & Commercial Workers International Union

Walmart Inc.

Washington Farm Bureau

Wayfair LLC

LAW FIRMS IN TODAY'S NEWS

Addleshaw Goddard

Allegaert Berger

Arnold & Porter

Ballard Spahr

Barnard Iglitzin

Berchem Moses

Bird Marella

Boies Schiller

Brito PLLC

Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner

Chase Law & Associates

Cleary Gottlieb

Clement & Murphy

Clyde & Co

Cohen & Wolf

Constangy Brooks

Covington & Burling

Cowdery Murphy

DWF LLP

Dechert LLP

Edwin Coe

Eversheds Sutherland

Fenwick & West

Fisher & Phillips

Fladgate LLP

Fox Rothschild

Frazer PLC

Freedman Firm PC

Gateley PLC

Gibson Dunn

Gordon Rees

Haddon Morgan

Haynes Boone

Healy LLC

Hearn & Fleener

Hogan Lovells

Holtzman Vogel

Horvitz & Levy

Jones Day

Kane Russell

Keller Postman

Kellogg Hansen

Kennedys Law LLP

King & Spalding

Kutak Rock

Latham & Watkins

Lennon Murphy

Lesnick Prince

Lewis Brisbois

Matthew G. Miller PC

Messner Reeves

Mishcon de Reya

Norton Rose

Ogletree Deakins

OnderLaw

Pillsbury Winthrop

Porter Malouf

Quinn Emanuel

Rahman Ravelli

Reed Smith

Reynolds Porter

Richards Layton

Riley Safer

Ross Aronstam

Rush & Nicholson

Sanders Law Firm PC

Seeger Weiss

Selendy Gay

Shakespeare Martineau

Shoosmiths LLP

Sidley Austin

Simmons & Simmons

Southern Health Lawyers

Spencer Fane

Stephens Scown

Stephenson Harwood

Steptoe LLP

Sullivan & Cromwell

Trent & Taylor

Troutman Law Office

Wachtell Lipton

Weil Gotshal

Wiggin & Dana

Williams & Connolly

Winston Taylor

Zimmer Citron

GOVERNMENT AGENCIES IN TODAY'S NEWS

Bureau of Industry and Security

California Supreme Court

Competition Appeal Tribunal

Council of the EU

Delaware Court of Chancery

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

European Commission

European Parliament

European Union

Executive Office of the President

Federal Communications Commission

Federal Election Commission

Federal Reserve System

Federal Trade Commission

Food and Drug Administration

House of Lords of the United Kingdom

Internal Revenue Service

International Trade Administration

International Trade Commission

Kansas Attorney General's Office

Michigan Supreme Court

Mississippi Secretary of State

National Telecommunications and Information Administration

Office of Foreign Assets Control

State of Michigan

U.S. Attorney's Office

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

U.S. Department of Commerce

U.S. Department of Justice

U.S. Department of Labor

U.S. Department of State

U.S. Department of the Treasury

U.S. District & Bankruptcy Courts of Southern District of Texas

U.S. District Court for the Central District of California

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia

U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut

U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California

U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California

U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa

U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

U.S. House of Representatives

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission

U.S. Senate

U.S. Supreme Court

U.S. Tax Court

UK High Court

UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO)

United States District Court for the District of Colorado

Washington Attorney General's Office

Washington State Department of Ecology

Washington State Employment Security Department

World Health Organization