​​​​​​​Johnny Cash's Estate Sues Coca-Cola Over Soundalike Ad

By Rae Ann Varona

The estate of Johnny Cash has sued Coca-Cola in Tennessee federal court, accusing the soda giant of using a soundalike singer to pirate the legendary musician's "distinctive bass-baritone" voice in a television commercial without consent, in violation of the federal Lanham Act and a new Tennessee publicity rights law.

Complaint attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

8th Circ. Finds No Grounds For Folgers Deceptive Label Class

By Emily Field

The Eighth Circuit struck down a lower court's order certifying a class of Folgers coffee drinkers allegedly deceived by serving size instructions, saying that many consumers either weren't fooled or simply liked weaker coffee.

Opinion attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

21 AGs Sue USDA Over SNAP Rollbacks For Permanent Residents

By Ben Adlin

Twenty states and the District of Columbia sued the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Wednesday over new agency guidance barring certain categories of permanent residents from receiving federal food assistance benefits.

Complaint attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Foley & Lardner Hit With Malpractice Suit Over Chancery Loss

By Rose Krebs

Foley & Lardner LLP has been sued in Delaware Superior Court by three officers of a now-defunct food recycling company who say the firm was negligent when representing them in a Chancery Court case that led to a $1.6 million judgment against them and another officer.

Complaint attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

11th Circ. Says State Farm Doesn't Owe $1M For Shooting

By Abraham Gross

The Eleventh Circuit reversed a lower court ruling in an unpublished opinion that ordered State Farm to cover a $1.13 million judgment against a gas station owner by an employee who was shot on the premises, saying that an employer's liability exclusion bars coverage.

Opinion attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

2nd Circ. Decision Offers Securities Fraud Pleading Insights

In Gimpel v. Hain Celestial, the Second Circuit’s recent finding that investor plaintiffs adequately alleged a food and personal care company made actionable misrepresentations and false statements presents a road map for evaluating securities fraud complaints that emphasizes statements made and scienter, rather than pure omissions, say attorneys at Nixon Peabody.

Opinion attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Ex-Immigration Judge Accuses DOJ Of Political Retaliation

By Dorothy Atkins

A former Ohio immigration judge sued the U.S. Department of Justice in D.C. federal court Monday, alleging she was discriminated against and unconstitutionally fired for her liberal political beliefs while slamming the Trump administration's recent "unprecedented assault" against longstanding civil service laws that protect millions of federal employees.

Complaint attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Feature

Meet The Attys Arguing Gov't Subpoena Power At High Court

By Mark Payne

Law360 introduces the lawyers appearing at the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday in a case focused on an anti-abortion crisis center and a state attorney general's attempt to subpoena details on its donors.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

3rd Circ. Says Habba Barred From Serving As Acting US Atty

By Carla Baranauckas

President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer cannot serve as acting U.S. attorney for New Jersey, the Third Circuit ruled Monday in a precedential opinion holding that her appointment violated the Federal Vacancies Reform Act and undermined the constitutional safeguards of Senate confirmation.

Opinion attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Calif. Ban On Fee-Sharing With 'Alternative' Firms Challenged

By Jack Karp

A new law barring California lawyers and firms from sharing fees with out-of-state law firms owned by nonlawyers is unconstitutional and will harm the state's mass tort lawyers and their clients, according to a lawsuit filed last week.

Complaint attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Analysis

What MDL Judges Can Get Done With A New Civil Rule

By Cara Salvatore

As the first federal procedure rule geared toward multidistrict litigation goes into effect, judges will have a new buffet of best practices to guide them, but little in the way of hand-tying mandates.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

White House Crypto Czar Hired Clare Locke Amid NYT Probe

By Aislinn Keely

The tech founder-turned-White House crypto and artificial intelligence czar David Sacks has hired defamation specialists at Clare Locke LLP to combat a New York Times investigation into potential conflicts of interest arising from his personal tech investments and role as a White House policy adviser.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Suit Against Erika Girardi's Atty Tossed As 'Shotgun Pleading'

By Madison Arnold

A Florida federal court has dismissed a clothing company's abuse of process suit against an attorney of "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star Erika Jayne for being a shotgun pleading.

2 documents attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Catching Up With Delaware's Chancery Court

By Jarek Rutz

The Delaware Chancery Court saw a slate of corporate law clashes this past week, from fast-moving injunction fights in consumer product and real estate markets to multibillion-dollar oversight claims against crypto executives and fresh battles over control for two sports teams.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »