McDonald's Accused Of Using AI To Hike Menu Prices

By Celeste Bott

A potential class action filed in Illinois federal court Friday accuses McDonald's of flouting federal and state antitrust laws by using artificial intelligence to coordinate prices among independently owned restaurants, causing customers to overpay and average menu prices to rise by roughly 40% in a five-year period.

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Starbucks' Protein Drinks Aren't Sugar-Free, Suit Says

By Gina Kim

Starbucks customers filed a proposed class action in Washington federal court on Friday, accusing the coffee chain of trying to capitalize on the protein craze last year by launching a line of protein beverages labeled "sugar-free," even though they contain 13 to 21 grams of sugar per venti-size serving.

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9th Circ. Invited To Take A Crack At Feds' Calif. Egg Law Suit

By Dorothy Atkins

A California federal judge refused Friday to toss the federal government's challenge to a Golden State law banning the sale of eggs laid by hens raised in "cruel" conditions, but allowed California to file an interlocutory appeal, finding "there is substantial ground for difference of opinion" on the government's standing.

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Burger King Says Ex-Franchisee Infringed With 'Jumbo King'

By David Minsky

Burger King is asking a Florida federal court to shut down three competing restaurants in New Jersey for alleged trademark infringement, claiming that the shops are run by a former franchisee who renamed her business as "Jumbo King" in violation of a prior settlement agreement.

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'Bikini Barista' Owner Owes Worker $1.4M For Legal Fees

By Ben Adlin

A Washington woman who successfully sued the owner of coffee kiosks known as bikini barista espresso stands won a $1.4 million state court award for attorney fees and costs, with the judge denying the defense's request for a 30% reduction in fees.

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No Consensus On Forced Labor Statement At G20 Meeting

By Jack McLoone

The Group of 20 nations failed to reach a consensus on a statement highlighting the need to eliminate imports of goods created with forced labor, with solely the U.S., Argentina and Mexico backing a document calling forced labor both a human rights and economic threat.

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Roundup Evidence Strong In Every Research Area, Jury Hears

By Cara Salvatore

A jury weighing cancer claims against Monsanto heard testimony Monday that scientific research shows a "strong" link between glyphosate and cancer in animal, molecular and human epidemiological studies, even when accounting for participants' exposure to other substances.

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High Court Won't Take Up Maine Lobster Boat Tracking Suit

By Allison Grande

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to consider a constitutional challenge to Maine's tracking of vessels that hold federal lobster permits, a policy several lobster fishermen claimed violated their privacy rights.

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Commercial Fishers Sue Over Red Snapper Catch Expansion

By Jared Foretek

A group of commercial fishing companies is challenging a new round of federal permits that allow Florida, Georgia and South Carolina to expand this year's recreational red snapper catch in D.C. federal court, claiming Monday that the permits would shrink the commercial share of the South Atlantic fishery in violation of federal law.

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DOL Given Until Year End To Fix H-2A Farmworker Wage Rule

By MJ Koo

A California federal court has ordered the U.S. Department of Labor to issue a replacement wage rule for temporary agricultural workers by year-end, rejecting the agency's request for up to six months and setting the existing unlawful rule to expire by the same deadline.

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DOJ-Agri Stats Settlement Offers Key Benchmarking Lessons

A Minnesota federal court's recent approval of the Agri Stats settlement marks a significant milestone as it's the most granular U.S. Justice Department guidance on permissible competitor benchmarking since the 2023 withdrawal of the safety zone, lending predictability for companies in data-pooling arrangements, say attorneys at Arnold & Porter.

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Abbott FCA Deal Shows Enforcement Adequacy Quandaries

Abbott Laboratories’ recent False Claims Act resolution illustrates several tricky questions that both prosecutors and defense counsel must address when weighing whether a civil enforcement action alone adequately addresses allegedly wrongful conduct, says James Koukios at MoFo.

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Why Importers Should Assess IEEPA Refund Claims Now

Businesses that wait for direction from U.S. Customs and Border Protection or the courts before seeking refunds of their finally liquidated International Economic Emergency Procedure Act duties in court may find them out of reach as the earliest potential limitation deadlines are approaching, says Samuel Finkelstein at LMD Trade Law.

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Ex-FBI Analyst Says Bove Ordered Illegal Protester Probe

By Courtney Bublé

A former FBI agent has come forward with a claim that when U.S. Circuit Judge Emil Bove was at the U.S. Department of Justice, he directed the Los Angeles field office to illegally investigate protesters.

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3rd Circ. Judge Faces Ethics Complaint For Managing PR Firm

By Adrian Cruz

A pair of U.S. senators from Delaware have filed an ethics complaint with the Third Circuit raising concerns over U.S. Circuit Judge Jennifer Mascott's purported operation of a public affairs agency, months after she was officially confirmed to the appellate court.

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Cornell Hires Ex-Deputy AG Yates To Lead Internal Review

By Christine DeRosa

Following widespread public outrage over how a former student's rape allegations were handled, Cornell University has hired former deputy U.S. attorney general and King & Spalding LLP partner Sally Yates to lead an internal review of its policies and procedures.

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Judge Newman Gets Suspension Fight Moved To 11th Circ.

By Dani Kass

Chief Justice John Roberts has transferred the Federal Circuit's investigation of suspended U.S. Circuit Judge Pauline Newman to the Eleventh Circuit, the latter court said Tuesday.

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Texas Justices Leery Of Banning AI Deposition Transcripts

By Spencer Brewer

Texas Supreme Court justices seemed hesitant to bar attorneys outright from using artificial intelligence voice transcription software during depositions, pointing out Tuesday that multiple safeguards exist to ensure accuracy.

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DOJ Says 12-Juror Rule Would Cause Unwarranted 'Upheaval'

By Brandon Lowrey

The U.S. Department of Justice on Tuesday urged the Supreme Court to uphold precedent allowing states to use juries of fewer than 12 people in serious criminal cases, saying overruling it could unsettle thousands of convictions and force many states to change their criminal procedure laws.

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Approach The Bench: Judge Panter On Mediating Vs. Judging

By Cara Bayles and Kelley Marcano

When attorneys come before retired Judge Michael Panter, a former circuit court judge in Cook County, Illinois, they sometimes forget that he is not there to decide their cases, but to resolve them.

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UVA Law Prof Takes On Role Of USPTO General Counsel

By Elliot Weld

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office said University of Virginia School of Law professor John F. Duffy has joined the agency as its general counsel and acting solicitor.

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