Starbucks Beats Investor Suit Over Ex-CEO's Biz Statements

By Sydney Price

Starbucks Corp. has given a plausible "alternative explanation" for its former CEO's 2024 statements about the business that were deemed misleading by investors suing the company over its "Triple Shot" reinvention plan, a Washington federal judge said Wednesday.

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

Albertsons Slow To Review Wash. Opioid Sales, Judge Told

By Ben Adlin

Albertsons conducted few reviews of opioid dispensing by its Washington pharmacies for years after establishing a controlled substances compliance team, according to testimony played on Day 3 of a bench trial in the state's lawsuit accusing the company and its Safeway subsidiary of exacerbating Washington's opioid epidemic.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

4th Circ. Rejects Golden Corral's COVID-19 Coverage Do-Over

By Hayley Fowler

The Fourth Circuit on Wednesday declined to walk back a North Carolina federal judge's five-year-old decision denying Golden Corral insurance coverage for pandemic-era business interruption losses, finding a belated state Supreme Court victory for policyholders in another case doesn't merit a redo.

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

Brief

White Farmers Win Cert. In Suit Against USDA

By Nadia Dreid

The Texas Farm Bureau won certification of a class of white farmers after the federal government said it had no position on the motion in the suit accusing the government of giving minority farmers preferential treatment under a Biden administration program.

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

Analysis

Circuit-By-Circuit Guide To The US Supreme Court's Term

By Jeff Overley

Federal appeals courts had wide-ranging successes and struggles during the U.S. Supreme Court's recently completed term: One had its best showing in years following its worst showing in years; one felt déjà vu after recently starting to find favor with the justices; and one saw its reputation for independence occupy a rare role in the Supreme Court spotlight.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

DOJ Asks DC Circ. To Stay USDA Grant Revival Order

By Jared Foretek

The Trump administration is asking the D.C. Circuit to pause a district judge's injunction ordering the U.S. Department of Agriculture to reinstate more than $100 million in land access program grants aimed at assisting "underserved" farmers, arguing that the case belongs in the Court of Federal Claims.

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

Sports Bar Calls Ex-Manager's $431K Atty Fee Bid Gratuitous

By Patrick Hoff

A North Carolina sports bar urged a federal court to slash a former manager's bid for nearly $431,000 in attorney fees following her jury win on a claim that the restaurant's owner sexually harassed her, arguing the worker inflated the total with unnecessary costs and lofty rates.

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

Pa. Panel Backs Benefits For Giant Eagle Worker Hit By Car

By Matthew Santoni

A Pittsburgh pharmacy technician can get workers' compensation after she was hit by a car during her 15-minute lunch break, since the break was limited enough to fall under the "personal comfort doctrine" in state law, a divided appellate court ruled Wednesday.

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

Opinion

Shareholder Derivative Litigation Needs A Better Framework

Uncoordinated, multiforum shareholder derivative litigation is a growing issue for corporate defendants that have little to no recourse for organizing and consolidating actions, but several commonsense steps should be utilized to preempt such disputes, say attorneys at Sullivan & Cromwell.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

How Does Your Compensation Stack Up? Take Our Survey

Is your compensation keeping pace with the rate of inflation? Do you know what your colleagues made last year? Help Law360 Pulse answer these questions and more in this year's Law Firm Compensation Survey.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Simpson Thacher Put Co. Out Of Business, Fla. Jury Told

By Cara Salvatore

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP put an insurance services company out of business with a poorly constructed private securities offering, the company's founder told a Florida state jury Wednesday in opening arguments for trial in his suit alleging the law firm owes him more than $100 million.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

New Conn. High Court Rules Put Filers On Hook For AI Errors

By Aaron Keller

The Connecticut Appellate and Supreme Courts have published new generative artificial intelligence rules which took immediate effect this week, outlining additional paths for sanctions as the justices weigh the fate of a landlord's attorney who admitted his filings contained ChatGPT-induced errors.

1 document attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Cornyn, Tillis Still Waver On Blanche AG Bid After Hearing

By Courtney Bublé

Todd Blanche had his nomination hearing to be attorney general on Wednesday and two key Republican senators still have yet to say if they will support him.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Senate Confirms Fla. Judge Pick Tied To Trump Pulitzer Case

By Courtney Bublé

The Senate voted 51-46, along party lines, Wednesday to confirm state Chief Judge Jeffrey T. Kuntz for the Southern District of Florida.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Apple Allowed To Question Withdrawing Hagens ICloud Client

By Bryan Koenig

A California federal judge has allowed Apple to impose conditions on the withdrawal of a Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP client as a named plaintiff from an iCloud antitrust case, concluding that the consumer's information could be "relevant to spoliation sanctions" or Hagens Berman's adequacy as class counsel.

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

Polsinelli, Doctor Seek Toss Of 'Bad Faith' Patent Claims

By Elliot Weld

Polsinelli PC and a doctor who has been a client of the law firm have asked Mississippi and Tennessee federal courts to throw out Zavation Medical Products LLC and Choice Spine LLC's allegations that the firm and its client violated respective state laws by bringing "bad faith" patent infringement claims, saying the statutes the medical device makers rely on can't be brought by distributors or manufacturers.

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

Trump Swiftly Fires Court-Appointed Seattle US Atty

By Lauren Berg

Almost immediately after being sworn in as Seattle's new U.S. attorney Wednesday morning, former King County Superior Court judge and federal prosecutor Roger Rogoff was fired by President Donald Trump.

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

Dems Probe Clayton's Independence, 2020 Election Views

By Tom Lotshaw

During a Wednesday confirmation hearing for President Donald Trump's pick for national intelligence director, Democratic lawmakers pressed Jay Clayton to explain whether predecessor Tulsi Gabbard should have traveled to Georgia to oversee a search warrant executed at a Fulton County election facility, which she testified the president asked for.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »