Retail & E-Commerce

  • June 20, 2025

    Airport Parking Sites Charged Hidden Service Fees, Suit Says

    The operator of two airport parking reservation websites advertised prices that failed to disclose mandatory service charges customers would later have to pay to book parking spaces, according to a putative class action filed in Illinois state court.

  • June 20, 2025

    Justices Let E-Cig Retailers Join Challenge To FDA Prohibition

    The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Friday that e-cigarette retailers can challenge the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's denial of product marketing applications, finding manufacturers aren't the only entities that can be adversely affected by the agency's decisions.

  • June 18, 2025

    Rapid-Fire Gun Trigger Maker Accuses Rival Of Infringing IP

    Patent holder ABC IP LLP and gun trigger maker Rare Breed sued a gun company in Ohio federal court, accusing it of selling a "super safety" device that's infringing a patent related to a forced-reset trigger that speeds the rate of fire for AR-15-style firearms.

  • June 18, 2025

    Tesla Says Justices Shouldn't Wait On La. Auto Sales Law

    Tesla is asking the U.S. Supreme Court not to push off considering Louisiana regulators' petition seeking to appeal the revival of a lawsuit brought by the electric-car maker targeting the state's ban on direct sales by automakers, even though the state has asked the justices to wait.

  • June 18, 2025

    Kumho Tire Says NC Seller Is Ripping Off Trademarks

    Georgia-based tire maker Kumho Tire USA Inc. is going after an Amazon seller for alleged Lanham Act violations, saying North Carolina-based GE Tires Online Inc. is selling tires using its trademarks and branding them as new when they are "used, closed-out, liquidated, counterfeit, and/or nongenuine."

  • June 18, 2025

    J&J Hit With $8M Verdict In Multi-Exposure Talc Case

    A jury awarded $8 million on Wednesday to a Massachusetts woman who said Johnson & Johnson's talcum powder caused her mesothelioma, rejecting the company's claims that family members' work around asbestos absolved it of blame.

  • June 18, 2025

    Consumers Drop Gore-Tex 'Greenwashing' Class Suit

    Consumers suing the maker of the waterproof fabric Gore-Tex are looking to end, for now, their proposed class action against the company alleging W.L. Gore & Associates used toxic forever chemicals to manufacture its material while also "greenwashing" its image.

  • June 18, 2025

    Pittsburgh, State Should Pay For Demolished Bridge, Co. Says

    A Pennsylvania property owner has accused Pittsburgh and the state's Department of Transportation of effectively taking its property by demolishing a railroad-highway bridge that provided access to a parking lot, an auto parts distribution center and other land, arguing the company is owed damages.

  • June 18, 2025

    Split 9th Circ. Partly Undoes Walmart Copyright Verdict

    The Ninth Circuit on Wednesday reversed part of a jury's verdict that found Walmart had violated a sculptor's copyrights by selling knockoffs of her lamps, allowing the retail giant to escape paying her attorney fees for now.

  • June 18, 2025

    Ga. Court Backs Dismissal Of Hemp Farm's Drug Raid Suit

    A Georgia appellate panel has said that state law enforcement cannot be held liable for allegedly damaging tens of thousands of dollars worth of product at a hemp farm, ruling that the Georgia Department of Public Safety was wholly shielded by sovereign immunity.

  • June 18, 2025

    Online Bookstore Investors Seek Del. Sale Suit Revival

    Stockholders of an online "virtual" bookstore that lost money for years urged Delaware's Supreme Court Wednesday to reverse a Court of Chancery decision upholding a $12.5 million sale to the company's preferred shareholders under a disputed liquidation preference.

  • June 18, 2025

    Jury Awards $76M To Pipefitter Burned In Kroger Explosion

    A pipefitter and HVAC technician has been awarded $76.7 million by a Michigan jury after a chemical accident at a Kroger store caused him to lose several fingers.

  • June 18, 2025

    Judge Warns Overeager Samsung, ZTE Attys Not To Bug Staff

    A California federal judge has issued a short, stern warning to counsel in Samsung's antitrust fight against ZTE over its standard essential patents' licensing practices, telling counsel not to contact court staff again about the status of their pending stipulation and noting "future improper communications to court staff may result in sanctions."

  • June 18, 2025

    FTC, Amazon Trade Blows Over Attempts To End Prime Case

    The Federal Trade Commission and Amazon have slammed one another in federal court filings over their competing bids to win regulators' case targeting Prime subscription enrollment practices, continuing to spar over the applicability of a consumer protection law shielding online shoppers.

  • June 18, 2025

    Belk Didn't Protect Private Info From Data Breach, Suits Say

    Belk Inc. allegedly failed to safeguard the personal information of its employees and customers from hackers, resulting in a cyberattack that the department store chain has reportedly concealed, according to a pair of class action lawsuits filed in North Carolina.

  • June 18, 2025

    Judge Skeptical That Assa Abloy Needn't Extend Supply Deal

    A D.C. federal judge suggested Tuesday that Assa Abloy faces an uphill fight resisting efforts by its divestiture buyer to extend a supply agreement inked as part of an asset sale deal resolving a U.S. Department of Justice merger lawsuit.

  • June 18, 2025

    NY Exterminator Says Its 'Black Widow' TM Is 'Incontestable'

    A downstate New York pest exterminator on Wednesday urged a Connecticut federal judge to rule that a Constitution State competitor infringed its logo and confused customers, arguing it owns "valid, incontestable" trademarks that have been in use since 2003.

  • June 18, 2025

    Defamation Brawl Over Braves Auction Booted To Georgia

    A Texas federal judge shipped auctioneer Heritage Vintage Sports' defamation suit against the Atlanta Braves over auctions of the team's merchandise to Georgia federal court, finding that the dispute did not carry specific ties to the Lone Star State.

  • June 17, 2025

    5th Circ. Finds $37M For PPE Delivery Problems Went Too Far

    The Fifth Circuit on Monday kept partially intact a $37 million award the Federal Trade Commission secured against a drop-shipping company, but found part of the award went too far because it fully refunded customers for COVID-19 protective gear that was delivered late.

  • June 17, 2025

    8th Circ. Says NLRB Misapplied Standard In Starbucks Case

    The National Labor Relations Board improperly ignored a Starbucks employee's impression of her manager's comments during a union campaign when concluding the comments were unlawful, a split Eighth Circuit panel ruled Tuesday, resolving a case that challenged the board's standard for determining when an employer's anti-union rhetoric violates labor law.

  • June 17, 2025

    Pot Shops Have Rights In Federal Court, Mich. Judge Says

    A Michigan federal judge Tuesday declined to remand a lawsuit from cannabis companies alleging the city of Grand Rapids' marijuana licensure program imposes illegal fees, rejecting the companies' argument that the case belongs in state court since marijuana remains illegal under federal law.  

  • June 17, 2025

    David Protein Avoids Court Ordered Ingredient Sale For Now

    A New York federal court has refused to issue an early order requiring David Protein to supply a fat replacement ingredient to several low-calorie food producers after the protein bar-maker purchased the ingredient's only manufacturer.

  • June 17, 2025

    Amazon Sold Bike That Paralyzed Man, Suit Claims

    A man who became paralyzed from the waist down after the foldable electric bicycle he was using collapsed is suing the manufacturer and Amazon.com Inc., claiming both companies were negligent in making and selling the bike, according to a lawsuit filed in California state court.

  • June 17, 2025

    Ill. Increases Sports Betting, Tobacco Tax And Taxes Airbnbs

    Illinois increased its tax on sports betting and tobacco products and extended its tax on hotel operators to include short-term rentals like Airbnbs and Vrbos under a budget bill approved by the governor.

  • June 17, 2025

    Ill. Toy Makers Seek Justices' Early Review Of Trump Tariff Suit

    Illinois-based toy makers challenging President Donald Trump's emergency tariffs on Tuesday requested the U.S. Supreme Court consider their case before it is reviewed by the D.C. Circuit, arguing a stay to an injunction is allowing duty collections to continue and is damaging the companies.

Expert Analysis

  • Reconciling 2 Smoke Coverage Cases From California

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    As highlighted by a California Department of Insurance bulletin clarifying the effect of two recent decisions on insurance coverage, the February state appellate ruling denying coverage for property damage from smoke, ash and soot should be viewed as an outlier, say attorneys at Reed Smith.

  • State Extended Producer Responsibility Laws: Tips For Cos.

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    As states increasingly shift the onus of end-of-life product management from consumers and local governments to the businesses that produce, distribute or sell certain items, companies must track the changing landscape and evaluate the applicability of these new laws and regulations to their operations, say attorneys at Alston & Bird.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Trending At The PTAB: A Pivot On Discretionary Denials

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    Following the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's rescission of the 2022 Vidal memorandum and a reversion to the standards under Apple v. Fintiv, petitioners hoping to avoid discretionary denials should undertake holistic review of all Fintiv factors, rather than relying on certain fail-safe provisions, say attorneys at Finnegan.

  • 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.

  • Fed. Circ. In Feb.: Lessons On Cases With Many Patent Claims

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    The Federal Circuit's decision in Kroy IP v. Groupon last month establishes that inter partes review petitioners cannot rely on collateral estoppel to invalidate patent claims after challenging a smaller subset, highlighting the benefit that patent owners may gain from seeking patents with many claims, say attorneys at Knobbe Martens.

  • How Calif. Algorithmic Pricing Bills Could Affect Consumers

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    California's legislative efforts to regulate algorithmic pricing may address antitrust and fairness concerns, but could stop retailers from providing consumer discounts, says Alyssa Sones at Sheppard Mullin.

  • 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.

  • State Securities Enforcers May Fill A Federal Enforcement Gap

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    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission appears poised to take a lighter touch under the new administration, but state enforcement efforts are likely to continue unabated, and potentially even increase, particularly with regard to digital assets and ESG disclosures, say attorneys at Ropes & Gray.

  • 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.

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