Retail & E-Commerce

  • May 28, 2025

    NJ Pot Shop Says Payment Processor Is Withholding Funds

    A New Jersey dispensary is urging a federal court to order two electronic payment processors and a Florida bank to give back $273,820 of its money, claiming that if the cash is not released in short order the cannabis shop will become insolvent.

  • May 28, 2025

    Influencers Settle IP Dispute Over 'Beige' Aesthetic

    Two influencers have reached a settlement of a copyright and trade dress dispute in which one accused the other of ripping off her "beige" social media aesthetic in posts on Instagram and TikTok promoting products on Amazon.

  • May 28, 2025

    Cannabis Cos. Eye High Court Review After 1st Circ. Decision

    The First Circuit's decision upholding the dismissal of a splashy federal case challenging the national ban on marijuana was all but inevitable given the controlling case law on the issue, which can only be resolved by the U.S. Supreme Court, legal experts and cannabis attorneys told Law360.

  • May 28, 2025

    Distiller Denied New Shot At Wash. State Alcohol Sales Regs

    A federal judge in Washington state gave short shrift to a bid for reconsideration from a New York distillery and two Washington whiskey drinkers who lost their challenge to the Washington state liquor board's rules requiring a physical in-state presence to sell online.

  • May 28, 2025

    Flamin' Hot Cheetos Defamation Suit Snuffed Out, For Now

    A California federal judge Wednesday granted Frito-Lay Inc.'s motion to strike a former employee's discrimination and defamation suit claiming he invented Flamin' Hot Cheetos and had his livelihood destroyed when the company disavowed his story, finding he's unlikely to win his claims, but giving him another shot at amendment.

  • May 28, 2025

    Amazon Seeks To End FTC's Prime Subscription Case

    Amazon and the Federal Trade Commission have both asked a Washington state federal court to hand them wins ahead of trial in the agency's case accusing the e-commerce giant of trapping consumers into Prime subscriptions.

  • May 28, 2025

    MGA Seeks 4th Trial In $71M Doll Dispute With Rapper T.I.

    MGA Entertainment urged a California federal judge Tuesday to reverse a jury's $71.4 million award to rapper Clifford "T.I." Harris and others for MGA infringing the trade dress and publicity rights of the OMG Girlz pop group, saying the court's finding of no willful infringement should nullify the verdict.

  • May 28, 2025

    In Volatile World, PE Attys Guide Complex Take-Private Deals

    As rising geopolitical tensions and tariff uncertainty continue to rattle dealmaking markets, attorneys are guiding private equity firms and potential take-private targets through increasingly complex negotiations.

  • May 28, 2025

    NC BBQ Joint Roasts Flagship Over Trademark Use

    A chain of fast casual barbecue restaurants in North Carolina has accused the original location of misusing the brand's trademarks to sell sauces and rubs beyond the bounds of its alleged licensing agreement, according to a newly designated state Business Court complaint.

  • May 28, 2025

    Coca-Cola Sued Over '100% Natural Flavors' In Sprite, Fanta

    The Coca-Cola Co. deceptively labels its Sprite and Fanta brands of sodas as being made with "100% natural flavors" despite that they contain synthetic sweetener ingredients and additives like citric acid and aspartame, according to a proposed class action filed Tuesday in California federal court.

  • May 27, 2025

    Retailer To Face Privacy Suit Instead Of Arbitration Claims

    More than 2,400 Janie & Jack website visitors pursuing arbitration claims over the children clothing retailer's allegedly unlawful online tracking practices have agreed to drop these individual grievances and instead lodge a single proposed class action to press their allegations, according to a notice filed in California federal court. 

  • May 27, 2025

    CFPB Nixes Snap Finance Suit In Latest Enforcement Cutback

    The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau on Tuesday permanently dropped its Utah federal lawsuit against Snap Finance, a lease-to-own fintech, adding to the list of Biden-era enforcement actions that the agency has walked away from under Trump-appointed leadership.

  • May 27, 2025

    Texas Legislature Sends THC Ban To Governor's Desk

    Texas lawmakers on Tuesday gave final approval to a bill banning products with hemp-derived THC and sent the legislation to Gov. Greg Abbott's desk, advancing one of the goals of his administration.

  • May 27, 2025

    Judge Follows The Users And The Money In Meta's FTC Case

    A D.C. federal judge on Tuesday looked for the right metrics to measure the effect that Meta Platforms Inc. has had on Instagram and WhatsApp in terms of users, growth and money spent buying the apps in deals the Federal Trade Commission says were designed to buy or bury the competition.

  • May 27, 2025

    Debate Over Moratorium On State AI Oversight Goes To Senate

    Before going on recess, the U.S. House of Representatives passed their budget reconciliation bill that includes a hotly debated moratorium on states' enforcement of artificial intelligence-related legislation, and the debate continues as the bill heads to the U.S. Senate, where at least a few Republicans have voiced opposition.

  • May 27, 2025

    DOJ Wants Google Docs Analyzing Potential Ad Tech Breakup

    Enforcers are asking a Virginia federal court for access to Google documents analyzing a potential break up of the company's ad tech business, as the court considers what remedies to impose after finding Google monopolized key ad tech markets.

  • May 27, 2025

    Mobile App Infringement Suit Against Bridgestone Dropped

    A New Jersey company and tire maker Bridgestone Americas Inc. on Tuesday jointly asked a Texas federal judge to dismiss a case in which Bridgestone was accused of using patented mobile device communication technology in its mobile app.

  • May 27, 2025

    Fed. Circ. Faults PTAB Again For Upholding Lighting Patent

    The Federal Circuit on Tuesday faulted for the second time a Patent Trial and Appeal Board ruling rejecting challenges to a decorative lighting patent, saying the board wrongly concluded there wasn't a motivation to combine prior art in order to reduce the cost of copper in the lighting system.

  • May 27, 2025

    Mass. Pot Regulator Enters Battle Over Town's Hosting Fees

    Massachusetts' cannabis regulator is seeking to intervene in a lawsuit brought by a group of marijuana retailers in state court, alleging a town unlawfully pocketed approximately $6 million in community impact fees.

  • May 27, 2025

    Ill. Panel Says Man Can't Keep Guns Bought During Injunction

    An Illinois man cannot possess or register assault weapons he purchased during a period of time that the enforcement of Illinois' ban on such rifles was blocked by a federal court, an intermediary appellate panel ruled Friday.

  • May 27, 2025

    Card Game Maker Sues Competitor Over Alleged Knockoff

    The maker of the Never Have I Ever card game has sued a rival game company in California federal court, claiming the board game Tipsy Land is a knockoff seeking to capitalize on the success of its product.

  • May 27, 2025

    6th Circ. Urged To Revive FedEx, Kellogg Pension Suits

    FedEx and Kellogg retirees urged the Sixth Circuit to revive two proposed class actions alleging their ex-employers' use of outdated actuarial assumptions shortchanged the value of their pension annuity benefits, arguing that definitions of the term "actuarial equivalent" from the time federal benefits law was enacted supported their appeals.

  • May 27, 2025

    Unilever Buyers Clash Over Service Awards In $3.6M Deal

    Class representatives in a suit alleging Unilever United States Inc. of selling dry shampoo with elevated levels of benzene are pushing back against an objection by other plaintiffs over service awards, saying the other plaintiffs didn't do anything to materially advance the litigation and thus are not entitled to the awards.

  • May 27, 2025

    DOJ Pushes Back Against Agri Stats Recusal Bid

    The U.S. Department of Justice told a Minnesota federal judge Friday there is no reason to recuse himself from a case accusing Agri Stats of helping meat processors exchange sensitive information because the clerk who allegedly created a conflict is not working on the case.

  • May 27, 2025

    Ghee Butter Buyer Denied Class Cert. In 'Good Fat' Label Suit

    A California federal judge has denied a bid for class certification in a suit alleging the sellers of ghee, a clarified butter, falsely claimed that it contained "good fat," saying the lead plaintiff failed to show that anyone besides her was misled by the labeling.

Expert Analysis

  • 7 Ways 2nd Trump Administration May Affect Partner Hiring

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    President-elect Donald Trump's return to the White House will likely have a number of downstream effects on partner hiring in the legal industry, from accelerated hiring timelines to increased vetting of prospective employees, say recruiters at Macrae.

  • How Trump 2.0 May Change Business In Latin America

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    Companies in Latin America should expect to face more trade restrictions, tighter economic sanctions and enhanced corruption risks, as the incoming administration shifts focus to certain non-U.S. actors, most notably China, says Matteson Ellis at Miller & Chevalier.

  • E-Discovery Quarterly: Rulings On Custodian Selection

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    Several recent rulings make clear that the proportionality of additional proposed custodians will depend on whether the custodians have unique relevant documents, and producing parties should consider whether information already in the record will show that they have relevant documents that otherwise might not be produced, say attorneys at Sidley.

  • When Judging Product Label Claims, Follow The Asterisk

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    A recurring question in false advertising class actions is whether misleading or ambiguous statements on a product's front label can be cured by information on the back label — but recent decisions from the Ninth Circuit suggest that a front-label asterisk can help alert consumers to seek further clarification, say attorneys at Hunton.

  • Complying With Seasonal Product Labeling Requirements

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    Though the holiday season is in the rearview, many seasonal alcohol products remain in the market, and producers should ensure that their labels comply with the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau's additional requirements for such products, say attorneys at McDermott.

  • 2 Cases May Enlighten UK Funds' Securities Litigation Path

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    Following recent nine-figure settlements in securities class actions against Apple and Under Armour, U.K. pension funds may increasingly lead U.S. shareholder derivative suits, advocating for transparency, better risk management and stronger governance practices, say lawyers at Labaton Keller.

  • Series

    Exercising On My Peloton Bike Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    While I originally came to the Peloton bike for exercise, one cycling instructor’s teachings have come to serve as a road map for practicing law thoughtfully and mindfully, which has opened opportunities for growth and change in my career, says Andrea Kirshenbaum at Littler.

  • How To Manage During A Trade Dispute With USMCA Partners

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    Companies can try to minimize the potential impacts of future tariffs on Mexican and Canadian goods, and uncertainty about future trade relations, by evaluating supply chains, considering how they may be modified, and engaging with the new administration over exemptions and the upcoming review of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, say attorneys at Holland & Knight.

  • 3 Factors Affecting Retail M&A Deals In 2025

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    Retailers considering mergers and acquisitions this year face an evolving antitrust environment, including a new administration under President-elect Donald Trump, revised merger guidelines and a precedent set last year by a canceled $8.5 billion handbag merger, say attorneys at DLA Piper.

  • Exploring Venue Strategy For Trump-Era Regulatory Litigation

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    Litigation will likely play a prominent role in shaping policy outcomes during the second Trump administration, and stakeholders have several tools at their disposal to steer regulatory litigation toward more favorable venues, say attorneys at Covington.

  • Searching For Insight On Requested Google Chrome Remedy

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    The potential for Google to divest its Chrome browser — a remedy requested by the Justice Department following a D.C. federal court’s finding the company is a monopolist — has drawn both criticism and endorsement, but legal precedent likely supports the former, say attorneys at Ballard Spahr.

  • Lessons Learned From 2024's Top ADA Decisions

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    Last year's major litigation related to the Americans with Disabilities Act highlights that when dealing with accommodation requests, employers must communicate clearly, appreciate context and remain flexible in addressing needs, say attorneys at Dechert.

  • Series

    Playing Esports Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Competing in a global esports tournament at Wimbledon last year not only fulfilled my childhood dream, but also sharpened skills that are essential to my day job, including strategic thinking, confidence and networking, says AJ Schuyler at Jackson Lewis.

  • Fed. Circ. In December: A Patent Prosecution History Lesson

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    Despite relying on two rock-solid principles of patent law, DDR lost its Federal Circuit case against Priceline.com, highlighting how a change in the scope of the invention from the provisional to the nonprovisional application can affect the court's analysis of how a skilled artisan would understand claim terms after reading the prosecution history, say attorneys at Knobbe Martens.

  • Retailers Must Adapt As Courts Shift On False Price Claims

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    The increasing frequency with which courts are denying motions to dismiss false reference price claims signals that these lawsuits are not going away anytime soon, so retailers must be prepared for a more complex and prolonged defense process, say attorneys at Akerman.

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