Retail & E-Commerce

  • April 04, 2025

    IPO Plans Appear Iced As Trump's Tariffs Rock Markets

    The escalating sell-off in equities is halting major initial public offerings for now and more prospects will likely pause plans as deals lawyers and their clients assess the fallout following President Donald Trump's endorsement of across-the-board tariffs, experts say.

  • April 04, 2025

    OpenAI And Musk Get 2026 Trial Date, Likely Sans Microsoft

    A California federal judge on Friday nailed down an expedited March 2026 trial schedule for Elon Musk and OpenAI's contract fight over OpenAI's transition into a for-profit enterprise, while staying antitrust claims indefinitely and calling Microsoft's request to participate in the trial if she dismisses Musk's claims against it "not logical."

  • April 04, 2025

    Texas Goodwill Inks $75K Deal In EEOC Disability Bias Suit

    The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission told a Texas federal court Friday that a Goodwill operation has agreed to pay $75,000 to end the agency's suit alleging the organization illegally declined to hire a deaf applicant for a retail role because "hearing and speaking" were job requirements.

  • April 04, 2025

    Fla. Court Sanctions Man For Made-Up Lowe's Injury

    A Florida appeals court on Friday sanctioned a man who a trial judge found concocted a story about being injured by falling garbage can lids at a Lowe's store.

  • April 04, 2025

    Nissan Settles With NJ Dealers In Suit Over Predatory Loans

    Nissan North America Inc. and its financing arm have settled a dispute with New Jersey auto dealers who said they were forced to take $20 million worth of predatory loans that financed an overabundance of inventory the car giant ordered them to carry amid corporate pressure to raise sales, according to a letter filed in federal court.

  • April 04, 2025

    Fla. House Bill Would Cut General Sales Tax Rate, Other Rates

    Florida would reduce the state's general sales tax rate and other sales tax rates, including the rates imposed on commercial rent, electricity and sales of new mobile homes, by three-quarters of a percentage point under a bill introduced in the state House of Representatives.

  • April 04, 2025

    Starbucks Illegally Called Cops On Protest, NLRB Judge Says

    A National Labor Relations Board judge said Starbucks illegally called the police on organizers who leafleted a cafe in New York state, saying a manager called to suppress the protest and not to protect an organizer or get nonemployees off its property.

  • April 04, 2025

    Anthropic Can't Weigh In On Google Search Fix

    A D.C. federal judge denied a request from Anthropic to provide input during the remedies phase of the government's search monopolization case against Google over concerns about a provision requiring notice before Google makes future investments in artificial intelligence.

  • April 04, 2025

    State-Run Pa. Pot Stores Likely Preempted, Memo Says

    A proposal to implement state-run retail marijuana stores in Pennsylvania, similar to how the Keystone State regulates wine and liquor sales, would likely be preempted by federal law, according to a new legal memorandum commissioned by the state's medical marijuana industry.

  • April 04, 2025

    Hemp Sellers Fight To Keep Conn. Suit Alive

    A group of hemp companies is urging a Connecticut federal court not to dismiss their claims that the state's new hemp regulations are unconstitutional, saying their complaint shows that the the laws are too vague and violate the 2018 Farm Bill by redefining hemp.

  • April 04, 2025

    Off The Bench: City Sues Sportsbooks, Ex-NFLer Battles TMZ

    In this week's Off The Bench, Baltimore joins the fight against promotional tactics by DraftKings and FanDuel, Terrell Owens tries to protect a catchphrase in a trademark suit, and a trial over a child's injuries at a golf facility draws closer.

  • April 03, 2025

    Wash. Justices To Hear Amazon Chemical Suicide Suits

    The Washington Supreme Court will review whether Amazon can be sued under the state's product liability law for the online sale of a chemical that four people used to kill themselves, in cases brought by family members that were dismissed by a lower appellate court.

  • April 03, 2025

    Bigelow CEO Denies Deliberately Misleading Tea Buyers

    The CEO of R.C. Bigelow repeatedly denied from a California federal court witness stand Thursday that her company deliberately misled consumers by labeling its teas as "manufactured in the USA 100%," saying that the phrase — which a judge has already found to be false — was well-intentioned.

  • April 03, 2025

    CFPB Says It Will Reopen Small-Biz Lending Rule

    The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau said Thursday that it will reopen its Biden-era rule requiring financial institutions to report data on their small business lending activity, the latest policy pivot for the agency under its new Trump-appointed leadership.

  • April 03, 2025

    Samsung Can't Yet Beat Epic's Claim It Colluded With Google

    A California federal judge denied Samsung's bid to end Epic Games' suit claiming it colluded with Google to skirt an impending injunction forcing Google to allow competition with its Play Store, saying Thursday the allegations are plausibly stated so "this is not time to put an end to the case."

  • April 03, 2025

    7th Circ. Doubts SuperValu's Bid To Lower $22.5M Pension Bill

    The Seventh Circuit appeared Thursday to lean against a grocery store's effort to lower its $22.5 million union pension bill, with multiple judges challenging the employer's argument that stores sold months before a complete fund withdrawal should be excluded from its annual payment calculation.

  • April 03, 2025

    Amazon, Biotech Net $1.9M Win Against Fake Supplement Sellers

    A Washington federal judge has awarded biotechnology company Quincy Biosciences and Amazon a combined total of $1,895,375.40 in default judgments against several individuals who hawked counterfeit Prevagen brain health products through Amazon's marketplace, after the sellers failed to appear or participate in the case.

  • April 03, 2025

    Kroger, Albertsons Argue Colo. No-Poach Suit Is Preempted

    Kroger Co. and Albertsons urged a Colorado federal judge to toss a worker's proposed class action claiming the grocers violated state antitrust law with a no-poach agreement, arguing Thursday that the claims are exclusively governed by federal labor law.

  • April 03, 2025

    Benesch Escapes Claims It Fumbled Ex-Client's IP Theft Probe

    An Illinois federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit from a woman who alleged that a firm she hired botched a potential trade secrets case involving a spill-proof children's lid she claims she created, saying the plaintiff failed to show that Benesch Friedlander Coplan & Aronoff LLP permanently damaged her ability to pursue her underlying legal claims.

  • April 03, 2025

    Franchise Group, Lenders Clash Over Control Of Ch. 11 Case

    A Delaware bankruptcy judge said Thursday she would soon decide whether retail-chain owner Franchise Group Inc. can keep exclusive control over its efforts to confirm a reorganization deal, as a group of lenders that considers the debtor's Chapter 11 plan "unconfirmable" works to intervene in the process.

  • April 03, 2025

    Google, Apple Staff Must Testify In Meta Antitrust Case

    A D.C. federal judge said current and former employees of Google, Apple, TikTok, X Corp., Snap and other tech companies must testify at the Federal Trade Commission's upcoming antitrust trial against Meta Platforms Inc.

  • April 03, 2025

    Online Alcohol Shop, Distributor Near Deal In Antitrust Fight

    Online marketplace Provi and major wine distributor Southern Glazer's Wine have struck a deal in principle to resolve their dispute in an antitrust suit claiming the distributor conspired to stifle competition, according to a notice they have filed in Illinois federal court.

  • April 03, 2025

    Baltimore Sues 'Exploitative' Online Sports Betting Giants

    The city of Baltimore, in what appears to be a groundbreaking action for a municipality, on Thursday became the latest entity to sue sportsbooks DraftKings and FanDuel for alleged deceptive practices to entice potential bettors.

  • April 03, 2025

    Ex Jushi Exec Says Pot Co. Fired Him For Whistleblowing

    The former chief operating officer for Jushi Holdings Inc. is suing the cannabis company, saying he was wrongly terminated after working to ensure the company's facilities met safety and compliance standards.

  • April 03, 2025

    Rent-A-Center Faces PAGA Suit Over Unpaid OT Claims

    A rent-to-own company and several alter-ego companies pressured employees to meet productivity quotas despite being understaffed and discouraged them from recording off-the-clock work, a worker alleged in a suit brought under California's Private Attorneys General Act in state court.

Expert Analysis

  • Series

    Group Running Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    The combination of physical fitness and community connection derived from running with a group of business leaders has, among other things, helped me to stay grounded, improve my communication skills, and develop a deeper empathy for clients and colleagues, says Jessica Shpall Rosen at Greenwald Doherty.

  • Marketing Messages Matter In State AG Consumer Protection

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    Attorneys general interpret marketing claims far more broadly than many companies may realize, so to mitigate potential risk, businesses should be vigilant about all consumer messaging, including communications that may not traditionally be considered advertising in the colloquial sense, say attorneys at Cozen O'Connor.

  • Opinion

    6 Changes I Would Make If I Ran A Law School

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    Reuben Guttman at Guttman Buschner identifies several key issues plaguing law schools and discusses potential solutions, such as opting out of the rankings game and mandating courses in basic writing skills.

  • Firms Still Have The Edge In Lateral Hiring, But Buyer Beware

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    Partner mobility data suggests that the third quarter of this year continued to be a buyer’s market, with the average candidate demanding less compensation for a larger book of business — but moving into the fourth quarter, firms should slow down their hiring process to minimize risks, say officers at Decipher Investigative Intelligence.

  • Reviewing 2024's State Consumer Privacy Law Enforcement

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    While we are still in the infancy of state consumer privacy laws, a review of enforcement activity this year suggests substantial overlaps in regulatory priorities across the most active states and gives insight into the likely paths of future enforcement, says Thomas Nolan at Quinn Emanuel.

  • Preparing For The New Restrictions On Investment Into China

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    In light of a new regulatory program governing U.S. investments in China-related technology companies of national security concern, investors should keep several considerations in mind, including the rules' effect on existing and new investments, compliance hurdles, and penalties for noncompliance ahead of the rules' January implementation, say attorneys at Gunderson Dettmer.

  • Think Like A Lawyer: 1 Type Of Case Complexity Stands Out

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    In contrast to some cases that appear complex due to voluminous evidence or esoteric subject matter, a different kind of complexity involves tangled legal and factual questions, each with a range of possible outcomes, which require a “sliding scale” approach instead of syllogistic reasoning, says Luke Andrews at Poole Huffman.

  • Netflix Dispute May Alter 'Source' In TM Fair-Use Analysis

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    ​The Ninth Circuit’s upcoming decision in Hara v. Netflix​, about what it means to be source-identifying​, could change how the Rogers defense protects expressive works that utilize trademarks in a creative fashion, says Sara Gold at Gold IP.

  • What Bisphenol S Prop 65 Listing Will Mean For Industry

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    The imminent addition of bisphenol S — a chemical used in millions of products — to California's Proposition 65 list will have sweeping compliance and litigation implications for companies in the retail, food and beverage, paper, manufacturing and personal care product industries, say attorneys at Alston & Bird.

  • Think Like A Lawyer: Note 3 Simple Types Of Legal Complexity

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    Cases can appear complex for several reasons — due to the number of issues, the volume of factual and evidentiary sources, and the sophistication of those sources — but the same basic technique can help lawyers tame their arguments into a simple and persuasive message, says Luke Andrews at Poole Huffman.

  • Tracking The Uncertainty Of The FTC's Negative Option Rule

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    The fate of the Federal Trade Commission's final rule requiring businesses that utilize negative options to provide consumers with a simple cancellation method remains in limbo as it faces multiple legal challenges and the threat of possible congressional action looms, say attorneys at Manatt.

  • Antitrust in Retail: Handbag Ruling Won't Go Out Of Fashion

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    Although a New York federal court’s recent decision to enjoin a proposed $8.5 billion merger between the owners of Michael Kors and Coach applied noncontroversial antitrust interpretations, several notable aspects of the opinion stand out as likely candidates for further discussion in future merger litigation, say attorneys at Holland & Knight.

  • Series

    Gardening Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Beyond its practical and therapeutic benefits, gardening has bolstered important attributes that also apply to my litigation practice, including persistence, patience, grit and authenticity, says Christopher Viceconte at Gibbons.

  • What New Calif. Law Means For Cannabis Lounges

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    With a recently enacted California law authorizing licensed cannabis retailers and microbusinesses to prepare and sell noncannabis food and beverages, the door opens for a more sustainable business model — but challenges related to costs and liability remain, says Tracy Gallegos at Duane Morris.

  • Litigation Inspiration: Reframing Document Review

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    For attorneys — new ones especially — there is much fulfillment to find in document review by reflecting on how important, interesting and pleasant it can be, says Bennett Rawicki at Hilgers Graben.

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