Retail & E-Commerce

  • October 07, 2024

    High Court Rejects Pleas To Hear 7 Patent Cases

    The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday turned down seven petitions seeking review of decisions in patent cases, including appeals dealing with double patenting, patent eligibility and Patent Trial and Appeal Board procedures.

  • October 04, 2024

    Top 5 Supreme Court Cases To Watch This Fall

    The U.S. Supreme Court will hear several cases in its October 2024 term that could further refine the new administrative law landscape, establish constitutional rights to gender-affirming care for transgender minors and affect how the federal government regulates water, air and weapons. Here, Law360 looks at five of the most important cases on the Supreme Court's docket so far.

  • October 04, 2024

    JPML Agrees To Combine Snowflake, AT&T Data Breach MDLs

    The Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation on Friday centralized a slew of cases stemming from high-profile data breaches affecting customers of the Snowflake Inc. cloud platform in the District of Montana, a transfer order that includes sprawling multidistrict litigation against AT&T, one of Snowflake's customers.

  • October 04, 2024

    Circle K Avoids Trial, Settles Suit Over Gas Pump Death

    The family of a woman who was killed at a Circle K gas pump that caught fire has settled its claims against the convenience store and gas station company and its attorneys on the eve of trial, an attorney confirmed Friday.

  • October 04, 2024

    Amazon Consumers Want In On FTC Antitrust Econ Primer

    Consumers bringing proposed class claims against Amazon over its seller contracts have asked a Washington federal judge to let them join an upcoming "economics day hearing" in the Federal Trade Commission's case accusing the e-commerce giant of similar antitrust violations, saying experts will be addressing overlapping competition issues.

  • October 04, 2024

    Tractor Fluid MDL's $32M Settlement To Move Forward

    A Missouri federal judge has given the go-ahead to a $32 million settlement between tractor owners and a pair of hydraulic fluid makers to resolve claims in multidistrict litigation alleging the fluid was defective and damaged vehicles that used it.

  • October 04, 2024

    Hemp Org, Cheech & Chong Seek Halt Of Calif. Hemp Ban

    A leading hemp industry trade organization, along with the cannabis brand fronted by stoner comedians Cheech & Chong, have asked a Los Angeles state judge to halt enforcement of new California emergency regulations banning the sale of hemp products with THC.

  • October 04, 2024

    Couple Harassed By EBay May Not Get Maximum Damages

    A federal judge said Friday she will have to decide count by count whether she can allow a Massachusetts couple suing eBay over a harassment campaign against them to seek punitive damages under California law while pursuing compensatory damages for the same claims under the laws of the pair's home state.

  • October 04, 2024

    Tempur Sealy, Mattress Firm Sue To Block FTC Merger Case

    Tempur Sealy International Inc. and Mattress Firm Group Inc. told a Texas federal court on Friday that the Federal Trade Commission's in-house process violates the Constitution, so the agency's case challenging their planned $4 billion merger should be blocked.

  • October 04, 2024

    Albertsons Inks $3.9M Overcharge Deal With Calif. DAs

    Albertsons and its affiliate companies have agreed to pay $3.9 million to settle a civil enforcement action accusing them of bilking shoppers by charging higher prices for grocery items than what was advertised, according to an announcement made by several California district attorneys. 

  • October 04, 2024

    Epic Doubts Apple's Privilege Assertions In Antitrust Fight

    Epic Games told a California federal magistrate judge overseeing discovery in its antitrust compliance fight with Apple on Friday that it's concerned Apple has wrongly asserted privilege in more than half the documents it has declined to produce, while adding "we don't want to spend months here duking this out."

  • October 04, 2024

    Robertshaw Closes Ch. 11 Sale Hours Before 5th Circ. Stay

    Appliance parts maker Robertshaw sold the business to a group of its lenders this week, less than two hours before the Fifth Circuit entered an order staying the deal, marking a setback for Invesco, another lender that had objected to a Texas bankruptcy court's approval of the Chapter 11 asset sale.

  • October 04, 2024

    Up First At High Court: Civil Rights, Ghost Guns, Atty Fees

    The U.S. Supreme Court reconvenes Monday to start a brand-new term, with the justices first hearing arguments related to prerequisites for litigating federal rights in state courts, ghost gun regulations, and whether a death row inmate is entitled to a new trial after a state admits that prosecutorial misconduct might have led to his conviction.

  • October 04, 2024

    Judge Says Live Nation Case Runs Deeper Than Merger Pact

    In refusing to transfer the government's monopolization case against Live Nation, a New York federal judge said the settlement allowing the company's 2010 merger with Ticketmaster dealt only with potential problems that existed at the time and has no bearing on the new claims.

  • October 04, 2024

    High Court Will Hear Mexico's Suit Against Gun Cos.

    The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to review a decision allowing Mexico to sue a group of gun manufacturers alleging they have aided and abetted criminal cartels.

  • October 04, 2024

    High Court Takes Up E-Cig 'Forum Shopping' Appeal

    The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday agreed to review a Fifth Circuit ruling that allowed out-of-circuit e-cigarette manufacturers to seek judicial review before the New Orleans-based court so long as the petition is joined by a seller located in the circuit.

  • October 03, 2024

    Kohl's Beats Investor Class Action Over Activist Bid, For Now

    A Wisconsin federal judge has dismissed an investor class action alleging that Kohl's attributed positive financial results to executives' strategic planning instead of unrelated, pandemic-related factors in an attempt to defeat an activist at a board meeting, finding that the investors have failed to plead any actionable false or misleading statements.

  • October 03, 2024

    Trulieve Sues Fla. Republican Party Over Anti-Weed Ads

    Trulieve, which is Florida's largest medical marijuana company and the principal backer of a ballot initiative to legalize cannabis in the Sunshine State, has sued the state's Republican Party and a pair of television stations for defamation, alleging that they ran misleading anti-weed ads.

  • October 03, 2024

    Fed. Circ. Says Crocs' Fake IP Claims Could Be False Ads

    The Federal Circuit on Thursday revived false advertising claims against Crocs Inc., which a competitor said improperly stated that its shoes were made with "patented, proprietary, and exclusive" materials.

  • October 03, 2024

    Wash. AG Wants Albertsons Sanctioned In Opioid Suit

    Washington state's attorney general has accused Albertsons of using a state-court-ordered stay to shield itself from discovery in a consumer protection suit that accuses Rite Aid and grocery store pharmacies of exacerbating the opioid epidemic, seeking the appointment of a "discovery referee" in a new sanctions motion.

  • October 03, 2024

    Lowe's Staves Off Defamation Claim In Vendor's Contract Suit

    A home accents company accusing Lowe's of maligning its reputation with allegedly unsubstantiated claims about defective products and its financial health can't pursue defamation against the home improvement giant, North Carolina's business court has ruled.

  • October 03, 2024

    12 Lawyers Who Are The Future Of The Supreme Court Bar

    One attorney hasn't lost a single U.S. Supreme Court case she's argued, or even a single justice's vote. One attorney is perhaps "the preeminent SCOTUS advocate." And one may soon become U.S. solicitor general, despite acknowledging there are "judges out there who don't like me." All three are among a dozen lawyers in the vanguard of the Supreme Court bar's next generation, poised to follow in the footsteps of the bar's current icons.

  • October 03, 2024

    Chinese Nationals Get Prison For Counterfeit IPhone Caper

    Two Chinese citizens residing in Maryland have been sentenced to prison after being convicted for their roles in a $2.5 million scam that involved submitting over 6,000 counterfeit iPhones to Apple, inducing the company to replace the fakes with real smartphones.

  • October 03, 2024

    Georgia Resident Adds To Lawsuits Targeting Bio-Lab Fire

    A resident of Conyers, Georgia, is adding to the litigation against Bio-Lab Inc. and its corporate parent, KIK Custom Products Inc., with a proposed class action filed after a fire at the company's facility in the city on Sunday led to evacuation and shelter-in-place orders.

  • October 03, 2024

    OCC Backs Bid To Block 'Unworkable' Ill. Swipe Fee Law

    The banking industry's bid to block a new Illinois law that bans swipe fees on tax and tip payments received a big boost from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, which has slammed the law for being an "ill-conceived" threat to the "efficient and effective" banking system.

Expert Analysis

  • Series

    Playing Chess Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    There are many ways that chess skills translate directly into lawyer skills, but for me, the bigger career lessons go beyond the direct parallels — playing chess has shown me the value of seeing gradual improvement in and focusing deep concentration on a nonwork endeavor, says attorney Steven Fink.

  • Crafting An Effective Workplace AI Policy After DOL Guidance

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    Employers should take proactive steps to minimize their liability risk after the U.S. Department of Labor released artificial intelligence guidance principles on May 16, reflecting the reality that companies must begin putting into place policies that will dictate their expectations for how employees will use AI, say David Disler and Courtnie Bolden at ​​​​​​​Porzio Bromberg.

  • Litigation Inspiration: Attys Can Be Heroic Like Olympians

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    Although litigation won’t earn anyone an Olympic medal in Paris this summer, it can be worthy of the same lasting honor if attorneys exercise focused restraint — seeking both their clients’ interests and those of the court — instead of merely pursuing every advantage short of sanctionable conduct, says Bennett Rawicki at Hilgers Graben.

  • Lean Into The 'Great Restoration' To Retain Legal Talent

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    As the “great resignation,” in which employees voluntarily left their jobs in droves, has largely dissipated, legal employers should now work toward the idea of a “great restoration,” adopting strategies to effectively hire, onboard and retain top legal talent, says Molly McGrath at Hiring & Empowering Solutions.

  • Momofuku Chili War May Chill Common Phrase TM Apps

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    Momofuku’s recent trademark battle over the “Chili Crunch” mark shows that over-enforcement when protecting exclusivity rights may backfire not just in the public eye, but with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office as well, says Anthony Panebianco at Davis Malm.

  • Unlocking Blockchain Opportunities Amid Legal Uncertainty

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    Dozens of laws and legal precedents will come into the fore as Web3, metaverse and non-fungible tokens gain momentum, so organizations need to design their programs with a broader view of potential exposures — and opportunities, say Teresa Goody Guillén and Robert Musiala at BakerHostetler and Steve McNew at FTI Consulting.

  • 4 Ways Businesses Can Address Threat Of Mass Arbitration

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    Attorneys at DLA Piper examine the rise of mass arbitration in light of JAMS' new procedures and guidelines, and provide four steps e-commerce businesses can take when revising their dispute resolution provisions to maximize the chances those revisions will be held enforceable.

  • How Cannabis Rescheduling May Alter Paraphernalia Imports

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    The Biden administration's recent proposal to loosen federal restrictions on marijuana use raises questions about how U.S. Customs and Border Protection enforcement policies may shift when it comes to enforcing a separate federal ban on marijuana accessory imports, says R. Kevin Williams at Clark Hill.

  • Trademark In Artistic Works 1 Year After Jack Daniel's

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    In the year since the U.S. Supreme Court's Jack Daniel's v. VIP Products ruling, courts have applied Jack Daniel's inconsistently to deny First Amendment protection to artistic works, providing guidance for dismissing trademark claims relating to film and TV titles, say Hardy Ehlers and Neema Sahni at Covington.

  • Live Nation May Shake It Off In A Long Game With The DOJ

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    Don't expect a swift resolution in the U.S. Department of Justice's case against Live Nation, but a long litigation, with the company likely to represent itself as the creator of a competitive ecosystem, and the government faced with explaining how the ticketing giant formed under its watch, say Thomas Kliebhan and Taylor Hixon at GRSM50.

  • Legal Battles Show Brands' Dilemma In Luxury Resale Trend

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    Recent litigation, such as Chanel's pending case against The RealReal, underscores the intricate balance luxury brands must strike between protecting their trademarks and embracing the burgeoning secondhand market that values sustainability, says Prachi Ajmera at Michelman & Robinson.

  • How Federal And State Microfiber Pollution Policy Is Evolving

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    Growing efforts to address synthetic microfiber pollution may create compliance and litigation issues for businesses in the textile and apparel industries, so companies should track developing federal and state legislation and regulation in this space, and should consider associated greenwashing risks, says Arie Feltman-Frank at Jenner & Block.

  • Series

    Fishing Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Atop the list of ways fishing makes me a better lawyer is the relief it offers from the chronic stress of a demanding caseload, but it has also improved my listening skills and patience, and has served as an exceptional setting for building earnest relationships, says Steven DeGeorge​​​​​​​ at Robinson Bradshaw.

  • Best Practices For Responding To CBP's Solar Questionnaire

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    U.S. Customs and Border Protection's recently introduced questionnaire to solar importers imposes significant burdens, with the potential for supply chain disruptions and market consolidation, but taking certain steps can assist companies in navigating the new requirements, say Carl Valenstein and Katelyn Hilferty at Morgan Lewis.

  • A Look At US-EU Consumer Finance Talks' Slow First Steps

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    The unhurried and informal nature of planned discussions between the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the European commissioner for justice and consumer protection suggests any coordinated regulatory action on issues like AI and "buy now, pay later" services is still a ways off, say attorneys at DLA Piper.

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