Retail & E-Commerce

  • August 06, 2025

    Valve Won't Pay $21M Arb. Fee In Antitrust Fight, Gamers Say

    About 15,000 users of Steam, one of the largest online sellers of video games, have accused the platform's operator, Valve, in a new proposed class action in Washington federal court of refusing to pay its nearly $21 million share in arbitration fees stemming from a series of individual antitrust disputes, in which consumers alleged the company inflated the price it charged for games.

  • August 06, 2025

    Groupe Dynamite Sued Over 'Members Only' Hoodie

    The owner of the Members Only clothing brand, which skyrocketed to popularity in the 1980s, sued Canadian apparel company Groupe Dynamite Inc., claiming it was making a hoodie that used the mark.

  • August 06, 2025

    Ceramics Co. Seeks Biz Interruption Coverage Over Hurricane

    A ceramics and home goods retailer accused a Travelers unit of violating North Carolina's unfair claims settlement practices and deceptive trade practices laws, telling a federal court the insurer deliberately misrepresented statements from its chief financial officer to support its denial of the retailer's Hurricane Helene claim.

  • August 06, 2025

    Anheuser-Busch, Hard Seltzer Co. End $90M Contract Feud

    Anheuser-Busch and alcoholic seltzer producer Boathouse Beverages LLC's holding company have dropped claims against one another in a multimillion-dollar Connecticut contract dispute over a product line the beverage giant purchased in 2016.

  • August 06, 2025

    Pa. House Bill Seeks To Legalize, Tax Adult-Use Cannabis

    Pennsylvania would legalize adult-use cannabis and impose a tax on its sale and cultivation under a bill introduced in the state House of Representatives.

  • August 06, 2025

    DOJ, Google Get OK For 2-Week Ad Tech Remedies Trial

    When Google faces off against the U.S. Department of Justice at trial next month to determine what remedy the tech behemoth should provide for illegally maintaining a monopoly over advertising technology services, they'll each get five or six court days to make their case.

  • August 06, 2025

    2nd Circ. Backs J&J Spinoff In 'Rapid Release' Label Suit

    The Second Circuit on Wednesday declined to revive a proposed class action alleging a Johnson & Johnson spinoff company misled consumers by claiming that "Rapid Release" Tylenol gelcaps dissolve faster than other types of Tylenol.

  • August 06, 2025

    Big Lots, Gordon Bros. Strike Deal Over HQ Sale Funds

    Liquidating retailer Big Lots told a Delaware bankruptcy judge that it has reached a deal with Gordon Brothers Retail Partners after the consulting firm said it was owed the first $10 million from the $36 million sale of Big Lots' corporate headquarters in Ohio.

  • August 06, 2025

    Honey Dew Says M&A Adviser Missed Fake $25M Letter

    Massachusetts-based regional coffee and donut chain Honey Dew says the investment banking firm it hired to find a buyer in 2018 would have learned that a $25 million "proof of funds" letter purporting to be from UBS was a forgery had it performed the expected due diligence.

  • August 06, 2025

    Jewelry Chain Claire's Hits Ch. 11 Again, Will Close 700 Stores

    The parent company of jewelry chain Claire's filed for Chapter 11 protection Wednesday for the second time in seven years with $690 million in funded debt and plans to close 700 stores.

  • August 05, 2025

    Retailer To Face Wiretap, Hacking Claims In Data Sharing Row

    A California federal judge has trimmed a proposed class action accusing footwear retailer Rack Room Shoes Inc. of allowing Meta and other third parties to intercept website visitors' personal information, axing a pair of consumer protection claims while permitting revamped federal wiretap and state anti-hacking allegations to proceed. 

  • August 05, 2025

    Walmart Largely Snuffs Out Exploding Candle Class Action

    An Ohio federal judge has largely thrown out a proposed class action claiming that Mainstays-branded candles sold at Walmart have dangerous defects that can lead to them exploding, finding a long list of deficiencies in the candle purchasers' sprawling complaint.

  • August 05, 2025

    Grocery Chain Ralphs Wins $7M Employment Bias Trial

    A California jury cleared Kroger-owned Ralphs Grocery Co. of liability in a Muslim worker's $7 million bias suit after hearing that the worker simply refused to use the scheduling software to keep his Saturdays free for religious activities and that he had been suspended multiple times for insubordination.

  • August 05, 2025

    Cannabis Co. Can't Blame Defaults On Neglectful Attorney

    A defunct Los Angeles dispensary and its operators cannot undo default entries issued against them by investors who seek more than $325,000, a California state judge has ruled, rejecting the company's attempt to pin the loss on their attorney who "lost track" of the case.

  • August 05, 2025

    Apple Looks To Nix Consumer Antitrust Case, Decertify Class

    Apple told a California federal court that antitrust claims from a class of more than 185 million consumers targeting its App Store policies should not go to trial because the allegations focus on legitimate product design and business decisions, not anti-competitive conduct.

  • August 05, 2025

    Fed. Circ. Presses Brita On Bid To Revive Water Filter Patent

    A Federal Circuit panel Tuesday questioned Brita LP's effort to reverse a U.S. International Trade Commission decision that a water filter patent is invalid, suggesting the patent describes little more than an unpredictable scientific formula.

  • August 05, 2025

    Fed. Circ. Panel Feeling Deja Vu In Hoverboard IP Case

    A Federal Circuit panel had little support for the owner of hoverboard design patents Tuesday, as the judges said much of its noninfringement appeal relies on concerns addressed in a prior appellate decision.

  • August 05, 2025

    Google Ad Exchange Rival Follows DOJ With Antitrust Suit

    A Google rival entered the fray over advertising placement technology with a Virginia federal court complaint explicitly following in the wake of the Justice Department's successful lawsuit that led to Google being liable for illegally monopolizing two targeted ad tech markets.

  • August 05, 2025

    DC Judge Pauses Walmart Pricing Suit, Citing Chicago Case

    A federal judge in the District of Columbia pressed pause on a lawsuit accusing Walmart of charging customers more for certain items at the register than the retailer advertises on its shelves, saying an older Chicago case should be resolved first given its revival last year.

  • August 05, 2025

    RI Urges 1st Circ. To Toss Challenge To Pot License Regime

    Rhode Island cannabis regulators on Tuesday urged the First Circuit to uphold the dismissal of a Florida entrepreneur's challenge to the state's marijuana licensure program and to reject his bid to have the case remanded back to lower district court.

  • August 05, 2025

    Advocacy Org. Wants FTC's Full, Dropped Pepsi Complaint

    The Federal Trade Commission's price discrimination complaint against Pepsi could become public after all, despite the agency dropping the lawsuit, after a New York federal judge on Tuesday permitted an advocacy group to intervene in the case in order to seek the full, unredacted filing.

  • August 05, 2025

    Gas Breaks Can't Justify Russian Fertilizer Duties, Fed. Circ. Told

    The federal government improperly concluded that EuroChem's Russian imports to the U.S. were subject to countervailing duties because of natural gas subsidies those products benefited from, counsel representing the company told the Federal Circuit during oral arguments Tuesday.

  • August 05, 2025

    Disbarred North Carolina Atty Admits To Wire Fraud Scheme

    A disbarred lawyer in North Carolina has copped to criminal wire fraud charges stemming from the misuse of his trust account after federal prosecutors said he used escrow funds earmarked for the sale of personal protective equipment to pay back another company.

  • August 05, 2025

    Zazzle Nabs Win After Judge Cuts Font Copyright Claim

    A California federal judge has tossed a copyright infringement claim against online retailer Zazzle over a set of fonts used on its site after previously allowing the claim to stand, finding her earlier order misstated Zazzle's argument.

  • August 05, 2025

    Amazon, DC AG Seek To Delay Antitrust Trial To May 2027

    The D.C. Attorney General's Office and Amazon are seeking more time to complete fact discovery in the city's antitrust suit against the online retail giant, asking for the potential trial in the case to be moved from January 2027 to May of that year.

Expert Analysis

  • Tips For Companies Crafting Tariff Surcharge Disclosures

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    As the Trump administration imposes tariffs on imports, retail businesses considering itemizing tariff-related costs separately for consumers must ensure that any disclosures are both accurate and defensible to avoid regulatory enforcement or private suits, says Christopher Cole at Katten.

  • Series

    Adapting To Private Practice: From NY Fed To BigLaw

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    While the move to private practice brings a learning curve, it also brings chances to learn new skills and grow your network, requiring a clear understanding of how your skills can complement and contribute to a firm's existing practice, and where you can add new value, says Meghann Donahue at Covington.

  • Top 3 Litigation Finance Deal-Killers, And How To Avoid Them

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    Like all transactions, litigation finance deals can sometimes collapse, but understanding the most common reasons for failure, including a lack of trust or a misunderstanding of deal terms, can help both parties avoid problems, say Rebecca Berrebi at Avenue 33 and Boris Ziser at Schulte Roth.

  • Compliance Lessons From Warby Parker's HIPAA Fine

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    The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' civil money penalty against Warby Parker highlights the emerging challenges that consumer-facing brands encounter when expanding into healthcare-adjacent sectors, with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act compliance being a potential focus of regulatory attention, say attorneys at Saul Ewing.

  • How Attys Can Use A Therapy Model To Help Triggered Clients

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    Attorneys can lean on key principles from a psychotherapeutic paradigm known as the "Internal Family Systems" model to help manage triggered clients and get settlement negotiations back on track, says Jennifer Gibbs at Zelle.

  • Tracking The Evolution Of Liability Management Exercises

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    As liability management exercises face increasing legal scrutiny, understanding the history of these debt restructuring tools can help explain how the playbook keeps adapting — and why the next move is always just one ruling or transaction away, say attorneys at Weil.

  • What Banks Must Do To Attract Gen Z Customers

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    The young adults of Generation Z bank differently, so financial institutions must engage appropriately if they wish to attract this key population, including by leveraging savvy marketing, well-designed online interfaces and top-notch customer service, says Madeline Thieschafer at Fredrikson & Byron.

  • Rebuttal

    Mass Arbitration Reform Must Focus On Justice

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    A recent Law360 guest article argued that mass arbitration reform is needed to alleviate companies’ financial and administrative burdens, but any such reform must deliver real justice, not just cost savings for the powerful, says Eduard Korsinsky at Levi & Korsinsky.

  • 3 Steps For In-House Counsel To Assess Litigation Claims

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    Before a potential economic downturn, in-house attorneys should investigate whether their company is sitting on hidden litigation claims that could unlock large recoveries to help the business withstand tough times, says Will Burgess at Hilgers Graben.

  • Breaking Down Ill. Bellwether Case For Bank Preemption

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    The banking industry's pending lawsuit against the state of Illinois stands to permanently enjoin state regulation of bank card processing, as well as clarify the outstanding and consequential issue of whether conflict preemption continues to cover third parties in certain circumstances, says Tom Witherspoon at Stinson.

  • J&J's Failed 3rd Try Casts Doubt On Use Of 'Texas Two-Step'

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    A Texas bankruptcy court recently rejected Johnson & Johnson's third attempt to use Chapter 11 to resolve liabilities from allegations of injuries from using talcum powder, suggesting that the U.S. Supreme Court's limitations on nondebtor releases, from 2024's Purdue Pharma ruling, may prove difficult to evade, say attorneys at Cadwalader.

  • Series

    Teaching College Students Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Serving as an adjunct college professor has taught me the importance of building rapport, communicating effectively, and persuading individuals to critically analyze the difference between what they think and what they know — principles that have helped to improve my practice of law, says Sheria Clarke at Nelson Mullins.

  • Charging A Separate Tariff Fee May Backfire For Retailers

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    In the wake of the Trump administration's newly imposed tariffs, retailers facing significant supply chain cost increases may be considering adding a tariff fee to offset these costs, but doing so risks violating state drip pricing bans, say attorneys at Benesch.

  • Series

    Adapting To Private Practice: From DOJ Enviro To Mid-Law

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    Practitioners leaving a longtime government role for private practice — as when I departed the U.S. Department of Justice’s environmental enforcement division — should prioritize finding a firm that shares their principles, values their experience and will invest in their transition, says John Cruden at Beveridge & Diamond.

  • Why Trade Cases May Put Maple Leaf Deference On Review

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    When litigation challenging the president’s trade actions reaches the Federal Circuit, the court will have to reevaluate the Maple Leaf standard in light of the U.S. Supreme Court's 2024 Loper Bright decision limiting Chevron-like deference to cases involving statutory provisions in which Congress delegated discretionary authority to the executive branch, say attorneys at Wiley.

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