Food & Beverage

  • September 12, 2024

    Mass. Pot Regulator Gets Acting Head, Fired Chair To Appeal

    The Massachusetts cannabis regulator has a new acting chair, as state Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg on Thursday appointed a temporary replacement after her decision to fire Shannon O'Brien, who intends to appeal the termination.

  • September 12, 2024

    Ex-Bojangles Workers Get OT Collective Cert, But Just In NC

    A North Carolina federal judge has ruled that former assistant Bojangles managers claiming they were wrongfully denied overtime pay have shown they are similarly situated, but that they haven't justified certification of a Fair Labor Standards Act collective action with a geographic scope beyond the Tar Heel State.

  • September 12, 2024

    Calif. OTA Denies Refund For Criminal Restitution Payments

    California's Office of Tax Appeals said it is unable to refund criminal restitution payments to a couple who operated 21 Subway franchises in the southern part of the state between 2003 and 2010 and pleaded guilty to tax fraud and evasion for some of those years.

  • September 12, 2024

    Tesco Ruling Puts Employers On Notice: Keep Your Promises

    A rare injunction issued by the U.K. Supreme Court on Thursday is a warning to employers to stick to what they promised in a contract — but lawyers say it does not prevent bosses from firing staff and rehiring them on worse terms.

  • September 12, 2024

    Cleary Gottlieb-Led General Mills Snacks On $2B Yogurt Sale

    General Mills Inc. said Thursday that it will sell its North American yogurt business to two French dairy companies for $2.1 billion in total cash, allowing it to focus on its core brands.

  • September 12, 2024

    Tesco Cannot Rehire Workers To Cut Pay, Top UK Court Rules

    Retail giant Tesco's decision to fire and rehire warehouse workers to remove what it described as a "permanent" pay supplement was a violation of their employment contracts, the U.K. Supreme Court ruled Thursday.

  • September 11, 2024

    Litigation Spending To Rise As Cases Grow More Aggressive

    A substantial number of large companies are expecting to increase their litigation spending by double digits next year in the face of more complex and hard-fought cases — and they are more open to bringing in new legal talent to navigate the matters, according to a report released Thursday. 

  • September 11, 2024

    Sprout Foods Can't Get 9th Circ. Redo In Baby Food Label Suit

    A split Ninth Circuit panel declined Tuesday to rethink its decision that federal law doesn't preempt a couple's California state law claim over allegedly misleading nutrition labels on Sprout Foods baby food labels.

  • September 11, 2024

    Conn. Pizza Chain Sued By Ex-Operations Chief For Age Bias

    The former director of operations for Frank Pepe's, a Connecticut-based pizza chain, sued the company Tuesday in federal court for allegedly firing him because of his age, race and gender.

  • September 11, 2024

    Top Calif. Biz Bills Sitting On Gov. Newsom's Desk

    Among the hundreds of bills awaiting California Governor Gavin Newsom's signature are a number that would create new guidelines for Golden State employers, healthcare industry players, as well as artificial intelligence labeling, textile recycling and increasing criminal penalties for corporate malfeasance by tens of millions of dollars.

  • September 11, 2024

    Mars Can't Claim For Contaminated Ice Cream, Supplier Says

    A food supplier has denied owing confectionery giant Mars Wrigley £1.1 million ($1.4 million) after ice cream became contaminated with an allegedly hazardous pesticide, claiming it didn't need to check for the substance.

  • September 11, 2024

    IP Boutique Hires Murgitroyd Pro For Life Sciences Team

    Haseltine Lake Kempner LLP has hired a new partner from rival Murgitroyd & Co. for its chemistry and life sciences team as the firm looks to expand its patent capabilities in the northern English city of Leeds.

  • September 11, 2024

    Agricultural Co. Can't Nix Rival's IP Rights Over Mandarins

    A European Union court said Wednesday that a French company can keep its plant breeding rights over Nadorcott mandarins, chucking its rival's claim that the variety is not novel.

  • September 11, 2024

    BurgerFi Flips Into Ch. 11, Burned By Rising Costs

    BurgerFi International Inc., the fast casual chain that also has Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza & Wings restaurants under its umbrella, filed for Chapter 11 protection in Delaware on Wednesday, listing up to $500 million in debt and being deluged by increasing operational costs.

  • September 10, 2024

    Whole Foods, Hain Denied Full 5th Circ. Review In Baby Food Case

    The Fifth Circuit on Monday shut down a bid from grocery store chain Whole Foods and international food company Hain Celestial Group for a rehearing of a panel's decision remanding to state court a suit alleging Hain's baby food caused the mental and physical decline of a toddler.

  • September 10, 2024

    UK Court OKs Nix Of Partners' Tax Deduction For Amortization

    A lower court was correct in ruling that a trio of U.K. entities that formed a limited liability partnership cannot take a tax deduction for the amortization of intangible assets they contributed to the LLP against their share of the profits, the Upper Tribunal ruled.

  • September 10, 2024

    Prime Hydration Beats Most Beverage PFAS Claims, For Now

    A California federal judge on Monday declined to end a putative class action accusing Prime Hydration of misleadingly marketing its Grape Sports Drink as healthy when it contains so-called "forever chemicals," although she tossed most of the lawsuit's claims with leave to amend.

  • September 10, 2024

    Reynolds Wrap Co. Gets OK For $725K Retirement Fee Deal

    An Illinois federal judge has granted final approval to a $725,000 settlement between a food packaging company that makes Reynolds brand products and participants in an employee 401(k) plan who alleged the company paid too much for recordkeeping fees.

  • September 10, 2024

    Keurig To Pay SEC $1.5M Over K-Cup Recyclability Claims

    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Tuesday ordered Keurig Dr. Pepper to pay a $1.5 million penalty and refrain from filing inaccurate information in its annual reports to settle allegations that it inaccurately claimed that its K-Cup coffee and tea pods were effectively recyclable.

  • September 10, 2024

    Distillery Tries To Lasso Booze Trademark, Suit Says

    Dynasty Spirits told a Colorado federal court Monday that Lasso Whiskey is infringing on its Lasso Motel trademark.

  • September 10, 2024

    Amazon Must Trim 'Halo' TM For EU Market

    Amazon Technologies could not convince the EU's intellectual property office to let it register trademarks for "halo" unscathed, with the office backing a Californian health technology company's bid to trim key protections for medical monitoring devices and health assessment services.

  • September 10, 2024

    Britain's Renold Buys Canadian Conveyor Biz For $31.4M

    British power transmission products maker Renold PLC said Tuesday that it has acquired the North American conveyor chain maker MAC Chain Co. Ltd. for $31.4 million, giving it a foothold in the Western U.S. and Canadian forestry markets.

  • September 10, 2024

    Cult Gaia Importer Beats Champagne Bid To Bar Dress Sales

    A Dutch importer of Cult Gaia dresses has seen off a bid from a body representing the Champagne region's interests to bar it from selling "champagne" colored dresses after a court ruled it was clear it had no connection to the sparkling wine.

  • September 10, 2024

    Cypriot Cheesemakers Lose Challenge To 'Grilloumi' TM

    A group of Cypriot halloumi producers has lost its attempt to overturn a decision that allowed a Swedish cheesemaker to register its "Grilloumi" and "Grilloumaki" trademarks in the U.K., as a London court ruled the marks are sufficiently different.

  • September 10, 2024

    UK Watchdog Probes Carlsberg's £3.3B Britvic Takeover

    The Competition and Markets Authority said on Tuesday that it is investigating whether the planned £3.3 billion ($4.3 billion) takeover by Danish brewer Carlsberg AS of Britvic PLC, a British soft drinks producer, could damage competition in U.K. markets.

Expert Analysis

  • 3 Ways Agencies Will Keep Making Law After Chevron

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    The U.S. Supreme Court clearly thinks it has done something big in overturning the Chevron precedent that had given deference to agencies' statutory interpretations, but regulated parties have to consider how agencies retain significant power to shape the law and its meaning, say attorneys at K&L Gates.

  • Roundup

    After Chevron

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    Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Chevron deference standard in June, this Expert Analysis series has featured attorneys discussing the potential impact across 36 different rulemaking and litigation areas.

  • Series

    After Chevron: Expect Few Changes In ITC Rulemaking

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    The U.S. Supreme Court's opinion overruling the Chevron doctrine will have less impact on the U.S. International Trade Commission than other agencies administering trade statutes, given that the commission exercises its congressionally granted authority in a manner that allows for consistent decision making at both agency and judicial levels, say attorneys at Polsinelli.

  • Opinion

    Atty Well-Being Efforts Ignore Root Causes Of The Problem

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    The legal industry is engaged in a critical conversation about lawyers' mental health, but current attorney well-being programs primarily focus on helping lawyers cope with the stress of excessive workloads, instead of examining whether this work culture is even fundamentally compatible with lawyer well-being, says Jonathan Baum at Avenir Guild.

  • How Cannabis Rescheduling May Affect Current Operators

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    The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency's proposal to reschedule marijuana to Schedule III provides relief in the form of federal policy from the stigma and burdens of Schedule I, but commercial cannabis operations will remain unchanged until the federal-state cannabis policy gap is remedied by Congress, say Meital Manzuri and Alexis Lazzeri at Manzuri Law.

  • Series

    Skiing And Surfing Make Me A Better Lawyer

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    The skills I’ve learned while riding waves in the ocean and slopes in the mountains have translated to my legal career — developing strong mentor relationships, remaining calm in difficult situations, and being prepared and able to move to a backup plan when needed, says Brian Claassen at Knobbe Martens.

  • Unpacking The Circuit Split Over A Federal Atty Fee Rule

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    Federal circuit courts that have addressed Rule 41(d) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure are split as to whether attorney fees are included as part of the costs of a previously dismissed action, so practitioners aiming to recover or avoid fees should tailor arguments to the appropriate court, says Joseph Myles and Lionel Lavenue at Finnegan.

  • A Look At Calif. Contract Considerations In Fiji Water Ruling

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    A California appellate court's recent decision in Carolina Beverage v. Fiji Water, that a party may not seek contractual recovery on the basis of constructive termination, offers a look at contract construction and other considerations on negotiating distribution agreements, says Michael Laszlo at Clark Hill.

  • After A Brief Hiccup, The 'Rocket Docket' Soars Back To No. 1

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    The Eastern District of Virginia’s precipitous 2022 fall from its storied rocket docket status appears to have been a temporary aberration, as recent statistics reveal that the court is once again back on top as the fastest federal civil trial court in the nation, says Robert Tata at Hunton.

  • Recruitment Trends In Emerging Law Firm Frontiers

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    BigLaw firms are facing local recruitment challenges as they increasingly establish offices in cities outside of the major legal hubs, requiring them to weigh various strategies for attracting talent that present different risks and benefits, says Tom Hanlon at Buchanan Law.

  • How Uyghur Forced Labor Law Affects Importing Companies

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    Amid a growing focus on forced labor in supply chains and a likely increase in enforcement under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, companies may face costly import delays unless they develop and implement compliance best practices, say Thad McBride and Lauren Gammer at Bass Berry.

  • Series

    Glassblowing Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    I never expected that glassblowing would strongly influence my work as an attorney, but it has taught me the importance of building a solid foundation for your work, learning from others and committing to a lifetime of practice, says Margaret House at Kalijarvi Chuzi.

  • Best Practices For Chemical Transparency In Supply Chains

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    A flurry of new and forthcoming regulations in different jurisdictions that require disclosure of potentially hazardous substances used in companies' products and processes will require businesses to take proactive steps to build chemical transparency into their supply chains, and engage robustly and systematically with vendors, says Jillian Stacy at Enhesa.

  • How Associates Can Build A Professional Image

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    As hybrid work arrangements become the norm in the legal industry, early-career attorneys must be proactive in building and maintaining a professional presence in both physical and digital settings, ensuring that their image aligns with their long-term career goals, say Lana Manganiello at Equinox Strategy Partners and Estelle Winsett at Estelle Winsett Professional Image Consulting.

  • Firms Must Rethink How They Train New Lawyers In AI Age

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    As law firms begin to use generative artificial intelligence to complete lower-level legal tasks, they’ll need to consider new ways to train summer associates and early-career attorneys, keeping in mind the five stages of skill acquisition, says Liisa Thomas at Sheppard Mullin.

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