Food & Beverage

  • January 02, 2025

    Southern Comfort Malt Liquor Buyers Score False Ad Cert.

    A New York federal judge certified a class of Southern Comfort customers alleging Sazerac Co. deceptively labeled its malt beverage products, but declined to allow one plaintiff to serve as class representative, finding Thursday he lied in interrogatory answers and "appeared not to know the basic premise of the case."

  • January 02, 2025

    ERISA Can't Shield Packaging Co. From Genetic Privacy Suit

    A food packaging company must face a former employee's lawsuit claiming it unlawfully asked about her family medical history, an Illinois federal judge ruled, saying the claims weren't preempted by federal benefits law because it wasn't clear a corporate wellness plan was involved.

  • January 02, 2025

    Uber Can't Hold Off Seattle Driver Deactivation Law

    A Washington federal judge denied Uber's bid to temporarily bar the city of Seattle from enforcing new app-based worker account deactivation rules against it, finding the day before the challenged ordinance took effect that the company is unlikely to succeed in its claims of a First Amendment violation.

  • January 02, 2025

    Ill. Atty Can't Avoid Prison Pending Bribery Appeal

    An Illinois attorney set to serve time for bribing former Chicago alderman Edward Burke must still report to prison while he asks the Seventh Circuit to review his conviction and 32-month sentence, a federal judge said.

  • January 02, 2025

    3 Things To Know About 9th Circ. Ruling In $56M Beer Battle

    The Ninth Circuit has affirmed a $56 million trial verdict for Stone Brewing Co. in a long-running trademark battle involving Molson Coors, saying the evidence supported the jury's conclusion that the Canadian-American beer company's repackaging of its Keystone Light brand infringed its competitors' "Stone" mark.

  • January 02, 2025

    Ex-Trader Joe's Exec Can't Revive Sex Bias Suit At 2nd Circ.

    The Second Circuit backed the dismissal Thursday of a Trader Joe's executive's suit claiming she was fired out of sex bias, stating she failed to put forward proof that her termination resulted from discrimination rather than her decision to take a vacation during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • January 02, 2025

    Mass. Atty Accused Of Botching Bias Case, Misleading Client

    A Massachusetts woman says a prominent Boston attorney mishandled her age and gender bias complaint, then misled her about the viability of the case for several years while convincing her to let him rent a home she owned at a discount in lieu of additional litigation costs.

  • January 02, 2025

    Food Service Tech Biz Buys PE-Owned Delaget In $132M Deal

    Food service technology company Par Technology Corp. on Thursday announced plans to acquire restaurant analytics business Delaget LLC in a $132 million deal.

  • January 01, 2025

    The Top Sports & Betting Cases To Keep An Eye On In 2025

    The name, image and likeness class action the NCAA settled in 2024 for $2.78 billion was a long time coming and packs a punch that will be felt for years to come. It overshadowed other ongoing, status quo-rocking litigation involving the NFL, NBA, MLB and more. Here, Law360 looks at the top sports and betting cases the legal world will be watching in 2025.

  • January 01, 2025

    Top Personal Injury, Med Mal Rulings Of 2024

    A federal appellate panel's ruling in a "blackout challenge" death suit against TikTok's owner and a U.S. Supreme Court decision over whether bump stocks can be considered machine guns under a federal agency's rule were among Law360's top personal injury and medical malpractice rulings in 2024.

  • January 01, 2025

    Native American Cases To Watch In 2025

    2024 brought lawsuits and rulings in state, federal district and appellate courts that will play out into 2025 with some uncertainties for Native American tribes on voting rights, protections for historical worship sites and land trust decisions.

  • January 01, 2025

    Trademark Cases To Watch In 2025

    Justices will decide whether it's appropriate to have corporate affiliates of a trademark defendant pay $47 million in damages, and appellate courts are expected to grapple with how to apply the U.S. Supreme Court's 2023 opinion in Jack Daniel's fight over a chewy dog toy. Here are Law360's picks for trademark cases to watch in 2025.

  • January 01, 2025

    Patent Cases To Watch In 2025

    The Federal Circuit has taken on a rare en banc patent case looking at damages, while the U.S. Supreme Court has been asked to review when foreign damages can be incorporated into patent awards. Here's what you need to know about these cases and others that attorneys are keeping an eye on in 2025.

  • January 01, 2025

    California Legislation And Regulations To Watch In 2025

    California legal experts anticipate a busy 2025 in regulatory and legislative affairs, particularly as lawmakers and regulators ready the Golden State for potential attacks from the incoming Trump administration on a number of issues including reproductive care, LGBTQ rights and environmental protections.

  • January 01, 2025

    Cannabis And Hemp Lawsuits To Watch In 2025

    A California litigator alleging the unconstitutionality of multiple state and local cannabis licensure programs is pushing his actions through the federal circuit courts, hemp industry stakeholders are alleging that states have overstepped their authority with policies meant to rein in intoxicating products, and a coalition of marijuana companies' challenge to the federal ban on prohibition had its day in federal appellate court.

  • January 01, 2025

    Cannabis Advocates Hone Their Policy Goals For 2025

    With Republicans set to control the legislative and executive branches, cannabis advocates predict that federal cannabis reforms in 2025 are still achievable, but note they will likely be more incremental than holistic, with an emphasis on public safety and states' rights.

  • January 01, 2025

    Food & Beverage Cases To Watch In 2025

    Food and beverage attorneys have no shortage of interesting issues to follow in 2025, from Albertsons turning on Kroger after their proposed $25 billion merger was blocked, to new state laws covering the life cycle of single-use packaging, and claims over heavy metals and "forever chemicals" contaminating food.

  • January 01, 2025

    Connecticut Cases To Watch In 2025: Ethics, Mergers & Actors

    A suit over McCarter & English LLP's municipal loan advice and a Yale-owned heath network's legal battle over a beleaguered acquisition deal are just two multimillion-dollar cases that will keep Connecticut courts busy next year. 

  • December 23, 2024

    'Tragedy To Farce': Menendez Makes 3rd New Trial Bid

    Former U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez and two co-defendants, convicted of bribery in July, have made a third push for a new trial in Manhattan federal court, contending that the government's latest admission of an evidence gaffe bolstered their case.

  • December 20, 2024

    Banks, Not Credit Cos., Can Duck New Ill. Fee Law For Now

    An Illinois federal judge ruled Friday that credit card companies like Visa and Mastercard must comply with Illinois' landmark law restricting certain credit card fees; however, she also held that national banks and federal savings associations aren't subject to the law, at least for now.

  • December 20, 2024

    Little Caesars Can Sell 'Crazy Puffs' During Pizza TM Suit

    Little Caesars can continue selling its "Crazy Puffs" muffin pizza appetizers while it fights a trademark suit over their name, but the chain must immediately stop describing them as "pizza puffs" in its marketing materials, an Illinois federal judge has ruled.

  • December 20, 2024

    Amazon Touted Efforts To Curb Price-Gouging, Shoppers Say

    A group of online shoppers said Thursday that Amazon can't dodge litigation alleging price-gouging during the pandemic, arguing that the retail giant's efforts to toss the case are contradicted by earlier public statements "trumpeting" the company's work with Washington's attorney general to enforce the state's consumer protection law against price-gougers.

  • December 20, 2024

    Senate Passes 3-Month Funding Bill, Avoiding Shutdown

    The U.S. Senate on Saturday passed a three-month temporary government funding deal after the removal of a contentious proposal to suspend  the federal debt ceiling, staving off a government shutdown.

  • December 20, 2024

    Trade Panel Strikes Down Mexico's Curbs On Biotech Corn

    Mexico's 2023 restrictions on the use of genetically modified corn to make tortillas and animal feed violated the country's trade accord with the U.S., a dispute settlement panel ruled Friday, finding that the policy was not based on sound science. 

  • December 20, 2024

    Top Product Liability Cases Of 2024

    Some of the top cases for product liability for 2024 include an Ohio Supreme Court ruling on opioids and public nuisance, baby formula trials and an appellate decision in Fosamax litigation. 

Expert Analysis

  • It's No Longer Enough For Firms To Be Trusted Advisers

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    Amid fierce competition for business, the transactional “trusted adviser” paradigm from which most firms operate is no longer sufficient — they should instead aim to become trusted partners with their most valuable clients, says Stuart Maister at Strategic Narrative.

  • Expect More Restaurant Ch. 11s As COVID Debt Comes Due

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    The wave of restaurant bankruptcies is likely to continue in the coming months as companies face the looming repayment of COVID-19 pandemic-era government loans, an uncertain economy and increased interest rates, says Isaac Marcushamer at DGIM Law.

  • 'Greenhushing': Why Some Cos. Are Keeping Quiet On ESG

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    A wave of ESG-related litigation and regulations have led some companies to retreat altogether from any public statements about their ESG goals, a trend known as "greenhushing" that was at the center of a recent D.C. court decision involving Coca-Cola, say Gonzalo Mon and Katie Rogers at Kelley Drye.

  • Co-Tenancy Clause Pointers For Shopping Center Landlords

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    Large retail tenants often require co-tenancy provisions in their leases, entitling them to remedies if a shopping center's occupancy drops in certain ways, but landlords must draft these provisions carefully to avoid giving tenants too much control, says Gary Glick at Cox Castle.

  • Complying With FTC's Final Rule On Sham Online Reviews

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    The Federal Trade Commission's final rule on deceptive acts and practices in online reviews and testimonials is effective Oct. 21, and some practice tips can help businesses avert noncompliance risks, say Airina Rodrigues and Jonathan Sandler at Brownstein Hyatt.

  • Nuclear Waste Storage Questions Justices May Soon Address

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    The petition for the U.S. Supreme Court to review U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission v. Texas stands out for a number of reasons — including a deepening circuit split regarding the NRC's nuclear waste storage authority under the Atomic Energy Act, and broader administrative law implications, say attorneys at MoloLamken.

  • 3 Patent Considerations For America's New Quantum Hub

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    Recent developments signal an incredibly bright future for Chicago as the new home of quantum computing, and it is crucial that these innovators — whose technology has the potential to transform many industries — prioritize intellectual property strategy, says Andrew Velzen at McDonnell Boehnen.

  • Navigating A Potpourri Of Possible Transparency Act Pitfalls

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    Despite the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network's continued release of guidance for complying with the Corporate Transparency Act, its interpretation remains in flux, making it important for companies to understand potentially problematic areas of ambiguity in the practical application of the law, say attorneys at Sidley.

  • Fed. Circ. Ruling Creates New Rule For Certification Marks

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    The Federal Circuit's decision last month in Bureau National Interprofessionnel du Cognac v. Cologne & Cognac Entertainment is significant in that it establishes a new standard for assessing evidence of third-party uses of a certification mark in deciding whether the mark is famous, say Samantha Katze and Lisa Rosaya at Manatt.

  • Series

    After Chevron: Conservation Rule Already Faces Challenges

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    The Bureau of Land Management's interpretation of land "use" in its Conservation and Landscape Health Rule is contrary to the agency's past practice and other Federal Land Policy and Management Act provisions, leaving the rule exposed in four legal challenges that may carry greater force in the wake of Loper Bright, say Stacey Bosshardt and Stephanie Regenold at Perkins Coie.

  • A Preview Of AI Priorities Under The Next President

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    For the first time in a presidential election, both of the leading candidates and their parties have been vocal about artificial intelligence policy, offering clues on the future of regulation as AI continues to advance and congressional action continues to stall, say attorneys at Mintz.

  • How Companies Are Approaching Insider Trading Policies

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    An analysis of insider trading policies recently disclosed by 49 S&P 500 companies under a new U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission rule reveals that while specific provisions vary from company to company, certain common themes are emerging, say attorneys at Gibson Dunn.

  • How Methods Are Evolving In Textualist Interpretations

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    Textualists at the U.S. Supreme Court are increasingly considering new methods such as corpus linguistics and surveys to evaluate what a statute's text communicates to an ordinary reader, while lower courts even mull large language models like ChatGPT as supplements, says Kevin Tobia at Georgetown Law.

  • The Fed. Circ. In August: Secret Sales And Public Disclosures

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    Two recent Federal Circuit rulings — Sanho v. Kaijet and Celanese International v. ITC — highlight that inventors should publicly and promptly disclose their inventions, as a secret sale will not suffice as a disclosure, and file their patent applications within a year of public disclosure, say Sean Murray and Jeremiah Helm at Knobbe Martens.

  • Employer Arbitration Lessons From Calif. Consumer Ruling

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    Although a California state appeals court’s recent arbitration ruling in Mahram v. Kroger involved a consumer transaction, the finding that the arbitration agreement at issue did not apply to a third-party beneficiary could influence how employment arbitration agreements are interpreted, says Sander van der Heide at CDF Labor Law.

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