Food & Beverage

  • December 11, 2024

    ConEd Escapes Fired In-House Atty's Gender, Age Bias Suit

    A New York federal judge tossed an attorney's suit claiming she was fired by Con Edison out of age and gender animus after complaining that her boss unfairly criticized her, ruling she failed to show that her identity rather than her yearslong performance issues got her canned.

  • December 11, 2024

    Albertsons Sues Kroger In Chancery After Blocked Megadeal

    Grocery giant Albertsons, in a Wednesday lawsuit in the Delaware Court of Chancery, said Kroger did not put forth its "best efforts" into getting their planned $24.6 billion megamerger cleared while also announcing official plans to nix the deal, moves that came just one day after two judges blocked the proposed acquisition.

  • December 10, 2024

    Major Food Cos. Push 'Addictive' Foods On Kids, Suit Says

    The Kraft Heinz Co., Nestle USA, General Mills and other major food companies are putting profits above all else by making highly addictive ultra-processed foods and aggressively marketing the products to children, leading to skyrocketing levels of chronic disease, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday in Philadelphia court.

  • December 10, 2024

    Trader Joe's Seller Fumbled Burger Deal, Poultry Co. Says

    Pilgrim's Pride told a federal jury Tuesday it was not ultimately responsible when a grocery supplier used its bony chicken shipments to make burgers, arguing the vendor failed to inspect the meat for excessive bones, leading to eventual recalls and the end of its Trader Joe's deal.

  • December 10, 2024

    Feds Propose Enviro Protections For Monarch Butterfly

    The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued a proposed rule on Tuesday that would list the monarch butterfly as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act and designate 4,395 acres of critical habitat in coastal California.

  • December 10, 2024

    AFL-CIO Backs DOL In Effort To Keep H-2A Labor Rule Alive

    The AFL-CIO on Tuesday backed the U.S. Department of Labor's efforts to toss a suit in North Carolina federal court challenging the department's final rule protecting union-related activities for agricultural workers on seasonal H-2A visas, saying that it doesn't violate federal labor law.

  • December 10, 2024

    6th Circ. Wary Of Axing Fishing Pact Over Tribe's Objections

    A Sixth Circuit panel gave an icy reception Tuesday to a tribe's request that it unwind a Great Lakes fishing decree because the tribe was excluded from late-stage negotiations and denied a trial on its objections.

  • December 10, 2024

    Crown Packaging Can Patents Ruled Invalid In Reversal

    The Federal Circuit ruled Tuesday that a series of Crown Packaging's patents on a machine that produces aluminum beverage cans is invalid, the latest in a case where a federal jury found that rival Belvac Production Machinery Inc. did not infringe the patents.

  • December 10, 2024

    $24.6B Kroger-Albertsons Merger Blocked By 2 Judges

    Kroger's planned $24.6 billion purchase of Albertsons suffered double whammy blows Tuesday, first from an Oregon federal judge who temporarily blocked the deal in a Federal Trade Commission challenge, and then from a Washington state judge who sided with the state's attorney general and issued a permanent, national block.

  • December 10, 2024

    NY Appealing Judge's Dismissal Of Plastic Pollution Suit

    New York Attorney General Letitia James is appealing a harshly worded ruling that dismissed her suit against PepsiCo Inc. and its Frito-Lay subsidiary over plastic pollution on the Buffalo River.

  • December 10, 2024

    Atty Recommended For Sanctions After 'Bad Faith' Filings

    A Florida magistrate judge has recommended sanctioning an attorney representing a franchisee in a contract dispute with CBD American Shaman LLC, saying his duplicate filings — including four motions to reconsider a single order — amount to bad faith.

  • December 10, 2024

    Utah Beverage Canning Co. Seeks Sale In Ch. 11

    A company that makes and fills beverage cans has filed for Chapter 11 protection in Utah bankruptcy court with $476 million in debt, saying COVID-19 caused delays in the opening of its Salt Lake City facility that left it with too little liquidity to continue.

  • December 09, 2024

    Campbell's Accuses Rival Of Copying Iconic Can Design

    The Campbell's Co. is accusing a competitor of copying the soup giant's "famous and iconic" can design, claiming in a New Jersey federal court complaint that the other company intentionally leveraged the mimicry to its benefit.

  • December 09, 2024

    Kellogg Retirees Say DOL's Brief Backs 6th Circ. Revival

    A proposed class of married Kellogg retirees alleging their pension annuity payouts were lowballed by the cereal company due to outdated mortality assumptions used in conversions is urging the Sixth Circuit to heed a recently filed brief from the U.S. Department of Labor backing workers seeking to revive a similar dispute in the Eleventh Circuit.

  • December 09, 2024

    Settlements Don't Strip Appellate Rights, Mich. Panel Says

    A litigant did not lose the right to appeal an adverse ruling because she later voluntarily dropped her remaining claims and failed to reserve her right to appeal, a special seven-judge Michigan state appeals court panel said Friday.

  • December 09, 2024

    Hearthside Settles Illinois Child Labor Investigation For $4.5M

    The parent company of snack maker Hearthside Food Solutions has asked a Texas bankruptcy judge to approve a $4.5 million settlement that Hearthside reached with the Illinois attorney general and the Illinois Department of Labor over their investigation into claims of violations of the state's child labor laws.

  • December 09, 2024

    2nd Circ. Compares Trader Joe's Execs' COVID Trips For Bias

    The way that Trader Joe's treated a similarly situated male employee is critical to the success of a sex discrimination lawsuit brought by a female ex-vice president who was fired after taking a vacation in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, judges of the Second Circuit suggested Monday.

  • December 09, 2024

    Ohio Justices Won't Revise 'Boneless' Wings Ruling

    The Ohio Supreme Court on Monday declined to reconsider its decision backing the dismissal of a suit from a man injured when he ingested a bone in a "boneless" chicken wing, though two justices sharply criticized the decision as politically motivated and a dark harbinger for Ohioans.

  • December 09, 2024

    Pa. Fudge Maker Seeks Atty Fees In 'Moonshine' TM Fight

    Even though a Pennsylvania jury had found that Local Yokels Fudge and Christopher Warman's ex-wife had copied his secret "Chocolate Moonshine" fudge recipe, the defendants want Warman to pay some of their legal bills because they say he made frivolous trademark claims and falsely claimed they were still using the recipe after the 2023 trial.

  • December 09, 2024

    Famous Steakhouse Chain's Ex-GC Gets Go-Ahead For Bias Suit

    The ex-general counsel of iconic steakhouse chain The Palm Restaurant can move ahead with a discrimination lawsuit claiming she was ousted after a 2020 bankruptcy sale, a New York federal court ruled Monday.

  • December 09, 2024

    Menendez Verdict Wasn't Tainted By Evidence Error, Feds Say

    Prosecutors told a Manhattan federal judge that evidence that was mistakenly loaded onto a laptop given to the jury that convicted former Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., of bribery charges most likely wasn't seen by the jurors and didn't impact their verdict in a way that would merit a new trial.

  • December 09, 2024

    Paul Hastings, Paul Weiss Lead $6.7B Pactiv Evergreen Sale

    Packaging products maker Novolex, advised by Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison LLP, on Monday announced that it will combine with food merchandising product manufacturer Pactiv Evergreen, led by Paul Hastings LLP, in a $6.7 billion take-private deal that is backed by private equity funds.

  • December 06, 2024

    USDA Orders Raw Milk Be Tested For Bird Flu

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Friday issued a federal order requiring raw milk across the country to be tested as part of an effort to control and stop the spread of bird flu.

  • December 06, 2024

    Judge Denies Publix Bid To Appeal Opioid Coverage Ruling

    A Florida federal judge on Friday rejected Publix's request for a judgment that would have allowed it to immediately appeal a decision that said seven of its insurance policies didn't provide coverage for opioid lawsuits the grocery chain is facing.

  • December 06, 2024

    High Court Bar's Future: Gupta Wessler's Jennifer Bennett

    As a litigator for workers and consumers, Jennifer D. Bennett made her debut at the U.S. Supreme Court at an inauspicious time, when conservative justices were consistently helping corporations move major cases onto advantageous turf in arbitration. But since then, Bennett has amassed a flawless argument record and helped to turn the tide, making her one of the high court's most promising young advocates.

Expert Analysis

  • A Look At The Economic Impact Of Drug Patent Differentiation

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    Given the Federal Trade Commission’s recent emphasis on unfair competition based on disputed patent listings, pharmaceutical market participants are likely to require nuanced characterizations of actual and but-for market competition when multiple patents differentiate multiple products, say economists at Competition Dynamics.

  • Considering Possible PR Risks Of Certain Legal Tactics

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    Disney and American Airlines recently abandoned certain litigation tactics in two lawsuits after fierce public backlash, illustrating why corporate counsel should consider the reputational implications of any legal strategy and partner with their communications teams to preempt public relations concerns, says Chris Gidez at G7 Reputation Advisory.

  • How Labeling And Testing May Help Reduce PFAS Litigation

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    As regulators take steps to reduce consumers’ exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as forever chemicals, companies can take a proactive approach to mitigating litigation risks not only by labeling their products transparently, but also by complying with testing and marketing standards, says Sarah La Pearl at Segal McCambridge.

  • 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.

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