Hospitality

August 23, 2024
5th Circ. Strikes Down DOL Tip Rule

The Fifth Circuit struck down a U.S. Department of Labor rule on tipped wages, saying it goes against the Fair Labor Standards Act and is therefore arbitrary and capricious.
August 23, 2024
Off The Bench: Sunday Ticket Twist, Dartmouth-NLRB Clash

The NFL comes out of the Sunday Ticket trial with a clean slate, Dartmouth is hit with an unfair labor practice charge by its basketball players, and U.S. Tennis doesn't get a do-over on its handling of a sexual assault case. Law360 is here to catch you up on the sports and betting stories that had our readers talking.
August 22, 2024
Judge Trims Indigenous Group's South Dakota Hotel Bias Suit

A South Dakota federal judge has axed an Indigenous advocacy group's class allegations while holding bids to dismiss civil rights claims against a Rapid City hotel in abeyance in a discrimination lawsuit that alleges that the business threatened to ban all Native Americans patrons following a shooting in one of its rooms.
August 22, 2024
Auburn Wants Out Of 11th Circ. Arguments Over Burial Ground

Auburn University has asked the Eleventh Circuit to be excused from oral arguments next month in a dispute between two Native American groups over a burial ground where centuries-old human remains were exhumed to make way for construction of a multimillion-dollar casino.
August 22, 2024
Mich. Says Justices' Minimum Wage Ruling Lacks Detail

The state of Michigan is seeking clarification from its high court on how to calculate the new minimum wage, saying there were several possible interpretations of the court's recent directive to account for inflation in the wage floor.
August 21, 2024
Finance Guru Can't Send Timeshare Fraud Suit To Arbitration

Celebrity financial planner David L. Ramsey III and his company can't pause and arbitrate a proposed class action alleging they promoted a timeshare exit fraud scheme on his radio show, a Washington federal judge said Wednesday, finding they were not included in arbitration agreements with the timeshare owners.
August 21, 2024
Union Health Plan Trustees Can't Avoid Fee Claim, Judge Says

Trustees of a UNITE HERE health plan can't topple a group of Southern California workers' claims that they are facing higher administrative expenses compared to another group of workers in Las Vegas, an Illinois federal court ruled Wednesday.
August 21, 2024
Ga. Strip Clubs Push High Court For Tax-Free Dances

A coalition of Georgia strip clubs labored to convince the state's highest court Wednesday that a nearly decade-old tax on their businesses, used by the state to fund child trafficking prevention efforts, is unconstitutional by infringing upon their First Amendment rights to put on nude dances.
August 21, 2024
Cleaning Co., H-2B Workers Seek Final OK For Wage Deal

A group of 41 migrant housekeepers and a cleaning contractor asked a Colorado federal court Wednesday to give final approval to the $400,000 deal they reached to end claims of wage and visa law violations, including threats of deportation.
August 21, 2024
Government Contractor Escapes Workers' Exit Pay Suit

A North Carolina federal judge on Wednesday tossed a lawsuit former workers lodged against a government contractor accusing it of illegally amending a policy to avoid providing employees with payouts when they left the company, saying the policy at issue is not governed by federal benefits law.
August 21, 2024
Health Co. Investors Fight To Keep Suit Over Migrant Deal

Investors in mobile medical provider DocGo are urging a New York federal judge not to toss a suit alleging it deceived stockholders before a $432 million contract with New York City to provide emergency migrant housing came under public scrutiny, saying the complaint sufficiently establishes that the defendants made material misstatements and omissions.
August 20, 2024
Disney Made Right Move Dropping Arbitration Bid, Attys Say

Disney agreed Tuesday to drop its attempt to use a Disney+ app agreement to arbitrate claims over a woman's food allergy death at a Walt Disney World restaurant, a move that attorneys say quells what was turning into a public relations disaster and preserves the validity of the arbitration agreement in other cases.
August 20, 2024
Pastor Gets 2 Years For Bible-Themed Amusement Park Fraud

A Virginia pastor was sentenced Tuesday to 27 months in prison after he was convicted on charges of defrauding investors out of $800,000 with trumped-up promises of building a Bible-themed amusement park called Miracle Mansion, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of North Carolina said.
August 20, 2024
NFL Hangs Onto Victory In Sunday Ticket Antitrust Fight

A California federal judge on Tuesday entered judgment in favor of the NFL against all claims by a class of Sunday Ticket television package subscribers, including their bid seeking to block the league from engaging in anticompetitive conduct, more than two weeks after he upended a jury's $4.7 billion antitrust verdict against the league.
August 20, 2024
Burford Fights Order Backing Chicken Price-Fixing Settlement

A Burford Capital Unit tried again Monday to unbind itself from a chicken price-fixing settlement that Sysco sealed via email with Pilgrim's Pride, arguing in Illinois federal court that the Seventh Circuit has criticized the order backing the settlement as "fatally flawed."
August 20, 2024
Argentina Must Face $325M Arbitral Award Suit, Judge Says

A District of Columbia federal judge will not toss a suit seeking to enforce a $325 million arbitration award against Argentina related to a decade-old dispute over the renationalization of the country's state-owned airline, ruling that the lawsuit is timely under a 12-year statute of limitations period.
August 20, 2024
A Deep Dive Into Law360 Pulse's 2024 Women In Law Report

The legal industry continues to see incremental gains for female lawyers in private practice in the U.S., according to a Law360 Pulse analysis, with women now representing 40.6% of all attorneys and 51% of all associates.
August 20, 2024
These Firms Have The Most Women In Equity Partnerships

The legal industry still has a long way to go before it can achieve gender parity at its upper levels. But these law firms are performing better than others in breaking the proverbial glass ceiling that prevents women from attaining leadership roles.
August 20, 2024
Catching Up With Delaware's Chancery Court

A nearly record-breaking attorney fee got the nod in Delaware last week, along with Chancery Court settlements involving an international private jet service and a chain of trampoline parks. New disputes involved a famous burger restaurant chain, a computer-chip maker, a now-defunct genomic science company, and a historic manor house in west London.
August 19, 2024
Buyers Sue Over Unfinished Mandarin Oriental Condo Project

Buyers of a condominium at the planned Mandarin Oriental at the Via Mizner project in Boca Raton, Florida, are suing the developer for the return of their deposit, saying the building that was supposed to be ready years ago is still "just a few steps beyond a concrete shell."
August 19, 2024
Aramark Gets Green Light For Solo Turkey Antitrust Case

An Illinois federal judge has refused to dismiss Aramark's individual antitrust lawsuit alleging that turkey producers exchanged competitively sensitive information, rejecting arguments that the claims were untimely because the statute of limitations was tolled by the filing of a similar class action in 2019.
August 19, 2024
Recipe Changing For NYC Restaurant Wage Suits

After years of million-dollar settlements with their waiters and front-of-house staff, most of New York’s large restaurants have equipped themselves with attorneys and compliance pros to head off potential lawsuits, while mom-and-pop eateries often struggle to keep up with evolving wage and tipping rules.
August 16, 2024
Airbnb Says Travel Insurance Fee Fight Must Be Arbitrated

Airbnb and an Italian insurer are urging a California federal court to send a proposed class action over allegedly unfair fees on travel insurance policies to arbitration, arguing Thursday that the plaintiffs are ignoring an arbitration clause they had to sign to use the Airbnb platform.
August 16, 2024
Burger King Sued For Books In Del. On Big Site Buy

Burger King investors filed a Delaware Court of Chancery lawsuit Friday seeking a look at the burger chain's books and records on the merger with its parent company, Restaurant Brands International Inc., arguing the information is necessary to confirm whether the deal was fair.
August 16, 2024
Servers Get Partial Win In Tip Suit Against Restaurant Chain

Servers claiming a restaurant chain violated tip credit regulations can snag a partial win in their suit, an Ohio federal judge ruled, saying they performed enough untipped work, but they didn't spend enough time performing tip-supporting tasks.

Expert Analysis

The Most-Read Legal Industry Law360 Guest Articles Of 2023

A range of legal industry topics drew readers' attention in Law360's Expert Analysis section this year, from associate retention strategies to ethical billing practices.
Attorneys' Busiest Times Can Be Business Opportunities

Attorneys who resolve to grow their revenue and client base in 2024 should be careful not to abandon their goals when they get too busy with client work, because these periods of zero bandwidth can actually be a catalyst for future growth, says Amy Drysdale at Alchemy Consulting.
In The World Of Legal Ethics, 10 Trends To Note From 2023

Lucian Pera at Adams and Reese and Trisha Rich at Holland & Knight identify the top legal ethics trends from 2023 — including issues related to hot documents, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity — that lawyers should be aware of to put their best foot forward.
Del. Dispatch: The 2023 Corporate Cases You Need To Know

Corporate and mergers and acquisitions litigation has continued at a fevered pace this year, with the Delaware courts addressing numerous novel issues with important practical implications, including officer exculpation and buyer aiding-and-abetting liability, say attorneys at Fried Frank.
3 Developments That Will Affect Hospitality Companies In 2024

As the hospitality industry continues its post-pandemic recovery, it faces both challenges and opportunities to thrive in 2024, including navigating new labor rules, developing branded residential living spaces and cautiously embracing artificial intelligence, says Lauren Stewart at Sheppard Mullin.
How Attorneys Can Be More Efficient This Holiday Season

Attorneys should consider a few key tips to speed up their work during the holidays so they can join the festivities — from streamlining the document review process to creating similar folder structures, says Bennett Rawicki at Hilgers Graben.
Series

Children's Book Writing Makes Me A Better Lawyer

Becoming a children's book author has opened doors to incredible new experiences of which I barely dared to dream, but the process has also changed my life by serving as a reminder that strong writing, networking and public speaking skills are hugely beneficial to a legal career, says Shaunna Bailey at Sheppard Mullin.
5 Traps To Avoid When Selling CRE In Las Vegas Area

When dealing with commercial real estate in Clark County, Nevada — which includes the Las Vegas metro area — even sophisticated sellers may be ensnared by a myriad of tricky issues, ranging from transfer tax nuances to arbitration laws, says Chris Walther at Fennemore Craig.
How Clients May Use AI To Monitor Attorneys

Excerpt from Practical Guidance

Artificial intelligence tools will increasingly enable clients to monitor and evaluate their counsel’s activities, so attorneys must clearly define the terms of engagement and likewise take advantage of the efficiencies offered by AI, says Ronald Levine at Herrick Feinstein.
Series

ESG Around The World: Singapore

Singapore is keen to establish itself as a leading international financial center and a key player in the sustainable finance ecosystem, and key initiatives led by its government and other regulatory bodies have helped the Asian nation progress from its initially guarded attitude toward ESG investment and reporting, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.
Series

The Pop Culture Docket: Judge D'Emic On Moby Grape

The 1968 Moby Grape song "Murder in My Heart for the Judge" tells the tale of a fictional defendant treated with scorn by the judge, illustrating how much the legal system has evolved in the past 50 years, largely due to problem-solving courts and the principles of procedural justice, says Kings County Supreme Court Administrative Judge Matthew D'Emic.
Series

Performing Music Makes Me A Better Lawyer

The discipline of performing live music has directly and positively influenced my effectiveness as a litigator — serving as a reminder that practice, intuition and team building are all important elements of a successful law practice, says Jeff Wakolbinger at Bryan Cave.
Breaking Down High Court's New Code Of Conduct

The U.S. Supreme Court recently adopted its first-ever code of conduct, and counsel will need to work closely with clients in navigating its provisions, from gift-giving to recusal bids, say Phillip Gordon and Mateo Forero at Holtzman Vogel.
Trump NY Fraud Trial Shows Civil, Criminal Case Differences

Former President Donald Trump’s civil fraud trial currently unfolding in New York provides a reminder that civil bench trials can be just as damaging, if not more so, than criminal prosecutions, due to several key elements of civil litigation procedure, says retired attorney David Moskowitz.
Opinion

Legal Profession Gender Parity Requires Equal Parental Leave

To truly foster equity in the legal profession and to promote attorney retention, workplaces need to better support all parents, regardless of gender — starting by offering equal and robust parental leave to both birthing and non-birthing parents, says Ali Spindler at Irwin Fritchie.