Food & Beverage

  • February 19, 2025

    Fired Watchdogs 'Must Be Reinstated,' Senate Democrats Say

    Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and 28 other Senate Democrats have filed an amicus brief to support a lawsuit by eight of the inspectors general fired by President Donald Trump.

  • February 19, 2025

    Peanut Truck Co. Exempt From Excise Tax, Justices Told

    A Georgia maker of special trucks for peanut farming was denied an excise tax exemption for off-road highway vehicles because the IRS interpreted the law too narrowly, the company argued while urging the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the Eleventh Circuit on the question.

  • February 19, 2025

    Amazon, Supermarket Latest Targets Of Lie Detector Litigation

    Amazon and New England supermarket chain Market Basket are the latest two companies to face accusations of flouting a nearly 40-year-old Massachusetts law that requires notice to jobseekers that the use of lie detectors in employment decisions is illegal in the Bay State.

  • February 18, 2025

    DOL Wants Trial For Tenn. Pork Farm Retaliation Suit

    A Tennessee federal judge should let a jury consider a lawsuit accusing a Henry County pork producer of retaliating against two H-2A workers who filed a complaint over unpaid wages, the U.S. Department of Labor said Tuesday.

  • February 18, 2025

    County Opposes Wash. Tribe's Bid To Weigh In On River Fight

    A county dike district has opposed a Washington state-based tribe's bid to file a friend of the court brief in the district's suit against a U.S. government biological opinion finding that a proposed tide-gate project endangers salmon, arguing that the tribe doesn't provide a unique perspective.

  • February 18, 2025

    Campbell Drivers' NC Claims Preempted, Court Told

    Claims under North Carolina state law by a proposed class of Campbell Soup Co. drivers who alleged they were misclassified as independent contractors instead of employees must be tossed because they're preempted by the federal law, the food giant argued Tuesday.

  • February 18, 2025

    Pepsi, Frito-Lay Accused Of Favoring Chains With Chip Prices

    PepsiCo and Frito-Lay are illegally favoring Walmart, Target and other chain grocery stores by charging them much lower prices for snack chips than independently owned businesses, a pair of California convenience stores alleged in a proposed class action filed in Golden State federal court.

  • February 18, 2025

    Judge Won't Hold DOL In Contempt In Farmworker Wage Suit

    A Washington federal judge has rejected a farmworker union's claims that the U.S. Department of Labor violated a court injunction by greenlighting H-2A contracts that do not include 2020 prevailing wage rates for the upcoming cherry and apple harvests.

  • February 18, 2025

    Suit Blames Electrolux Burners For Pa. Family's House Fire

    Subsidiaries of Swedish appliance manufacturer Electrolux are facing another design defect lawsuit claiming that its stove knobs are too easily turned on by accident, with the latest suit coming from a Philadelphia-area family whose home burned down.

  • February 18, 2025

    Human Rights Atty Sees 'Serious Risks' Of Neural Data Abuse

    International human rights attorney Jared Genser spoke with Law360 Healthcare Authority about the "serious risks of misuse and abuse of neurotechnologies" that have led California and Colorado to expand their state consumer privacy laws in the last year to include neural data, with similar bills pending in Montana, Massachusetts and Illinois.

  • February 18, 2025

    Stanley Black & Decker Says Tumbler Maker Violated TM Deal

    Stanley Black & Decker sued the maker of the popular "Stanley" tumbler, claiming in its federal complaint filed Tuesday that Pacific Market International LLC ignored obligations under a trademark agreement to use the brand name in a restricted manner and may have earned billions of sales through infringing activities.

  • February 18, 2025

    White House Says City Can't Show Harm From Anti-DEI Orders

    The Trump administration urged a Maryland federal court Tuesday not to block its executive orders curtailing diversity, equity and inclusion programs, saying the city of Baltimore and other challengers hadn't shown any of their funding has been affected by the orders.

  • February 18, 2025

    Baker Botts Partner Says Inventor's Atty Is Threatening Her

    A Baker Botts LLP lawyer being sued over her comments in a news article about a patent suit against Starbucks Corp. accused opposing counsel of threatening her in an email exchange over the details of a deposition.

  • February 18, 2025

    RBI Takes Control Of Burger King China, Seeks Local Partner

    Restaurant Brands International Inc. said Tuesday it has bought out two equity shareholders in Burger King China to amass nearly 100% of the business but will now search for a local partner to become Burger King China's controlling shareholder. 

  • February 14, 2025

    Uber Starts Antitrust Food Fight With DoorDash

    DoorDash Inc. has devised an unlawful scheme to stifle competition with its main rival, Uber Eats, by forcing restaurants to exclusively work with DoorDash to manage their in-house deliveries, which hikes costs for restaurants and customers, Uber Technologies Inc. alleges in a lawsuit filed Friday in Golden State court.

  • February 14, 2025

    Pa. Injury Firm Botched Burger King Suit Service, Suit Says

    A Pennsylvania woman has sued the law firm previously representing her in a slip-and-fall case against a local Burger King for legal malpractice after the state Supreme Court held that her former attorneys' attempts to have the complaint served were insufficient.

  • February 14, 2025

    Fed. Circ. Risks Relying On 'Science Fiction,' Justices Told

    The Federal Circuit's presumption that prior art is always enabled can lead it to "sacrifice true innovations based on earlier science fiction," the owner of invalidated food wrapping patents told the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday.

  • February 14, 2025

    Some Discovery On Hold In Abbott Infant Formula Case

    An Illinois federal judge granted in part a request by Abbott Laboratories to pause a shareholder derivative suit over how it managed the 2022 infant formula crisis, allowing written discovery to go on while staying depositions until May.

  • February 14, 2025

    Smithfield Fires Back At 'Improper' CLO Deposition Bid

    Smithfield Foods Inc. urged North Carolina's Business Court not to let a Chubb unit depose the pork producer's legal chief, calling the insurer's motion from last week an "improper and untimely attempt to seek discovery that Ace could have pursued before the fact discovery deadline."

  • February 14, 2025

    State Lawmakers Eye Tighter Restrictions On Hemp Products

    Legislators in multiple states have introduced legislation aimed at regulating or restricting the manufacture and sale of products containing intoxicating cannabinoids derived or synthesized from federally lawful hemp.

  • February 14, 2025

    Farm Asks Judge To 'Please' Add $5M Interest To $32M Verdict

    A cannabis farm is asking a Michigan federal judge to "please, please" award $5 million in prejudgment interest on a $31.8 million verdict reached last month in a contract dispute with Curaleaf units, saying the companies have refused to cooperate in post-judgment talks to resolve the issue.

  • February 14, 2025

    Ben & Jerry's Says Owner Unilever Banned Anti-Trump Posts

    Ben & Jerry's told a New York federal judge overseeing its litigation accusing parent company Unilever of breaching an agreement allowing the ice cream company to take political stances that Unilever has now banned it "from issuing any posts criticizing President Trump" pending further review.

  • February 14, 2025

    Judge Allows Grower's 4th Amendment Claim In Hemp Crop Suit

    A California federal judge has partially reconsidered her prior order denying Kern County and its police officers' bid to dismiss claims by a hemp grower alleging they wrongly bulldozed 500 acres of crops, allowing the company's Fourth Amendment excessive destruction claim to proceed, but dismissing its due process claims.

  • February 13, 2025

    Fla. Judge Denies Drinks Co. Ex-CEO Bid To Ax Monster Liens

    A Florida federal bankruptcy judge on Thursday declined to rule on a bid to dismiss all Monster Energy Company's claims and liens against the former CEO of the corporation that produces Bang Energy drinks, saying he lacks jurisdiction to resolve issues between two non-debtors.

  • February 13, 2025

    Wash. Justices Wary Of Pay Transparency Law Stances

    Washington's highest court grilled attorneys on both sides of a debate over state pay transparency law on Thursday, with some justices suggesting the employer's stance put too much onus on workers while another expressed doubt the protections should extend to people who apply for jobs they have no chance to get.

Expert Analysis

  • How Boards And Officers Should Prep For New Trump Admin

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    In anticipation of President-elect Donald Trump's proposed tariffs and mass deportation campaign, company officers and board members should pursue proactive, comprehensive contingency planning to not only advance the best interests of the companies they serve, but to also properly exercise their fiduciary duty of care, say attorneys at Winston & Strawn.

  • California Supreme Court's Year In Review

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    Attorneys at Horvitz & Levy highlight notable decisions on major questions from the California Supreme Court's last term, including voter initiatives, hostile work environment and the economic loss rule.

  • Series

    Flying Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Achieving my childhood dream of flying airplanes made me a better lawyer — and a better person — because it taught me I can conquer difficult goals when I leave my comfort zone, focus on the demands of the moment and commit to honing my skills, says Ivy Cadle at Baker Donelson.

  • NLRB One-Two Punch Curbs Employer Anti-Organizing Tools

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    The National Labor Relations Board’s recent decisions in Siren Retail and Amazon, limiting employer speech about the impact of unionization and outlawing captive audience meetings, severely curtail employers' arsenal of tools to combat an organizing campaign — though this may soon change under a new administration, say attorneys at Benesch.

  • What Trump's Next Term May Mean For Biz Immigration

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    Leonard D'Arrigo at Harris Beach discusses the employment-based immigration policies businesses can potentially expect during President-elect Donald Trump’s second term, based on policies enacted during his first administration, statements made during his campaign and proposals in Project 2025.

  • Defense Insights As PFAS Consumer Product Claims Rise

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    Amid the recent proliferation of lawsuits seeking damages for failure to disclose the presence of PFAS in consumer products, manufacturers, distributors and consumer product companies should follow the science and consider a significant flaw in many of the filings, say attorneys at Farella Braun.

  • Series

    Circus Arts Make Me A Better Lawyer

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    Performing circus arts has strengthened my ability to be more thoughtful, confident and grounded, all of which has enhanced my legal practice and allowed me to serve clients in a more meaningful way, says Bailey McGowan at Stinson.

  • Recent Listeria Outbreaks Hold Key Compliance Lessons

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    Listeria outbreaks in ready-to-eat foods from Boar's Head and other companies, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Food and Drug Administration responses to these outbreaks, should be closely evaluated from an overall compliance and risk management perspective by food manufacturers, retailers and industry investors, say attorneys at Kirkland.

  • 3 Ways To Train Junior Lawyers In 30 Minutes Or Less

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    Today’s junior lawyers are experiencing a skills gap due to pandemic-era disruptions, but firms can help bring them up to speed by offering high-impact skill building content in bite-sized, interactive training sessions, say Stacey Schwartz at Katten, Diane Costigan at Winston & Strawn and Lauren Tierney at Freshfields.

  • What Cos. Can Learn from Water Microplastics Class Actions

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    Class actions against companies whose bottled spring water allegedly contains microplastics, challenging claims such as "natural" and "100% spring water," seem to be drying up — but these cases serve as a good reminder to other businesses to review regulatory standards, and carefully vet plaintiff allegations at the outset, say attorneys at Keller and Heckman.

  • The Bar Needs More Clarity On The Discovery Objection Rule

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    Almost 10 years after Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 34 was amended, attorneys still seem confused about what they should include in objections to discovery requests, and until the rules committee provides additional clarity, practitioners must beware the steep costs of noncompliance, says Tristan Ellis at Shanies Law Office.

  • What's Next For The CFTC After The Election

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    While much of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission's enforcement actions in line with its traditional priorities will continue as usual in the near term, postelection leadership changes at the CFTC and new congressional priorities may alter the commission's regulatory framework in 2025 and beyond — particularly its oversight of crypto, say attorneys at WilmerHale.

  • Series

    Being A Navy Reservist Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Serving this country in uniform has not only been one of the greatest honors of my life, but it has also provided me with opportunities to broaden my legal acumen and interpersonal skills in ways that have indelibly contributed to my civilian practice, says Phillip Smith at Weinberg Wheeler.

  • So You Want To Move Your Law Practice To Canada, Eh?

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    Google searches for how to move to Canada have surged in the wake of the U.S. presidential election, and if you’re an attorney considering a move to the Great White North, you’ll need to understand how the practice of law differs across the border, says David Postel at Henein Hutchison.

  • Why K-Cup Claims Landed Keurig In Hot Water With SEC

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    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's recent settlement with Keurig Dr. Pepper for making incomplete statements regarding the recyclability of K-cup pods highlights the importance of comprehensive corporate disclosures, particularly with respect to ESG matters, say attorneys at BCLP.

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