Food & Beverage

  • April 09, 2026

    Welch's Maker Tells ITC Rival Infringing 2 Fruit Snack Patents

    The manufacturer of Welch's Fruit Snacks brought its fight against what it claims are patent-infringing yogurt-covered snacks produced by rival Cibo Vita to the U.S. International Trade Commission, the ITC said Thursday.

  • April 09, 2026

    Fed Circ Probes Standing In Cocoa Import Child Labor Case

    Federal Circuit judges challenged a labor rights organization's arguments for standing to force U.S. Customs and Border Protection's response to a petition to ban U.S. chocolate producers from importing cocoa from the Ivory Coast during oral arguments Thursday.

  • April 09, 2026

    Restaurant Slams Sushi Chef's 'Soap Opera' Sanctions Bid

    A Connecticut restaurant urged a federal judge to reject sanctions sought by a sushi chef alleging wage violations, arguing that the plaintiff's counsel has tried to turn a routine deposition dispute into a "soap opera."

  • April 09, 2026

    Chancery Agrees To Fast-Track $58M Food Sale Fight

    The Delaware Chancery Court on Thursday agreed to fast-track a dispute over a $58 million food distribution deal, finding that the buyer's claims of ongoing competitive harm warrant expedited proceedings and a near-term hearing on a preliminary injunction.

  • April 09, 2026

    DOL Urges 11th Circ. To Scrap ERISA Exhaustion Rule

    The U.S. Department of Labor urged the full Eleventh Circuit to overturn precedent making it the only appellate court requiring workers to exhaust administrative remedies before bringing any statutory claims under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. arguing that the standard is unfair and in conflict with ERISA.

  • April 08, 2026

    Starbucks Ends Wash. 'Patent Troll' Suit Against 2 Irish Cos.

    Starbucks Corp. agreed to drop its lawsuit against two Irish companies the coffee giant had accused of breaking a Washington law against "bad faith" patent infringement claims, according to a joint motion Tuesday asking a Washington federal judge to dismiss the action.

  • April 08, 2026

    JLL Lines Up $115M Retail Centers Portfolio Sale

    JLL Capital Markets arranged the $115 million sale of a seven-property, 558,000-square-foot portfolio of grocery-anchored retail centers operating in four East Coast states, the company has announced.

  • April 08, 2026

    SEC Says Booze Co. Ginned Up Bogus Sales In Investor Fraud

    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has sued the former CEO of a now-defunct organic alcohol company in Minnesota federal court for allegedly raising $2.4 million from investors after recording sham transactions to prop up the company amid financial difficulties.

  • April 08, 2026

    Abbott Urges Ill. Jury To Reject Claims Formula Led To NEC

    Counsel for Abbott Laboratories told an Illinois jury Wednesday that four infants, whose mothers allege the company's preterm baby formula caused their serious intestinal illness, would have developed the disease "even without a drop of formula" given other risk factors and that the absence of other feeding options at the time of the babies' births dooms their parents' claims.

  • April 08, 2026

    Texas Hemp Interests Say New THC Rule Defies Legislature

    A group of Texas hemp interests is suing state officials to halt implementation of new regulations restricting the sale of certain hemp products, alleging that the policy unlawfully sidestepped the authority of state lawmakers.

  • April 08, 2026

    MatchaBar Sold Lower-Grade Tea As 'Ceremonial,' Suit Says

    A matcha powder by MatchaBar Inc. is falsely marketed as "ceremonial grade" worthy of a Japanese tea ceremony despite independent testing by an expert showing the product actually exhibits "bitterness and astringency in taste," making it unlikely for formal ceremonies, according to a proposed class action by two consumers.

  • April 08, 2026

    Stella Rosa Maker Sues Texas Rival Over 'Rosa 32' Name

    San Antonio Winery hit a Houston-based family-owned beverage company with a trademark infringement suit in Texas federal court on Tuesday, contesting its use of "Rosa 32" in connection with its wines, which is confusingly similar to the plaintiff's "Rosa 22" digestif that is part of its famed Stella Rosa collection.

  • April 07, 2026

    11th Circ. Reinstates Ex-Pepsi Worker's Title VII Race Bias Suit

    The Eleventh Circuit on Tuesday revived a Black former Pepsi-Cola Bottling Co. employee's suit alleging he was fired for complaining about racist harassment, saying the lower court relied too heavily on a long-established legal framework for analyzing workplace bias evidence when dismissing his case.

  • April 07, 2026

    Keurig's K-Cup Pods Are Largely Unrecyclable, Suit Says

    Keurig Dr Pepper was hit with a proposed class action in California federal court Tuesday alleging that it misleads consumers into believing that its single-serve plastic coffee pods are recyclable despite the fact that most recycling centers in the country don't accept them due to their size, irregular shape and other characteristics.

  • April 07, 2026

    Wash. Panel Nixes Insurer's Gordon Rees Malpractice Claims

    A Washington Court of Appeals panel said a Great American insurance unit can't inherit an equipment manufacturer's legal malpractice claims against Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani LLP and Sinars Slowikowski LLC because of "potential conflict" between the insurer and manufacturer in the underlying dispute over a climber's fall.

  • April 07, 2026

    Squires Panel To Rehear Herd Management Patent Invalidation

    U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Director John Squires has convened a rehearing panel to reconsider whether a Patent Trial and Review Board decision that invalidated an animal management patent had done so properly.

  • April 07, 2026

    Chipotle Worker In Seattle Alleges Scheduling Law Violations

    Restaurant chain Chipotle violated two Seattle employment laws by failing to provide workers with adequate notice of scheduling adjustments and withholding additional pay owed to those affected by late scheduling changes, according to a proposed class action in Washington state court.

  • April 07, 2026

    $58M Verdict Against Givaudan Upheld In Toxic Exposure Suit

    A Missouri appeals court on Tuesday refused to throw out a $58 million judgment against Givaudan Flavors Corp. in a suit from a worker who alleged that exposure to its chemicals gave him an incurable lung disease, rejecting the company's argument that his experts were wrongly allowed to testify.

  • April 07, 2026

    Texas Panel Keeps Ex-GC's Suit Over Unpaid Bonuses Alive

    A Texas appeals court on Tuesday kept in play a suit by a dairy equipment manufacturer's former general counsel over unpaid bonuses, holding that updated anti-SLAPP rules applied to newly added claims in the suit and that the company failed to meet procedural requirements in trying to dismiss them.

  • April 07, 2026

    2nd Circ. Backs Cheese Producer In Whey Contract Battle

    A nutritional supplement maker forfeited an argument that its whey supplier was required to engage in ongoing sale negotiations by failing to raise it in the lower court, the Second Circuit ruled in upholding a summary judgment win for the world's largest producer of mozzarella cheese.

  • April 07, 2026

    Hormel Foods Faces Class Cert. Bid In Retirement Fund Suit

    An ex-worker for Hormel Foods Corp. asked a Minnesota federal judge to certify a class in his federal benefits lawsuit alleging the company failed to remove high-cost investment options with poor return rates from its $1.2 billion in employee retirement plans.

  • April 07, 2026

    John Deere Inks $99M Deal In Farmers' Right-To-Repair Suit

    John Deere has agreed to pay $99 million to a putative class of farmers to resolve claims that it limits competition for farm equipment repairs by preventing unaffiliated shops from acquiring the necessary tools, and will also provide injunctive relief that would allow those independent repair providers to be able to diagnose and fix John Deere-brand agricultural equipment.

  • April 07, 2026

    Fat Brands Landlords Want More Info On Lease Sales

    Mall owner Simon Property Group has joined with other landlords of Fat Brands' eateries to tell a Texas bankruptcy court that the restaurant group's proposed Chapter 11 sale procedures don't give the property owners sufficient input into the sale of their leases.

  • April 07, 2026

    Chipotle Settles Suit Over Pandemic Change Shortfalls

    Chipotle Mexican Grill has reached a settlement with a customer who accused the chain of shortchanging cash‑paying patrons during the 2020 COVID‑19 coin shortage, according to a joint status report filed in Pennsylvania federal court.

  • April 07, 2026

    NJ Food Biz Owner Fights Sanctions Bid Over Death Claims

    A New Jersey businessman suing the widow of a former business partner in a food industry contract dispute denied that he insinuated that his opponent played a role in her husband's death, saying the statements in question support his case.

Expert Analysis

  • Cos. Must Tailor Due Diligence As Trafficking Risks Increase

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    As legislators, prosecutors and plaintiffs attorneys increasingly focus on labor and sex trafficking throughout the U.S., companies must tailor their due diligence strategies to protect against forced labor trafficking risks in their supply chains, say attorneys at Steptoe.

  • Series

    Creating Botanical Art Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Pressing and framing plants that I grow has shown me that pursuing an endeavor that brings you joy can lead to surprising benefits for a legal career, including mental clarity, perspective and even a bit of humility, says Douglas Selph at Morris Manning.

  • What To Expect As Calif. Justices Weigh Arbitration Fee Law

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    If the California Supreme Court’s upcoming ruling in Hohenshelt v. Superior Court holds that the Federal Arbitration Act does not preempt the California Arbitration Act's strict fee deadlines, employers and businesses could lose the right to arbitrate over minor procedural delays, say attorneys at Bird Marella.

  • Opinion

    The Legal Education Status Quo Is No Longer Tenable

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    As underscored by the fallout from California’s February bar exam, legal education and licensure are tethered to outdated systems, and the industry must implement several key reforms to remain relevant and responsive to 21st century legal needs, says Matthew Nehmer at The Colleges of Law.

  • E-Discovery Quarterly: Rulings On Relevance Redactions

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    In recent cases addressing redactions that parties sought to apply based on the relevance of information — as opposed to considerations of privilege — courts have generally limited a party’s ability to withhold nonresponsive or irrelevant material, providing a few lessons for discovery strategy, say attorneys at Sidley.

  • Opinion

    Section 1983 Has Promise After End Of Nationwide Injunctions

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    After the U.S. Supreme Court recently struck down the practice of nationwide injunctions in Trump v. Casa, Section 1983 civil rights suits can provide a better pathway to hold the government accountable — but this will require reforms to qualified immunity, says Marc Levin at the Council on Criminal Justice.

  • Series

    Playing Soccer Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Soccer has become a key contributor to how I approach my work, and the lessons I’ve learned on the pitch about leadership, adaptability, resilience and communication make me better at what I do every day in my legal career, says Whitney O’Byrne at MoFo.

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: Learning From Failure

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    While law school often focuses on the importance of precision, correctness and perfection, mistakes are inevitable in real-world practice — but failure is not the opposite of progress, and real talent comes from the ability to recover, rethink and reshape, says Brooke Pauley at Tucker Ellis.

  • Series

    Adapting To Private Practice: From ATF Director To BigLaw

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    As a two-time boomerang partner, returning to BigLaw after stints as a U.S. attorney and the director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, people ask me how I know when to move on, but there’s no single answer — just clearly set your priorities, says Steven Dettelbach at BakerHostetler.

  • Influencer Marketing Partnerships Face Rising Litigation Risk

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    In light of recent class actions claiming that brands and influencers are misleading consumers with deceptive marketing practices — largely premised on the Federal Trade Commission's endorsements guidance — proactive compliance measures are becoming more important, say attorneys at Olshan Frome.

  • Mulling Worker Reclassification In Light Of No Tax On OT

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    The One Big Beautiful Bill Act's no-tax-on-overtime provisions provide tax relief for employees who regularly work overtime and are nonexempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act, but reclassifying employees may lead to higher compliance costs and increased wage and hour litigation for employers, says Steve Bronars at Edgeworth Economics.

  • 7 Ways Employers Can Avoid Labor Friction Over AI

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    As artificial intelligence use in the workplace emerges as a key labor relations topic in the U.S. and Europe, employers looking to reduce reputational risk and prevent costly disputes should consider proactive strategies to engage with unions, say attorneys at Baker McKenzie.

  • Series

    Playing Baseball Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Playing baseball in college, and now Wiffle ball in a local league, has taught me that teamwork, mental endurance and emotional intelligence are not only important to success in the sport, but also to success as a trial attorney, says Kevan Dorsey at Swift Currie.

  • What Cos. Must Note From EU's Delivery Hero-Glovo Ruling

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    The European Commission’s recent landmark decision in Delivery Hero-Glovo, sanctioning companies for the first time over a stand-alone no-poach cartel agreement, underscores the potential antitrust risks of horizontal cross-ownership between competitors, say lawyers at McDermott.

  • Ultra-Processed Food Claims Rely On Unproven Science

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    Plaintiffs' arguments that ultra-processed foods are responsible for the nationwide increase in certain chronic illnesses, though a novel approach to food-based personal injury claims, depend on theories that are still being tested, say attorneys at DLA Piper.

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