Food & Beverage

  • April 01, 2025

    Court Won't Toss FTC's Merger Penalty Case Against 7-Eleven

    A D.C. federal court refused to toss the Federal Trade Commission's case looking to hit 7-Eleven with a $77.5 million penalty for allegedly violating a merger settlement after rejecting arguments that only the U.S. Department of Justice can seek civil penalties for the commission.

  • April 01, 2025

    Carnival Biz, H-2B Visa Workers To Settle Wage Suit

    A carnival business that tours the East Coast and two H-2B visa workers who alleged that it forced them to work long hours in sometimes dangerous conditions without overtime pay have agreed to settle a proposed class action, according to Virginia federal court records.

  • March 31, 2025

    Hooters Hits Ch. 11 With Plans For Restaurant Sales

    Restaurant chain Hooters filed for Chapter 11 protection in a Texas bankruptcy court late Monday with about $380 million in debt, saying it has reached a deal to shed its company-owned restaurants and trade debt for equity.

  • March 31, 2025

    Minimum Wage Orders Blocked For H-2A Farmworkers In Wash.

    The U.S. Department of Labor may not approve minimum wage job orders for migrant farmworkers in Washington state, a federal judge has ruled, saying seasonal farmworkers with H-2A visas must receive paychecks that don't depress agricultural wages in the area.

  • March 31, 2025

    Agencies Shouldn't Hear PFAS Class Claims, Conn. Court Told

    A Connecticut state judge should not dismiss most of a putative class action alleging that Aquarion Water Co. knowingly sold water contaminated with "forever chemicals" because the Eversource Energy unit is wrong that the claims should go before state regulators first, according to the plaintiffs.

  • March 31, 2025

    Chicken Processor Strikes $7.26M Deal In Wage Suit

    A North Carolina chicken processor and workers claiming unpaid wages jointly requested that a federal court greenlight a deal in which the company agreed to pay $7.26 million to the workers.

  • March 31, 2025

    Trader Joe's Scores Win In Chocolate Heavy Metals Case

    Consumers alleging dark chocolate sold by Trader Joe's contains unsafe levels of lead and cadmium cannot pursue some of their state law claims because information about the presence of heavy metals in chocolate has been reasonably available to consumers for decades, a California federal judge ruled.

  • March 31, 2025

    Nut Butter Co. Says Calif. Rival Copied 'Big Spoon' Trademark

    A North Carolina company that makes various nut butters under the name "Big Spoon" is suing a California sauce company for trademark infringement, saying in a federal complaint that the rival business is selling similar products using the same name and confusing customers.

  • March 28, 2025

    DOJ Alleges Missing Docs In Agri Stats Price-Fixing Case

    The U.S. Department of Justice asked a Minnesota federal judge to force Agri Stats Inc. to produce more information in a case alleging the company's industry reports facilitate price-fixing by chicken, pork and turkey producers, raising concerns over widespread discovery failures and "facially unsupported privilege claims."

  • March 28, 2025

    Grocery Vendor Gets $3M In Atty Fees In Bony Chicken Case

    A Washington federal judge has awarded an Evergreen State grocery vendor about $3 million in attorney fees following its $10.5 million jury trial win in its case blaming a poultry producer for a lost chicken burger deal with Trader Joe's, acknowledging the "excellent work" of the plaintiff's counsel while stopping short of granting the full $4.5 million fee request.

  • March 28, 2025

    Judge Ends $400M Air Force Base PFAS Contamination Case

    A Court of Federal Claims judge has dismissed a $400 million lawsuit from New Mexico landowners alleging that PFAS runoff from a nearby U.S. Air Force base contaminated their land, saying they hadn't shown any taking by the government.

  • March 28, 2025

    Kroger, Albertsons Appeal Block Of $24.6B Merger

    Kroger and Albertsons say they plan to appeal a Washington state judge's ruling that blocked the $24.6 billion merger of the grocery chains and determined the state could collect legal costs for prevailing in its Consumer Protection Act suit opposing the deal.

  • March 28, 2025

    Nitrous Oxide Makers, Sellers Sued Over 'Whippet' Death

    The estate of a woman who died after inhaling nitrous oxide as a recreational drug is suing makers and sellers of the canisters, alleging they are knowingly selling them to be used as "whippets."

  • March 28, 2025

    NYC Margaritaville Ch. 11 Plan OK'd After Buffett Hit Played

    A New York bankruptcy judge on Friday confirmed the Chapter 11 plan of the developer of the Margaritaville resort in Times Square, as he played the resort's namesake song during a hearing.

  • March 28, 2025

    Insurer Denied Early Win In $6.1M Cargo Loss Coverage Suit

    A New York federal judge said there was too much controversy to hand an early win to a stone company in its case seeking coverage of a more than $6.1 million loss over marble destroyed by a snail infestation. 

  • March 28, 2025

    Taxation With Representation: Norton Rose, Latham, Ashurst

    In this week's Taxation With Representation, Dollar Tree sells its Family Dollar business to private equity firms, eye care company Alcon buys medical technology company Lensar and Ithaca Energy PLC buys the U.K. subsidiary of Japan Petroleum Exploration Co. Ltd.

  • March 28, 2025

    NC Biz Court Bulletin: TikTok Duel Heats Up, NIL Suit Plays On

    In March, the North Carolina Business Court readied for trial in an insurance coverage dispute involving Smithfield Foods, heard why TikTok is subject to the state's jurisdiction, and allowed the Cardiac Pack's NIL suit against the NCAA to proceed while a parallel case plays out.

  • March 27, 2025

    Trade Court Skewers ITC Over Secretive Redaction Policy

    The U.S. Court of International Trade issued a stinging rebuke of the U.S. International Trade Commission Thursday, clarifying disclosure laws and accusing the quasi-judicial agency of being too protective of information it deems "confidential" in violation of basic transparency rules.

  • March 27, 2025

    Nuture Can't Escape Parents' Heavy Metal Baby Food Case

    Nurture Inc. cannot escape consolidated class claims brought by parents who allege the baby food manufacturer hid the presence of toxic heavy metals in its Happy Family Organics products, a Manhattan federal judge ruled Wednesday.

  • March 27, 2025

    DC Judge Seems Open To Fired Inspectors' Reinstatement Bid

    A D.C. federal judge on Thursday questioned whether it would make practical sense to reinstate eight inspectors general fired by President Donald Trump while signaling openness to the federal watchdogs' argument that the president must follow the legally mandated process before they can be terminated.

  • March 27, 2025

    Meta Gets Stiff-Armed On FuriosaAI Offer, And More Rumors

    In a bold move that underscores the growing confidence and independence of artificial intelligence startups, FuriosaAI reportedly rejected an $800 million acquisition offer from Meta. Nvidia is also on the verge of acquiring Lepton AI, and Apollo is mulling a sale of Cox Media. Here, Law360 breaks down these and other notable deal rumors from the past week.

  • March 27, 2025

    Costco Settles Listeria-Contaminated Chicken Wrap Claims

    Costco Wholesale Corp. has settled a putative class action brought by a Florida man who claimed he ate a chicken wrap contaminated with listeria from one of its stores and had to be hospitalized.

  • March 27, 2025

    DOJ's Antitrust Unit Targeting Anticompetitive Regulations

    The U.S. Department of Justice launched a task force on Thursday aimed at eliminating state and federal laws and regulations that are hindering competition, with an initial focus on key sectors including housing, food and transportation.

  • March 27, 2025

    NC Biz Court Limits Testimony In Smithfield Coverage Trial

    A North Carolina business court judge refused to exclude expert witnesses from either side of an insurance coverage dispute between Smithfield Foods Inc. and a Chubb subsidiary, but did limit their testimony for the firms' upcoming April trial on how much the insurer owes for breaching its duty to defend.

  • March 27, 2025

    3rd Circ. Says Pension Law OKs Suits To Enforce Settlements

    A Teamsters pension fund can go after a bankrupt dairy business's affiliates for the $39 million that the business owes the fund under the terms of a settlement, the Third Circuit ruled Thursday, saying the fund has a viable cause of action under the Multiemployer Pension Plan Amendments Act.

Expert Analysis

  • E-Discovery Quarterly: Rulings On Custodian Selection

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    Several recent rulings make clear that the proportionality of additional proposed custodians will depend on whether the custodians have unique relevant documents, and producing parties should consider whether information already in the record will show that they have relevant documents that otherwise might not be produced, say attorneys at Sidley.

  • Surprise NC COVID Ruling Revises Reasonable Expectations

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    The North Carolina Supreme Court's recent finding in favor of policyholders in a suit for business interruption coverage due to COVID-19 shutdown orders runs contrary to most other state and federal courts' holdings on the issue, and may revitalize the reasonable expectations doctrine in the state, say attorneys at Goldberg Segalla.

  • Complying With Seasonal Product Labeling Requirements

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    Though the holiday season is in the rearview, many seasonal alcohol products remain in the market, and producers should ensure that their labels comply with the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau's additional requirements for such products, say attorneys at McDermott.

  • Series

    Exercising On My Peloton Bike Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    While I originally came to the Peloton bike for exercise, one cycling instructor’s teachings have come to serve as a road map for practicing law thoughtfully and mindfully, which has opened opportunities for growth and change in my career, says Andrea Kirshenbaum at Littler.

  • 5 Drug And Device Developments That Shaped 2024

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    The last year saw significant legal developments affecting drug and device manufacturers, with landmark decisions and regulatory changes that require vigilance and agility from the industry, say attorneys at Faegre Drinker.

  • How To Manage During A Trade Dispute With USMCA Partners

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    Companies can try to minimize the potential impacts of future tariffs on Mexican and Canadian goods, and uncertainty about future trade relations, by evaluating supply chains, considering how they may be modified, and engaging with the new administration over exemptions and the upcoming review of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, say attorneys at Holland & Knight.

  • Exploring Venue Strategy For Trump-Era Regulatory Litigation

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    Litigation will likely play a prominent role in shaping policy outcomes during the second Trump administration, and stakeholders have several tools at their disposal to steer regulatory litigation toward more favorable venues, say attorneys at Covington.

  • Product Safety Issues In 2024 Highlight Need For Vigilance

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    A look at some of the medications and foods that led to significant class actions last year demonstrates the need for robust regulatory systems and proactive measures to protect consumers from defective and harmful products, says Jennifer Taylor at the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin.

  • Lessons Learned From 2024's Top ADA Decisions

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    Last year's major litigation related to the Americans with Disabilities Act highlights that when dealing with accommodation requests, employers must communicate clearly, appreciate context and remain flexible in addressing needs, say attorneys at Dechert.

  • Series

    Playing Esports Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Competing in a global esports tournament at Wimbledon last year not only fulfilled my childhood dream, but also sharpened skills that are essential to my day job, including strategic thinking, confidence and networking, says AJ Schuyler at Jackson Lewis.

  • The 6 Most Significant FCRA Litigation Developments Of 2024

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    From a key sovereign immunity decision at the U.S. Supreme Court to a ruling on creditworthiness out of the Seventh Circuit, several important Fair Credit Reporting Act cases wound their way through the courts in 2024, each offering takeaways for both plaintiffs and defendants, say attorneys at Shipkevich.

  • An Associate's Guide To Career Development In 2025

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    As the new year begins, associates at all levels should consider establishing career metrics, fostering key relationships and employing other specific strategies to help move through the complexities of the legal profession with confidence and emerge as trailblazers, say EJ Stern and Amanda George at Fractional Law Firm.

  • Series

    Fixing Up Cars Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    From problem-solving to patience and adaptability to organization, the skills developed working under the hood of a car directly translate to being a more effective lawyer, says Christopher Mdeway at Kaufman Dolowich.

  • 2024's Most Notable FTC Actions Against Dark Patterns And AI

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    In 2024 the Federal Trade Commission ramped up enforcement actions related to dark patterns, loudly signaling its concern that advertisers will use AI to manipulate consumer habits and its intention to curb businesses' use and marketing of AI to prevent alleged consumer deception, say attorneys at Goodwin.

  • Making The Pitch To Grow Your Company's Legal Team

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    In a compressed economy, convincing the C-suite to invest in additional legal talent can be a herculean task, but a convincing pitch — supported by metrics and cost analyses — may help in-house counsel justify the growth of their team, say Elizabeth Smith and Roger Garceau at Major Lindsey.

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