Food & Beverage

  • June 14, 2024

    UK Litigation Roundup: Here's What You Missed In London

    This past week in London has seen toy company Jellycat hit supermarket Aldi with an intellectual property claim, AIG start proceedings against firefighting foam company Angus International Safety Group, and the Solicitors Regulation Authority file a legal claim against the Post Office amid the ongoing Horizon IT scandal. Here, Law360 looks at these and other new claims in the U.K.

  • June 14, 2024

    Japan's Kirin Plans $1.4B Fancl Purchase Amid Health Kick

    Kirin Holdings Co. said Friday that it plans to buy the remaining shares it doesn't own in Fancl Corp. for about $1.4 billion, part of the Japanese beverage giant's continued push into the consumer health sector.

  • June 13, 2024

    DirecTV's 'NFL Tax' Gouged Sunday Ticket Buyers, Jury Told

    DirecTV gouged its Sunday Ticket subscribers by charging 24.6% above the "optimal price" it should have charged if the company was looking to maximize its profits instead of instituting an "NFL tax," an economist told a California federal jury considering multibillion-dollar antitrust claims against the league on Thursday.

  • June 13, 2024

    IP Forecast: Cooley Atty Faces DQ Bid Over Past Patent Work

    A prominent Cooley LLP lawyer will face questions next week in a Philadelphia courtroom over her work a decade ago at her former firm defending a cloud software startup that is now suing a Cooley client. Here's a spotlight on that case — plus all the other major intellectual property matters on deck in the coming week.

  • June 13, 2024

    Mich. Co. Claims Mexico Owes $2.7B For Illegal Land Grab

    A Michigan consumer products manufacturer has asked an international tribunal to order Mexico to pay it $2.7 billion, saying the country wrongfully seized 700 acres of the company's agricultural land in the Mexican state of Jalisco.

  • June 13, 2024

    Equipment Maker Looks To Chill Ice Creamery's Use Of Its IP

    A company that holds a patent for making ice cream using cryogenics has accused a Florida franchisor of falsely claiming to operate under a patent, saying in Washington federal court that the dessert purveyor has even been charging franchisees an "intellectual property fee."

  • June 13, 2024

    Wawa Beats Suit By Man Who Lost Leg In Crash Outside Store

    A New Jersey appellate court handed a victory to Wawa on Thursday, ruling that the convenience store didn't own the area outside the store where a customer lost his leg in a car accident while jaywalking and thus was not liable.

  • June 13, 2024

    Subway Can't Nix Arb. Award To Family Of Murdered Worker

    A Texas appellate panel on Wednesday declined to vacate an arbitration award to the family of a woman killed while working at Subway after rejecting Subway's argument the neutral arbitrator's Facebook posts complaining about State Farm and its attorneys are evidence of bias, finding neither are involved in the underlying case in any way.

  • June 13, 2024

    Payroll Records Doom Restaurant's Bid For H-2B Bartenders

    A U.S. Department of Labor judge has refused to let a Maryland business hire eight foreign bartenders, saying payroll information undermined claims that the business was experiencing surging demand between the spring and fall.

  • June 13, 2024

    New Evidence Triggers Amended Misclassification Complaint

    Growers accusing a chicken farm of misclassifying them as independent contractors can amend their suit, a South Carolina federal judge ruled Thursday, agreeing that new evidence they obtained could expand the suit's reach.

  • June 13, 2024

    Hemp Co. Sues SD Gov. Over New Cannabinoid Law

    A South Dakota hemp company on Thursday filed a federal lawsuit against the state's governor and attorney general over a new law due to take effect next month that would ban the processing of hemp derivatives into intoxicating products.

  • June 13, 2024

    Brewpub Reaches $115K Deal To Exit EEOC Retaliation Suit

    A restaurant and brewery agreed Thursday to pay $115,000 to resolve a lawsuit from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission accusing it of firing a Black cook for flagging verbal abuse of Black and Hispanic employees in the workplace, according to a filing in Georgia federal court.

  • June 13, 2024

    4th Circ. Revives Bacardi Fight Over Expired TM Renewal

    The Fourth Circuit on Thursday revived Bacardi's lawsuit challenging the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's decision to renew an expired trademark registration for Havana Club rum, finding such registration renewals can be reviewed by the courts.

  • June 13, 2024

    Tribes Fight BC's Consultation Policy On Aboriginal Rights

    Indigenous nations along British Columbia's U.S. border want a say in projects they claim will threaten the environment and their quality of life after the Canadian province announced plans earlier this year to develop a policy to clarify how tribes located outside the country are consulted on such endeavors.

  • June 13, 2024

    Starbucks Must Share Hot-Drink Training Info In Burn Suit

    Starbucks must turn over information on how it trains employees to handle hot drinks at drive-throughs and on recent complaints received in the Detroit area, a Michigan federal judge said Thursday after finding the information is relevant to a customer's suit alleging she was severely burned when a lid popped off her hot tea cup.

  • June 13, 2024

    Perdue Wants Copycat Wage Suit Tossed or Transferred

    Perdue Foods asked a Maryland federal judge Thursday to throw out or transfer to Georgia a chicken grower's suit alleging independent contractor misclassification, saying the claims are identical to another suit in that state the named plaintiff was involved with.

  • June 13, 2024

    Mass. High Court Approves Tipped Wage Ballot Measure

    Massachusetts' highest court on Thursday gave its blessing to a November ballot question asking voters to increase the state's minimum wage for tipped workers, finding that pairing the measure with a provision to allow tip pooling is part of an overall public policy goal to boost wages for all service industry employees.

  • June 13, 2024

    Brazilian Food Chain Co. SouthRock Files Ch. 15 In Texas

    SouthRock Capital Ltda., a Brazilian private equity company that operates international food service brands including Starbucks and TGI Friday, filed for Chapter 15 bankruptcy in Texas, blaming its insolvency on the COVID-19 pandemic and volatility in Brazil's economy.

  • June 13, 2024

    Supreme Court Tightens NLRB Injunction Test

    The U.S. Supreme Court made it tougher for the National Labor Relations Board to win injunctions against employers Thursday in a case involving Starbucks, directing courts to strictly apply a four-factor test when the board sues to stem alleged unfair labor practices.

  • June 12, 2024

    NFL Exec Denies League Fixed Sunday Ticket Price At Trial

    One of the NFL's top executives denied on the witness stand Wednesday in a California federal courtroom that the league dictated the cost of the DirecTV Sunday Ticket package, pushing back when an attorney for subscribers bringing multibillion-dollar antitrust claims suggested some internal emails are evidence the league fixed the price.

  • June 12, 2024

    Oil Cos. Ignore Precedent In Climate Change Row, Tribes Say

    Two Washington tribes seeking to remand their consolidated cases against several oil industry giants to state court say the defendants' arguments of complete preemption in their efforts to keep the climate change litigation in the federal circuit misconstrues precedent, including claims to vindicate aboriginal title.

  • June 12, 2024

    Something Fishy With Conagra's '100% Whole Fish,' Suit Says

    Customers alleged in Illinois federal court Tuesday that Conagra misled them by marketing its popular Van de Kamp's and Mrs. Paul's frozen fish products as "100% whole fish," despite artificially adding weight to those fish with an industrial filler and extra water.

  • June 12, 2024

    $18.8M Theft Coverage Suit Must Be Heard In State Court

    A Texas federal judge ruled that a lawsuit brought against an insurer over $18.8 million in theft and vandalism at a Georgia shopping center belongs in state court, refusing to create diversity by removing a plaintiff. 

  • June 12, 2024

    Conn. Eatery Owners Threatened To Kill Ex-Worker, DOL Says

    A Connecticut restaurant group and its leaders ordered workers to lie to federal investigators during a wage and hour probe and threatened to kill an ex-worker for helping the U.S. Department of Labor, the agency said in a complaint filed in federal court.

  • June 12, 2024

    Ex-Wendy's Worker Drops Suit Over Breast-Pumping Space

    A former Wendy's employee who accused the company and multiple related entities of failing to provide proper private space for workers to pump breast milk despite federal labor laws requiring them to do so has permanently dropped her claims from Ohio federal court.

Expert Analysis

  • How Clients May Use AI To Monitor Attorneys

    Excerpt from Practical Guidance
    Author Photo

    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

    Author Photo

    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

    Author Photo

    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

    Author Photo

    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

    Author Photo

    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.

  • High Court's Chevron Review May Be A Crypto Game-Changer

    Author Photo

    The outcome of the U.S. Supreme Court's review of the Chevron doctrine in its pending Loper v. Raimondo case will potentially usher in a paradigm shift in cryptocurrency regulation, challenging agency authority and raising hopes for a recalibrated approach that favors judicial interpretation, says Sylvia Favretto at Mysten Labs.

  • Alcohol's E-Commerce Spike Brings Regulatory Dilemmas

    Author Photo

    In the evolving landscape of beverage alcohol e-commerce, the clash between supplier marketing and tied-house laws poses challenges, with regulators grappling to keep pace with the digital marketplace, leaving the industry in a gray area, says Jaci Flug at Greenspoon Marder.

  • Opinion

    Legal Profession Gender Parity Requires Equal Parental Leave

    Author Photo

    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.

  • New Regs Will Strengthen Voluntary Carbon Offset Market

    Author Photo

    Voluntary carbon offsets are a vital tool for organizations seeking to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions — and recent efforts by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the state of California and others are essential to enhancing the reliability and authenticity of carbon credits, says David Smith at Manatt.

  • Series

    Writing Thriller Novels Makes Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    Authoring several thriller novels has enriched my work by providing a fresh perspective on my privacy practice, expanding my knowledge, and keeping me alert to the next wave of issues in an increasingly complex space — a reminder to all lawyers that extracurricular activities can help sharpen professional instincts, says Reece Hirsch at Morgan Lewis.

  • What Lawyers Must Know About Calif. State Bar's AI Guidance

    Author Photo

    Initial recommendations from the State Bar of California regarding use of generative artificial intelligence by lawyers have the potential to become a useful set of guidelines in the industry, covering confidentiality, supervision and training, communications, discrimination and more, say attorneys at Debevoise.

  • Industry Must Elevate Native American Women Attys' Stories

    Author Photo

    The American Bar Association's recent research study into Native American women attorneys' experiences in the legal industry reveals the glacial pace of progress, and should inform efforts to amplify Native voices in the field, says Mary Smith, president of the ABA.

  • Understanding Discovery Obligations In Era Of Generative AI

    Excerpt from Practical Guidance
    Author Photo

    Attorneys and businesses must adapt to the unique discovery challenges presented by generative artificial intelligence, such as chatbot content and prompts, while upholding the principles of fairness, transparency and compliance with legal obligations in federal civil litigation, say attorneys at King & Spalding.

  • IP Suits Over Brand Owner Font Use Offer Cautionary Tales

    Author Photo

    Dyan Finguerra-DuCharme and Mallory Chandler at Pryor Cashman consider the history of fonts and point to recent court decisions that show how brand owners can avoid legal typeface troubles.

  • Series

    ESG Around The World: Mexico

    Author Photo

    ESG has yet to become part of the DNA of the Mexican business model, but huge strides are being made in that direction, as more stakeholders demand that companies adopt, at the least, a modicum of sustainability commitments and demonstrate how they will meet them, says Carlos Escoto at Galicia Abogados.

Want to publish in Law360?


Submit an idea

Have a news tip?


Contact us here
Can't find the article you're looking for? Click here to search the Food & Beverage archive.
Hello! I'm Law360's automated support bot.

How can I help you today?

For example, you can type:
  • I forgot my password
  • I took a free trial but didn't get a verification email
  • How do I sign up for a newsletter?
Ask a question!