Food & Beverage

  • January 14, 2025

    EPA Warns Of Possible Forever Chemical Risk In Fertilizer

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday said that forever chemicals present in fertilizers could pose a health risk to people living or working on or near farms, a finding that could result in new regulations.

  • January 14, 2025

    1st Circ. Won't Revive Cape Cod Restaurants' Ordinance Case

    The First Circuit has declined to revive a case brought by two restaurants on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, that alleged they were selectively targeted with enforcement of a municipal noise ordinance and COVID-19 restrictions, saying the eateries failed to make a proper showing that their constitutional rights were violated.

  • January 14, 2025

    Wage Violations Get NC Farmers Kicked Out Of H-2A Program

    A North Carolina father and daughter must pay $166,000 in fines and face a three-year debarment from the H-2A seasonal worker program for various violations, including underpaying farmworkers, the U.S. Department of Labor said Tuesday.

  • January 13, 2025

    Meat Giant JBS To Address Child Labor In $4M DOL Deal

    The U.S. Department of Labor announced Monday that it secured an agreement with JBS USA Food Co. that requires the meatpacking processor and slaughterhouse giant to put $4 million towards helping those affected by unlawful child labor practices.

  • January 13, 2025

    Amid Claims Of Agency Bias, DEA Judge Nixes Pot Hearings

    A Drug Enforcement Administration tribunal on Monday canceled planned hearings on the merits of a proposal to loosen federal restrictions on marijuana so that pro-rescheduling parties can bring their allegations of agency bias straight to the DEA's administrator.

  • January 13, 2025

    Justices Urged To Uphold 'Sanctity' Of $11M Patent Verdict

    The Federal Circuit disrespected "the sanctity of jury verdicts" when ordering a jury to revisit Provisur Technologies' $10.5 million willful infringement award, the company told the U.S. Supreme Court in a new petition.

  • January 13, 2025

    McDonald's Sued Over College Scholarship For Latinos

    The same organization that successfully sued Harvard University over its affirmative action policies targeted McDonald's with a lawsuit in Tennessee federal court Sunday over its Latino scholarship program, arguing it violates a federal statute governing equal rights under the law.

  • January 13, 2025

    They Don't Do IP Like That In Europe, Justices Told

    The U.S. manufacturing lobby has told the U.S. Supreme Court that a recent Federal Circuit decision that wiped out patents covering an artificial sweetener used in Coke Zero is inconsistent with patent laws in Europe, China and other Asian countries. 

  • January 13, 2025

    Trump Taps Gibson Dunn Partner For EPA's No. 2 Post

    President-elect Donald Trump said he intends to nominate David Fotouhi, a partner at Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP, to serve in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's No. 2 post during his administration.

  • January 13, 2025

    Acting USPTO Chief Won't Review Seed IP Challenge Denial

    The acting leader of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office shot down a bid by a Cambridge, Massachusetts, gene-editing startup to review decisions rejecting its challenges to patents covering purportedly novel corn seeds developed by a unit of DowDuPont spin-off Corteva.

  • January 13, 2025

    Moroccan Fertilizer Co. Takes US To Task Over Duty Probe

    A Moroccan fertilizer company pushed to undo a 16.6% countervailing duty on its products Monday, alleging that the U.S. Department of Commerce made a litany of errors in determining that Moroccan government subsidies gave the company an unfair advantage in the U.S. market.

  • January 13, 2025

    Justices Won't Hear Farming Partnership's Crop Policy Fight

    The U.S. Supreme Court refused Monday to review a Ninth Circuit decision backing the Federal Crop Insurance Corp.'s conclusion that a farming partnership seeking to recover its $1.9 million policy limit didn't qualify for coverage.

  • January 13, 2025

    Houston Jury Clears Austin Whiskey Maker In Landry TM Row

    A Texas state court jury ruled Monday that an Austin whiskey company's use of the "Landry" name did not cause a likelihood of confusion with a conglomerate of hospitality brands owned by Houston billionaire Tilman Fertitta.

  • January 13, 2025

    Feds Say NC Medical Biz Owner Overbilled For Nutrient Drinks

    A North Carolina businessman who ran a durable medical equipment business under multiple names overbilled the state's Medicaid program $1.85 million for special enteral nutritional formulas used to treat inherited metabolic disorders when he was actually just providing people common nutritional shakes like Ensure, the federal government said.

  • January 13, 2025

    Supreme Court Turns Away IP Safe Harbor Dispute

    The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday said it won't consider whether the Federal Circuit has overexpanded a safe harbor for drug development, in litigation where Meril Life Sciences escaped allegations that it infringed Edwards Lifesciences' heart valve patents.

  • January 13, 2025

    High Court Skips 9th Circ. Sesame Oil TM Decision

    The U.S. Supreme Court said Monday it would not consider an India-based sesame oil company's challenge to a Ninth Circuit opinion siding against it in its trademark infringement case against a New Jersey business.

  • January 13, 2025

    Justices Reject Utah's Effort To Wrest Land From Feds

    The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected Utah's claims that the federal government is stifling economic activity in the state by unconstitutionally hoarding and profiting from public lands.

  • January 10, 2025

    Landry's Resorted To 'Nasty' Tactics In TM Row, Jury Told

    An attorney for a Texas whiskey-maker told a Houston jury Friday that lawyers for Landry's LLC used "nasty" tactics as he urged the panel to rule that his client hadn't ripped off the name of the restaurant and entertainment conglomerate.

  • January 10, 2025

    Fla. Bank Sues Cargill Over $18M In Fraudulent Transfers

    A Florida bank is suing food company Cargill Inc. over more than $18 million in transfers the bank thought were going to a Miami-based coffee company with which it had a credit agreement and that was in a precarious financial position after suffering "catastrophic" losses trading in the coffee market.

  • January 10, 2025

    Hog Supplier's Contract Tussle With Smithfield OK'd For Trial

    A former hog supplier in North Carolina can take some of its breach of contract claims to trial in a lawsuit alleging Smithfield Foods Inc.'s pricing practices were a death knell for the supplier's swine operations, according to a newly unsealed state Business Court opinion.

  • January 10, 2025

    FDA Issues Infant Formula Safety Strategy

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday sent out a strategy to boost the resiliency of the country's infant formula market in the wake of a 2022 recall and the aftermath of a shortage of baby formula.

  • January 10, 2025

    Feds Ask 15 Years For Menendez In Case Of 'Historical Rarity'

    Prosecutors have asked a Manhattan federal judge to sentence former U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez to at least 15 years in prison after he was convicted of taking bribes from three New Jersey business executives in exchange for political favors.

  • January 09, 2025

    Wonderful Pistachios Defeats Worker's Shed-Trapping Appeal

    A California appellate court on Thursday refused to resurrect a former Wonderful Pistachios & Almonds worker's claims that former colleagues of hers trapped her in a shed during work, finding that her objections to an arbitrator's determinations in Wonderful Pistachios' favor lack merit.

  • January 09, 2025

    Kroger Drops FTC Constitutionality Fight After Nixed Merger

    Kroger on Thursday voluntarily dismissed its case challenging the constitutionality of the Federal Trade Commission's in-house court, after the agency dropped its administrative case targeting the grocery chain's abandoned deal for Albertsons.

  • January 09, 2025

    Whiskey Maker Says 'Landry' Name Use 'Isn't Just About Me'

    The owner of a whiskey company accused of ripping off the name used by a host of hospitality brands owned by Houston billionaire Tilman Fertitta testified that he started his company with the honest belief that the name "Landry" was available for use for liquor sales.

Expert Analysis

  • Series

    Glassblowing Makes Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    I never expected that glassblowing would strongly influence my work as an attorney, but it has taught me the importance of building a solid foundation for your work, learning from others and committing to a lifetime of practice, says Margaret House at Kalijarvi Chuzi.

  • Best Practices For Chemical Transparency In Supply Chains

    Author Photo

    A flurry of new and forthcoming regulations in different jurisdictions that require disclosure of potentially hazardous substances used in companies' products and processes will require businesses to take proactive steps to build chemical transparency into their supply chains, and engage robustly and systematically with vendors, says Jillian Stacy at Enhesa.

  • How Associates Can Build A Professional Image

    Author Photo

    As hybrid work arrangements become the norm in the legal industry, early-career attorneys must be proactive in building and maintaining a professional presence in both physical and digital settings, ensuring that their image aligns with their long-term career goals, say Lana Manganiello at Equinox Strategy Partners and Estelle Winsett at Estelle Winsett Professional Image Consulting.

  • Firms Must Rethink How They Train New Lawyers In AI Age

    Author Photo

    As law firms begin to use generative artificial intelligence to complete lower-level legal tasks, they’ll need to consider new ways to train summer associates and early-career attorneys, keeping in mind the five stages of skill acquisition, says Liisa Thomas at Sheppard Mullin.

  • Think Like A Lawyer: Always Be Closing

    Author Photo

    When a lawyer presents their case with the right propulsive structure throughout trial, there is little need for further argument after the close of evidence — and in fact, rehashing it all may test jurors’ patience — so attorneys should consider other strategies for closing arguments, says Luke Andrews at Poole Huffman.

  • How A Bumblebee Got Under Calif. Wildlife Regulator's Bonnet

    Author Photo

    A California bumblebee's listing as an endangered species could lead to a regulatory quagmire as California Department of Fish and Wildlife permits now routinely include survey requirements for the bee, but the regulator has yet to determine what the species needs for conservation, says David Smith at Manatt.

  • Wiretap Use In Cartel Probes Likely To Remain An Exception

    Author Photo

    Although the U.S. Department of Justice's Antitrust Division has recently signaled interest in wiretaps, the use of this technology to capture evidence of antitrust conspiracies and pursue monopolization as a criminal matter has been rare historically, and is likely to remain so, say Carsten Reichel and Will Conway at DLA Piper.

  • Series

    Playing Chess Makes Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    There are many ways that chess skills translate directly into lawyer skills, but for me, the bigger career lessons go beyond the direct parallels — playing chess has shown me the value of seeing gradual improvement in and focusing deep concentration on a nonwork endeavor, says attorney Steven Fink.

  • Litigation Inspiration: Attys Can Be Heroic Like Olympians

    Author Photo

    Although litigation won’t earn anyone an Olympic medal in Paris this summer, it can be worthy of the same lasting honor if attorneys exercise focused restraint — seeking both their clients’ interests and those of the court — instead of merely pursuing every advantage short of sanctionable conduct, says Bennett Rawicki at Hilgers Graben.

  • Lean Into The 'Great Restoration' To Retain Legal Talent

    Author Photo

    As the “great resignation,” in which employees voluntarily left their jobs in droves, has largely dissipated, legal employers should now work toward the idea of a “great restoration,” adopting strategies to effectively hire, onboard and retain top legal talent, says Molly McGrath at Hiring & Empowering Solutions.

  • Momofuku Chili War May Chill Common Phrase TM Apps

    Author Photo

    Momofuku’s recent trademark battle over the “Chili Crunch” mark shows that over-enforcement when protecting exclusivity rights may backfire not just in the public eye, but with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office as well, says Anthony Panebianco at Davis Malm.

  • What The NYSE Proposed Delisting Rule Could Mean For Cos.

    Author Photo

    The New York Stock Exchange's recently proposed rule would provide the exchange with discretionary authority to commence delisting proceedings for a company substantially shifting its primary business focus, raising concerns for NYSE-listed companies over the exact definition of the exchange's proposed "substantially different" standard, say attorneys at Winston & Strawn.

  • Trademark In Artistic Works 1 Year After Jack Daniel's

    Author Photo

    In the year since the U.S. Supreme Court's Jack Daniel's v. VIP Products ruling, courts have applied Jack Daniel's inconsistently to deny First Amendment protection to artistic works, providing guidance for dismissing trademark claims relating to film and TV titles, say Hardy Ehlers and Neema Sahni at Covington.

  • Series

    Fishing Makes Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    Atop the list of ways fishing makes me a better lawyer is the relief it offers from the chronic stress of a demanding caseload, but it has also improved my listening skills and patience, and has served as an exceptional setting for building earnest relationships, says Steven DeGeorge​​​​​​​ at Robinson Bradshaw.

  • A Healthier Legal Industry Starts With Emotional Intelligence

    Author Photo

    The legal profession has long been plagued by high rates of mental health issues, in part due to attorneys’ early training and broader societal stereotypes — but developing one’s emotional intelligence is one way to foster positive change, collectively and individually, says attorney Esperanza Franco.

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!