Food & Beverage

  • June 25, 2024

    Plant Based Food Group Has No Injury From Okla. Meat Law

    An Oklahoma federal judge has thrown out a suit from Plant Based Foods Association challenging an Oklahoma law about labeling plant-based meat products, saying neither they nor their member company co-plaintiff have demonstrated that they have been, or will be, injured by enforcement of the law.

  • June 25, 2024

    Judge Stays Food Supplier's Wastewater Suit Against Ga. City

    A Georgia federal judge on Monday agreed to stay a lawsuit in which a food supplier alleged the city of Dawsonville, Georgia, and seven city officials threatened to shut off water and sewage service to its poultry plant based on $1.5 million in illegally assessed wastewater discharge penalties.

  • June 24, 2024

    5th Circ. Weighs 'Binding Authority' Of Gulf Fishery Council

    A Fifth Circuit panel on Monday pushed back against the government's assertion that members of a council tasked with regulating fishing in federal waters do not count as federal officers, saying the council's ability to limit changes to federal rules "sounds like a legally binding authority."

  • June 24, 2024

    Harvard Prof Calls NFL Sunday Ticket 'Highly Anticompetitive'

    A Harvard law professor testified Monday in a multibillion-dollar antitrust lawsuit over the NFL's Sunday Ticket that pooling teams' television rights into exclusive deals is not like Beyoncé having an exclusive music distributor — as an NFL expert testified — but like Beyoncé, Rihanna, Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish pooling rights.

  • June 24, 2024

    Nev. Restaurant Co.'s COVID Suit Is Kept Alive

    A group of insurers can't avoid a restaurant holding company's bid for coverage of COVID-19-related losses, a Nevada state court ruled, finding that the state supreme court's ruling on the subject didn't control the action because of an infectious disease endorsement in the company's policies.

  • June 24, 2024

    Mars Beats Dove Chocolate False Ad Suit At 9th Circ.

    The Ninth Circuit affirmed the dismissal Monday of a proposed class action claiming that a Mars subsidiary falsely advertised its Dove dark chocolate products as being made without using child slave labor or contributing to rainforest deforestation, finding that the candy packages' "Rainforest Alliance Certified farms" labeling isn't misleading.

  • June 24, 2024

    $12.8M Deal Ending Some Chiquita MDL Claims Gets Approval

    A Florida federal judge said Monday he would sign off on a proposed $12.8 million settlement between Chiquita Brands International Inc. and some of the victims suing the banana company over its funding of Colombian paramilitary groups.

  • June 24, 2024

    Paper Bag Imports Found To Have Harmed US Industry

    The U.S. International Trade Commission ruled that paper shopping bags from eight countries harmed the domestic industry, providing the final green light for the U.S. Department of Commerce to enact countervailing and anti-dumping duties on the products.

  • June 24, 2024

    Biotech Co. Hits Ch. 11 With Plans For Sale And 'Reboot'

    Virginia-based synthetic biology products maker Solar Biotech Inc. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in Delaware with plans to sell its assets, saying a difficult capital market, the loss of a major client and the pandemic drained its cash and caused it to furlough employees.

  • June 21, 2024

    DOL Says Union's Farm Wage Challenge Too Late

    The U.S. Department of Labor has pushed back against a challenge to rules introduced in 2022 that a Washington union said are depressing farmworkers' wages, telling a federal judge Friday that the union should have objected during the rule-making period.

  • June 21, 2024

    Aramark Sued In Wash. For Alleged Pay Transparency Lapses

    Aramark has been accused of violating Washington state's pay transparency law by failing to give full pay ranges in job postings, according to a proposed class action the food services giant removed to Washington federal court on Thursday.

  • June 21, 2024

    Kona Ice Nabs $533K In Toppings Dispenser Patent Trial

    A Florida federal jury has come to the conclusion that a small shaved ice franchise from Boca Raton owes the Kona Ice brand a little over half a million dollars for infringing a patent covering a "liquid toppings dispensing system."

  • June 21, 2024

    Big Mac Ruling Shows Brands Can't Coast On Reputation

    Consumer giants should not be complacent that their globally recognized branding will serve as reason enough to hold onto and enforce their intellectual property, lawyers warn following a European court's high-profile decision to trim McDonald's trademark protections for "Big Mac."

  • June 21, 2024

    Ohio Atty Reinstated After Flinging Feces-Filled Pringles Can

    An Ohio criminal defense attorney suspended for filling a Pringles can with his own feces and throwing it in the parking lot of a victim advocacy center was reinstated this week, according to a court filing.

  • June 21, 2024

    Taxation With Representation: Travers Smith, Potamitis Vekris

    In this week's Taxation With Representation, RSK Group Ltd. gets a £500 million ($632 million) investment, Boston Scientific Corp. acquires Silk Road Medical Inc., Masdar takes a part of Terna Energy SA, and Tate & Lyle PLC buys CP Kelco from JM Huber Corp.

  • June 21, 2024

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

    This past week in London has seen JD Wetherspoon sue a Welsh pub over its name in the Intellectual Property Court, ex-professional boxer Amir Khan and his wife file libel action against an influencer, the Performing Right Society hit with a competition claim over music licensing, and Manolete Partners bring action against the directors of a bust investment firm. Here, Law360 looks at these and other new claims in the U.K.

  • June 20, 2024

    Ex-DEA Heads Echo GOP AGs' Call For Pot Rescheduling Hearing

    A group of former U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration leaders and Republican attorneys general have formally requested administrative hearings on the U.S. attorney general's proposal to reschedule cannabis, according to separate letters sent this week that distinctly echo each other.

  • June 20, 2024

    Attys In Chiquita Case Say Victims Can't Proceed Together

    A long-standing rift among plaintiffs' attorneys for victims of violence committed by paramilitary groups funded by Chiquita Brands International Inc. has reached a fever pitch, as attorneys have now told the court they cannot proceed together in a second bellwether trial of the multidistrict litigation set to start next month.

  • June 20, 2024

    Cannabis-Infused Drink Cos. Sue Iowa Over New Potency Law

    Makers of canned drinks infused with hemp-derived THC are urging a federal judge to block an impending state statute that aims to regulate the Iowa cannabinoid market, saying it would swiftly outlaw "approximately 80%" of their current inventory.

  • June 20, 2024

    Fireball Maker Must Still Face Claims It Duped Whiskey Lovers

    A Florida federal judge has trimmed allegations that Sazerac Co. duped consumers into believing miniature bottles of malt beverage were whiskey by selling them under the Fireball brand name, but said a consumer can pursue claims that the beverage's bottle and their display case are nevertheless deceptive.

  • June 20, 2024

    Waffle Cone Cos. Settle TM War Over Chocolate-Filled Treats

    A maker of chocolate-filled waffle cone treats has resolved its claims against a rival over alleged trademark violations, according to a stipulation filed Thursday in New Jersey federal court.

  • June 20, 2024

    Insurer Hit With Coverage Suit Over Ohio Grocery Shooting

    Pittsburgh-based Giant Eagle Inc. is claiming that a security contractor's insurer, Philadelphia Indemnity Insurance Co., has refused to cover its defense costs in a lawsuit over a shooting at a Cleveland, Ohio, store, and was trying to get the grocer to drop its third-party claims against the contractor.

  • June 20, 2024

    China Denies Tax Crackdown As 2 Cos. Report $80M In Bills

    China's tax authority denied a nationwide crackdown on companies' old tax returns Thursday, less than a week after a chemical firm facing 500 million yuan ($69 million) in additional liabilities halted production and a beverage maker reported owing 85 million yuan.

  • June 20, 2024

    Ore. Water Treatment Plant Not On Farmland, Tax Court Says

    Portions of farmland used for a wastewater treatment facility were correctly denied a special farm-use assessment rate, the Oregon Tax Court said, allowing the special rate for other contested areas of the property.

  • June 20, 2024

    Deals Rumor Mill: Carlyle-KKR, Didi IPO, Open AI

    The deals rumor mill is often overflowing with transactions that are reportedly close to being signed, so it can be hard to know which ones to stay on top of.

Expert Analysis

  • FTC Warning Letters Note 5 Mistakes For Influencers To Avoid

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    The Federal Trade Commission recently sent warning letters to two trade associations and 12 health influencers over their social media posts, offering insight into how the agency plans to enforce its updated endorsement guides and highlighting five concerns to keep in mind for marketing campaigns, says Gonzalo Mon at Kelley Drye.

  • Ohio Voters Legalize Cannabis — What Comes Next?

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    This month, voters approved a citizen-initiated statute that legalizes marijuana for recreational use in Ohio, but the legalization timeline could undergo significant changes at the behest of the state's lawmakers, say Daniel Shortt and David Waxman at McGlinchey Stafford.

  • Opinion

    A Telecom Attorney's Defense Of The Chevron Doctrine

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    The Chevron doctrine, which requires judicial deference to federal regulators, is under attack in two U.S. Supreme Court cases — and while most telecom attorneys likely agree that the Federal Communications Commission is guilty of overrelying on it, the problem is not the doctrine itself, says Carl Northrop at Telecommunications Law Professionals.

  • Attorneys Have An Ethical Duty To Protect The Judiciary

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    The tenor of public disagreement and debate has become increasingly hostile against judges, and though the legislative branch is trying to ameliorate this safety gap, lawyers have a moral imperative and professional requirement to stand with judges in defusing attacks against them and their rulings, says Deborah Winokur at Cozen O'Connor.

  • What Cos. Should Know About FTC's Proposed Junk Fee Rule

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    The Federal Trade Commission recently announced a notice of proposed rulemaking targeting junk fees and how businesses may advertise prices to consumers — and since it would give the agency powers to seek monetary penalties against businesses that do not comply, companies should look to get ahead now, say Phyllis Marcus and Nicole Johnson at Hunton Andrews.

  • AI Can Help Lawyers Overcome The Programming Barrier

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    Legal professionals without programming expertise can use generative artificial intelligence to harness the power of automation and other technology solutions to streamline their work, without the steep learning curve traditionally associated with coding, says George Zalepa at Greenberg Traurig.

  • Preparing Law Students For A New, AI-Assisted Legal World

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    As artificial intelligence rapidly transforms the legal landscape, law schools must integrate technology and curricula that address AI’s innate challenges — from ethics to data security — to help students stay ahead of the curve, say Daniel Garrie at Law & Forensics, Ryan Abbott at JAMS and Karen Silverman at Cantellus Group.

  • Series

    ESG Around The World: South Korea

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    Numerous ESG trends have materialized in South Korea in the past three years, with impacts ranging from greenwashing prevention and carbon neutrality measures to workplace harassment and board diversity initiatives, say Chang Wook Min and Hyun Chan Jung at Jipyong.

  • Employer Takeaways From 2nd Circ. Equal Pay Ruling

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    The Second Circuit 's recent decision in Eisenhauer v. Culinary Institute of America reversed a long-held understanding of the Equal Pay Act, ultimately making it easier for employers to defend against equal pay claims brought under federal law, but it is not a clear escape hatch for employers, say Thelma Akpan and Katelyn McCombs at Littler.

  • General Counsel Need Data Literacy To Keep Up With AI

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    With the rise of accessible and powerful generative artificial intelligence solutions, it is imperative for general counsel to understand the use and application of data for myriad important activities, from evaluating the e-discovery process to monitoring compliance analytics and more, says Colin Levy at Malbek.

  • Rite Aid's Reasons For Ch. 11 Go Beyond Opioid Suits

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    Despite opioid-related lawsuits being the perceived reason that pushed Rite Aid into bankruptcy, the company's recent Chapter 11 filing reveals its tenuous position in the pharmaceutical retail market, and only time will tell whether bankruptcy will right-size the company, says Daniel Gielchinsky at DGIM Law.

  • Navigating Discovery Of Generative AI Information

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    As generative artificial intelligence tools become increasingly ubiquitous, companies must make sure to preserve generative AI data when there is reasonable expectation of litigation, and to include transcripts in litigation hold notices, as they may be relevant to discovery requests, say Nick Peterson and Corey Hauser at Wiley.

  • Finding Focus: Strategies For Attorneys With ADHD

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    Given the prevalence of ADHD among attorneys, it is imperative that the legal community gain a better understanding of how ADHD affects well-being, and that resources and strategies exist for attorneys with this disability to manage their symptoms and achieve success, say Casey Dixon at Dixon Life Coaching and Krista Larson at Stinson.

  • How Fla. Bankruptcy Ruling May Affect Equity Owners

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    A Florida bankruptcy court’s recent ruling in Vital Pharmaceuticals — which rejected the Third Circuit’s Majestic Star decision that determined a bankrupt corporation’s flow-through status was not protected by the automatic stay — may significantly affect how equity owners can mitigate the impact of flow-through structures in bankruptcy, say Eric Behl-Remijan and Natasha Hwangpo at Ropes & Gray.

  • M&A Ruling Buoys Loss Calculation Method, R&W Insurance

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    The recent Southern District of New York decision in Taylor Precision Products v. Larimer affirms the use of EBITDA as a basis to quantify loss, highlighting the potential shortcomings of a traditional seller indemnity compared to representation and warranty insurance, say Mark Schwartz at Lockton, and William O’Neil and Gretchen Scavo at Winston & Strawn.

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