Retail & E-Commerce

  • October 11, 2024

    Google Appeals Epic Injunction To 9th Circ.

    Google is appealing a California federal judge's recent order that it allow for third-party app distribution on its Android phones, taking the company's long-running fight with Fortnite-maker Epic Games to the Ninth Circuit with just weeks before the injunction is set to take effect.

  • October 11, 2024

    Apple Pushes To Duck DOJ's Antitrust Suit

    Apple Inc. continued to cast the Justice Department's monopolization lawsuit as an attempt to control how the technology giant deals with iPhone app developers, telling a New Jersey federal judge that the government's case against app access restrictions is "one and the same" as deciding who it does business with and thus warrants dismissal.

  • October 11, 2024

    Court Allows Calif. Hemp Ban To Remain In Effect

    A California state judge on Friday ruled that the Golden State's new ban on hemp products with THC will remain in effect, rejecting a bid by a leading hemp industry trade organization and the cannabis brand fronted by stoner comedians Cheech and Chong to halt the emergency rules.

  • October 11, 2024

    Discount Chain's Equity Owner Gets OK To Run Ch. 11 Sales

    A Delaware bankruptcy judge Friday gave discount retailer Channel Control Merchants permission to use an affiliate of its majority shareholder to run the going-out-of-business sales in its Chapter 11 case.

  • October 11, 2024

    Truck Rental Platform Stole Truck Owners' Profits, Suit Claims

    A company that said it invested in a fleet of trucks to rent through a truck rental platform accused the rental platform company in a proposed class action filed in Colorado federal court Thursday of wrongfully pocketing more than $11 million obtained through sales of old rental trucks.

  • October 11, 2024

    High Court Bar's Future: Stanford Law's Easha Anand

    Fresh off her shot-from-a-cannon debut during the U.S. Supreme Court's previous term, Easha Anand of Stanford Law School is moving full steam ahead into the new term, arguing Tuesday against one of the nation's most accomplished oral advocates. If things go as usual, Anand says she'll have nerves "out the wazoo" before and even after the showdown — but none at all when staying calm matters most.

  • October 11, 2024

    Huawei Judge Asks If Netgear Suit Stretches Antitrust Law

    A California federal judge expressed some skepticism Friday about allowing router maker Netgear Inc. to proceed with monopolization claims over Huawei Technologies Co.'s patents, wondering aloud whether this would amount to "saying any breach of contract claim can be turned into an antitrust case."

  • October 11, 2024

    DC's Amazon Antitrust Suit Gets January 2027 Trial Date

    The District of Columbia attorney general's newly revived antitrust lawsuit against Amazon will go to trial in January 2027, a D.C. judge decided Friday.

  • October 11, 2024

    Cannabis Biz Ex-Partners Spar Over $6.4M Judgment Payout

    Two former business partners are sparring in Colorado federal court over a proposed order to hold assets related to a cannabis company to satisfy a $6.4 million judgment and whether that order can be granted in compliance with the federal Controlled Substances Act.

  • October 11, 2024

    Promises Of Metaverse Art Club Were A Sham, Investors Claim

    A group that claimed it would start a members-only art collection club in the Metaverse has been hit with a proposed class action alleging it misled investors about the value of the project and the benefits and returns investors would see.

  • October 11, 2024

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

    This past week in London has seen billionaire Lakshmi Mittal sue steel magnate Sanjeev Gupta in a long-running clash to claw back €140 million ($153 million) of debt, a high-profile AI researcher take action against the Intellectual Property Office to register his software as a listed patent inventor and troubled housing trust Home Reit face a claim by a real estate developer. Here, Law360 looks at these and other new claims in the U.K.

  • October 10, 2024

    Rosen, Rigrodsky Law To Lead Coupang IPO Derivative Suit

    The Rosen Law Firm PA and Rigrodsky Law PA will represent investors in a consolidated derivative action against brass at South Korean e-commerce company Coupang Inc. over alleged misrepresentations about its labor practices ahead of its $3.5 billion initial public offering.

  • October 10, 2024

    Amazon Must Give FTC Doc On Prime 'Upsells'

    Amazon will have to turn over to the Federal Trade Commission the details of a presentation it made outlining how it upsells its Prime subscriptions as part of an enforcement lawsuit accusing the e-commerce behemoth of duping customers into signing up for the service.

  • October 10, 2024

    IP Forecast: 5G Patent Case Spells Deja Vu For EDTX

    A patent suit against a Chinese phone company will go before a new federal jury in the Eastern District of Texas after the judge scrapped the original $10.6 million verdict against it as excessive. Here's a spotlight on that case — plus all the other major intellectual property matters on deck in the coming week.

  • October 10, 2024

    German Co. Can't Pause $194M Duties Case For Appeal

    A German company that allegedly owes $194 million in U.S. duties can't pause a lawsuit seeking payment to appeal an order allowing the complaint to be served, with the trade court saying Thursday that an appeal would delay the case.

  • October 10, 2024

    Chancery OKs $9.5M Deal For Katapult SPAC Challenge

    A $9.5 million deal settled a Delaware Court of Chancery stockholder suit Thursday seeking damages arising from a stock slump following the $883 million blank check company deal that took subprime consumer lender Katapult Holdings Inc. public in June 2021.

  • October 10, 2024

    Tobacco Cos. Push To Move Dozens Of Cases Out Of Boston

    Several tobacco companies asked a Massachusetts judge Thursday to send more than 30 pending liability cases to other venues in the state, arguing that the plaintiffs have no ties to Suffolk County and that the volume of cases is burdening judges in the Boston courthouse.

  • October 10, 2024

    Faulty New Balance Shoes Killed Olympian's Career, Suit Says

    An athlete, who previously competed in two Summer Olympics, claims she missed this year's Paris Games after suffering a "career-ending injury" due to defective running shoes provided by her sponsor, New Balance, according to a lawsuit filed in Rhode Island federal court.

  • October 10, 2024

    Discount Retailer Plans To Close Its Stores In Ch. 11

    The parent of secondary market retail chain operator Channel Control Merchants on Thursday filed for Chapter 11 protection in Delaware bankruptcy court with more than $76 million in debt and plans to close its 68 locations by the end of the year.

  • October 10, 2024

    Wendy's Asked To Move Wage Row Too Late, 10th Circ. Says

    The Tenth Circuit declined Thursday to move an unpaid wage class action against Wendy's back to federal court, saying the fast-food chain waited too long before asking to transfer the dispute from state court despite knowing the requirements to do so had been met.

  • October 10, 2024

    Target Made Inflated Claims About Gas Pills, Shoppers Allege

    Target customers hit the retailer with a putative class action lawsuit in New York federal court Wednesday alleging its line of Up & Up gas relief pills is not "maximum strength" as the label contends, and other similar medications have higher concentrations of key ingredients.

  • October 10, 2024

    Suppliers' $7.6M Deal To End Daily Harvest Leek Claims OK'd

    A New York federal judge has given the go-ahead to a $7.6 million settlement with suppliers for meal kit delivery service Daily Harvest Inc. to end claims from buyers that a lentil and leek meal caused gastrointestinal illness.

  • October 10, 2024

    Fisher-Price Recalls Infant Swings After Five Deaths

    The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Fisher-Price on Thursday announced a recall of a type of infant swing, after there have been reports of five deaths when the products have been used for sleep.

  • October 10, 2024

    Nike Rips Report In TM Suit, Rival Wants $6.75M In Fees

    Nike has pushed back on a report finding that its behavior toward a Pennsylvania apparel company during a trademark dispute was severe enough to support ordering Nike to pay attorney fees, with the smaller company saying it is owed about $6.75 million in fees.

  • October 10, 2024

    Pa. Justices Vexed By Mall's Bid To Dodge Store's Legal Bill

    The Pennsylvania Supreme Court on Thursday questioned Harrisburg Mall's argument that it should be let off the hook for Bass Pro Shops' legal bills after the retailer sank a customer's trip-and-fall suit, with one justice suggesting that the alleged need for proof or a judgment incentivized the tenant to lose the case. 

Expert Analysis

  • Series

    Playing Chess Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    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.

  • Crafting An Effective Workplace AI Policy After DOL Guidance

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    Employers should take proactive steps to minimize their liability risk after the U.S. Department of Labor released artificial intelligence guidance principles on May 16, reflecting the reality that companies must begin putting into place policies that will dictate their expectations for how employees will use AI, say David Disler and Courtnie Bolden at ​​​​​​​Porzio Bromberg.

  • Litigation Inspiration: Attys Can Be Heroic Like Olympians

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    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

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    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

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    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.

  • Unlocking Blockchain Opportunities Amid Legal Uncertainty

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    Dozens of laws and legal precedents will come into the fore as Web3, metaverse and non-fungible tokens gain momentum, so organizations need to design their programs with a broader view of potential exposures — and opportunities, say Teresa Goody Guillén and Robert Musiala at BakerHostetler and Steve McNew at FTI Consulting.

  • 4 Ways Businesses Can Address Threat Of Mass Arbitration

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    Attorneys at DLA Piper examine the rise of mass arbitration in light of JAMS' new procedures and guidelines, and provide four steps e-commerce businesses can take when revising their dispute resolution provisions to maximize the chances those revisions will be held enforceable.

  • How Cannabis Rescheduling May Alter Paraphernalia Imports

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    The Biden administration's recent proposal to loosen federal restrictions on marijuana use raises questions about how U.S. Customs and Border Protection enforcement policies may shift when it comes to enforcing a separate federal ban on marijuana accessory imports, says R. Kevin Williams at Clark Hill.

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

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    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.

  • Live Nation May Shake It Off In A Long Game With The DOJ

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    Don't expect a swift resolution in the U.S. Department of Justice's case against Live Nation, but a long litigation, with the company likely to represent itself as the creator of a competitive ecosystem, and the government faced with explaining how the ticketing giant formed under its watch, say Thomas Kliebhan and Taylor Hixon at GRSM50.

  • Legal Battles Show Brands' Dilemma In Luxury Resale Trend

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    Recent litigation, such as Chanel's pending case against The RealReal, underscores the intricate balance luxury brands must strike between protecting their trademarks and embracing the burgeoning secondhand market that values sustainability, says Prachi Ajmera at Michelman & Robinson.

  • How Federal And State Microfiber Pollution Policy Is Evolving

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    Growing efforts to address synthetic microfiber pollution may create compliance and litigation issues for businesses in the textile and apparel industries, so companies should track developing federal and state legislation and regulation in this space, and should consider associated greenwashing risks, says Arie Feltman-Frank at Jenner & Block.

  • Series

    Fishing Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    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.

  • Best Practices For Responding To CBP's Solar Questionnaire

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    U.S. Customs and Border Protection's recently introduced questionnaire to solar importers imposes significant burdens, with the potential for supply chain disruptions and market consolidation, but taking certain steps can assist companies in navigating the new requirements, say Carl Valenstein and Katelyn Hilferty at Morgan Lewis.

  • A Look At US-EU Consumer Finance Talks' Slow First Steps

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    The unhurried and informal nature of planned discussions between the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the European commissioner for justice and consumer protection suggests any coordinated regulatory action on issues like AI and "buy now, pay later" services is still a ways off, say attorneys at DLA Piper.

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