Retail & E-Commerce

  • March 10, 2025

    Patent Exec Seeks Defamation Win Over Atty's Statements

    A patent-licensing company executive has asked a Florida federal court to rule in his favor on a defamation claim against a Baker Botts LLP attorney representing Starbucks in a Texas patent case and toss a counterclaim from the attorney, saying her abuse-of-process allegation "reads like a failed exercise in ontological gymnastics."

  • March 10, 2025

    Amazon Workers Want Partial Win In COVID Screenings Suit

    A class of Amazon employees urged a Pennsylvania federal court to partially grant them a win in their suit accusing the e-commerce giant of forcing workers to undergo unpaid COVID-19 screenings, saying the state's high court has already ruled that this time is compensable.

  • March 10, 2025

    Nonbinary Ex-Workers Ask To Intervene In Dropped EEOC Suit

    Two nonbinary former Lush Cosmetics workers asked a California judge to let them intervene in a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission suit claiming the business let a manager sexually harass them, after the agency dropped the case following an executive order from President Donald Trump.

  • March 07, 2025

    Photographer Sanctioned For Skipping Deposition In IP Case

    A federal judge in the Southern District of New York has issued sanctions over skipped depositions, among other conduct, by the plaintiff in a copyright lawsuit over a photo of actor Jonah Hill that appeared on a fashion retail website. 

  • March 07, 2025

    Trump DOJ Agrees: Google Must Sell Chrome Browser

    The Department of Justice on Friday reiterated to a D.C. federal judge that Google should have to divest the Chrome browser to give rival search engines a fighting chance against its illegal monopoly, but backed off its previous request that Google sell its investments in artificial intelligence companies.

  • March 07, 2025

    9th Circ. Open To Reviving Monsanto Expiration Label Fight

    A Ninth Circuit panel appeared open Friday to reviving a proposed class action over expiration dates on Monsanto's Roundup pesticides, but two judges were skeptical of claims against a distributor, which the distributor's counsel argued could open the floodgates of litigation.

  • March 07, 2025

    Starbucks Liable For Hot Drink Spill On Driver

    A unanimous California state jury has found Starbucks was negligent in the case of a driver who had scalding water spill in his lap, sending the case to a damages phase.

  • March 07, 2025

    FTC: Outlining World Sans Amazon Price-Floor 'Not Possible'

    The Federal Trade Commission told a Washington federal judge Friday that it can only offer pieces, and not the entire outline, of what an alternative world might look like without Amazon.com's allegedly monopolistic pricing floor created by penalties for sellers offering their goods more cheaply through other retailers.

  • March 07, 2025

    9th Circ. Critical Of Nordstrom Nixing $6.7M Order

    A Ninth Circuit judge doubted Nordstrom Inc.'s stance on Friday in a suit accusing it of using labor concerns as a false pretense to pull a $6.7 million menswear order, calling the department store chain's alleged oversupply of dress shirts at the time of the cancelation "the elephant in the room."

  • March 07, 2025

    Google Says Special Master Can't Make Ad Tech Trial Calls

    Google is opposing a bid in Texas federal court from state enforcers accusing the company of monopolizing key digital advertising technology to have a special master make decisions about what evidence will be admitted during trial.

  • March 07, 2025

    Goodyear Must Include Microplastic Proposal In Proxy

    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has rejected Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.'s bid to exclude from its annual proxy statement a shareholder proposal calling for goals and timelines related to reducing tire wear shedding and subsequent microplastic pollution.

  • March 07, 2025

    Wash. Judge Finds 'Alludo' TM Fight Best Left To A Jury

    A Washington federal judge has denied dueling summary judgment bids in an educational technology firm's trademark infringement lawsuit against the company behind the 1990s word-processing application WordPerfect, finding Thursday that genuine factual disputes remain over whether the defendant's alleged copying of the "Alludo" product name would likely cause confusion.

  • March 07, 2025

    Electronics Co. Owes $14M In Charger Patent Suit, Jury Finds

    A Delaware federal jury on Friday found Hong Kong electronics company Anker Innovations Co. infringed Texas company Fundamental Innovation Systems International LLC's patents with its USB charger products, saying Anker owes more than $13.6 million in damages.

  • March 07, 2025

    9th Circ. Probes Ax Of Trader Joe's IP Suit Against Union

    Ninth Circuit judges on Friday questioned a federal judge's decision to toss Trader Joe's trademark suit against a union selling merchandise with the grocers' name, with one saying it was "a little bit unusual" to have a determination about the likelihood of confusion decided at the motion to dismiss stage.

  • March 07, 2025

    Utah Court Affirms Walmart's Collective $52M Property Value

    A trio of Utah-based Walmart retail properties were correctly assessed at a collective $52 million for property tax, a Utah appeals court said, finding that a lower court didn't make any errors when valuing the three properties.

  • March 07, 2025

    Cosmetics Co. Sues Insurer Over Calif. Water Pollution Claims

    A cosmetics company facing water pollution claims told a California federal court its insurer denied coverage in bad faith, saying though the insurer agreed to defend a lawsuit from the California attorney general, the insurer still wrongly refused to reimburse costs from two prior, related suits that were ultimately rescinded.

  • March 07, 2025

    NY's Crackdown On Illicit Pot Is Unconstitutional, Club Says

    A self-described cannabis club has launched a legal challenge to New York policies aimed at combating unregulated marijuana sales, saying authorities' raids unconstitutionally shut down its businesses.

  • March 07, 2025

    Delivery Drivers Get Trimmed OT Suit Cleared For Trial

    A New Jersey federal judge refused Friday to allow a delivery provider to escape a class action accusing it of failing to pay delivery drivers overtime wages, but determined no reasonable jury could find that a discount retailer partner was the workers' employer.

  • March 07, 2025

    Sephora Must Face Retaliation Claims Over Hiring Practices

    Sephora can't escape a Latina former store manager's claims that she was fired for refusing to prioritize white job applicants, with a Georgia federal judge ruling Friday it would be premature to trim her lawsuit ahead of discovery.

  • March 07, 2025

    Tupperware Can Seek Votes For Post-Sale Liquidation Plan

    The estate of food storage company Tupperware Brands can solicit votes on its Chapter 11 liquidation plan, even as its creditors accused the debtor's latest plan of deviating from a prior agreement.

  • March 07, 2025

    Bed Bath & Beyond Investors Can't Move Judge On Class Cert.

    Bed Bath & Beyond shares did not trade on an efficient market during the class period, a Washington, D.C., federal judge confirmed again, refusing to reconsider his class certification denial in a suit from the now-bankrupt retailer's investors who alleged they were misled by company executives and a billionaire investor.

  • March 07, 2025

    Fed. Circ. Says Judge Misconstrued Term In Tactical Vest Row

    A Federal Circuit ruling on Friday reversed a finding from a Florida federal judge on constructing the phrase ​​"pull cord," reviving a fight over a patented system for making tactical vests easier to take off.

  • March 07, 2025

    LG Resolves Screen Display Patent Suit

    Bishop Display Tech LLC and LG Electronics have resolved a dispute over allegations that LG and its subsidiaries infringed several patents for liquid crystal screen displays, according to a filing in Texas federal court on Thursday.

  • March 07, 2025

    Budtenders Say Curaleaf's Tips Policy Violates Federal Law

    A proposed class of budtenders for Curaleaf Inc.'s Maryland dispensaries are suing the company, saying it violates the Fair Labor Standards Act with its policy of paying out tips to managers.

  • March 07, 2025

    Taxation With Representation: Kirkland, Wachtell, Skadden

    In this week's Taxation With Representation, Walgreens Boots Alliance goes private via a deal with Sycamore Partners, Honeywell buys Sundyne from Warburg Pincus, and Jazz Pharmaceuticals acquires Chimerix.

Expert Analysis

  • Overseas Investment Rule Calls For Compliance Caution

    Author Photo

    Investors should be leery of who and what they are investing in now that the federal outbound investment regime, effective Jan. 2, has extended the governement's regulatory reach to businesses and parties not previously subject to trade restrictions, says Thaddeus McBride at Bass Berry.

  • Calif. Cannabis Decision Deepens Commerce Clause Divide

    Author Photo

    In Peridot Tree v. Sacramento, the Eastern District of California joined a growing minority of courts that have found the dormant commerce clause inapplicable to state-regulated marijuana, and the Ninth Circuit will soon provide important guidance on this issue, say attorneys at Perkins Coie.

  • The 7th Circ.'s Top 10 Civil Opinions Of 2024

    Author Photo

    Attorneys at Jenner & Block examine the most significant decisions issued by the Seventh Circuit in 2024, and explain how they may affect issues related to mass arbitration, consumer fraud, class certification and more.

  • Mentorship Resolutions For The New Year

    Author Photo

    Attorneys tend to focus on personal achievements or career milestones when they set yearly goals, but one important area often gets overlooked in this process — mentoring relationships, which are some of the most effective tools for professional growth, say Kelly Galligan at Rutan & Tucker and Andra Greene at Phillips ADR.

  • Key Trends In PFAS Regulation And Litigation For 2025

    Author Photo

    The critical policy milestones for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances expected in 2025 will not only shape the trajectory of PFAS regulation, but also set key precedents for environmental accountability, potentially reshaping the corporate approach to these "forever chemicals" for decades to come, say attorneys at MG+M.

  • Series

    Coaching Little League Makes Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    While coaching poorly played Little League Baseball early in the morning doesn't sound like a good time, I love it — and the experience has taught me valuable lessons about imperfection, compassion and acceptance that have helped me grow as a person and as a lawyer, says Alex Barnett at DiCello Levitt.

  • Influencer IP Case Risks Judges Becoming Arbiters Of 'Vibes'

    Author Photo

    The case of Gifford v. Sheil, pending in Texas federal court, involves an influencer alleging that distinctive social media aesthetics constitute protectable property, and reflects a troubling trend: the overreach of intellectual property law in areas better left for creative freedom, say attorneys at Holland & Knight.

  • 5 Litigation Funding Trends To Note In 2025

    Author Photo

    Lawyers and their clients must be prepared to navigate an evolving litigation funding market in 2025, made more complicated by a new administration and the increasing overall cost of litigation, says Jeffery Lula at GLS Capital.

  • For Accounting Integrity, Start With The Rank-And-File

    Author Photo

    Macy's acknowledgment of an employee's accounting mistake underscores a valuable lesson for company leaders in fostering compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act by cultivating a culture committed to strong accounting integrity and robust oversight, say Keerthika Subramanian and Jon Mantis at Winston & Strawn.

  • A Look At FDA's Plans To Establish New OTC Drug Category

    Author Photo

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's recently finalized rule, creating a new over-the-counter pathway for drugs when patients satisfy certain conditions, may be useful for off-patent drugs with established safety records, though switching to OTC comes with additional costs and considerations, say attorneys at Skadden.

  • Chancery May Have Raised Bar For Books, Records Requests

    Author Photo

    The Delaware Court of Chancery recently approved the denial of a books and records demand against Amazon, raising important questions about what evidence and purpose a stockholder is required to show to succeed on such a request, say attorneys at Selendy Gay.

  • Rethinking Litigation Risk And What It Really Means To Win

    Author Photo

    Attorneys have a tendency to overestimate litigation risk before summary judgment and underestimate risk after it, but an eight-stage litigation framework can clarify risk at different points and help litigators reassess what true success looks like in any particular case, says Joshua Libling at Arcadia Finance.

  • Series

    Playing Rugby Makes Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    My experience playing rugby, including a near-fatal accident, has influenced my legal practice on a professional, organizational and personal level by showing me the importance of maintaining empathy, fostering team empowerment and embracing the art of preparation, says James Gillenwater at Greenberg Traurig.

  • Opinion

    No, Litigation Funders Are Not 'Fleeing' The District Of Del.

    Author Photo

    A recent study claimed that litigation funders have “fled” Delaware federal court due to a standing order requiring disclosure of third-party financing, but responsible funders have no problem litigating in this jurisdiction, and many other factors could explain the decline in filings, say Will Freeman and Sarah Tsou at Omni Bridgeway.

  • 5 Advertising Law Trends To Watch In 2025

    Author Photo

    Although advertisers are encouraged by the incoming Trump administration's focus on deregulation, this year could feel like wading through uncharted waters, and decreased federal government regulation may mean increased state regulation, say attorneys at Reed Smith.

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 Retail & E-Commerce 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!