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Retail & E-Commerce
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August 07, 2024
Pool Co. Can't Get Atty Fees After Losing False Ads Trial
A pool parts supplier on the hook for a $16 million false advertising and unfair business practices judgment isn't entitled to attorney fees in the case, a North Carolina federal judge has ruled, finding there's "no question" the winning party is its opponent given the eight-figure damages award.
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August 07, 2024
2 Chainz Snared By Pot Shop Investment Scam, Suit Says
An investment company representing rapper 2 Chainz is suing a former cannabis company executive and others, alleging they scammed the rapper into investing in a dispensary without intending to pay back what was promised.
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August 07, 2024
GrubHub Must Face Restaurants' TM Infringement Suit
Grubhub Inc. must face a proposed class action brought against it in Illinois federal court for allegedly using restaurants' trademarks without permission and listing them on its food delivery app without their consent, even though most of the lead plaintiffs have not registered the marks at issue.
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August 06, 2024
4 Takeaways From Landmark Google Search Ruling
A landmark ruling in D.C. federal court Monday found that Google illegally maintains its search engine monopoly, and experts say the case could have broad implications for the company as well as the wider internet and shows how existing antitrust laws can apply to modern technology.
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August 06, 2024
Louis Vuitton Slams 'Prolific' TM Infringement At Conn. Market
French luxury brand Louis Vuitton Malletier SAS is seeking statutory damages of up to $2 million per counterfeited mark from the operator of a Connecticut flea market where fake goods were repeatedly sold despite a June 2018 agreement to cease such activity, according to a federal lawsuit.
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August 06, 2024
CPSC Makes Moves On Powers Of Recall Over Amazon
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's recent decision that Amazon is legally responsible for recalling hundreds of thousands of unsafe products sold on its site is a big step forward for the agency in its authority over online platforms that sell third-party products, although the opinion is still limited to the sorts of products at issue, attorneys say.
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August 06, 2024
9th Circ. Kills Trustee Fee Refunds After Justices' Ruling
The Ninth Circuit on Tuesday reversed a district court decision that granted a partial refund of $600,000 in fees a tobacco distributor paid to the U.S. Trustee's Office, noting that the U.S. Supreme Court found in June that a disparity in fees paid by debtors in different jurisdictions was not to be remedied by returning overpayments.
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August 06, 2024
Amazon Seeks Early Exit From Military Service Bias Suit
Amazon asked a Washington federal judge to end a proposed class action accusing it of demoting or terminating workers who take time off for military service, arguing that one of the plaintiffs was inadvertently fired while the other wasn't qualified for a promotion because he was "unprofessional."
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August 06, 2024
Wind Tower Co. Asks Full Fed. Circ. To Revisit Subsidy Duties
A Federal Circuit panel wrongly concluded that a 10% depreciation rate for deducting costs related to manufacturing facilities set by Canadian law was an unfair trade subsidy that justified countervailing trade duties, a wind tower manufacturer told the court in seeking a rehearing.
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August 06, 2024
Dem Lawmakers Back FTC's Kroger-Albertsons Challenge
A group of Democratic lawmakers is supporting the Federal Trade Commission in its suit to block Kroger's $25 billion acquisition of Albertsons, telling an Oregon federal judge in a friend-of-the-court brief that the agency's fears the deal would harm grocery workers and consumers are well-founded.
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August 06, 2024
Subway, Chick-Fil-A Ink Deals In Mystery Shopper IP Suit
Subway and Chick-Fil-A Inc. have entered agreements with Fall Line Patents LLC to resolve the patent company's claims that they infringed its data management patent with their respective mobile apps, according to a pair of joint filings with the Eastern District of Texas.
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August 06, 2024
Wash. Appeals Court Reverses On Gas Chain Owing State Tax
A Pacific Northwest gas station chain that issued fuel cards to customers must pay the Washington state business tax when cardholders purchase gas from other participating gas station chains as well as from nonparticipating chains, a state appeals court panel said Tuesday, reversing an earlier opinion.
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August 06, 2024
Home Depot Hired Cops To Target Migrants, Suit Says
A union representing Latino workers sued the city of Chicago and Home Depot in Illinois federal court Tuesday, alleging that city police officers moonlighting as store security subjected migrants seeking day labor work near the home improvement store to excessive force and racist insults in violation of their civil rights.
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August 06, 2024
Woman Drops Sex Abuse Suit Against Ex-NFL Player In Colo.
The former controller for a former NFL player's reptile shipping business has, for now, dropped her lawsuit claiming the ex-linebacker sexually abused her at work and fired her after his wife discovered the conduct, apparently accepting the court's condition that she pay the player's costs and certain attorney fees.
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August 06, 2024
Lowe's Must Face Retail Logistics Co.'s Software IP Suit
Lowe's Home Centers LLC lost its bid to dismiss a retail logistics company's claims it ripped off a merchandise return management software and breached its contract with that software's manufacturer, with a North Carolina federal judge declining to fully toss any of the claims but flagging that some contradicted each other.
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August 06, 2024
Funko Settles Derivative Litigation In Delaware, California
Pop culture lifestyle brand Funko Inc. has agreed to resolve derivative claims in multiple stockholder suits in California federal court and Delaware's Court of Chancery by implementing corporate governance reforms and paying up to $2.15 million to plaintiffs' attorneys, the company has announced.
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August 06, 2024
3 Countries' Glass Wine Bottles Face Steep Dumping Duties
Chinese, Chilean and Mexican glass wine bottle producers accused of selling their products in the U.S. at unfairly low prices are staring down antidumping duties stretching up to 218.15%, according to an announcement from the U.S. Department of Commerce.
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August 06, 2024
Trade Court OKs Reduced Penalty Duty On Chinese Ribbon
The U.S. Court of International Trade accepted the U.S. Department of Commerce's countervailing duties on Chinese ribbon, finding that the department had complied with earlier orders to fix a penalty included in the duties by lowering the rate.
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August 05, 2024
Chamber, Others Back 9th Circ. Ax Of Shopify Privacy Row
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and several tech trade groups are among those pushing the full Ninth Circuit to affirm the toss of a proposed class action accusing Shopify of unlawfully collecting shoppers' sensitive information, arguing that overriding the decision would unfairly allow plaintiffs to sue online businesses in any court across the country.
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August 05, 2024
DOJ Wants Google Held Accountable For Deleted Chats
The U.S. Department of Justice has told the Virginia federal court overseeing the government's case accusing Google of monopolizing key digital advertising technology the company needs to be held accountable for implementing policies that destroyed evidence.
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August 05, 2024
CFPB's Buy-Now, Pay-Later Policy In House GOP Crosshairs
Republican members of Congress have taken aim again at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's recent guidance requiring that some of the protections provided to credit card users be applied to buy-now, pay-later loans, putting forward a new measure that would overturn what the lawmakers argue is a "destructive," overreaching policy.
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August 05, 2024
$96M Award Cut To $34M After Justices' Lanham Act Ruling
An Oklahoma federal judge on Monday reduced a $96 million trademark infringement award that went to the U.S. Supreme Court to about $34.4 million after justices concluded last year the Lanham Act applies only to domestic conduct in commerce.
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August 05, 2024
30 Wig Cos. Targeted At ITC In Patent Suit By JBS Hair
A small Georgia company that calls itself "a leading innovator in the synthetic and human hair industry" is going to the U.S. International Trade Commission to complain about some 30 rivals it says are importing patent-infringing synthetic wigs, including one that was promoted by actress Vivica Fox.
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August 05, 2024
Conn. Gunmaker Says Mass Shooting Cases Belong In Colo.
Connecticut-based gunmaker Sturm Ruger & Co. Inc. wants two lawsuits surrounding a March 2021 mass shooting at a King Soopers grocery store in Boulder, Colorado, dismissed from Connecticut state court, arguing that Connecticut is an inconvenient place to litigate a massacre that occurred two time zones away.
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August 05, 2024
EBay Resists Calif. Damages In Mass. Stalking Case
Married Massachusetts bloggers who were stalked and terrorized by eBay Inc. employees shouldn't be able to seek punitive damages available under California law while having Massachusetts law otherwise govern liability for their myriad civil claims, the e-commerce giant is arguing.
Expert Analysis
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Recent Wave Of SEC No-Action Denials May Be Slowing
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in March granted no-action relief to Verizon and others on the grounds that a director resignation bylaw proposal would mean violating Delaware law, bucking recent SEC hesitation toward such relief and showing that articulating a basis in state law is a viable path to exclude a proposal, say attorneys at Winston & Strawn.
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Don't Use The Same Template For Every Client Alert
As the old marketing adage goes, consistency is key, but law firm style guides need consistency that contemplates variety when it comes to client alert formats, allowing attorneys to tailor alerts to best fit the audience and subject matter, says Jessica Kaplan at Legally Penned.
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Series
Walking With My Dog Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Thanks to my dog Birdie, I've learned that carving out an activity different from the practice of law — like daily outdoor walks that allow you to interact with new people — can contribute to professional success by boosting creativity and mental acuity, as well as expanding your social network, says Sarah Petrie at the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office.
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The Secret Sauce For Trademarking Viral Food Products
Three recent high-profile trademark disputes in the food industry illustrate the importance of protecting brands early — especially for any company aiming for viral fame — and underscore the value of intent-to-use applications, say Elliot Gee and Matthew Dowd at Dowd Scheffel.
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Chanel TM Ruling Shows Resellers Must Tread Carefully
The Southern District of New York's recent jury verdict in Chanel v. What Goes Around Comes Around, in which Chanel brought trademark infringement and false association claims, serves as a reminder that businesses must routinely ensure their practices are protected by the first sale and fair use doctrines, say Stephen Barrett and Gabriela Rios at Wilson Elser.
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Birkin Bag Case Carries Competition Lessons For Retailers
A recently proposed antitrust class action alleging that Hermès violated federal and California law when selling its iconic Birkin and Kelly handbags highlights some issues that other brands and retailers should consider, particularly given a prevailing landscape that seems to prioritize antitrust scrutiny, say attorneys at Holland & Knight.
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Think Like A Lawyer: Follow The Iron Rule Of Trial Logic
Many diligent and eager attorneys include every good fact, point and rule in their trial narratives — spurred by the gnawing fear they’ll be second-guessed for leaving something out — but this approach ignores a fundamental principle of successful trial lawyering, says Luke Andrews at Poole Huffman.
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Fed. Circ. Ruling Shows Difficulty Of Proving Deceptive Intent
The Federal Circuit’s recent Freshub v. Amazon decision demonstrates how proving the deceptive intent requirement for inequitable conduct can be challenging, even when there is a five-year delay after abandonment before revival, say attorneys at BCLP.
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The Art Of Asking: Leveraging Your Contacts For Referrals
Though attorneys may hesitate to ask for referral recommendations to generate new business, research shows that people want to help others they know, like and trust, so consider who in your network you should approach and how to make the ask, says Rebecca Hnatowski at Edwards Advisory.
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Expect An Increase In Robinson-Patman Act Enforcement
Recent actions by the Federal Trade Commission and prominent lawmakers should be viewed as a harbinger of renewed scrutiny of price discrimination in all industries and a sign that Robinson-Patman Act investigations and enforcement actions are likely to see an uptick, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.
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Wave Of Final Rules Reflects Race Against CRA Deadline
The flurry of final rules now leaping off the Federal Register press — some of which will affect entire industries and millions of Americans — shows President Joe Biden's determination to protect his regulatory legacy from reversal by the next Congress, given the impending statutory look-back period under the Congressional Review Act, say attorneys at Jenner & Block.
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9th Circ. Arbitration Ruling Could Have Int'l Implications
In Patrick v. Running Warehouse, the Ninth Circuit's recent matter-of-fact invocation of an unusual California rule in a domestic arbitration context raises choice of law questions, and could make California law a strategic option for some international arbitration parties, says Jerry Roth at FedArb.
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Chancery's Carvana Suit Toss Shows Special Committee Value
The Delaware Chancery Court’s recent dismissal of a stockholder complaint against Carvana illustrates how special litigation committees can be a powerful tool for boards to regain control after litigation alleging a breach of fiduciary duty, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.
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Series
Being An Equestrian Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Beyond getting experience thinking on my feet and tackling stressful situations, the skills I've gained from horseback riding have considerable overlap with the skills used to practice law, particularly in terms of team building, continuing education, and making an effort to reset and recharge, says Kerry Irwin at Moore & Van Allen.
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Deciding What Comes At The End Of WTO's Digital Tariff Ban
Companies that feel empowered by the World Trade Organization’s recent two-year extension of the ban on e-commerce tariffs should pay attention to current negotiations over what comes after the moratorium expires, as these agreements will define standards in international e-commerce for years to come, say Jan Walter, Hannes Sigurgeirsson and Kulsum Gulamhusein at Akin Gump.