Retail & E-Commerce

  • August 21, 2024

    8th Circ. Reboots Fed Swipe Fee Suit After High Court Ruling

    An Eighth Circuit panel on Wednesday remanded a suit challenging Federal Reserve debit card swipe fee rules, ordering new proceedings in the case after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that it was not untimely after all.

  • August 21, 2024

    Insurers Escape Calif. Starbucks Drive-Thru Easement Row

    A California appeals court affirmed a lower court decision, finding commercial property insurers didn't have to defend an owner who allegedly tricked one tenant into signing an easement agreement for a parking lot, neglecting to mention it would be used by a Starbucks drive-thru.

  • August 21, 2024

    AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile Accused Of Blocking Wi-Fi Calling

    A patent-holding company said Wednesday it has filed a lawsuit accusing AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile and Deutsche Telekom of blocking the emergence of a market for Wi-Fi calling by tying the service to voice and text offerings.

  • August 21, 2024

    Ropes & Gray Reps TJ Maxx On $360M Brands For Less Deal

    The parent company of department store chain TJ Maxx, led by Ropes & Gray LLP, announced Wednesday that it has agreed to take on a 35% stake in Dubai-based Brands For Less for about $360 million.

  • August 21, 2024

    FTC Can't Stop $8.5B Merger, Handbag Cos. Say

    The owners of Coach and Michael Kors urged a New York federal court not to pause their planned $8.5 billion merger, saying a challenge from the Federal Trade Commission ignores the hundreds of options consumers have when shopping for handbags.

  • August 21, 2024

    RI Pot Regulators Eye Dismissal Of Fla. Resident's Challenge

    Rhode Island's marijuana regulator has asked a federal judge to toss a challenge brought by a Florida resident alleging the state's scheme for awarding retail cannabis licenses is unconstitutional, saying that process hasn't even been established yet.

  • August 21, 2024

    Shein Says Temu Engaged In Coordinated IP Theft

    Fashion firm Shein hit the companies behind e-commerce platform Temu with an intellectual property suit alleging Temu trains suppliers to specifically infringe Shein's copyrights and trademarks and misappropriate its trade secrets to help secure "an unearned and illicit foothold" in the U.S. market."

  • August 20, 2024

    Amazon Stuck With $525M IP Loss, Plus $148M In Interest

    An Illinois federal judge on Tuesday refused to disturb a jury's $525 million verdict in favor of software company Kove IO Inc. in a dispute with Amazon over cloud data storage patents, rejecting Amazon's argument that there wasn't enough evidence and holding that Kove is entitled to roughly $147.7 million in prejudgment interest.

  • August 20, 2024

    Apple Says iCloud Monopoly Suit Can't Stay Afloat

    Apple has told a California federal judge that it's time to boot a proposed class action that accuses it of flouting federal antitrust laws by blocking third-party cloud storage services from accessing and storing certain files on its smartphones.

  • August 20, 2024

    Fireball Maker Fights Class Cert. In Malt Labeling Suit

    The makers of Fireball have urged a California federal judge not to grant class certification to buyers who claim the single-serving Fireball malt beverages mislead consumers into thinking they're buying Fireball's Cinnamon Whisky product, saying their experts' proposed surveys don't show wide-ranging deception.

  • August 20, 2024

    Energy Department Says Dishwasher Case Lacks Jurisdiction

    The U.S. Department of Energy says anyone who wants to challenge a new rule governing how efficiently household appliances need to manage water usage must do so in a circuit court, claiming a Texas federal court lacks jurisdiction to hear the case.

  • August 20, 2024

    Wash. Judges Won't Upend Tobacco Payout Ruling

    A Washington appellate court on Monday rejected attempts by Philip Morris and other tobacco companies to pay the state less under a 1998 master settlement agreement, upholding an arbitrator's determination that the state was enforcing a law covering payment.

  • August 20, 2024

    Trade Judge Says Ban On Chocolate Mix Was Flouted

    The U.S. International Trade Commission found that four grocers violated a ban on selling an imported chocolate malt drink mix that infringed a New Jersey supplier's Bournvita mark, according to an announcement from the agency.

  • August 20, 2024

    SharkNinja Urges Mass. Court To Reject Dyson Patent Claims

    SharkNinja is asking a federal judge in Massachusetts to deem it has not infringed five patents held by rival vacuum-maker Dyson, three months after Dyson brought a patent infringement claim against SharkNinja in Texas over the same patents.

  • August 20, 2024

    Mich. Man To Face Loan, Wire Fraud Charges Despite Mistrial

    A Michigan business owner already accused of COVID-19 loan fraud cannot have a superseding wire fraud charge tossed even though a mistrial was declared in the loan fraud case, a Michigan federal judge has ruled.

  • August 20, 2024

    Under Armour Looks To End Case From Ex-Supplier

    Under Armour Inc. asked a Pennsylvania federal court to end a former supplier's claims that it blocked competition for recovery-enhancing clothing, saying the company is not a competitor and has no evidence supporting its antitrust or other claims.

  • August 20, 2024

    Forward Air Investor Urges Co. To Evaluate Sale Options

    Forward Air Corp. top-10 shareholder Ancora Holdings Group LLC on Tuesday urged the asset-light transportation services provider's board of directors to evaluate "any and all" strategic alternatives after Forward Air's $3.2 billion merger with Omni Logistics LLC "wiped out a tremendous amount" of shareholder value.

  • August 20, 2024

    Texas Franchisee Accuses Party City Of Monopolizing Market

    An operator of Party City franchise stores accused the party supply retailer's parent company of monopolizing the party goods market, saying the company seeks to drive its competitors, including franchisees, out of business through its use of unfair competition, illegal price-fixing and bad faith business practices.

  • August 20, 2024

    Albertsons Stole 'Schedule & Save' Tech, Seattle Co. Says

    A Seattle software company is claiming Albertsons breached a deal to develop an automated service for customers to replenish their go-to purchases, saying the grocery giant abandoned the contract amid its pending merger with Kroger and launched a "nearly identical" system in a trade secret ripoff.

  • August 20, 2024

    Ex-NFLer Says False Claim He's 'Insolvent' Merits Sanctions

    A former NFL player has asked a state judge to sanction a former employee who recently dropped her sexual abuse claims by saying he was likely "insolvent" and unlikely to pay even if she won, arguing the false comments about his finances cost him work opportunities. 

  • August 20, 2024

    Mich. Pot Dispensary Chain Sued Over Seller Tip Theft Claims

    The owner of a chain of Michigan-based dispensaries, Stash Ventures, was hit with a proposed class action lawsuit, accusing management of stealing large portions of tips meant for retail workers.

  • August 20, 2024

    Burford Fights Order Backing Chicken Price-Fixing Settlement

    A Burford Capital Unit tried again Monday to unbind itself from a chicken price-fixing settlement that Sysco sealed via email with Pilgrim's Pride, arguing in Illinois federal court that the Seventh Circuit has criticized the order backing the settlement as "fatally flawed."

  • August 20, 2024

    Epic Will Pay Google $400K For Play Store Contract Breach

    Epic Games has agreed to pay Google around $400,000 for implementing its own payment method in "Fortnite" and getting booted from the Play Store, as the court continues to mull what changes Google will have to make after a jury found that its policies violate antitrust law.

  • August 20, 2024

    Feds Launch Probe Into Wi-Fi Technology Imports

    The U.S. International Trade Commission opened an investigation into a domestic semiconductor company's claims that a Chinese rival was selling Wi-Fi technology in the U.S. that infringes on its intellectual property.

  • August 20, 2024

    A Deep Dive Into Law360 Pulse's 2024 Women In Law Report

    The legal industry continues to see incremental gains for female lawyers in private practice in the U.S., according to a Law360 Pulse analysis, with women now representing 40.6% of all attorneys and 51% of all associates.

Expert Analysis

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

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    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.

  • What 4 Cyber Protection Actions Mean For Marine Transport

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    Several recent steps by the Biden administration are necessary to address the cyber threats that increasingly disrupt the maritime sector, but also impose new legal risks, liabilities and operating costs on the owners and operators of U.S.-flagged vessels and facilities, say attorneys at Holland & Knight.

  • Inside Antitrust Agencies' Rollup And Serial Acquisition Moves

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    The recent request for public comments on serial acquisitions and rollup strategies from the Federal Trade Commission and U.S. Justice Department mark the antitrust agencies' continued focus on actions that fall below premerger reporting thresholds, say attorneys at Paul Weiss.

  • Think Like A Lawyer: Always Be Closing

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    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.

  • Rare Robinson-Patman Ruling Exhibits Key Antitrust Risk

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    A rare federal court decision under the Robinson-Patman Act, which prohibits certain kinds of price discrimination, highlights the antitrust risks faced by certain suppliers and is likely to be cited by future plaintiffs and enforcement officials calling for renewed scrutiny of pricing and discounting practices, say attorneys at Baker McKenzie.

  • Counterfeits At The Olympics Pose IP Challenges

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    With the 2024 Olympic Games quickly approaching, the proliferation of counterfeit Olympic merchandise poses a difficult challenge to the protection of intellectual property rights and the preservation of the Olympic brand's integrity, says Kimiya Shams at Devialet.

  • 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.

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