Retail & E-Commerce

  • October 23, 2024

    DOJ Bolsters Defense In Pork Price-Fixing Case, Cos. Say

    Hormel, Tyson, JBS and other pork producers told a Minnesota federal court that a Justice Department intervention into a private price-fixing litigation actually backs their defense, even though the government took no position on the merits of the case.

  • October 23, 2024

    Amazon Must Face Drivers' Tip Suit Despite FTC Settlement

    A Washington federal judge largely refused Wednesday to toss a proposed class action accusing Amazon of violating Evergreen State laws by withholding portions of drivers' tips, saying the claims are still valid despite the Federal Trade Commission reaching a nearly $62 million deal with the company over the same alleged conduct.

  • October 23, 2024

    Pool Seller Gets Claims Trimmed In Child Drowning Suit

    A Missouri federal judge has thrown out the bulk of a couple's claims against pool seller Bestway (USA) Inc. over the drowning death of their daughter, dismissing negligence and warranty claims while allowing strict liability claims to go forward.

  • October 23, 2024

    Roundup Suit Pared As Preemption Claim Sways Mass. Judge

    A Massachusetts judge has dismissed portions of a suit claiming a woman's use of the weedkiller Roundup caused her cancer, ruling a federal labeling law preempts her theory that Monsanto failed to warn consumers about the chemical's dangers.

  • October 23, 2024

    Feds Urge High Court To Deny Cig Cos.' Bid To Ax New Rule

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is asking the U.S. Supreme Court not to grant certiorari to a group of tobacco companies aiming to vacate a rule requiring larger warnings on cigarette boxes, saying the Fifth Circuit rightly found the proposed warnings don't violate the First Amendment's protection against compelled speech.

  • October 23, 2024

    Court Doubts Tax Program Is A Subsidy, Remands Steel Duty

    The U.S. Court of International Trade remanded a countervailing tariff on Turkish steel rebar for the U.S. Department of Commerce to explain why it treated a broadly available tax exemption as a subsidy conferring an unfair trade advantage.

  • October 23, 2024

    CFPB Says Goldman, Apple To Pay $89.8M Over Card Program

    The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau said Wednesday that it has ordered Goldman Sachs and Apple to pay more than $89 million for alleged violations tied to their Apple-branded credit card partnership, including claims of mishandled customer disputes, misleading marketing and wrongful charges.

  • October 22, 2024

    Hagens Berman Says Vorys 'Opportunistically' Seeking Lead

    Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP is fighting a bid by Vorys Sater Seymour and Pease LLP to take the lead in a proposed consolidated class action against gaming giant Valve Corp., saying that after they defeated Valve's arbitration provision Vorys sought to "opportunistically" seize the leadership role.

  • October 22, 2024

    11th Circ. Signals Fla. Gun Ban Turns On 'Age Of Majority'

    Whether the full Eleventh Circuit will strike down or uphold Florida's firearms sales ban to anyone under 21 appeared to hinge Tuesday on whether the court adopts modern notions of when adulthood begins or prior beliefs understood as "18-year-old Johnny on his way to the militia," circa 1789.

  • October 22, 2024

    Walmart Pays $7.5M To End Hazardous Waste Disposal Suit

    Walmart Inc. has agreed to pay $7.5 million to settle a lawsuit brought by the state of California and district attorneys of several counties who alleged the retail giant improperly disposed of hazardous and medical wastes from its locations to municipal landfills, Attorney General Rob Bonta announced on Tuesday.

  • October 22, 2024

    Ex-Aldi Exec Gets 2 Yrs In Construction Bid-Rigging Plot

    A former Aldi executive was sentenced to two years in prison in Illinois federal court after copping to manipulating the bidding system for construction projects in return for millions of dollars in illegal kickbacks, the U.S. Department of Justice said Tuesday.

  • October 22, 2024

    Monsanto Fights $78M Verdict In Philadelphia Roundup Trial

     Bayer AG unit Monsanto has asked a Philadelphia judge to strike down a "grossly excessive" $78 million verdict handed up in the latest Philadelphia Roundup trial, claiming that the jury's view of the company was skewed because the plaintiff's counsel said Monsanto "poisoned" butterflies and bees and "poisoned the planet."

  • October 22, 2024

    Pot Co. Says Rolling Paper Co. Has Limited 'Juicy' Mark Rights

    The maker of Raw rolling papers may have a trademark on "Juicy" when it comes to tobacco goods but that doesn't extend to marijuana products, a Colorado cannabis company has told a federal court, urging that an infringement suit against it be tossed.

  • October 22, 2024

    FTC On Cusp Of H&R Block False Ad Settlement

    The Federal Trade Commission has come to an agreement with H&R Block to settle claims of deceptive advertising and has withdrawn its complaint in order for the full commission to vote on the deal.

  • October 22, 2024

    Buyers Drop Colgate-Palmolive Sunscreen False Ad Suit

    Two women have agreed to drop a proposed class action that claimed Colgate-Palmolive Co. falsely claimed its sunscreen products' only active ingredient is a mineral-based component despite the products containing significant levels of chemical sunscreen ingredients.

  • October 22, 2024

    Appliance Co., Customers Agree To End Stove Pollutant Row

    Luxury kitchen appliance maker Sub-Zero Group Inc. and the customers behind a proposed class action have agreed to drop the litigation, bringing to an end claims the company sold them gas stoves that emit "health-harming" pollutants.

  • October 22, 2024

    Dormant Commerce Blocks Wash. Licenses, 9th Circ. Told

    Would-be cannabis dispensary Peridot Tree WA Inc. has urged the Ninth Circuit to reverse orders denying an injunction and dismissing its suit challenging Washington's social equity licensing program, saying it violates the dormant commerce clause by favoring in-state operators.

  • October 22, 2024

    DOJ Wants Google's AI Search Docs, Apple Entry Thoughts

    An expansive look into Google's artificial intelligence pipeline and the prospects of Apple entering into the search market are top of mind for the Justice Department as it pursues remedies meant to address the online giant's illegal monopolization of search, according to a D.C. federal court filing Monday.

  • October 22, 2024

    Starbucks Shareholder Sues Execs Over $890M Buyback

    A Starbucks Corp. shareholder on Monday accused the coffee giant's former CEO and current and former company directors — including Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella — of misleading investors about future growth and revenues, resulting in a stock buyback program that was allegedly inflated by more than $227 million.

  • October 22, 2024

    Blakes, Wachtell Lead JM Smucker In $305M Cookie Biz Sale

    American food manufacturing giant The J.M. Smucker Co., advised by Blake Cassels & Graydon LLP and Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz, on Tuesday announced that it has agreed to sell its Voortman cookie brand to private equity-backed Second Nature Brands in a $305 million cash deal.

  • October 22, 2024

    Amazon, Meta Say Ch. 11 Trustee Can't Take Guo Co. Cash

    Amazon.com, Meta, Fox News and dozens of other corporate powerhouses, along with several law firms, have asked a Connecticut bankruptcy judge to block a Chapter 11 trustee from recouping cash payments for services that flowed through shell companies connected to convicted Chinese exile Miles Guo.

  • October 22, 2024

    Hagens Berman Tells Amazon, Apple: Sure, Sanction Client

    Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP is fine with a Washington federal court sanctioning the firm's client — formerly the lead plaintiff — in a putative antitrust class action against Apple and Amazon, saying it shares their goal of compelling document production after the plaintiff ghosted his attorneys.

  • October 22, 2024

    The 2024 Prestige Leaders

    Check out our Prestige Leaders ranking, analysis and interactive graphics to see which firms stand out for their financial performance, attractiveness to attorneys and law students, ability to secure accolades and positive legal news media representation.

  • October 22, 2024

    How Law Firms Get And Keep Elite Status

    For decades, a handful of New York-based law firms thoroughly dominated the national consciousness when it came to power, profitability and prestige. But in today's legal market, increased movement of partners and clients from one firm to the next has begun to shake things up and create opportunities for go-getters to ascend the ranks.

  • October 22, 2024

    Ex-Abercrombie CEO Charged With Sex Trafficking

    Former Abercrombie & Fitch Co. CEO Mike Jeffries was indicted Tuesday on charges he ran an international sex trafficking and prostitution ring that abused male models who were led to believe their participation in sex parties would benefit their careers.

Expert Analysis

  • 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.

  • A Healthier Legal Industry Starts With Emotional Intelligence

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    The legal profession has long been plagued by high rates of mental health issues, in part due to attorneys’ early training and broader societal stereotypes — but developing one’s emotional intelligence is one way to foster positive change, collectively and individually, says attorney Esperanza Franco.

  • Calif. Web Tracking Cases Show Courts' Indecision Over CIPA

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    Several hundred cases filed to date, and two recent conflicting rulings, underscore California courts' uncertainty over whether the use of web analytics tools to track users' website interactions can give rise to a violation of the California Invasion of Privacy Act, says Patricia Brum at Snell & Wilmer.

  • To Make Your Legal Writing Clear, Emulate A Master Chef

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    To deliver clear and effective written advocacy, lawyers should follow the model of a fine dining chef — seasoning a foundation of pure facts with punchy descriptors, spicing it up with analogies, refining the recipe and trimming the fat — thus catering to a sophisticated audience of decision-makers, says Reuben Guttman at Guttman Buschner.

  • Circuit Judge Writes An Opinion, AI Helps: What Now?

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    Last week's Eleventh Circuit opinion in Snell v. United Specialty Insurance, notable for a concurrence outlining the use of artificial intelligence to evaluate a term's common meaning, is hopefully the first step toward developing a coherent basis for the judiciary's generative AI use, says David Zaslowsky at Baker McKenzie.

  • Opinion

    US Solar Import Probe's Focus On China Is Misguided

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    The U.S. Department of Commerce's recent anti-dumping and countervailing duty investigation focuses on the apparent Chinese ownership of solar device importers in four Southeast Asian countries — a point that is irrelevant under the controlling statute, says John Anwesen at Lighthill.

  • 'Food As Health' Serves Up Fresh Legal Considerations

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    The growth of food as medicine presents a significant opportunity for healthcare organizations and nontraditional healthcare players to improve patient outcomes and reduce costs, though these innovative programs also bring compliance considerations that must be carefully navigated, say attorneys at McDermott.

  • FTC Hearing On Fake Review Rule Stressed Compliance Costs

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    The Federal Trade Commission is likely to finalize its proposed rule to prohibit marketers from using deceptive practices in their product reviews after an informal hearing covered arguments over whether costs of implementing the rule, such as review moderation and software maintenance, would be minimal, says Jeffrey Edelstein at Manatt.

  • Trending At The PTAB: Real Party In Interest And IPR

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    The Patent Trial and Appeal Board’s recent Luminex v. Signify decision, finding a complaint seeking indemnification may be treated as a public demand sufficient to establish a real party-in-interest, shows that the board continues to apply a broad and expansive definition to that term, say Yicong (Eve) Du and Yieyie Yang at Finnegan.

  • Perspectives

    Trauma-Informed Legal Approaches For Pro Bono Attorneys

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    As National Trauma Awareness Month ends, pro bono attorneys should nevertheless continue to acknowledge the mental and physical effects of trauma, allowing them to better represent clients, and protect themselves from compassion fatigue and burnout, say Katherine Cronin at Stinson and Katharine Manning at Blackbird.

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