Retail & E-Commerce

  • December 17, 2024

    2nd Circ. Says Sears Trustee Can Keep Mall Of America Lease

    The Second Circuit has upheld a district court order obliging the return of bankrupt Sears Holding Corp.'s lease in Minnesota's Mall of America to SHC's liquidating trustee, finding in part the mall's earlier lease was not a "true" contract.

  • December 17, 2024

    Google-Apple Collusion Plaintiff Asks 9th Circ. To Revive Suit

    A California crane operator training school asked the Ninth Circuit on Monday to revive its case accusing Google of paying Apple to refrain from developing its own search engine in light of a recent Washington, D.C., federal judge's decision that Google monopolizes the search market.

  • December 17, 2024

    The Biggest Copyright Decisions Of 2024

    The U.S. Supreme Court made it possible for copyright plaintiffs to pursue damages for periods longer than three years — while leaving lawyers speculating about how long the ruling will stand — and the Second Circuit put an end to a free digital library. Here are Law360's picks for the top copyright decisions of 2024.

  • December 17, 2024

    FTC, Meta Fight Over Monopolization Trial Limits

    Meta Platforms and the FTC are butting heads about how to structure the trial they are hurtling toward in April in D.C. federal court over the agency's monopolization claims, trading barbs Tuesday and trying to make their cases for how they think the multiweek trial should look.

  • December 17, 2024

    Mich. Couple Sues Town For Allowing Pot Co. To Expand

    A Michigan couple claim a township is retaliating against them because of the husband's outspoken opposition to the recreational marijuana industry, accusing the municipal leadership of allowing a grow facility to expand next to their property and forcing them to "raise their children in a home that smells of marijuana."

  • December 17, 2024

    SEC Says Express Didn't Disclose $1M In Ex-CEO Perks

    Express Inc. failed to disclose nearly $1 million worth of perks and personal benefits to former CEO Tim Baxter, according to a settlement released Tuesday by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which declined to levy a civil penalty against the fashion retailer in light of its cooperation and remediation.

  • December 17, 2024

    Starbucks Baristas Authorize Strike Amid First Contract Talks

    Unionized Starbucks baristas have voted to authorize a strike at the coffee giant, Workers United announced Tuesday, as the parties went back to the negotiating table with outstanding issues for first contracts related to wages, benefits and settling unfair labor practice claims.

  • December 17, 2024

    Apple Fights Epic's Atty Privilege Challenge Win Over Docs

    Apple has asked a California federal judge to overturn a magistrate judge and allow it to withhold documents in a discovery spat with Epic Games, arguing Monday the documents in the antitrust case aren't simply business analyses but rather, reflect "'legal advice on a business decision,' which is protected."

  • December 17, 2024

    Express Inc.'s Post-Sale Ch. 11 Liquidation Plan Approved

    A Delaware bankruptcy judge on Tuesday confirmed the Chapter 11 liquidation plan for the estate of clothing retailer Express Inc., after the debtor sold the business this summer for $174 million.

  • December 17, 2024

    Supercuts Owner Cuts Deal To End Ex-Worker's OT Suit

    The owner of nearly 400 Supercuts and other hair salons agreed to pay $15,000 to resolve a suit from a former employee accusing it of failing to account for commissions and other nondiscretionary bonuses when calculating her overtime rates, a filing in Michigan federal court said.

  • December 16, 2024

    Circuit-By-Circuit Guide To 2024's Most Memorable Moments

    One judge said a litigant's position would cause "an effing nightmare," and another decried the legal community's silence amid "illegitimate aspersions." Public officials literally trashed one court's opinion, and fateful rulings dealt with controversial politicians, social media and decades of environmental policy. Those were just a few appellate highlights in 2024, a year teeming with memorable moments both substantive and sensational.

  • December 16, 2024

    Amazon Puts Speed Over Worker Safety, Sanders Report Says

    Amazon prioritizes speed and profit over warehouse workers' safety, and the company has ignored its own internal studies on how to improve workplace safety, according to a report Sen. Bernie Sanders has released that Amazon vehemently derided late Monday as an attempt to support a false "preconceived narrative."

  • December 16, 2024

    'Plans Do Matter,' Tempur Sealy Says In Final Merger Hearing

    Tempur Sealy made its final push Monday in support of its $4 billion planned Mattress Firm purchase, telling a judge during closing arguments that the Federal Trade Commission hadn't shown that the company planned to deviate from its intent for Mattress Firm to remain autonomous. 

  • December 16, 2024

    Merger Enforcers End Year On Upswing

    The Biden administration's antitrust enforcers have boasted that one side effect of their aggressive approach to merger enforcement has been helping stop problematic deals from being cut in the first place, but the agencies also scored key court rulings blocking transactions in their final year that could have a more enduring effect.

  • December 16, 2024

    Amazon Judge Again Doubts Late-Delivery Refund Claim

    A Washington federal judge suggested Monday an Amazon.com customer paying extra for a specific delivery time should expect their package to arrive within that time frame, but she questioned why the putative class action plaintiff never requested a refund of the shipping fees.

  • December 16, 2024

    Amazon Ordered To Pay Patent Biz For New Alexa Users Too

    A Delaware federal judge says Amazon has to pay around 70 cents for every new Alexa user to a company that owns patents developed by a defunct voice technology startup, in addition to the $40 million it already owes after losing a jury trial last year.

  • December 16, 2024

    Sony To Pay $7.8M To 4M PlayStation Gamers In Antitrust Fight

    Sony Interactive Entertainment will pay $7.85 million to more than 4 million gamers to settle a proposed class action accusing the company of overcharging PlayStation Store customers via a monopoly on downloadable game cards, according to a motion for preliminary approval filed Friday in California federal court.

  • December 16, 2024

    Walmart Customer Resolves Faulty Basketball Hoop Suit

    A Louisiana man and retail giant Walmart have come to a resolution over the customer's product liability lawsuit concerning an allegedly defective basketball hoop that injured his hand, according to a notice of resolution in Louisiana federal court.

  • December 16, 2024

    DraftKings Sued In NY For Secret Use Of Meta Tracking Pixel

    A New York City resident filed a proposed class action against DraftKings, alleging the sports betting company intentionally disclosed personal information of its customers to third parties for targeted advertising, in violation of the federal Video Privacy Protection Act.

  • December 16, 2024

    Albertsons Says Kroger 'Squandered' $25B Merger Bid

    The Kroger Co. Inc. "willfully squandered" opportunities to complete a now-blocked $24.6 billion mega-merger with Albertsons Cos. Inc., according to an unsealed five-count lawsuit in Delaware's Court of Chancery potentially seeking billions in damages.

  • December 16, 2024

    Pot Co. Stiiizy Accused Of Pushing High-THC Wares On Teens

    California cannabis giant Stiiizy has been accused of marketing dangerous high-potency THC products to young people, allegedly resulting in cannabis-induced psychosis in two users who brought a product liability and fraud suit in Los Angeles state court.

  • December 16, 2024

    Experienced Retail Adviser Joins Hunton In DC

    Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP announced Monday that a longtime vice president and senior counsel at the National Retail Federation has joined the firm's Washington, D.C., office as a public policy and government relations partner.

  • December 16, 2024

    Vape Cos. Say Ky. Regulations Violate Federal Law

    A vaping company association along with a retailer and wholesaler are challenging a Kentucky law regulating e-cigarettes, saying that it conflicts with the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act by purporting to enforce U.S. Food and Drug Administration standards.

  • December 16, 2024

    Gibson Dunn Guides Vera Wang In Sale Of IP To WHP Global

    New York-based brand management firm WHP Global, advised by Kirkland & Ellis LLP and Pryor Cashman LLP, on Monday announced that it has agreed to buy all the intellectual property of Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP-advised luxury designer brand Vera Wang.

  • December 13, 2024

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

    This past week in London has seen a group of franchise operators hit Vodafone with a £120 million ($151 million) claim for allegedly imposing commission cuts, green energy tycoon Dale Vince pursue another libel action against the publisher of the Daily Mail, and parcel delivery giant Yodel face a claim by an investor that helped save it from collapse earlier in the year.

Expert Analysis

  • What Bisphenol S Prop 65 Listing Will Mean For Industry

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    The imminent addition of bisphenol S — a chemical used in millions of products — to California's Proposition 65 list will have sweeping compliance and litigation implications for companies in the retail, food and beverage, paper, manufacturing and personal care product industries, say attorneys at Alston & Bird.

  • Think Like A Lawyer: Note 3 Simple Types Of Legal Complexity

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    Cases can appear complex for several reasons — due to the number of issues, the volume of factual and evidentiary sources, and the sophistication of those sources — but the same basic technique can help lawyers tame their arguments into a simple and persuasive message, says Luke Andrews at Poole Huffman.

  • Tracking The Uncertainty Of The FTC's Negative Option Rule

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    The fate of the Federal Trade Commission's final rule requiring businesses that utilize negative options to provide consumers with a simple cancellation method remains in limbo as it faces multiple legal challenges and the threat of possible congressional action looms, say attorneys at Manatt.

  • Antitrust in Retail: Handbag Ruling Won't Go Out Of Fashion

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    Although a New York federal court’s recent decision to enjoin a proposed $8.5 billion merger between the owners of Michael Kors and Coach applied noncontroversial antitrust interpretations, several notable aspects of the opinion stand out as likely candidates for further discussion in future merger litigation, say attorneys at Holland & Knight.

  • Series

    Gardening Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Beyond its practical and therapeutic benefits, gardening has bolstered important attributes that also apply to my litigation practice, including persistence, patience, grit and authenticity, says Christopher Viceconte at Gibbons.

  • What New Calif. Law Means For Cannabis Lounges

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    With a recently enacted California law authorizing licensed cannabis retailers and microbusinesses to prepare and sell noncannabis food and beverages, the door opens for a more sustainable business model — but challenges related to costs and liability remain, says Tracy Gallegos at Duane Morris.

  • Litigation Inspiration: Reframing Document Review

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    For attorneys — new ones especially — there is much fulfillment to find in document review by reflecting on how important, interesting and pleasant it can be, says Bennett Rawicki at Hilgers Graben.

  • A Legal Perspective On NYC's Retail Real Estate Evolution

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    As New York City's retail market begins to show signs of resilience after the challenges of recent years, landlords must be cognizant of legal implications from shifting trends toward shorter-term leases and pop-up stores, says Andrea Gendel at Pryor Cashman.

  • The Fashion Industry Should Prep Now For State PFAS Bans

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    New York and California have each passed legislation regulating PFAS in apparel and other textiles, so retailers should consult with manufacturers and suppliers and obtain the requisite certification documents as soon as possible to avoid disruptions in supply chains, say attorneys at Venable.

  • How Boards And Officers Should Prep For New Trump Admin

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    In anticipation of President-elect Donald Trump's proposed tariffs and mass deportation campaign, company officers and board members should pursue proactive, comprehensive contingency planning to not only advance the best interests of the companies they serve, but to also properly exercise their fiduciary duty of care, say attorneys at Winston & Strawn.

  • Implementing Human Rights Due Diligence

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    The Bureau of Industry and Security’s recent removal of a Canadian surveillance provider from its export blacklist, after just eight months, illustrates the importance of integrating human rights due diligence into the vetting process by asking a few targeted questions, say attorneys at Cravath.

  • California Supreme Court's Year In Review

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    Attorneys at Horvitz & Levy highlight notable decisions on major questions from the California Supreme Court's last term, including voter initiatives, hostile work environment and the economic loss rule.

  • Series

    Flying Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Achieving my childhood dream of flying airplanes made me a better lawyer — and a better person — because it taught me I can conquer difficult goals when I leave my comfort zone, focus on the demands of the moment and commit to honing my skills, says Ivy Cadle at Baker Donelson.

  • 9th Circ.'s High Bar May Limit Keyword Confusion TM Claims

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    A recent Ninth Circuit ruling that a law firm did not infringe upon a competitor’s trademarks by paying Google to promote its website when users searched for the rival’s name signals that plaintiffs likely can no longer win infringement suits by claiming competitive keyword advertising confuses internet-savvy consumers, say attorneys at Mitchell Silberberg.

  • Key Points From New Maritime Oil Price Cap Advisory

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    The Price Cap Coalition's updated advisory regarding the maritime oil industry's compliance with the Russian oil price cap highlights the role of governmental authorities, additional areas warranting due diligence and the need for training programs, say attorneys at Miller & Chevalier.

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