Hospitality

  • March 18, 2024

    NC Judge Axes Wage Suit After Attys Flout Pretrial Deadlines

    A North Carolina judge has cast out an employment dispute between a funeral home and its former president on the eve of trial after both sides neglected deadlines, saying he'll dismiss the case in its entirety with a chance to refile and "clean the slate."

  • March 18, 2024

    Marriott Must Face Suit For Booting Kidswear Wholesalers

    Marriott International must face a suit by two clothing wholesalers who were kicked out of rooms at a Fairfield Inn just outside Boston for violating an undisclosed "non-solicitation" policy, a Massachusetts appellate court said Monday.

  • March 18, 2024

    Supreme Court Won't Review Dallas Strip Club Law

    The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to take up a case challenging a Dallas city ordinance requiring sexually oriented businesses to close during the early morning hours that was enacted in an attempt to reduce crime.

  • March 18, 2024

    Justices Won't Review McDonald's No-Poach Case

    A proposed class action targeting McDonald's past use of no-poach provisions in its franchise agreements will move ahead after the Supreme Court on Monday turned down McDonald's petition to review a Seventh Circuit ruling reviving the case.

  • March 15, 2024

    Fla. Deal Might Let Illegal Gambling 'Proliferate,' Justices Told

    A coalition of South Florida gambling opponents are urging the U.S. Supreme Court to reverse a lower court's determination that a sports betting compact between the Sunshine State and the Seminole Tribe is lawful, arguing that their business and property interests will be negatively affected by the "unprecedented statewide gambling expansion."

  • March 15, 2024

    Dram Shop Law Clarified By Fla. Justices' Negligence Ruling

    The Florida Supreme Court's recent decision not to reinstate a nearly $31 million jury award against a bar that served alcohol to an underage person who later crashed into a pedestrian was the right call, experts said, and provided much needed clarity on the state's dram shop statute.

  • March 15, 2024

    Law School Says SF Ignoring Deal On 'Deplorable' Downtown

    A San Francisco law school has accused the city of violating a 2020 federal court settlement that required it to address "deplorable" conditions around the school's downtown campus, saying nothing bars the city from clearing homeless encampments if the occupants refuse an offer of shelter.

  • March 15, 2024

    2nd Circ. OKs Mississippi River Charter For Swiss Cruise Co.

    The Second Circuit on Friday backed a federal maritime agency's granting of a Mississippi River charter to the U.S. arm of Swiss cruise line operator Viking Cruises Ltd., finding that the decision wasn't arbitrary or capricious, but the court declined to weigh in on the legality of such arrangements in general.

  • March 15, 2024

    'Needless Circuit Split' In Tribal COVID Row, 9th Circ. Told

    An AIG unit and other insurers are urging the Ninth Circuit to rethink its decision ordering them to litigate the Suquamish Tribe's COVID-19 business interruption claims in tribal court, arguing that a three-judge appeals panel's unanimous affirmation "creates a needless circuit split on the scope of tribal-court jurisdiction."

  • March 14, 2024

    Game Developer Seeks Class Cert. In Valve Antitrust Case

    Developer Wolfire Games is asking a Seattle federal judge for class certification in its consolidated antitrust suit against online game seller Valve, saying discovery has brought abundant evidence that the platform uses its most-favored-nation clause to stifle competition and maintain monopoly power.

  • March 14, 2024

    Ga. Farm Retreat Fails to Back H-2B Bid With Growing Season

    An administrative law judge on Wednesday shot down a Georgia farm retreat's bid to temporarily hire foreign employees during the Peach State's growing period, saying in two decisions that the employer failed to show that either of the job positions were seasonal.

  • March 14, 2024

    2nd Circ. Keeps COVID Furloughs Suit Out Of Arbitration

    Three former Four Seasons hotel employees' yearslong COVID-related furloughs don't fall under their employment agreements and are therefore not arbitrable, the Second Circuit ruled, affirming a lower court's decision keeping the workers' suit in court.

  • March 13, 2024

    Ala. Hotelier Says Insurer Must Cover Fire Damage

    A Montgomery, Alabama, hotel owner said an insurer must cover a property-destroying fire under a $13 million policy, telling a New York federal court the insurer made "no attempt whatsoever" to meet its obligations despite the hotelier having met all conditions under the policy.

  • March 13, 2024

    Wash. Assessor Was Wrong To Deny COVID Relief, Hotels Say

    A business group representing Washington hotels told a state court that a county assessor erred when he refused to lower the 2020 property assessments for hotels in the area due to financial losses stemming from the coronavirus pandemic.

  • March 13, 2024

    Ex-TopGolf Worker Claims Unfair Firing Over Wage Complaint

    A former food service worker for an Alabama TopGolf facility was fired after a manager cursed at and threatened to physically assault her for using profanity in complaining about earning subminimum wages, according to a suit filed in federal court.

  • March 13, 2024

    Simpson Thacher Steers Close Of $2B Travel-Focused Fund

    Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP-advised KSL Capital Partners LLC on Wednesday said that it clinched its latest travel and leisure-centered private equity fund after amassing roughly $2 billion in capital commitments.

  • March 12, 2024

    FTC Welcomes Choice Hotels Dropping Wyndham Hostile Buy

    The Federal Trade Commission's top antitrust staffer said Tuesday that he was "pleased" Choice Hotels International Inc. had given up on a hostile takeover of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, warning that the deal had "posed serious competition questions."

  • March 11, 2024

    Tech, Retail Industries Say No To Patent Eligibility Reforms

    A coalition of tech companies, retailers and tech activist groups lined up on Monday in opposition to the latest legislative effort to limit patent invalidation in the courts, warning that unseating legal precedents over eligibility would lead to a coming "wave of crippling litigation."

  • March 11, 2024

    Burford, Sysco Can't Swap In Price-Fixing Suits, Court Told

    A magistrate judge was right to point to the underlying facts and public policy when denying an attempt to substitute a Burford Capital affiliate for Sysco in sprawling price-fixing lawsuits against pork and beef producers, the beef producers told a Minnesota federal court.

  • March 11, 2024

    Catching Up With Delaware's Chancery Court

    Delaware's Court of Chancery became a hot topic in New Orleans last week as litigators and judges at an annual convention acknowledged the First State's corporate law preeminence is under scrutiny. Back home, the court moved ahead on disputes involving Meta Platforms, Abercrombie & Fitch and Donald Trump.

  • March 11, 2024

    Choice Hotels Abandons Wyndham Hostile Takeover Attempt

    After a monthslong hostile takeover attempt, Choice Hotels International Inc. on Monday announced its decision to withdraw its slate of nominees for election to Wyndham Hotels & Resorts' board of directors following the expiration of its exchange offer.

  • March 08, 2024

    Mich. Court Can't Shush Library Whistleblower, Panel Says

    A Michigan appeals court has revived a former library director's whistleblower suit alleging she was fired for questioning whether the library could use public funds to pay for a board member's godson to open a restaurant on the premises, saying she reported ongoing conduct which is considered protected activity.

  • March 08, 2024

    State Farm Beats Spas' COVID Shutdown Suit At 4th Circ.

    The Fourth Circuit sided with State Farm insurance entities Friday in tossing a coverage dispute brought by a class of spa businesses alleging they were owed under "all risk" policies after COVID shutdown orders, with the court holding that recent precedent determined similar policies dealt with physical damage, not business closings.

  • March 08, 2024

    Detroit-Area Bars' Challenge To Parking Plan Gets Bounced

    A Michigan federal judge has trimmed a group of restaurants and bars' challenge to a Detroit suburb's plans to replace a parking lot their customers use with a mixed-use building, finding the eateries' financial success isn't protected under federal law.

  • March 07, 2024

    Fla. Justices Won't Reinstate $31M Award In Hit-And-Run Suit

    An overturned $31 million jury award won't be reinstated by the Florida Supreme Court, which ruled Thursday that a bar accused of negligently serving alcohol to an underage person who later hit an intoxicated teen with his car and fled the scene should have been allowed to argue that the teen was partially at fault.

Expert Analysis

  • General Counsel Need Data Literacy To Keep Up With AI

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    With the rise of accessible and powerful generative artificial intelligence solutions, it is imperative for general counsel to understand the use and application of data for myriad important activities, from evaluating the e-discovery process to monitoring compliance analytics and more, says Colin Levy at Malbek.

  • Illinois Trump Tower Ruling Illuminates Insurance 'Occurrence'

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    In Continental Casualty v. 401 North Wabash Venture, an Illinois appellate court found that Trump Tower was not entitled to insurance coverage for operating its HVAC system without a permit, helping to further define a widely litigated general liability insurance issue — what constitutes an "occurrence," say Robert Tugander and Greg Mann at Rivkin Radler.

  • Opinion

    Civil Litigation Against Gun Businesses Can Reduce Violence

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    With mass shootings skyrocketing, and gun control legislation blocked by powerful interest groups, civil litigation can help obtain justice for victims by targeting parties responsible beyond the immediate perpetrator — including gun manufacturers, dealers and retailers, says Tom D'Amore at D'Amore Law Group.

  • Retailers: Beware Legislator And Regulator Junk Fee Focus

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    In light of the Biden administration’s recent focus on restricting so-called junk fee surcharges across industries, attorneys at Benesch discuss what retailers should know about several evolving developments, including a new California law, a proposed Federal Trade Commission rule, an expanding litigation landscape, and more.

  • Navigating Discovery Of Generative AI Information

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    As generative artificial intelligence tools become increasingly ubiquitous, companies must make sure to preserve generative AI data when there is reasonable expectation of litigation, and to include transcripts in litigation hold notices, as they may be relevant to discovery requests, say Nick Peterson and Corey Hauser at Wiley.

  • Finding Focus: Strategies For Attorneys With ADHD

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    Given the prevalence of ADHD among attorneys, it is imperative that the legal community gain a better understanding of how ADHD affects well-being, and that resources and strategies exist for attorneys with this disability to manage their symptoms and achieve success, say Casey Dixon at Dixon Life Coaching and Krista Larson at Stinson.

  • Attorneys, Law Schools Must Adapt To New Era Of Evidence

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    Technological advancements mean more direct evidence is being created than ever before, and attorneys as well as law schools must modify their methods to account for new challenges in how this evidence is collected and used to try cases, says Reuben Guttman at Guttman Buschner.

  • Series

    ESG Around The World: The UK

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    Following Brexit, the U.K. has adopted a different approach to regulating environmental, social and governance factors from the European Union — an approach that focuses on climate disclosures by U.K.-regulated entities, while steering clear of the more ambitious objectives pursued by the EU, say attorneys at Dechert.

  • Tips For Litigating Against Pro Se Parties In Complex Disputes

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    Litigating against self-represented parties in complex cases can pose unique challenges for attorneys, but for the most part, it requires the same skills that are useful in other cases — from documenting everything to understanding one’s ethical duties, says Bryan Ketroser at Alto Litigation.

  • Pro Bono Work Is Powerful Self-Help For Attorneys

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    Oct. 22-28 is Pro Bono Week, serving as a useful reminder that offering free legal help to the public can help attorneys expand their legal toolbox, forge community relationships and create human connections, despite the challenges of this kind of work, says Orlando Lopez at Culhane Meadows.

  • Series

    Playing In A Rock Cover Band Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Performing in a classic rock cover band has driven me to hone several skills — including focus, organization and networking — that have benefited my professional development, demonstrating that taking time to follow your muse outside of work can be a boon to your career, says Michael Gambro at Cadwalader.

  • How Cos. Can Prioritize Accessibility Amid Increase In Suits

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    The U.S. Department of Justice's notice of proposed rulemaking on digital accessibility and recent legal proceedings regarding tester plaintiff standing in accessibility cases show websites and mobile apps are a growing focus, so businesses must proactively ensure digital content complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act, say attorneys at Hinckley Allen.

  • Series

    The Pop Culture Docket: Judge Espinosa On 'Lincoln Lawyer'

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    The murder trials in Netflix’s “The Lincoln Lawyer” illustrate the stark contrast between the ethical high ground that fosters and maintains the criminal justice system's integrity, and the ethical abyss that can undermine it, with an important reminder for all legal practitioners, say Judge Adam Espinosa and Andrew Howard at the Colorado 2nd Judicial District Court.

  • Calif. GHG Disclosure Law Will Affect Companies Worldwide

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    California's Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act, which will require comprehensive greenhouse gas emissions disclosures from large companies operating in the state, will mean compliance challenges for a wide range of industries, nationally and globally, as the law's requirements will ultimately trickle out and down, say attorneys at Brownstein Hyatt.

  • Return Days Key In Hyatt COVID-19 Layoffs Ruling

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    The Ninth Circuit’s recent decision in Hartstein v. Hyatt, which clarified when the hotel giant had to pay out accrued vacation time after pandemic-prompted temporary layoffs, highlights the importance of whether an employer specifies a return date within the normal pay period, say attorneys at ArentFox Schiff.

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