Food & Beverage

  • September 14, 2026

    Abbott To Pay $385M To End FCA Claims Over Infant Formula

    The U.S. Department of Justice on Monday said that Abbott Laboratories has agreed to pay nearly $385 million to end False Claims Act allegations over the manufacture of contaminated infant formula at locations in Michigan and Arizona.

  • September 11, 2026

    Magic Spoon Is Healthwashing Protein Cereals, Suit Says

    Magic Spoon Inc. was hit with a proposed class action Thursday in Illinois federal court claiming the company falsely labels its protein cereals as "0 added sugar" and "no added sugar" despite the presence of allulose, which the Seventh Circuit recently determined to be a sugar under federal regulations.

  • September 11, 2026

    Attys Must Arbitrate $8 Oil To Fight $625K Sanction: 9th Circ.

    Class action lawyers slapped with six-figure sanctions for suing Walmart Inc. based on erroneous purchase information can't yet challenge the discipline, the Ninth Circuit ruled, suggesting they may first need to arbitrate grievances over an $8 bottle of avocado oil.

  • September 11, 2026

    Employers In Bind As Noncitizen Workers Lose TPS

    The Trump administration's rollback of Temporary Protected Status for 13 of 17 countries that had the designation has put work authorization for hundreds of thousands of noncitizen workers at risk across various industries, including healthcare, hospitality and construction.

  • September 11, 2026

    Qdoba Sued Over Jalapenos Tied To Salmonella Outbreak

    Fast casual Mexican restaurant chain Qdoba and Coast Citrus Distributors were hit with a proposed negligence class action in California federal court Thursday by two customers who allege they fell ill after consuming food containing jalapeno peppers supplied by the defendants that they say were contaminated with salmonella. 

  • September 11, 2026

    DOJ Gets Final OK For Agri Stats Antitrust Settlement

    A Minnesota federal court has granted final approval to the U.S. Department of Justice's settlement with Agri Stats, with the company agreeing to stop offering the sales reports for meat processors at the center of the case.

  • September 11, 2026

    Abbott Can Move Baby Formula Death Suit Out Of Illinois

    An Illinois state appeals court on Friday ordered the dismissal of a product liability suit alleging Abbott Laboratories' Similac formula caused a premature Florida infant's fatal case of necrotizing enterocolitis, finding the case belongs in Florida rather than Chicago's Cook County.

  • September 11, 2026

    Patent Co. Says 'Prejudicial Errors' Merit New DoorDash Trial

    A patent-holding company has asked a Texas federal judge to order a new infringement trial against DoorDash and grant it a favorable judgment on its enablement defense, arguing that the food delivery giant's conduct led to "prejudicial errors."

  • September 11, 2026

    Solar Contractor, CBRE Unit Blamed In $1B LA Building Fire

    Lineage Inc., which owns a massive cold-storage facility in Los Angeles that caught fire in June, has sued a commercial solar operator and a CBRE Group subsidiary in California state court, blaming the incident on their negligence in reenergizing a defective rooftop solar array before critical safety checks were completed. 

  • September 11, 2026

    Mich. Township Seeks To Pause Winery Events Fight

    A northern Michigan township asked a federal judge to dismiss or stay a lawsuit brought by several local wineries that claim the township is attempting to bypass a previous court ruling to block them from hosting special events, saying the township's appeal of that earlier ruling remains pending in the Sixth Circuit.

  • September 11, 2026

    ITC Probing Imported Pizza Boxes For Possible Harms

    The U.S. International Trade Commission said Friday it is investigating whether corrugated pizza boxes imported into the country from China, Malaysia and Turkey that are being allegedly sold at unfair prices are harming U.S. domestic industry.

  • September 11, 2026

    Red Robin Can't Pause Wage Suit During Arbitration Push

    A Colorado federal court has refused to pause a wage lawsuit against a burger chain while the company pursues arbitration against most of the workers who sued it, finding no legal basis to halt proceedings against the one named worker who never agreed to arbitrate his claims.

  • September 11, 2026

    Ore. Court OKs Recouping Tax After Farm Break Revoked

    A county assessor in Oregon was right to recoup property taxes for past years after revoking a tax break for farm use, the state tax court ruled, finding the land failed to meet past income requirements for the designation.

  • September 10, 2026

    Cold Brew Equipment Co. Owner Must Hand Over Assets

    The founder and minority owner of a cold brew equipment company has agreed to hand over passwords, customer information, software and other company assets to its majority owner in a dispute over control of the business following a 2024 acquisition, according to a Colorado state court filing.

  • September 10, 2026

    Gig Cos.' Suit Over NYC Tip Law Paused For 2nd Circ. Review

    A New York federal judge has paused a suit by DoorDash and Uber challenging New York City's delivery tipping laws, putting the case on hold while the Second Circuit considers the companies' First Amendment appeal.

  • September 10, 2026

    China Aims For Early Rollout Of $30B US Tariff Cut Package

    China and the U.S. are working toward implementing a package of tariff reductions for $30 billion worth of goods that cross the countries' borders, a Chinese official for the Ministry of Commerce said during a press briefing Thursday.

  • September 10, 2026

    Mass. Panel Says Liquor Board Can Tailor Licensing Penalty

    A Massachusetts appellate court held Thursday that revoking a wholesale alcohol supplier's license for violating common ownership rules was not mandatory, finding that state law gives regulators leeway to impose a lesser punishment. 

  • September 10, 2026

    Canada Mulls Canned Vegetable Import Quota For US, Others

    Imports of canned vegetables from the U.S. into Canada may be subject to a broader tariff rate quota after a Canadian tribunal found the American products are among those harming Canada's domestic industry following a surge in such imports in 2025.

  • September 09, 2026

    Sugar Buyers Want Paul Weiss DQ'd From Price-Fixing MDL

    Hershey, J.M. Smucker and other food makers urged a Minnesota federal judge Tuesday to disqualify Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison LLP from representing Domino Foods in sugar price-fixing multidistrict litigation, arguing the firm is conflicted out because it saw their confidential sugar-purchasing data when it was being considered as plaintiffs' counsel.

  • September 09, 2026

    Bikini Barista Owner Owes Class $1.8M Over Wage Violations

    The owner of Seattle-area "bikini barista" company Beehive Espresso is on the hook for more than $1.8 million after a Washington state judge found him liable for numerous pay violations, including tip theft, limits on moonlighting, improper sick leave accounting and failure to pay minimum wage.

  • September 09, 2026

    Conn. Farmers Can't Point To Hemp Law Injury, Judge Says

    Connecticut hemp farmers and processors failed to overturn state laws that cracked down on the sale of intoxicating hemp products, after a federal judge ruled that they failed to show how they were concretely harmed by statutes that do not directly regulate cultivation.

  • September 09, 2026

    Judge Denies Validity Redo After $38M Verdict Partly Revived

    Bottler Shibuya Hoppmann and dairy company HP Hood are not entitled to a new trial on the validity of Steuben Foods' bottle sterilization patents after the Federal Circuit partly revived a $38 million infringement verdict against them, a Delaware federal judge said Wednesday.

  • September 09, 2026

    Wine Label Makers Spar Over Injunction In Trade Secret Fight

    A California federal judge on Wednesday weighed whether to grant a wine label company's motion for a preliminary injunction against rivals in a case accusing them of using trade secrets allegedly brought over by a former employee.

  • September 09, 2026

    Latest $1.5M Turkey Price-Fixing Deal Gets Early OK

    An Illinois federal judge Wednesday gave his initial sign-off to a $1.5 million deal Prestage Farms has inked to resolve certain buyers' claims in sprawling turkey price-fixing antitrust litigation.

  • September 09, 2026

    General Mills, Mars Allege Sugar Price-Fixing Scheme

    General Mills, Kellanova, Mars and Little Debbie maker McKee Foods are suing several major U.S. sugar producers in Illinois federal court, accusing them of conspiring to inflate granulated sugar prices for years by secretly sharing sensitive pricing, sales and supply information through an intermediary.

Expert Analysis

  • What To Know As Legal Duty To Consider AI Takes Shape

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    While the U.K. Jurisdiction Taskforce’s recent statement on liability for artificial intelligence harms is nonbinding for both U.K. and U.S. lawyers, it highlights the importance of being able to distinguish between the availability of a tool and a professional obligation to use it, say Jonny Frank and Michael Costa at StoneTurn.

  • Costco Chicken Case Highlights Food Labeling Lessons

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    Recent litigation over allegedly deceptive food labels, including the ongoing proposed class action in a California federal court over Costco's rotisserie chicken, shows that plaintiffs rarely focus on single label statements in isolation — so product claims that comply with regulations could still incur litigation risk, says Brandy Alonzo-Mayland at Michelman & Robinson.

  • Monitor Exposure, Stay Flexible Amid Tariff Uncertainty

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    To navigate an unstable trade environment, businesses must evaluate their exposure to new tariffs invoked under a patchwork of statutory authorities and be prepared to adapt to further changes that may be on the horizon, says Bhargav Prajapati at Capital Trade.

  • Series

    Being In A Band Made Me A Better Lawyer

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    Playing shows in storied New York City venues and rehearsing with my bandmates in poorly ventilated rooms helped develop the professional qualities I rely on as a litigator, including an ability to collaborate with strong-minded equals and the determination to treat each client with singular focus, says Eliad Shapiro at Herrick Feinstein.

  • 10th Circ. Ruling Undermines False Ad 'Two Clicks' Rule

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    The Tenth Circuit’s recent ruling in KetoNatural Pet Foods v. Hill's Pet Nutrition substantially challenges a long-standing assumption that a company can avoid responsibility for promotional claims simply because the consumer encountered them by clicking a hyperlink to a third-party website, say attorneys at Venable.

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: Surviving A Long Trial

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    Most of law school trial advocacy is geared toward the sprint of trying a short case, but beyond managing a cross-examination or closing argument, effectively handling the marathon of a lengthy trial requires the ability to maintain composure, organization and credibility with the jury, says Mihir Elchuri at Hirschler.

  • Whiskey Business: Parsing The 9th Circ. Jack Daniel's IP Toss

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    The Ninth Circuit's recent ruling in VIP Products v. Jack Daniel's, holding a toy did not tarnish the whiskey maker's trademarks, gives fact-finders great latitude by showing that there may exist no categories of per se tarnishing content, says attorney Sara Gold.

  • Series

    Going To Hardcore Shows Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    While government contracts law and the hardcore scene may seem entirely unrelated, in my experience, both are about community, focus, being prepared for the unexpected and managing chaos, says Isaac Natter at Fluet.

  • Fla. Justices Give Trial Judges More Dismissal Discretion

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    The Florida Supreme Court's recent decision in Publix Supermarkets Inc. v. Goga confirmed that appellate courts should not apply a heightened standard when reviewing severe sanctions for fraud on the court, granting greater deference to trial courts, says Brent Hartman at RumbergerKirk.

  • Lessons From 5 Months Of DOJ Corporate Policy Deals

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    Recent declinations and prosecution agreements between the U.S. Department of Justice and corporations since the March unveiling of the corporate enforcement and voluntary disclosure policy provide takeaways for management considering how to respond to corporate misconduct, says Brendan Quigley at Baker Botts.

  • Opinion

    After Monsanto, Defense Bar Must Build Case Against Lohr

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    The U.S. Supreme Court's recent decision in Monsanto v. Durnell has helped to demolish the foundation for its problematic 1996 ruling in Medtronic v. Lohr — so now defense counsel should lay the groundwork for the high court to overturn Lohr, say attorneys at Blank Rome.

  • FTC-Deere Deal Tells Cautionary Tale On Repair Access Limits

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    A recent proposed Federal Trade Commission antitrust settlement in Illinois federal court requires Deere & Co. to provide access to repair services previously available only to authorized dealers, and companies that limit access to aftermarket resources should ensure they can substantiate the reasoning behind any restrictions, say attorneys at Freshfields.

  • What Cos. Must Know About EPA Water Monitoring Proposal

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    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's newly proposed rule that would require public water systems to monitor for 30 unregulated drinking water contaminants does not impose new obligations on companies, but the data collected could affect future policy, investigations and litigation, says Ayodeji Ayolola at Gordon Rees.

  • Series

    Being A Sommelier Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Being a sommelier has quietly shaped how I practice law by changing the way I think, communicate and connect with people, and offers a constant reminder that expertise is about making your knowledge useful and accessible to others, says Kara Du at Sheppard.

  • 3 Private Suits Test Influencer Ads As FTC Stays On Sidelines

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    Three lawsuits filed so far this year illustrate how influencer campaigns are facing growing scrutiny from private plaintiffs, despite the Federal Trade Commission not bringing an influencer marketing enforcement action since revising its endorsement guides to address the topic in 2023, but brands can take concrete steps to reduce the risks, says Gonzalo Mon at Kelley Drye.

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