Food & Beverage

  • September 01, 2026

    Monthly Merger Review Snapshot

    Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery pressured state attorneys general challenging their merger to settle, the Federal Trade Commission successfully challenged a construction adhesives tie-up, state officials waded in against the NextEra-Dominion transaction, and Union Pacific Corp. and Norfolk Southern Corp. defended their combination under review by federal regulators.

  • September 01, 2026

    Congress Approves Bill Delaying Hemp Ban One Month

    The U.S. House of Representatives gave final approval Tuesday to a stopgap spending bill which includes language to delay implementation of a federal ban on products containing hemp-derived THC by one month.

  • September 01, 2026

    Nestlé Selling Supplements Business To PE Firm For $1B

    Nestlé SA said Tuesday that it will sell its mainstream vitamins, minerals and supplements business to Boston-based private equity firm Yellow Wood Partners for $1 billion, as the food and beverage giant sharpens its focus on businesses where it sees a competitive advantage.

  • September 01, 2026

    7 Brew's $143M Bid Tops Dutch Bros. In Salad Chain Ch. 11

    Coffee chain 7 Brew emerged as the top bidder for 73 of drive-thru chain Salad and Go's leases with a $143 million offer, besting competitor Dutch Bros.' stalking horse bid of $105 million for 65 leases, counsel for the debtor said at a hearing Tuesday in Texas.

  • September 01, 2026

    Instant Brands Judge Stops Delaware Suit Against Trustee

    A Texas bankruptcy judge on Tuesday told former Instant Brands owner Cornell Capital it must get his permission before suing the Instant Pot maker's litigation trustee, blocking a suit Cornell brought in Delaware Chancery Court in July.

  • September 01, 2026

    Image Search Technology Raises New Copyright Questions

    Technology that can uncover decade-old online images is testing the practical limits of copyright’s discovery rule, as courts weigh reasonable diligence against the reality that sophisticated search tools still miss infringement and defendants may no longer possess records proving authorization.

  • September 01, 2026

    Pot Co. CEO Says US Can't Recoup PPP Loan On Fraud Claim

    The former CEO of a group of California cannabis companies is urging a Southern District of California court to throw out the U.S. government's intervenor complaint seeking to recoup $2.5 million in PPP loans, saying that she doesn't live in the district and that the alleged fraud was not a factor in her companies getting the loans.

  • September 01, 2026

    CEO Says HR Co. Oversold Life Insurance Policy Terms

    The CEO of an Italian food company said a human resources provider duped him into signing up for a life insurance policy by making false promises about the plan's terms, according to a suit filed in Connecticut state court.

  • September 01, 2026

    Keurig Dr Pepper Selling Chobani Stake, Facility For $925M

    Keurig Dr Pepper Inc. said Tuesday it will sell its minority stake in Chobani and a Pennsylvania warehouse to the yogurt maker for $925 million, as the company looks to reduce debt and help fund spinoffs tied to its roughly $18 billion purchase of JDE Peet's. 

  • August 31, 2026

    Perrigo Settles Antitrust Suits Over Baby Formula Market

    Perrigo settled a couple of lawsuits filed in New York federal court that accused the company of cutting an anti-competitive agreement with Gerber to maintain a monopoly in the store-brand infant formula market, according to a letter filed Monday in a Brooklyn court.

  • August 31, 2026

    EPA Sued Over Herbicide Challenged As Likely Carcinogen

    Environmental organizations urged the Ninth Circuit on Friday to review the Trump administration's recent approval of a herbicide, trifludimoxazin, that critics describe as a likely carcinogen that could pose risks to wildlife and human health.

  • August 31, 2026

    Defamation Litigation Roundup: NYT, J&J, Azerbaijan

    In this month's review of defamation fights, Law360 details a jury verdict against The New York Times in a suit involving its reporting on a shooting in Alabama, and highlights a judge's decision to spare researchers from a suit by a Johnson & Johnson subsidiary over their talc research.

  • August 31, 2026

    SEC, FDA Enter Info-Sharing Pact To Bolster Enforcement

    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and U.S. Food and Drug Administration are looking to bolster information-sharing related to FDA-regulated products in a bid to help each other in their respective oversight and compliance efforts, according to a three-year memorandum of understanding the agencies announced Monday.

  • August 31, 2026

    Oregon Packaging Law Survives Constitutional Challenge

    An Oregon federal judge ruled against a national trade association's challenge of an Oregon law that imposed recycling system costs on producers of packaging materials, rejecting arguments that it was unconstitutional.

  • August 31, 2026

    Kind Hit With False-Ad Suit Over 'ZEROg Added Sugar' Label

    Kind LLC violates food labeling regulations by selling snack bars containing the added monosaccharide allulose while prominently representing that they contain zero grams of added sugar, according to a proposed false advertising class action filed Friday in New York federal court. 

  • August 31, 2026

    Domino's Seeks To Deliver Noncompete Suit To Arbitration

    Domino's Pizza asked a Washington state court to compel individual arbitration of a former yard driver's proposed class claims alleging the company's conflict-of-interest policy illegally restricted workers from taking second jobs, arguing the worker signed a binding arbitration agreement when he was hired that includes a class action waiver.

  • August 31, 2026

    Trump Opening 1st Round Of Tariff-Free Ground Beef Tuesday

    The first 100,000 of a total 300,000 metric tons of ground beef that can be imported into the U.S. without an added tariff can enter into the country starting Sept. 1, according to a proclamation published Monday.

  • August 31, 2026

    Mead Johnson Prevails In 1st Infant Formula MDL Trial

    An Illinois federal jury sided with Mead Johnson on Monday in a lawsuit claiming its infant formula caused a premature baby boy to develop a fatal intestinal disease, rejecting his mother's claims that the company should be held liable for making a defective product and failing to adequately warn doctors of the risks associated with it.

  • August 31, 2026

    6th Circ. Backs $450K Punitive Award For Mich. Farmworkers

    A Sixth Circuit panel has upheld a $450,000 punitive damages award for five Guatemalan farmworkers who accused a West Michigan agricultural labor contractor and its owners of trafficking-related and wage law abuses, ruling that the award was constitutionally permissible despite the jury awarding only economic compensatory damages.

  • August 28, 2026

    Mead Johnson, Mom Clash On Formula Risks In Trial Closing

    An Illinois federal jury is set to begin deliberating Monday on a mother's claims that Mead Johnson is liable for her infant son's death, with attorneys making closing remarks Friday in the first test case to be tried among more than 800 consolidated lawsuits linking a deadly bowel condition to premature baby formula.

  • August 28, 2026

    Trader Joe's Must Face Smucker's TM Suit Over Uncrustables

    Trader Joe's will have to face Smucker's trademark infringement suit accusing the retailer of swiping its intellectual property to market its own copycat version of crustless PB&J sandwiches, after an Ohio federal judge ruled Friday the plaintiff "sufficiently pled fame to survive a motion to dismiss." 

  • August 28, 2026

    Mass. Coke Bottler Misclassified Worker To Save OT, Suit Says

    A regional Coca-Cola bottler misclassified a worker as an exempt employee to avoid paying overtime, a new lawsuit in Massachusetts state court alleges.

  • August 28, 2026

    Airline Caterer Let Harassment Go Unchecked, EEOC Says

    A global airline catering company failed to take action after a female employee complained that her male mentor regularly made sexual comments about her body, according to a suit filed Friday by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

  • August 28, 2026

    Uber Cars Not Enough To Establish Venue, Judge Says

    A Texas federal magistrate judge has recommended tossing patent infringement claims against Uber Technologies Inc., saying ride-hailing drivers' homes and cars being based in the district was not enough to establish jurisdiction over the company.

  • August 28, 2026

    Boston Eyes Liquor License Sold By Celebrity Chef

    The city of Boston asked a judge on Friday to block the anticipated transfer of a liquor license once held by celebrity chef Barbara Lynch, contending that Lynch's original sale of the license to its current holder was a fraudulent effort at evading what ultimately became a nearly $1 million judgment over unpaid property taxes.

Expert Analysis

  • USDA, Treasury Moves May Widen Agricultural Deal Scrutiny

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    Two agency actions that identify weaknesses in the government’s foreign investment screening architecture signal a broadening of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States’ jurisdiction over agricultural real estate transactions, more demanding beneficial-ownership resolutions and the coming integration of agency disclosure systems, says researcher Robert Green.

  • Rhode Island Self-Checkout Law Signals National Trend

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    Rhode Island's law limiting self-checkout in retail stores is the first of its kind, but state and local lawmakers across the country are considering similar bills — and if enacted, they could create a patchwork of compliance requirements around issues including staffing, signage and restricted merchandise, says Hannah Flint at Hunton.

  • Series

    Being A Singer Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Before law school, I spent seven years trying to make it as a professional singer in Los Angeles, and nearly everything I learned about preparation, humility, confidence and more has followed me into my legal practice, says Jessica Caterina at Moses & Singer.

  • USDA Rule Would Broaden Foreign Co. Reporting Burden

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    The U.S. Department of Agriculture's recently proposed overhaul of foreign landholder reporting obligations would expand covered agricultural uses, mandate more detailed online disclosures and toughen penalties, so organizations must proactively reassess U.S. land interests and prepare for a more stringent compliance regime, say attorneys at Skadden.

  • Preparing For Next Congress With Eye On Investigation Risk

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    Rod Rosenstein, Brian Whisler and Bruce Linskens at Baker McKenzie offer advice for organizations seeking to build a proactive response plan to potential congressional oversight as the election looms.

  • How To Brace For A Potential Democratic Oversight Push

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    With the possibility of a shift in congressional control after the November midterm elections, companies and their general counsel should prepare now by mapping oversight exposure, reviewing government interactions, preserving records and developing coordinated communications strategies, say attorneys at Hogan Lovells.

  • Series

    Being A Magician Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    The skills I've developed as a lifelong magician have translated directly into tangible benefits in the courtroom because performing magic and trying cases both live at the intersection of psychology, storytelling, timing and disciplined rehearsal, says Mark Dombroff at Fox Rothschild.

  • Opinion

    Shareholder Derivative Litigation Needs A Better Framework

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    Uncoordinated, multiforum shareholder derivative litigation is a growing issue for corporate defendants that have little to no recourse for organizing and consolidating actions, but several commonsense steps should be utilized to preempt such disputes, say attorneys at Sullivan & Cromwell.

  • How Justices' TPS Ruling Affects Workforce Planning

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    The U.S. Supreme Court’s recent holding in Mullin v. Doe that courts lack jurisdiction to review temporary protected status determinations greenlights the end of TPS for thousands of Syrian and Haitian nationals, and means employers must reevaluate TPS-designees' employability while avoiding discriminatory document practices, says attorney Richard Herman.

  • How Cos. Can Prep For Ultra-Processed Food Legal Risks

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    A wave of litigation and government scrutiny directed against ultra-processed foods is now gaining momentum, following patterns seen previously in other industries — and food companies that recognize those patterns early will be better positioned to manage the increasing risks, say attorneys at Arnold & Porter.

  • Series

    Bass Fishing Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Landing a trophy striped bass and closing a big deal both require cultivating the patience to finesse — not force — your way to desired outcomes, changing course when your old approach isn’t working and learning from the ones that got away, says Jon Ruiss at Alston & Bird.

  • Roundup

    The Most Talked-About Supreme Court Decisions Of 2026

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    This term, 11 U.S. Supreme Court decisions quickly became hot topics among Law360's guest writers.

  • What Ex-CFPB Head's Calif. Role May Foretell For Oversight

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    California Gov. Gavin Newsom's selection of former Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Rohit Chopra to lead a new consumer agency signals tougher state financial services oversight, especially for fintechs, as well as heightened enforcement activity and larger penalties, say attorneys at WilmerHale.

  • Immigration Ruling Maps Alternative To Universal Injunctions

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    A Rhode Island federal court's decision in Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island v. USCIS vacating policies that froze key immigration adjudications for nationals of 39 countries, and paused asylum applications altogether, suggests how practitioners might press for the Administrative Procedure Act's bad faith exception to record review and seek vacatur as a viable alternative to universal injunctions, says Kemal Hepsen at Mandamus Lawyers.

  • Lessons From EEOC Suit Over Coca-Cola Women-Only Event

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    The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's recent lawsuit alleging that Coca-Cola Northeast violated federal law by having a professional development retreat for female employees demonstrates that the EEOC is scrutinizing DEI-related practices with unprecedented intensity, so even the most well-intentioned programs may be challenged, say attorneys at Venable.

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