Food & Beverage

  • April 10, 2025

    3rd Circ. Judge At 'Crossroads' In H-2A Farmworker Row

    A Third Circuit judge suggested Thursday that the outcome of a case alleging that a Garden State farm violated provisions of a temporary guest worker program hinges on whether it's an immigration matter or a labor dispute, a determination that should be made before the panel can view it through a post-Jarkesy lens.

  • April 10, 2025

    Amazon CEO, Bain Take Spotlight Amid Recent Rumors

    Private equity firm Bain Capital agrees to purchase Sizzling Platter for $1 billion, SC Capital is eyeing British data center group Global Switch in a potential $5 billion deal, and Amazon CEO Andy Jassy addresses a rumored Amazon bid. Here, Law360 breaks down these and other rumor-related developments from the past week.

  • April 10, 2025

    Judge Approves Sale Of Ex-Riverfront CFO's Detroit Bar

    A former chief financial officer who pled guilty to stealing tens of millions of dollars from a Detroit nonprofit got a federal judge's approval Wednesday to sell his nightclub as he faces paying a $45.5 million restitution bill.

  • April 10, 2025

    Whole Foods Sues CBL, Transformco Over Asbestos In Store

    Whole Foods Market Group Inc. is suing entities connected to real estate investment trust CBL Properties and retail company Transformco for more than $1 million, alleging that the companies are liable for an "ill-fated and injurious" redevelopment project that created asbestos in a North Carolina Whole Foods store.

  • April 10, 2025

    Judge On Bid To Redo Wawa Breach Atty Fees: 'I Don't Buy It'

    A Third Circuit panel on Thursday considering a class member's request to reconsider a $3.2 million attorney fee award in the Wawa data breach litigation seemed unconvinced of the argument that the number was the result of side-dealing attorneys, with one judge telling counsel, "I don't buy it."

  • April 10, 2025

    Brazilian Sugar Producer Hits Ch. 15 In NY With $735M Debt

    Brazilian sugar producer and distributor Virgolino de Oliveira SA has filed for Chapter 15 protection in New York bankruptcy court with $735 million in debt.

  • April 09, 2025

    Trump Orders Agencies To Identify Anticompetitive Rules

    President Donald Trump signed an executive order Wednesday requiring federal agency heads to identify regulations that create anticompetitive barriers with recommendations for what to do about them, following the U.S. Department of Justice's recent announcement of its own similar initiative.

  • April 09, 2025

    Revived Burger King No-Poach Case Survives Dismissal

    A Florida federal judge Wednesday denied Burger King's bid to toss proposed class action claims over the fast-food chain's past use of no-poach provisions in its franchise agreements, finding the workers' antitrust and fraud claims could proceed.

  • April 09, 2025

    9th Circ. Won't Restore Competing TM Claims In Vitamin Row

    The Ninth Circuit on Wednesday refused to revive competing trademark infringement claims between a pair of vitamin and supplement companies, backing a lower court's finding that neither party was able to prove their case.

  • April 09, 2025

    Country's Largest Egg Producer Discloses DOJ Price Probe

    Cal-Maine Foods Inc., which bills itself as the country's largest producer and distributor of fresh shell eggs, on Tuesday became the first company to disclose being targeted by a U.S. Department of Justice civil probe into spiking egg prices.

  • April 09, 2025

    FDA Slow To Act On Hemp And Vapes, Congress Hears

    Federal health officials' inaction on flavored vapes and hemp-derived consumables has led to a proliferation of loosely regulated products, members of a U.S. House of Representatives committee heard on Wednesday.

  • April 09, 2025

    Ga. Beverage Co. Worker Says Pregnancy Got Her Fired

    A former operations manager for a Georgia commercial beverage service company sued the company for pregnancy discrimination Tuesday, making good on an alleged invitation by her boss to "file a claim" if she had a problem with her abrupt firing last year.

  • April 09, 2025

    Ex-Mars Executive Faces Forfeiture Bid In $28M Fraud Case

    The U.S. Department of Justice wants the former global price risk manager of a subsidiary of candy maker Mars Inc. to forfeit a Connecticut home plus accounts at three financial firms to help offset $28 million in alleged fraud proceeds.

  • April 08, 2025

    Bigelow Tea Buyer Class Wins $2.36M In Trial Over 'USA' Label

    A California federal jury found Tuesday that R.C. Bigelow committed fraud and violated the state's Consumer Legal Remedies Act by placing a label on some tea products touting it as "Manufactured in the USA 100%," awarding a class of Golden State tea buyers $2.36 million in damages.

  • April 08, 2025

    Starbucks Tears Into Missouri AG's 'Defective' DEI Lawsuit

    Starbucks urged a Missouri federal judge to toss a suit from the state's attorney general claiming the company employs diversity quotas that discriminate against white and male applicants, arguing the state hasn't presented any evidence that its diversity, equity and inclusion policies have negatively affected Missourians.

  • April 08, 2025

    Pepsi, Frito-Lay Fight Pricing Claims From Stores

    Pepsi and Frito-Lay have asked to toss a case accusing them of illegally charging Walmart, Target and other chain stores less for chips than smaller retailers, saying the stores bringing the case fail to make a direct comparison of sales to the different outlets.

  • April 08, 2025

    Wash. Co. Liable For Hack Involving 19K Workers, Suit Says

    A Washington-based seafood producer has been hit with a proposed class action in federal court over a data breach that allegedly exposed the private information of more than 19,000 employees to hackers.

  • April 08, 2025

    McCarter & English Fights DQ Bid In NJ Food Biz Quarrel

    McCarter & English LLP pushed back on a disqualification bid from a New Jersey food industry executive in federal court this week, arguing that the plaintiff is attempting to "fabricate" a previous attorney-client relationship to demand disqualification.

  • April 08, 2025

    Farmworkers Fight To Keep Wages Collective Suit Standing

    A North Carolina federal judge should reject three farms' attempts to detangle a collective and snag an early win in a suit accusing them of failing to reimburse farmworkers for travel and visa expenses, the workers said, standing by claims they said are timely and well-supported.

  • April 07, 2025

    Split 5th Circ. Undoes Injunction On Texas Strip Club Fee Law

    The Fifth Circuit on Monday reversed an injunction barring the Texas comptroller from enforcing a state law imposing fees on strip clubs that allow on-site alcohol consumption, saying in a split unpublished opinion that a Houston club challenging the law was bound by a 2011 decision that upheld the law.

  • April 07, 2025

    Bigelow Emails Spill The Tea About 'USA' Label Lies, Jury Told

    An attorney for a class of tea consumers suing R.C. Bigelow over a "Manufactured in the USA 100%" label that has already been found to be false told a California federal jury during closing arguments Monday that internal emails show that executives were either reckless or intentionally misled the public.

  • April 07, 2025

    Snyder's-Lance Looks To Ax Proposed Class Wage Claims

    The company that makes Snyder's pretzels asked a North Carolina federal judge Monday to deny a Pennsylvania employee's bid to represent a class of workers from 12 states in a wage lawsuit, arguing she can't sue under the laws of the 11 states she doesn't live or work in.

  • April 07, 2025

    Bakery Oil Trial Begins With Split Over Formulas' Secrecy

    Pittsburgh commercial bakery supplier Mallet & Co. told a federal jury Monday that a partner-turned-rival enticed former employees to help it start a competing business, Synova, in the field of release agents, or the oils and lubricants that keep baked goods from sticking to their pans.

  • April 07, 2025

    Agriculture Insurer Says Agent Error Cost It Fed. Reinsurance

    A Texas insurance company has taken aim at its insurance agent, claiming that clerical errors cost the company over $1 million after applications for reinsurance were belatedly submitted to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Federal Crop Insurance Corp. amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • April 07, 2025

    Agri Stats Pushes Back Against DOJ Doc Bid In Antitrust Case

    Agri Stats Inc. has told a Minnesota federal court that a U.S. Department of Justice motion seeking documents is just an effort to delay the government's case accusing the data firm of helping chicken, pork and turkey producers share competitively sensitive information.

Expert Analysis

  • Series

    Round-Canopy Parachuting Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Similar to the practice of law, jumping from an in-flight airplane with nothing but training and a few yards of parachute silk is a demanding and stressful endeavor, and the experience has bolstered my legal practice by enhancing my focus, teamwork skills and sense of perspective, says Thomas Salerno at Stinson.

  • And Now A Word From The Panel: The MDL Map

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    An intriguing yet unpredictable facet of multidistrict litigation practice is venue selection for new MDL proceedings, and the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation considers many factors when it assigns an MDL venue, says Alan Rothman at Sidley Austin.

  • Why Now Is The Time For Law Firms To Hire Lateral Partners

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    Partner and associate mobility data from the second quarter of this year suggest that there's never been a better time in recent years for law firms to hire lateral candidates, particularly experienced partners — though this necessitates an understanding of potential red flags, say Julie Henson and Greg Hamman at Decipher Investigative Intelligence.

  • A Look At The Economic Impact Of Drug Patent Differentiation

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    Given the Federal Trade Commission’s recent emphasis on unfair competition based on disputed patent listings, pharmaceutical market participants are likely to require nuanced characterizations of actual and but-for market competition when multiple patents differentiate multiple products, say economists at Competition Dynamics.

  • Considering Possible PR Risks Of Certain Legal Tactics

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    Disney and American Airlines recently abandoned certain litigation tactics in two lawsuits after fierce public backlash, illustrating why corporate counsel should consider the reputational implications of any legal strategy and partner with their communications teams to preempt public relations concerns, says Chris Gidez at G7 Reputation Advisory.

  • How Labeling And Testing May Help Reduce PFAS Litigation

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    As regulators take steps to reduce consumers’ exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as forever chemicals, companies can take a proactive approach to mitigating litigation risks not only by labeling their products transparently, but also by complying with testing and marketing standards, says Sarah La Pearl at Segal McCambridge.

  • It's No Longer Enough For Firms To Be Trusted Advisers

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    Amid fierce competition for business, the transactional “trusted adviser” paradigm from which most firms operate is no longer sufficient — they should instead aim to become trusted partners with their most valuable clients, says Stuart Maister at Strategic Narrative.

  • Expect More Restaurant Ch. 11s As COVID Debt Comes Due

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    The wave of restaurant bankruptcies is likely to continue in the coming months as companies face the looming repayment of COVID-19 pandemic-era government loans, an uncertain economy and increased interest rates, says Isaac Marcushamer at DGIM Law.

  • 'Greenhushing': Why Some Cos. Are Keeping Quiet On ESG

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    A wave of ESG-related litigation and regulations have led some companies to retreat altogether from any public statements about their ESG goals, a trend known as "greenhushing" that was at the center of a recent D.C. court decision involving Coca-Cola, say Gonzalo Mon and Katie Rogers at Kelley Drye.

  • Co-Tenancy Clause Pointers For Shopping Center Landlords

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    Large retail tenants often require co-tenancy provisions in their leases, entitling them to remedies if a shopping center's occupancy drops in certain ways, but landlords must draft these provisions carefully to avoid giving tenants too much control, says Gary Glick at Cox Castle.

  • Complying With FTC's Final Rule On Sham Online Reviews

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    The Federal Trade Commission's final rule on deceptive acts and practices in online reviews and testimonials is effective Oct. 21, and some practice tips can help businesses avert noncompliance risks, say Airina Rodrigues and Jonathan Sandler at Brownstein Hyatt.

  • Nuclear Waste Storage Questions Justices May Soon Address

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    The petition for the U.S. Supreme Court to review U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission v. Texas stands out for a number of reasons — including a deepening circuit split regarding the NRC's nuclear waste storage authority under the Atomic Energy Act, and broader administrative law implications, say attorneys at MoloLamken.

  • 3 Patent Considerations For America's New Quantum Hub

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    Recent developments signal an incredibly bright future for Chicago as the new home of quantum computing, and it is crucial that these innovators — whose technology has the potential to transform many industries — prioritize intellectual property strategy, says Andrew Velzen at McDonnell Boehnen.

  • Navigating A Potpourri Of Possible Transparency Act Pitfalls

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    Despite the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network's continued release of guidance for complying with the Corporate Transparency Act, its interpretation remains in flux, making it important for companies to understand potentially problematic areas of ambiguity in the practical application of the law, say attorneys at Sidley.

  • Fed. Circ. Ruling Creates New Rule For Certification Marks

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    The Federal Circuit's decision last month in Bureau National Interprofessionnel du Cognac v. Cologne & Cognac Entertainment is significant in that it establishes a new standard for assessing evidence of third-party uses of a certification mark in deciding whether the mark is famous, say Samantha Katze and Lisa Rosaya at Manatt.

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