Food & Beverage

  • September 21, 2026

    Yardbird Southern Dining Chain Hits Ch. 11 With $50M Debt

    Elevated casual dining chain Yardbird Group LLC filed for Chapter 11 protection Monday in Delaware, listing $25 million of secured debt obligations and another $25 million in unsecured claims as it pursues a sale of its business.

  • September 18, 2026

    Judge Nixes USDA's SNAP Deadline, Immigrant Benefit Rules

    An Oregon federal judge sided with a coalition of 21 states and the District of Columbia that challenged the Trump administration's restrictions to the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, ruling Thursday that the U.S. Department of Agriculture's guidance barring certain noncitizen immigrants from SNAP benefits was unlawful.

  • September 18, 2026

    Gerber Can't Trim Antitrust Claims Over Perrigo Factory Sale

    A New York federal court on Friday rejected Gerber's bid to trim a baby-formula packager's antitrust lawsuit against the Nestle-owned company, finding that the packager sufficiently alleged Gerber recently sold its infant-formula factory to Perrigo to entrench Perrigo's market power "at the expense of potential competitors."

  • September 18, 2026

    Nature's Way 'Zero Sugar' Gummies Contain Sugar, Suit Says

    Supplement maker Nature's Way Products falsely labeled certain women's multivitamins as "Sugar Free" and "Zero Sugar," but in reality the product contained several grams of a carbohydrate which is identified as sugar under federal and California labeling laws, according to a proposed class action.

  • September 18, 2026

    FTC's Meador Touts Right-To-Repair Progress After Deere Case

    Federal Trade Commissioner Mark Meador has hailed the commission's "progress" in right-to-repair enforcement during recent remarks before the National Farmers Union, touting the agency's July settlement in its case against John Deere.

  • September 18, 2026

    Frozen Potato Makers Must Face Bulk Of Price-Fixing Case

    The four companies controlling roughly 98% of the frozen potato product market must face consumers' accusations that they shared competitively sensitive information and coordinated other efforts to carry out an illegal price-fixing scheme, an Illinois federal judge has ruled.

  • September 18, 2026

    USDA Disclosure Rule Could Snag Energy Project Deals

    Energy infrastructure projects could be subject to sweeping foreign ownership disclosure requirements under a proposed rule from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, injecting more uncertainty into acquisition, investment and development deals.

  • September 18, 2026

    Insurers Seek To Toss $6M Mill Coverage Fight

    Insurers urged a Colorado state judge to toss a flour processor's claims over coverage for equipment destroyed in a Texas mill explosion, saying a roughly $6 million coverage fight does not support bad faith claims after insurers paid nearly $44 million toward the loss.

  • September 18, 2026

    Conagra 'Keto' Products Hide Added Sugar, Suit Claims

    A proposed class of buyers is suing Conagra Brands Inc. in Illinois federal court, alleging that despite marketing some keto baking products as having no added sugar, the company adds allulose, a sugar, during processing.

  • September 18, 2026

    4th Circ. Weighs DEA Power To Classify HHC Schedule I

    A Fourth Circuit panel Friday appeared skeptical of the rationale the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration used to justify designating hexahydrocannabinol, or HHC, a psychoactive compound synthesized from hemp extracts, as a Schedule I substance.

  • September 18, 2026

    Campbell's Can't Undo $17M Soup Rack Patent Verdict

    An Illinois federal judge has refused to nullify a $17 million patent infringement verdict against Campbell's Soup Co., rejecting its claims that a reasonable jury would have awarded only nominal damages to Gamon at most.

  • September 18, 2026

    Disease Exclusion Doesn't Apply To Listeria Injury Claims

    A Nationwide unit cannot rely on a communicable disease exclusion to avoid covering a meat producer in underlying actions over alleged exposure to listeria-contaminated food, an Oregon federal court ruled, saying the exclusion is susceptible to more than one interpretation.

  • September 18, 2026

    EU Continues Above-Average Pace Probing Trade Practices

    The European Union saw its uptick in trade defense measures carry on in 2025, continuing the previous year's trend of a "significant increase" in antidumping and antisubsidy investigations over the historic average, according to a report released Friday.

  • September 17, 2026

    Starbucks Settles Fla. AG's 'Race-Based Quota' DEI Claims

    Starbucks Corp. has agreed not to use race- or sex-based goals in hiring and promoting its employees and to not "participate in any organizations that require increasing the racial diversity of its board of directors" as part of a settlement with Florida's attorney general, according to an announcement made Thursday.

  • September 17, 2026

    7th Circ. Questions Illinois' Out-Of-State Liquor Delivery Ban

    The Seventh Circuit seemed unsure Thursday whether it should back a district court decision tossing two wine collectors' constitutional claim against an Illinois law barring out-of-state retailers delivering alcohol to in-state customers, questioning the state's underlying reasoning for the ban.

  • September 17, 2026

    Amazon Sued For Use Of 'Drunk Shakespeare' In 'Off Campus'

    Producers of the live comedy theatrical productions "Drunk Shakespeare" sued Amazon in Florida federal court Thursday, alleging that an episode of Amazon's streaming college romantic drama "Off Campus" infringed their trademark by copying aspects of the productions and using the "Drunk Shakespeare" name.  

  • September 17, 2026

    Insurer Off The Hook For $5M E-Cig Wholesaler Fire Coverage

    An Illinois federal judge handed a complete win to an insurer on its counterclaim that an electronic cigarette product wholesaler isn't owed nearly $5 million in coverage for a warehouse fire because it misrepresented important facts about its business when seeking coverage.

  • September 17, 2026

    Sonic Wins Appeal Bid To Arbitrate Suit Over Worker's Death

    The mother of a Sonic employee who was fatally shot in 2023 must arbitrate her wrongful death suit against the restaurant, Texas appellate justices said Thursday, finding that she didn't meet her burden showing Sonic substantially invoked the court process in a way that conflicted with its right to compel arbitration. 

  • September 17, 2026

    Trader Joe's Faces Lawsuits Over Sugar Labeling

    Two proposed class actions filed in Illinois federal court Wednesday accuse Trader Joe's of misleading consumers by labeling its Sweet & Sour Gummy Worms and dark chocolate chips as containing zero sugar and no added sugar, respectively, when both products contain an ingredient classified as a sugar under federal labeling rules.

  • September 17, 2026

    Canada Commits To Trade Initiatives With EU, Southeast Asia

    Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Thursday committed to work with European Union officials to enhance the trading relationship between the bloc and Canada as the country's top trade official is scheduled to visit major partners in Asia in the coming days to advance negotiations on trade agreements.

  • September 17, 2026

    OpenAI Aims For $1.2T Valuation, More Rumors

    Artificial intelligence giant OpenAI is mulling a private funding round that could value the ChatGPT maker at $1.2 trillion; Blackstone is looking to raise $8 billion for its latest Green Infrastructure Credit Fund; and Japanese chipmaker Kioxia Holdings is looking to raise $10 billion by listing American depositary receipts.

  • September 16, 2026

    Grocery Outlet Escapes Investor Suit Over IT Update Risks

    A California federal judge on Wednesday tossed an investor's proposed class action accusing Grocery Outlet Holding Corp. of botching the implementation of an enterprise resource planning system that caused disruptions and financial losses, saying the suit does not show the company's disclosures were misleading or deficient.

  • September 16, 2026

    'Disappointment' Not Enough To Sue Hershey's, Judge Says

    A Florida federal judge Wednesday again dismissed a proposed class action that accuses The Hershey Co. of misleading consumers into thinking its Halloween Reese's brand peanut butter pumpkins have carved-out designs, saying the plaintiffs' "subjective disappointment" was not an injury that gives them standing to sue.

  • September 16, 2026

    Kroger Faces Skepticism In Bid To Slash Wash. AG's Fee Win

    A Washington appellate judge expressed skepticism Wednesday at Kroger's bid to dismiss or reduce the state's $28.4 million fee award for successfully challenging the proposed merger with Albertsons, saying Kroger doesn't know how the Washington State Attorney General's Office split the work with the lead law firm that handled the bench trial.

  • September 16, 2026

    No Price Tweak Needed In Bag Duty Review, Trade Court Says

    The U.S. Department of Commerce provided enough justification for its rejection of a level-of-trade adjustment for a Colombia paper bag exporter subject to antidumping duties, the U.S. Court of International Trade ruled, signing off on a re-explained determination.

Expert Analysis

  • 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.

  • High Court's FCC Fine Ruling Reframes Agency Enforcement

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    The U.S. Supreme Court's recent decision in Federal Communications Commission v. AT&T sweeps aside uncertainty about what kinds of regulatory enforcement trigger a Seventh Amendment right, say attorneys at Squire Patton.

  • After Durnell, Connecting Science And Causation Will Be Key

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    The U.S. Supreme Court's June 25 decision in Monsanto v. Durnell narrowed label-based failure-to-warn claims — meaning that going forward, viable theories will depend even more on whether experts can reliably connect scientific evidence to the causal proposition the law requires, says Alex Smolak at Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar.

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