Hospitality

  • June 10, 2025

    Judge Denies Calif. Tribe's Bid To Restore Gaming Eligibility

    A D.C. federal judge Tuesday declined to reinstate a California tribe's gaming eligibility for a casino-resort project in the San Francisco Bay Area while the U.S. Department of the Interior reassesses its approval, ruling that the tribe hasn't shown it would be imminently harmed by the eligibility suspension.

  • June 10, 2025

    Tribes' Effort To Overturn Ore. Casino Land Decision Halted

    A D.C. federal court judge hit pause on a bid by three tribes to vacate the U.S. Department of the Interior's final determination and environmental impact statement in a dispute over the agency's decision to take land into trust for Oregon's Coquille Indian Tribe for a proposed casino project.

  • June 10, 2025

    Spokesman Sues Motel 6 Over Unauthorized Use Of His Voice

    Tom Bodett, a radio personality and voice actor known for Motel 6's radio and television ads for nearly 40 years, has sued the hospitality chain for allegedly using his name and voice without consent after he ended an agreement.

  • June 10, 2025

    No Sanctions For Cicis Pizza Investor, Judge Rules

    A Texas state court judge drew short of sanctioning one of the companies that helped bring Cicis Pizza out of bankruptcy, but said Tuesday the company needs to turn over its complete ledger as it pursues a suit challenging allegedly excessive management fees totaling at least $25 million.

  • June 10, 2025

    Clerk's Role Means Antitrust Judge Must Recuse, Court Told

    Pork producer defendants involved in a major pork price-fixing case continue to push for the recusal of a Minnesota federal judge because of his clerk's connections to plaintiff-side firms, arguing the plaintiffs are running from "indisputable facts."

  • June 10, 2025

    Atlanta Drag Bar Agrees To $50K Deal In Wage Suit

    An Atlanta bar that provides drag show entertainment has agreed to pay $50,000 to end a performer's proposed collective action alleging it failed to pay minimum wage and overtime, and both parties urged a Georgia federal court to greenlight the deal.

  • June 09, 2025

    3rd Circ. Rejects Ralph Lauren's COVID-19 Coverage Appeal

    The Third Circuit on Monday rejected a consolidated appeal from Ralph Lauren Corp. and luggage retailers Tumi Inc. and Samsonite LLC over property insurance coverage for COVID-19-related losses, finding a New Jersey Supreme Court decision from January 2024 wholly settled the matter.

  • June 09, 2025

    Feds Argue Koi Nation's Historic Ties Justify Calif. Land Trust

    The Interior Department is looking to dismiss a challenge to its decision to take 70 acres into trust for a proposed tribal hotel and casino project in Sonoma County, California, telling a federal court that the Koi Nation has a significant historical connection to the site.

  • June 09, 2025

    Janitorial Contractor Fights Portland Labor Peace Policy

    A nonprofit that supplies janitors to the city of Portland, Oregon, is challenging the city's requirement for certain city contractors to enter into labor peace agreements with unions, claiming in a new lawsuit in federal court that the rule is preempted by the National Labor Relations Act.

  • June 06, 2025

    3rd Circ. Partially Undoes Chipotle's Change-Shorting Suit Win

    The Third Circuit on Friday declined to fully undo Chipotle's win against a proposed class action that alleged it shortchanged customers during a COVID-19 pandemic coin shortage in 2020, reversing a lower court's determination that a Pennsylvania man waived a breach of contract claim by accepting his change without coins.

  • June 06, 2025

    Orthodox Family Files $50M Bias Suit Against Country Club

    An Orthodox Jewish family has filed a $50 million lawsuit against a Boca Raton, Florida, country club for allegedly suspending them after the father posted a viral social media video of him helping an Instagram personality wrap tefillin — a traditional Jewish prayer ritual — on the golf course.

  • June 06, 2025

    Argentina Tells DC Circ. $391M Award OK Must Be Nixed

    Argentina has asked the D.C. Circuit to overturn a lower court decision ordering it to pay a $391 million arbitral award issued following a 15-year-old dispute over the renationalization of the country's state-owned airline.

  • June 05, 2025

    Crypto.com Says Nevada Can't Sue Over Sports Contracts

    The derivatives platform owned by Crypto.com on Thursday urged a Nevada federal judge to block the state's gaming regulators from taking action over its sports event contracts, arguing the federal court has already granted similar relief to trading platform Kalshi.

  • June 05, 2025

    Starbucks Can't Scotch $50M Verdict For Tea-Scorched Driver

    A California judge has affirmed a jury verdict awarding $50 million to a gig economy driver who suffered a severely burned penis after scalding hot tea spilled in his lap due to a Starbucks worker's negligence, saying the verdict was not excessive given his "horrific injuries."

  • June 05, 2025

    Ga. Court Nixes 'Massive' $65M Punitive Award In Fraud Case

    The Georgia Court of Appeals on Thursday struck down $65 million in punitive damages awarded to a doctor who was defrauded of his investments in a series of restaurants, ruling that the verdict was "grossly excessive" at more than 100 times the value of the compensatory damages awarded by a state court jury.

  • June 05, 2025

    Hooters Closes Locations As It Pursues Ch. 11 Franchise Shift

    Bankrupt casual dining chain Hooters of America began shuttering dozens of restaurant locations throughout the United States Wednesday as it pursues a Chapter 11 restructuring that will see its plan disclosure statement up for approval next week.

  • June 05, 2025

    Ga. Law Firm, Insurer Settle Over $6.4M Hotel Injury Case

    An insurance company that sued a law firm for malpractice in Georgia federal court after paying more than $6.4 million following a worker injury jury verdict against a construction company it insured, said Thursday that it had settled with the firm in connection with its representation of the company.

  • June 05, 2025

    Chicago Fire Pitch $650M Arena For Vacant South Loop Site

    The Chicago Fire soccer team has announced plans to build a $650 million stadium on a long-vacant site in the South Loop that was recently eyed for a new baseball stadium.

  • June 05, 2025

    KFC Parent Co. Fights $4B IRS Bill In Tax Court

    The parent company of Pizza Hut, KFC and Taco Bell is challenging $2.5 billion in taxes and penalties that the IRS claims it owes for a corporate reorganization to restructure its international operations, according to a U.S. Tax Court petition served Thursday, a figure that has topped $4 billion with interest.

  • June 05, 2025

    Davis Wright Adds Coblentz Patch Wine Industry Expert In SF

    Davis Wright Tremaine LLP is expanding its food and beverage team, bringing in a Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass LLP transactional attorney specializing in the wine and hospitality industry as a partner in its San Francisco office.

  • June 04, 2025

    Starbucks' Legal Chief Exits Amid Organizational Changes

    Starbucks's top attorney Brad Lerman will be exiting the company in the coming months while helping the coffee giant search for his replacement as chief legal officer, the company announced Thursday in its U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission paperwork. 

  • June 04, 2025

    Cheesesteak Icon Asks 3rd Circ. If Loper Bright Slices Sentence

    Counsel for a Philadelphia cheesesteak shop owner seeking a lighter sentence for paying employees off the books told the court Wednesday that he has asked the Third Circuit to consider how the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark decision striking longstanding agency deference framework might affect his case.

  • June 04, 2025

    Hospitality Law Leaders Parse Trade War Fallout

    In this weekly Q&A series from Law360 Real Estate Authority, law firm hospitality leaders assess the issues the hotel space is facing amid market uncertainty and the ongoing trade war.

  • June 04, 2025

    Jack Nicklaus' Defamation Suit Can Stay In Fla., Court Says

    A Florida appeals court ruled Wednesday that golf legend Jack Nicklaus can keep his defamation lawsuit against Nicklaus Cos. LLC in the state, despite a forum selection clause between the two that designated New York as the required venue.

  • June 04, 2025

    Pa. Brewery Co-Owner Claims Fraud Against Jailed Partner

    A Pittsburgh-area business owner currently jailed for insurance and bankruptcy fraud is also accused of defrauding his former partner in a brewery and restaurant, including hiding the fact that the building the partner was renovating and living in was actually condemned, according to a lawsuit filed in state court.

Expert Analysis

  • Appellate Guidance Needed On California Chatbot Litigation

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    There is wide variation in how courts are applying the California Invasion of Privacy Act against website owners that allegedly help third parties spy on visitors via chatbots — and the lack of appellate rulings creates uncertainty, especially as these cases move toward the summary judgment stage, say attorneys at Crowell & Moring.

  • Calif. Bar Exam Fiasco Shows Why Attys Must Disclose AI Use

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    The recent revelation that a handful of questions from the controversial California bar exam administered in February were drafted using generative artificial intelligence demonstrate the continued importance of disclosure for attorneys who use AI tools, say attorneys at Troutman.

  • Spoliation Is More Likely To Harm Your Case Than Help It

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    Destroying self-incriminating evidence to avoid a large judgment may seem like an attractive option to some defendants, but it is a shortsighted strategy that affords the nonspoiliating party potentially case-terminating remedies, and support for a direct assault on the spoliator’s credibility, say attorneys at Mandelbaum Barrett.

  • In 2nd Place, Va. 'Rocket Docket' Remains Old Reliable

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    The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia was again one of the fastest civil trial courts in the nation last year, and an interview with the court’s newest judge provides insights into why it continues to soar, says Robert Tata at Hunton.

  • Parsing A Lack Of Antitrust Info-Sharing Enforcement Clarity

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    Information sharing among competing firms has recently faced dramatic changes in antitrust agency guidance, while courts grapple with the permissible scope of pricing algorithms, leaving companies in limbo, but potential Trump administration changes could offer some reprieve, say attorneys at Axinn.

  • How Attorneys Can Become Change Agents For Racial Equity

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    As the administration targets diversity, equity and inclusion efforts and law firms consider pulling back from their programs, lawyers who care about racial equity and justice can employ four strategies to create microspaces of justice, which can then be parlayed into drivers of transformational change, says Susan Sturm at Columbia Law School.

  • Series

    Running Marathons Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    After almost five years of running marathons, I’ve learned that both the race itself and the training process sharpen skills that directly translate to the practice of law, including discipline, dedication, endurance, problem-solving and mental toughness, says Lauren Meadows at Swift Currie.

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: Supporting A Trial Team

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    While students often practice as lead trial attorneys in law school, such an opportunity likely won’t arise until a few years into practice, so junior associates should focus on honing skills that are essential to supporting a trial team, including organization, adaptability and humility, says Lucy Zelina at Tucker Ellis.

  • Series

    Adapting To Private Practice: From US Attorney To BigLaw

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    When I transitioned to private practice after government service — most recently as the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia — I learned there are more similarities between the two jobs than many realize, with both disciplines requiring resourcefulness, zealous advocacy and foresight, says Zach Terwilliger at V&E.

  • The Ins And Outs Of Consensual Judicial References

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    As parties consider the possibility of judicial reference to resolve complex disputes, it is critical to understand how the process works, why it's gaining traction, and why carefully crafted agreements make all the difference, say attorneys at Pillsbury.

  • Opinion

    The BigLaw Settlements Are About Risk, Not Profit

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    The nine Am Law 100 firms that settled with the Trump administration likely did so because of the personal risk faced by equity partners in today's billion‑dollar national practices, enabled by an ethics rule primed for modernization, says Adam Forest at Scale.

  • Series

    Brazilian Jiujitsu Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Competing in Brazilian jiujitsu – often against opponents who are much larger and younger than me – has allowed me to develop a handful of useful skills that foster the resilience and adaptability necessary for a successful legal career, says Tina Dorr of Barnes & Thornburg.

  • Customs Fraud Enforcement In The Age Of Tariffs

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    In the wake of the Trump administration’s new approach toward tariffs, two recent Justice Department developments demonstrate aggressive customs fraud enforcement, with the DOJ emphasizing competitive harm to American businesses, and signaling that investigations will likely involve both civil and criminal enforcement tools, say attorneys at Bernstein Litowitz and London & Naor.

  • Series

    Power To The Paralegals: An Untapped Source For Biz Roles

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    Law firms looking to recruit legal business talent should consider turning to paralegals, who practice several key skills every day that prepare them to thrive in marketing and client development roles, says Vanessa Torres at Lowenstein Sandler.

  • Series

    Playing Poker Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Poker is a master class in psychology, risk management and strategic thinking, and I’m a better attorney because it has taught me to read my opponents, adapt when I’m dealt the unexpected and stay patient until I'm ready to reveal my hand, says Casey Kingsley at McCreadyLaw.

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