Hospitality

January 02, 2026
Hilton Hotel Tax Valuation Rightly Cut, Minn. Justices Told

Minnesota's tax court was correct in reducing the tax valuations of a Hilton hotel and convention center, which included a $70 million drop in one year, the property owner told the Minnesota Supreme Court.
January 02, 2026
Ind. House Bill Would Allow Municipal Tax On Shorter Rentals

Indiana would authorize municipalities to impose an innkeeper's tax on the rental of rooms and other accommodations in hotels and motels for less than 30 days under a bill filed in the state House of Representatives.
January 02, 2026
Cases To Watch In Native American Law In 2026

The new year in Native American law is expected to usher in rulings on the rights of Indigenous nations and their citizens, including disputes over voting, hunting and fishing, and a possible expansion of the Supreme Court's 2020 landmark decision in McGirt v. Oklahoma.
January 02, 2026
Food & Beverage Cases To Watch In 2026

There are several issues food and beverage attorneys will want to keep an eye on in 2026, from litigation challenging the marketing of ultra-processed foods, to false advertising claims over the presence of "forever chemicals" and microplastics, to the federal government's efforts to regulate additives. Here, Law360 has rounded up a number of matters that attorneys should be watching.
January 01, 2026
4 High Court Cases To Watch This Spring

The U.S. Supreme Court justices will return from the winter holidays to tackle several constitutional disputes that range from who is entitled to birthright citizenship to whether transgender individuals are entitled to heightened levels of protection from discrimination.
January 01, 2026
Blue Slip Fight Looms Over Trump's 2026 Judicial Outlook

In 2025, President Donald Trump put 20 district and six circuit judges on the federal bench. In the year ahead, a fight over home state senators' ability to block district court picks could make it more difficult for him to match that record.
January 01, 2026
BigLaw Leaders Tackle Growth, AI, Remote Work In New Year

Rapid business growth, cultural changes caused by remote work and generative AI are creating challenges and opportunities for law firm leaders going into the New Year. Here, seven top firm leaders share what’s running through their minds as they lie awake at night.
December 23, 2025
Arby's, Dunkin' Owner Dodges Web Cookie Suit, For Now

A California federal judge dismissed a proposed class action Monday against Arby's, Jimmy John's, Dunkin', Baskin-Robbins and their parent company alleging their websites contained cookie banners falsely promising to remove trackers, finding the plaintiffs failed to meet heightened pleading standards required when the claims are based in fraud allegations.
December 23, 2025
Hudson Hotel Debtors Seek To Recast 'Ground Lease'

The developers behind the former Hudson Hotel in Manhattan have asked a Delaware bankruptcy judge to recharacterize a long-term "ground lease" tied to the property as a disguised financing arrangement, arguing the structure functions economically as a high-cost loan rather than a true lease and should not receive favorable treatment under the Bankruptcy Code.
December 23, 2025
Razzoo's $18M Ch. 11 Sale OK'd, With 11 Sites To Stay Open

A Texas bankruptcy judge approved the $18 million sale of Cajun chain Razzoo's Inc.'s assets to a subsidiary of a Dallas-based restaurant developer, which plans to keep operating 11 of Razzoo's 20 remaining locations.
December 23, 2025
Red Robin Cheated Managers Out Of Wages, Court Told

Restaurant chain Red Robin required salaried managers to perform nonexempt work so it could save millions of dollars every year, eight workers said in a proposed class and collective action in Colorado federal court.
December 22, 2025
Chicken Cos. Face Injunction, Small Fines For Pollution

A federal judge hit Tyson Foods, Cargill and other poultry companies with a permanent injunction nearly 16 years after trial for polluting Oklahoma waters with chicken waste, but imposed only a tiny fraction of the $100 million in penalties requested by the state.
December 22, 2025
Red Lobster Pays Tipped Employees Incorrectly, Suit Says

Red Lobster has been hit with proposed class wage claims in Illinois state court accusing the seafood restaurant chain of illegally failing to properly pay its tipped employees for non-tipped work they're also expected to complete while on the clock.
December 22, 2025
Chipotle Dodges Investor Claims Over Portion Cuts

Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. has escaped a proposed shareholder class action accusing it and its executives of downplaying concerns about meager portion sizes, an issue the company later acknowledged it would correct, with a California federal judge's ruling that the allegations are insufficient to establish that Chipotle's statements were false or misleading.
December 22, 2025
Robocall Class Seeks $35.7M After Failed Deal Talks

Consumers looking to hold a resort company liable after its vendor placed more than 70,000 unwanted marketing calls to National Do Not Call registrants have asked an Illinois federal judge to enter a $35.7 million judgment reflecting their recent summary judgment win after their court-ordered settlement negotiations were unsuccessful.
December 19, 2025
Agent Sues Over $1.6M Ex-Hudson Hotel Ch. 11 Escrow Tussle

The escrow agent holding $1.6 million related to the developer of the former Hudson Hotel near Manhattan's Columbus Circle has sued the debtor in Delaware bankruptcy court in an effort to resolve conflicting instructions on what to do with the funds.
December 19, 2025
Top State & Local Tax Cases Of 2025

From a Colorado appellate court upholding a tax on Netflix subscriptions to Pennsylvania's high court finding the Pittsburgh fee on nonresident pro athletes unconstitutional, 2025 was a busy year for state and local tax cases. Here, Law360 looks at the most influential cases of 2025 and their impact going into the new year.
December 18, 2025
Pa. Casino Accused Of Ignoring Data-Tracking Opt-Out

A proposed class action claims the Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh surreptitiously recorded website visitors' browsing and shared it with third parties, including Facebook and Spotify, even if the users chose to "reject" tracking codes, according to the complaint filed in Pennsylvania state court Wednesday.
December 18, 2025
Hilton's $70M Tax Value Cut Appealed To Minn. Supreme Court

Drops in the tax valuations of a Hilton hotel and convention center in Minneapolis, including a $70 million cut during one year, were wrongly ordered by the Minnesota Tax Court, the local assessor said, urging the state Supreme Court to review the case.
December 17, 2025
Avis Did Not Waive Arbitration In Traffic Fines Suit: 3rd Circ.

The Third Circuit has concluded that Avis did not waive its right to arbitrate a long-running class action over traffic fines incurred during a rental with certain members of the class by continuing to litigate the dispute years after incorporating an arbitration clause in its rental agreement.
December 17, 2025
LSU Districts' Taxes Challenged For Not Getting Voter OK

A former Louisiana councilperson filed a suit against two economic improvement districts associated with Louisiana State University on Wednesday, saying the jurisdictions failed to get taxpayer approval before raising sales taxes.
December 17, 2025
Great American Says Cryo Unit Co. Hid Facts In Getting Policy

Insurer Great American has gone to California federal court asserting that it doesn't owe coverage to a cryotherapy unit seller for an underlying lawsuit involving an alleged injury in a hyperbaric chamber at the company's subsidiary, arguing that the cryotherapy company never told the insurer it had a subsidiary.
December 17, 2025
Chancery OKs $10M Fat Brands Settlement, Defers Fees

A judge in the Delaware Chancery Court on Wednesday approved a proposed settlement resolving two long-running shareholder derivative suits against Fat Brands Inc. and its controlling stockholder, finding that the deal delivers immediate cash, targeted governance reforms and a realistic recovery in light of substantial litigation and collectibility risks, while reserving judgment on a disputed request for attorney fees.
December 16, 2025
American Bridge Hit With $4.8M Sanction For Discovery Abuse

A Washington state judge has slapped American Bridge Co. with $4.8 million in monetary sanctions and found the steel subcontractor and its counsel at Smith Currie Oles LLP on the hook for additional legal fees for "widespread discovery abuses" throughout a court battle with a general contractor over delays in a Seattle convention center project.
December 16, 2025
Six Flags Can't Escape Privacy Suit Over Website Tracking

A California federal judge has refused to release Six Flags Entertainment Corp. from a proposed class action accusing it of illegally allowing third parties to track the browsing activities of visitors to its Cedar Point amusement park website, finding that the plaintiff had sufficiently asserted an array of claims for invasion of privacy, wiretap, fraud and unjust enrichment.

Editor's Picks

Foley Reps Hospitality REIT In $260M Buy Of Texas Property

Foley & Lardner LLP said it has represented real estate investment trust Ryman Hospitality Properties Inc. in its $260 million acquisition of the Block 21 mixed-use development complex that occupies an entire city block in downtown Austin, Texas.

Expert Analysis

4 Developments That Defined The 2025 Ethics Landscape

The legal profession spent 2025 at the edge of its ethical comfort zone as courts, firms and regulators confronted how fast-moving technologies and new business models collide with long-standing professional duties, signaling that the profession is entering a period of sustained disruption that will continue into 2026, says Hilary Gerzhoy at HWG Law.
Navigating AI In The Legal Industry

As artificial intelligence becomes an increasingly integral part of legal practice, Law360 guest commentary this year examined evolving ethical obligations, how the plaintiffs bar is using AI to level the playing field against corporate defense teams, and the attendant risks of adoption.
How Fractional GCs Can Manage Risks Of Engagement

As more organizations eliminate their in-house legal departments in favor of outsourcing legal work, fractional general counsel roles offer practitioners an engaging and flexible way to practice at a high level, but they can also present legal, ethical and operational risks that must be proactively managed, say attorneys at Boies Schiller.
Reviewing 2025's Most Pertinent Wiretap Developments

2025 was a remarkable year in the world of web tracking wiretapping litigation, not only for the increased caseload but also because of numerous developing theories of liability, with disputes expected to continue unabated in 2026, say attorneys at Squire Patton.
Series

Nature Photography Makes Me A Better Lawyer

Nature photography reminds me to focus on what is in front of me and to slow down to achieve success, and, in embracing the value of viewing situations through different lenses, offers skills transferable to the practice of law, says Brian Willett at Saul Ewing.
Series

Law School's Missed Lessons: Practical Problem Solving

Issue-spotting skills are well honed in law school, but practicing attorneys must also identify clients’ problems and true goals, and then be able to provide solutions, says Mary Kate Hogan at Quarles & Brady.
Opinion

A Uniform Federal Rule Would Curb Gen AI Missteps In Court

To address the patchwork of courts’ standing orders on generative artificial intelligence, curbing abuses and relieving the burden on judges, the federal judiciary should consider amending its civil procedure rules to require litigants to certify they’ve reviewed legal filings for accuracy, say attorneys at Shook Hardy.
AG Watch: Texas Junk Fee Deal Shows Enforcement Priorities

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's recent $9.5 million settlement with online travel agency website Booking Holdings for so-called junk fee practices follows a larger trend of state attorneys general who have taken similar action and demonstrates the significant penalties that can follow such allegations, say attorneys at Kelley Drye.
Series

The Law Firm Merger Diaries: Integrating Practice Groups

Enacting unified leadership and consistent client service standards ensures law firm practice groups connect and collaborate around shared goals, turning a law firm merger into a platform for growth rather than a period of disruption, says Brian Catlett at Fennemore Craig.
Patent Disclaimers Ruling Offers Restriction Practice Insights

The Federal Circuit's recent decision in Focus Products v. Kartri confirms that prosecution disclaimers can extend to examiner-defined species in restriction practice, making it important for patent practitioners to manage restriction requirement responses carefully to avoid unintended claim scope limitations, say attorneys at BCLP.
Opinion

Supreme Court Term Limits Would Carry Hidden Risk

While proposals for limiting the terms of U.S. Supreme Court justices are popular, a steady stream of relatively young, highly marketable ex-justices with unique knowledge and influence entering the marketplace of law and politics could create new problems, say Michael Broyde at Emory University and Hayden Hall at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware.
Series

Knitting Makes Me A Better Lawyer

Stretching my skills as a knitter makes me a better antitrust attorney by challenging me to recalibrate after wrong turns, not rush outcomes, and trust that I can teach myself the skills to tackle new and difficult projects — even when I don’t have a pattern to work from, says Kara Kuritz at V&E.
Series

The Biz Court Digest: Welcome To Miami

After nearly 20 years in operation, the Miami Complex Business Litigation Division is a pioneer upon which other jurisdictions in the state have been modeled, adopting many innovations to keep its cases running more efficiently and staffing experienced judges who are accustomed to hearing business disputes, say attorneys at King & Spalding.
AI Evidence Rule Tweaks Encourage Judicial Guardrails

Recent additions to a committee note on proposed Rule of Evidence 707 — governing evidence generated by artificial intelligence — seek to mitigate potential dangers that may arise once machine outputs are introduced at trial, encouraging judges to perform critical gatekeeping functions, say attorneys at Lankler Siffert & Wohl.
Series

The Law Firm Merger Diaries: Getting The Message Across

Communications and brand strategy during a law firm merger represent a crucial thread that runs through every stage of a combination and should include clear messaging, leverage modern marketing tools and embrace the chance to evolve, says Ashley Horne at Womble Bond.