Retail & E-Commerce

  • October 15, 2026

    California Judge Grants Discovery In Cannabis Debt Dispute

    An investor and a cannabis license holder will have to rework their lawsuit accusing a couple of scheming to steal majority ownership in a Los Angeles dispensary by creating $3.4 million in "phantom debt," a California state court judge ruled.

  • October 15, 2026

    Google Will Seek To Pause Ad Tech Case For DOJ Appeal

    Google will ask a New York federal court to pause a scheduled April trial in the private antitrust litigation over its advertising placement technology while it appeals a loss in a similar case from the U.S. Department of Justice in Virginia.

  • October 15, 2026

    Music Companies Fight To Continue Influencer Ad Claims

    A group of Warner Music-affiliated record labels and publishers have urged an Ohio federal judge to keep alive copyright claims accusing DSW Shoe Warehouse Inc. of profiting from unlicensed music in influencer marketing campaigns.

  • October 15, 2026

    Mo. Hemp Interests Seek To Block Restrictions

    Missouri officials have asked a federal court to halt discovery in a lawsuit by hemp companies challenging new regulations on intoxicating cannabinoid products, arguing the case turns on pure legal questions that can be resolved within the state's motion to dismiss.

  • October 15, 2026

    Dog Hotel Accused Of Denying Pay For Off-Clock Work

    A dog hotel chain failed to pay workers for time spent waiting to clock in, assisting customers and working through meal breaks, according to a proposed class action in California state court.

  • October 15, 2026

    Pa. E-Cigarette Law Survives Vape Companies' Challenge

    A Pennsylvania federal judge has upheld a state law limiting electronic cigarette sales to products that have received or are pending approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, finding the state law fell into an exception to the federal tobacco law's preemptions.

  • October 15, 2026

    Josh Cellars Cos. Say Court, Not Jury, Must Decide Defenses

    Entities that help manage and market Josh Cellars wines say a Connecticut state judge, not a jury, must decide fairness defenses in former company president Thomas Steffanci's bid for millions in royalties, urging the judge to decline Steffanci's request to revisit a September order as a November trial date looms.

  • October 15, 2026

    General Atlantic Targets IPO At $10B Valuation, More Rumors

    Private equity firm General Atlantic is considering a 2027 initial public offering that could value it at up to $10 billion; Amazon is in talks to acquire artificial intelligence company Decart in a transaction that could be worth around $7 billion; and Australian real estate investment trust AirTrunk has delayed its planned Singaporean initial public offering.

  • October 15, 2026

    Earth Sues Ex-CEO Over Walmart Business, Arbitration

    Earth Enterprises Inc. and two affiliated investment entities have sued former company chief Philippe Meynard in the Delaware Chancery Court, seeking to block him from expanding a Massachusetts arbitration while also accusing him of hiding the loss of Walmart business before a 2021 sale and later putting his own interests ahead of Earth Enterprises. 

  • October 15, 2026

    Gov't Urges Justices To Reject Google, Intel Fight Over Fintiv

    The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has urged the U.S. Supreme Court to reject Intel Corp. and Google LLC's challenge to a precedent allowing Patent Trial and Appeal Board petitions to be denied based on related litigation.

  • October 15, 2026

    Tesla Says Gov't Brief Shows USPTO Wants 'Absolute Power'

    Electric carmaker Tesla told the U.S. Supreme Court that it should take a case over the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office leadership's discretionary standards for granting or denying patent review, saying a recent government brief illustrates how the office wants "absolute power" when it comes to restricting such reviews.

  • October 15, 2026

    Calif. Pot Shop Escapes Suit Over Alleged Gummy Reaction

    A California appeals court threw out a man's fraud and unfair competition claims against a cannabis dispensary that sold him a gummy he said induced a panic attack, saying his complaint fails to indicate the dispensary or its employee knowingly misled him.

  • October 14, 2026

    Justices Appear Wary Of Broad Reach For Video Privacy Law

    Several U.S. Supreme Court justices seemed hesitant Wednesday to take a more expansive view of the online activities protected by the Video Privacy Protection Act, raising concerns that such an approach would buck the statute's original intent and invite a flood of litigation against a wide range of companies.

  • October 14, 2026

    Amazon Flags Possible Abuse In Chicago 'Schedule A' Suits

    Amazon is moving to pause court-ordered fund transfers in more than a dozen trademark cases brought against large numbers of online sellers in Chicago federal court, saying that while it's not a party to the litigation, it's investigating whether some of the lawsuits were used to obtain money the retailer previously froze for reasons unrelated to the disputes.

  • October 14, 2026

    Wash. Pastor Pleads Not Guilty To Alleged $13M Investor Con

    The pastor of a Washington church pled not guilty Tuesday to federal wire fraud and money laundering charges after he allegedly told congregation members they had been chosen by God to back his e-commerce venture and convinced victims to invest $13 million in a sham company.

  • October 14, 2026

    Perrigo To Pay $10M To End Consumer Gerber Antitrust Suit

    Perrigo will pay $10 million to consumers accusing the company of cutting an anticompetitive agreement with Gerber to maintain a monopoly in the store-brand infant formula market, according to a motion filed in New York federal court Tuesday.

  • October 14, 2026

    Amazon Workers Allege Unpaid Time At Exit Security Checks

    Amazon.com Services LLC fails to pay its Washington warehouse workers for time spent in mandatory anti-theft security screenings when leaving its facilities, two former employees claimed in a proposed wage class action filed in state court Monday.

  • October 14, 2026

    Whoopi Goldberg's Pot Co. Must Take Fraud Claim To Trial

    A New Jersey state judge tossed a landlord's lawsuit seeking unpaid rent from television personality Whoopi Goldberg's cannabis company, finding that the proposed dispensary lacked required municipal approvals, but said a jury must decide whether the landlord, a former mayor, fraudulently misrepresented the property's licensing status.

  • October 14, 2026

    No Jail For Coach Who Testified Against Jordan Card Con Man

    A Manhattan federal judge on Wednesday allowed a Washington state youth sports coach to avoid prison, after he admitted bankrolling a $2 million Michael Jordan trading-card scam and testified against the main perpetrator who recently was arrested in Canada.

  • October 14, 2026

    Colo. Judge Mulls Coors' Bid To Stop Suppliers' Contract Exits

    Coors Distributing Co. LLC urged a Colorado state judge Wednesday to block a beer brand supplier from terminating its decades-long contract with the beer wholesaler until arbitration occurs, arguing that the supplier's contract exit presents a "real risk" that other suppliers will end their agreements with the wholesaler.

  • October 14, 2026

    Live Nation Says FTC Twists BOTS Act To Target Ticketmaster

    Live Nation and Ticketmaster fought back against the Federal Trade Commission's case accusing the companies of ignoring ticket scalpers and failing to disclose significant Ticketmaster fees upfront, telling a California federal judge the agency is targeting the companies "for not perfectly blocking all ticket purchase abuse on Ticketmaster's platform."

  • October 14, 2026

    Insurer Can't Dodge Igloo Cooler Injury Suit Coverage Row

    Several class actions alleging consumers were injured by defective handles on Igloo roller coolers triggered an insurer's duty to defend the company, an Illinois federal judge said Wednesday, denying most of the insurer's bid to toss the breach of contract claims against it.

  • October 14, 2026

    Manhattan DA Unveils Corporate Crime & Antitrust Task Force

    Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg on Wednesday announced the formation of a new task force that will focus on prosecuting corporate crime and antitrust violations, as part of a push to deter industrywide misconduct and promote systemic accountability for entities that encourage and enable financial crimes.

  • October 14, 2026

    4 Questions After US, China Announce Tariff Shield

    The U.S. and China's recent announcement that they will shield a subset of goods from tariff actions and extend a trade truce is welcome by importers and advisers, though those stakeholders recognize more substantive policy outcomes between the world's two largest economies continue to face obstacles. Here, Law360 looks at four questions on the subject.

  • October 14, 2026

    Talent Firm Beats Apparel Co.'s CEO Search Suit

    A Michigan federal court tossed an athletic apparel retailer's lawsuit against a talent search firm after a CEO candidate the retailer hired then allegedly lost it millions of dollars, ruling the talent firm still fulfilled its contractual obligations.

Expert Analysis

  • What Greek Tragedy Teaches About Mediating AI Disputes

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    While ancient Greek writers could not have anticipated modern arbitration, their tragic plays illustrate new and familiar questions for mediators dealing with artificial intelligence disputes, including the functional differences between adjudication and resolution, says Giuseppe De Palo at JAMS.

  • Tracking Trends In State-Level Regulatory Enforcement

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    State-level enforcement now increasingly involves antitrust, artificial intelligence and data privacy issues, and the key for organizations to reducing risk is having the ability to respond across governance, public affairs, discovery and remediation in multiple states simultaneously, say consultants at FTI Consulting.

  • And Now A Word From The Panel: Accessing Key MDL Data

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    As the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation convenes for its September hearing session, it is useful to examine the treasure trove of historical and statistical information about MDLs past and present that the panel makes available to the public on its own website, says Alan Rothman at Sidley Austin.

  • Opinion

    Calif. Bill Goes Too Far In Trying To Regulate Attorney AI Use

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    California’s first-in-the-nation act regulating how attorneys and arbitrators use generative artificial intelligence will likely soon become law, but read broadly, the provisions may dissuade lawyers from employing AI at all, thereby depriving them of key work tools, says Joshua Wurtzel at Schlam Stone.

  • 4 Opinions Showcase Hurdles To Trademarking Names

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    Four opinions issued by the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board this year show that names are only registrable as trademarks when they point to the applicant and to nobody else, says Anton Hopen at Trenam Law.

  • Hims & Hers Suit Spotlights Health Data-Sharing Privacy Risks

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    Regulators' complaint against telehealth company Hims & Hers alleging deceptive practices serves as a reminder that the privacy principles developed under consumer protection laws and predating omnibus statutes remain in force, and sensitive data governance continues to be a crucial component of compliance, say attorneys at Venable.

  • How Cos. Can Avoid Infant Product False Advertising Suits

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    As lawsuits proliferate over products marketed for infant use and sold at a premium that are identical to cheaper general-use products, manufacturers should review related product lines, and scrutinize contextual cues that may contribute to the overall message received by consumers, say attorneys at Chamberlain Hrdlicka.

  • Time Is On Payment Processors' Side As Deal Dynamics Shift

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    As payment processors increasingly use timing and volume to gain leverage, merchants should negotiate payment processing agreements well before renewal or migration deadlines, ensuring proper benchmarking, reserve, data, termination and transition terms are in place, says James Alexander at Reed Smith.

  • How FTC's $20B Amazon Suit May Shake Up Ad Enforcement

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    Gonzalo Mon at Kelley Drye discusses the significance of the Federal Trade Commission's recent suit against Amazon for allegedly overcharging advertising customers more than $20 billion, the company's potential defenses, and the context of rapidly evolving digital advertising technology.

  • 1 Year And $1B Later, Trade Fraud Remains Key Priority

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    The Trade Fraud Task Force's success obtaining major settlements in its first year, along with the Justice Department signaling long-term commitment to customs enforcement, shows that importers should plan to make global supply chain oversight a board-level priority for years to come, says Kimberly Paschall at Riley Safer.

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: Cultivating Good Judgment

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    Law schools generally overlook the role that solid judgment skills play in real-world practice, but attorneys can bridge the gap by strengthening their abilities to assess a case’s strengths and weaknesses, develop and execute effective strategies, and provide clear recommendations to clients, says Manny Caixeiro at Venable.

  • How Cos. Can Fight Consumers' Tariff Refund Class Actions

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    After the U.S. Supreme Court's February decision in Learning Resources Inc. v. Trump, invalidating $165 billion of presidentially imposed tariffs, consumers have filed numerous class actions seeking tariff refunds from businesses — but companies have substantial and multifaceted defenses available against these claims, say attorneys at Patterson Belknap.

  • Attorneys Using AI May Have Ethical Duty To Redact Docs

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    The trajectory of legal ethics guidance in recent years strongly suggests that as redaction technology becomes more accessible, the failure to use it when uploading highly confidential materials into artificial intelligence tools will become increasingly difficult to defend as reasonable, say attorneys at Lewis Brisbois.

  • Retailers Must Navigate State Innocent-Seller Law Patchwork

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    States' innocent-seller statutes can shield nonmanufacturing retailers from product liability claims to varying degrees, and by building the evidentiary record strategically throughout discovery, companies can improve their chances of obtaining summary judgment — but it is essential to stay abreast of the rapidly evolving policy environment, say attorneys at Chamberlain Hrdlicka.

  • Series

    Juggling And Unicycling Make Me A Better Lawyer

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    Because I juggle (sometimes with fire) and ride the unicycle, friends and family used to joke that I should join the circus, but I pursued the practice of law instead and learned that my hobbies benefit my profession in several important ways, says Morgan Eddy at Smith Currie.

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