Retail & E-Commerce

  • March 27, 2024

    Cannabis Caucus Dems Urge Garland To Restore Pot Protections

    The two Democratic members of the U.S. House of Representatives' Congressional Cannabis Caucus blasted Attorney General Merrick Garland on Wednesday for not reissuing "overdue" protections for marijuana businesses acting in compliance with state and tribal law.

  • March 27, 2024

    Citi Can't Arbitrate Anti-Armenian Bias Claims, Court Told

    A California woman has urged a federal court to reject Citibank NA's motion to arbitrate her proposed class action accusing the bank of discriminating against consumers with Armenian surnames, saying it fails because it ignores a ruling in a separate case against Citibank that voided arbitration agreements that don't allow for public injunctive relief.

  • March 27, 2024

    Fed. Circ. Says Faulty Jury Directions Warrant New IP Trial

    The Federal Circuit on Wednesday granted Inline Plastics Corp. another chance to convince a Massachusetts federal jury that its tamper-resistant plastic containers were too successful for the underlying patents to be invalidated as obvious.

  • March 27, 2024

    Pool Co. Says Objection To Trial Attys Leaving Is 'Misplaced'

    A swimming pool equipment maker has hit back at objections to some of its counsel exiting the case after a nearly $15 million trial loss over false ad claims in North Carolina, saying its rival's grievances are "misplaced."

  • March 27, 2024

    DoorDash, Grubhub Want Docs From NY Restaurant Lobbyists

    DoorDash, Grubhub and Uber Eats have urged a Manhattan federal judge to let them subpoena the trade group executives who allegedly "worked closely" with officials on challenged New York City caps on fees that food delivery apps can charge restaurants.

  • March 27, 2024

    Ruger Beats Some Claims Over Online Shop Data Breach

    A Connecticut federal judge trimmed a data breach lawsuit Wednesday against gunmaker Sturm Ruger & Co. Inc. but did not fully dismiss the case, agreeing that a proposed class of plaintiffs had standing to press a breach of contract claim against the company, but the judge tossed accusations of negligence and unjust enrichment.

  • March 27, 2024

    Candy Co. Can Use Recipe Amid 'Chocolate Moonshine' Fight

    A Pennsylvania federal judge has refused to ban the candy maker Local Yokels Fudge from making or selling fudge, ruling the owner's ex-husband hadn't shown the company is still using his family's secret "Chocolate Moonshine" fudge recipe.

  • March 27, 2024

    47 House Dems Urge Changing Trade Deal To Stem Migration

    A large bloc of U.S. lawmakers has called on the Biden administration to remove what the lawmakers say is a damaging investor-state dispute settlement mechanism from the Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement, warning federal government officials that it's a primary reason why migrants are leaving the region.

  • March 27, 2024

    LG Chem Mostly Wins Discovery Feud In Vape Battery Suit

    A New Jersey appellate court on Wednesday allowed an LG Corp. unit to prevail on 21 out of 22 discovery challenges in a suit over an exploding vape pen battery, saying the majority of the plaintiff's requests were overly broad and not tailored to his claims.

  • March 27, 2024

    9th Circ. Rejects Rust-Oleum's Bid To Sink Class Cert.

    The Ninth Circuit on Tuesday upheld the certification of a class of Rust-Oleum customers who are suing the company for allegedly greenwashing its degreaser products with the terms "non-toxic" and "Earth friendly."

  • March 27, 2024

    CBD Retailer Used Spyware, Recorded Online Chats, Suit Says

    Charlotte's Web Inc., a CBD retailer, is secretly recording conversations of those who visit its website in violation of a California privacy law that is simple to follow, according to a proposed class action removed to federal court on Monday.

  • March 27, 2024

    Vietnamese Producer Faces Brunt Of Shrimp Subsidy Probe

    A Vietnamese shrimp farm may face a nearly 200% countervailing duty rate based on preliminary findings in the U.S. Department of Commerce's probe into whether shrimp imports from four countries are hurting the U.S. market through unfair government subsidies.

  • March 27, 2024

    Google Fires Back At JD Vance's Input In Common Carrier Suit

    Google says it deserves the chance to respond to arguments made by Senator JD Vance, R-Ohio, on the last day of summary judgment briefing in a state-brought case seeking to declare the tech behemoth a common carrier and its search engine a public utility.

  • March 27, 2024

    Fashion Retailers Agree To UK Green Claim Rules

    Enforcers in Britain said Wednesday that ASOS PLC, Boohoo.com UK Ltd. and Asda Stores Ltd. have agreed to a new set of rules covering environmental claims about their fashion products following a "greenwashing" probe in the fashion retail sector.

  • March 27, 2024

    Kimco Sells 10 Shopping Centers For $248M After RPT Buy

    Real estate investment trust Kimco Realty said it has sold 10 open-air shopping centers it gained in an acquisition of RPT Realty earlier this year for a total of $248 million.

  • March 27, 2024

    3 Firms Vie To Lead Instacart Pre-IPO Action

    Levi & Korsinsky LLP, Pomerantz LLP and The Rosen Law Firm PA have each asked a California federal judge to lead a securities lawsuit against grocery delivery company Instacart for allegedly misrepresenting its growth potential in the lead-up to its initial public offering.

  • March 27, 2024

    Terraform Loses Mistrial Bid After Rakoff Query About 'Lying'

    Manhattan U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff on Wednesday rejected a mistrial bid by counsel for Terraform Labs and creator Do Kwon centering on the judge's move to ask an investor if the bankrupt crypto startup had disclosed potential risks about "lying" to the public.

  • March 26, 2024

    Jackson Paints Abortion Clash As Microcosm Of Bigger Brawl

    A war of words Tuesday at the U.S. Supreme Court over access to abortion medication marked a climactic moment after a lengthy legal slugfest. But probing questions from Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson illustrated that the main event for reproductive rights was also simply a single round in a much larger fight over the government's regulatory powers.

  • March 26, 2024

    Walmart Wins Bid To Ax Capital One Credit Card Agreement

    Walmart can terminate its agreement with Capital One, a New York federal judge ruled Tuesday, agreeing with Walmart that the plain meaning of the contract allows the retail behemoth to ax the agreement if its credit card partner doesn't meet certain customer service standards.

  • March 26, 2024

    Apple Escapes Antitrust Suit Over Crypto On Payment Apps

    A California federal judge on Tuesday tossed with leave to amend a proposed antitrust class action claiming Apple's agreements with Apple Cash competitors illegally limit competition by blocking decentralized cryptocurrency technology, saying the consumers failed to adequately allege standing, among other "problematic" reasons.

  • March 26, 2024

    Fed. Circ. Wrongly Invented New Design IP Rules, Justices Told

    A sportswear company wants the U.S. Supreme Court to weigh in on a federal circuit's ruling that created a new standard for how courts should review challenges to design patents, which was won by rival Oregon clothing giant Columbia Sportswear.

  • March 26, 2024

    Chewy, IBM Agree To End Online Ad Patent Dispute

    Online pet goods retailer Chewy Inc. and computing giant IBM Corp. have agreed to drop a patent fight in New York federal court, shortly after a federal appeals court wrote there was a "genuine dispute of material fact" surrounding infringement allegations tied to one of IBM's patent claims.

  • March 26, 2024

    SPAC 'Frenzy' Led To $1.6B Deal For Dog Treat Co., Suit Says

    Shareholders of a special-purpose acquisition company that merged with dog-treat box company BarkBox in a $1.6 billion deal have sued the executives and directors of both entities, alleging they breached their fiduciary duties in connection with what the complaint calls "an extreme example of the 'churn-and-burn' SPAC frenzy."

  • March 26, 2024

    Calif. Pot Co. Glass House Seeks Toss Of Competition Suit

    Cannabis company Glass House Brands Inc. urged a Los Angeles County court to toss a competitor's lawsuit accusing it of intentionally peddling most of its goods to retailers who sell on the illicit market, arguing that the court shouldn't step on the toes of the state's cannabis authority.

  • March 26, 2024

    Insurer Wants $29M Treble Damages Ruling Reversed In NC

    An insurer has asked a North Carolina state appeals court to overturn a nearly $29 million ruling penalizing it for failing to defend an employee who crashed a company truck, killing his colleague, citing a policy exclusion for employee injury cases it said the trial court ignored.

Expert Analysis

  • Preparing Law Students For A New, AI-Assisted Legal World

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    As artificial intelligence rapidly transforms the legal landscape, law schools must integrate technology and curricula that address AI’s innate challenges — from ethics to data security — to help students stay ahead of the curve, say Daniel Garrie at Law & Forensics, Ryan Abbott at JAMS and Karen Silverman at Cantellus Group.

  • Sellers Seeking Best Deal Should Focus On Terms And Price

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    Rising interest rates and a decline in the automotive mergers and acquisitions market mean that a failed deal carries greater stakes, and sellers therefore should pursue not only the optimum price but also the optimum terms to safeguard their agreement, says Joseph Aboyoun at Fox Rothschild.

  • Series

    ESG Around The World: South Korea

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    Numerous ESG trends have materialized in South Korea in the past three years, with impacts ranging from greenwashing prevention and carbon neutrality measures to workplace harassment and board diversity initiatives, say Chang Wook Min and Hyun Chan Jung at Jipyong.

  • General Counsel Need Data Literacy To Keep Up With AI

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    With the rise of accessible and powerful generative artificial intelligence solutions, it is imperative for general counsel to understand the use and application of data for myriad important activities, from evaluating the e-discovery process to monitoring compliance analytics and more, says Colin Levy at Malbek.

  • Opinion

    Civil Litigation Against Gun Businesses Can Reduce Violence

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    With mass shootings skyrocketing, and gun control legislation blocked by powerful interest groups, civil litigation can help obtain justice for victims by targeting parties responsible beyond the immediate perpetrator — including gun manufacturers, dealers and retailers, says Tom D'Amore at D'Amore Law Group.

  • Retailers: Beware Legislator And Regulator Junk Fee Focus

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    In light of the Biden administration’s recent focus on restricting so-called junk fee surcharges across industries, attorneys at Benesch discuss what retailers should know about several evolving developments, including a new California law, a proposed Federal Trade Commission rule, an expanding litigation landscape, and more.

  • Rite Aid's Reasons For Ch. 11 Go Beyond Opioid Suits

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    Despite opioid-related lawsuits being the perceived reason that pushed Rite Aid into bankruptcy, the company's recent Chapter 11 filing reveals its tenuous position in the pharmaceutical retail market, and only time will tell whether bankruptcy will right-size the company, says Daniel Gielchinsky at DGIM Law.

  • Navigating Discovery Of Generative AI Information

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    As generative artificial intelligence tools become increasingly ubiquitous, companies must make sure to preserve generative AI data when there is reasonable expectation of litigation, and to include transcripts in litigation hold notices, as they may be relevant to discovery requests, say Nick Peterson and Corey Hauser at Wiley.

  • Finding Focus: Strategies For Attorneys With ADHD

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    Given the prevalence of ADHD among attorneys, it is imperative that the legal community gain a better understanding of how ADHD affects well-being, and that resources and strategies exist for attorneys with this disability to manage their symptoms and achieve success, say Casey Dixon at Dixon Life Coaching and Krista Larson at Stinson.

  • Considerations For Navigating Mixed-Use Developments

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    As mixed-use developments continue to rise in popularity, developers considering this approach to urban planning must be aware of key considerations ranging from title and zoning laws to proper engagement with stakeholders, says Mehdi Sinaki at Michelman & Robinson.

  • What Can Be Learned From 3M's Iran Sanctions Settlement

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    3M’s recent agreement to pay $9.6 million to resolve potential liability for violation of Iran sanctions provides insight on the complexity of U.S. sanctions compliance, the duration of enforcement actions by the Office of Foreign Assets Control, and the benefits and potential drawbacks of voluntary disclosure, says Thaddeus McBride at Bass Berry.

  • Safe-Harbor Period Change Could Hinder TCPA Compliance

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    A proposed rule change under consideration by the Federal Communications Commission would require businesses to honor do-not-call requests within 24 hours of receipt for calls and texts that are subject to the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, and companies have already called it unreasonable, say Aaron Weiss and Danny Enjamio at Carlton Fields.

  • Cos. Must Address Growing Chatbot Class Action Risk

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    Following a new wave of chatbot-related consumer data privacy litigation and expanding compliance obligations created by state legislatures, businesses using such technology face a high-risk environment for wiretapping allegations, with inconsistent court rulings to date and uncertain legal holdings ahead, say attorneys at Pierce Atwood.

  • Regulatory Shift May Offer Lifeline To NY's Cannabis Industry

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    Recent developments may help to open up the regulatory log jam and increase the number of licensed dispensaries in New York state, and can eventually allow the licensed cannabis market to win out over unlicensed dispensaries, say attorneys at Davis+Gilbert.

  • Co. Directors Must Beware Dangers Of Reverse Factoring

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    New accounting requirements governing the disclosure of so-called reverse-factoring programs have revealed billions of dollars worth of hidden liabilities on companies’ ledgers, and directors of corporate boards should review their companies’ books for this hidden danger, say Garland Kelley at Looper Goodwine, Amin Al-Sarraf at Locke Lord and Jill Basinger at Discovery Land.

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