Retail & E-Commerce

  • May 13, 2024

    Catching Up With Delaware's Chancery Court

    Sunken treasure, recycled plastics, questionable denim and dog food all made appearances in Chancery Court dockets last week, along with developments in cases involving Qualcomm, Tesla Inc., and Truth Social. In case you missed it, here's the latest from Delaware's Chancery Court.

  • May 13, 2024

    Justices Reject COVID App Makers' Last-Ditch Apple Appeal

    The U.S. Supreme Court dealt the latest blow Monday to app developers who've struck out at every turn on antitrust allegations over Apple's rejection of COVID-19-tracking and bitcoin apps, refusing to look at a Ninth Circuit's refusal to revive the lawsuit.

  • May 10, 2024

    Epic Judge Raises Eyebrows About Apple's New 27% App Fee

    The California federal judge overseeing Epic's antitrust case against Apple challenged the terms the tech giant is using to comply with her order to allow app developers to send users to outside payment platforms, saying Friday that Apple appears to be trying to maintain its past revenue with a new 27% fee.

  • May 10, 2024

    Starship Enterprise Finders Accuse Auction House Of Fraud

    A pair of friends who found the long-lost model of the USS Enterprise starship featured in the "Star Trek" TV series have accused a prominent auction house of cheating them out of hundreds of thousands of dollars by secretly negotiating a cheaper deal with the son of the series creator for publicity.

  • May 10, 2024

    Retail Group Opposes $1B Arbitral Award Against Walgreens

    An advocacy group for the retail industry is backing Walgreens as it looks to set aside a nearly $1 billion arbitral award in a dispute with a COVID test maker, telling a Delaware federal judge that judicial intervention is warranted in this case.

  • May 10, 2024

    Patent Owners Face Risks In Amazon Program After Ruling

    The Federal Circuit ruled earlier this month that a company alleging patent infringement through Amazon's patent evaluation program must face a declaratory judgment suit in the accused infringer's home state. The holding creates a risk for patent owners who may rethink using the program, attorneys told Law360.

  • May 10, 2024

    Pa. Man To Cop To Dick's Sporting Goods Insider Trading

    A Pennsylvania man intends to plead guilty to insider trading on Dick's Sporting Goods securities in which he made nearly $825,000 based on tips unwittingly passed to him from an acquaintance who worked for the retail chain, according to federal court filings.

  • May 10, 2024

    Zeekr's US Debut Could Spur More IPOs From China

    Electric-vehicle maker Zeekr's robust initial public offering sent an encouraging signal to Chinese companies considering whether to tap U.S. markets after a long lull, despite continued risks stemming from fractured U.S.-China relations, experts said Friday.

  • May 10, 2024

    Trade Court Lets Solar Duties Suit Proceed Over Feds' Protest

    U.S. solar panel manufacturers' suit over a two-year pause on new duties for competitors from four Southeast Asian countries survived the government's push for dismissal this week, with the trade court affirming its authority over the case.

  • May 10, 2024

    Walmart Must Pay $1M Injury Verdict, Ga. Appeals Court Says

    The Georgia Court of Appeals won't give Walmart a way out of a $1 million verdict owed to a woman injured in a store in 2018, dispatching Friday with the retail chain's argument that the verdict was blatantly excessive.

  • May 10, 2024

    NY Gov. Orders Shakeup Of Cannabis Regulatory Agency

    New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Friday announced an overhaul of the state's embattled cannabis regulatory agency, unveiling an investigative audit that showed how "inexperienced" leaders "wasted valuable time and resources," and then declaring $5 million in one-time grants would be awarded to a select group of applicants who took a financial hit by the licensing delays.

  • May 10, 2024

    Nipple Covers Don't Stick To Body As Advertised, Suit Says

    Cakes Body LLC faces a putative class action filed Thursday in California federal court by a consumer who says the company falsely creates the impression that its reusable nipple covers function as alternatives to bras that adhere to the body, but that the product doesn't work as advertised. 

  • May 10, 2024

    Ex-Wayfair Web Designer Says Racism Forced Him Out

    A Black former Wayfair web designer says he faced a workplace "infused by racial discrimination" during his two years with the Boston-based online retailer and suffered retaliation when he complained, according to a suit filed Friday in Massachusetts state court.

  • May 10, 2024

    9th Circ. Splits PAGA Claims In Macy's Arbitration Fight

    Macy's can't compel arbitration of nonindividual claims in a worker's wage suit brought under California's Private Attorneys General Act, the Ninth Circuit ruled Friday, saying language in an arbitration pact prevents blending together different types of claims.

  • May 10, 2024

    JLM Couture Nears Settlement With Bridal Dress Designer

    Dressmaker JLM Couture told Delaware's bankruptcy court Friday it reached an agreement in principle with a bridal dress designer, who was sued by the company and had sought to convert its Chapter 11 case into a Chapter 7 liquidation.

  • May 10, 2024

    Guess? Sued To Stop Founders' Alleged Pending Equity Grab

    A pension fund stockholder of Guess? Inc. has sued the company, its founders, and its board in Delaware's Court of Chancery, alleging "a covert attempt to strip the company's public stockholders of their contractual right to equal treatment" in connection with a merger or sale of Guess.

  • May 10, 2024

    Dollar Tree Parent Sued Over Alleged Lead In Cinnamon

    Dollar Tree Inc.'s parent company and a New York family-owned food business were hit Thursday with a proposed class action in New York federal court alleging that the chain sold cinnamon that was contaminated with lead, following U.S. Food and Drug Administration recalls of lead-tainted cinnamon.

  • May 10, 2024

    Sam Ash Music Can Tap $20M DIP That Trustee Opposed

    Music store chain Sam Ash won a New Jersey bankruptcy court's blessing Friday to borrow $20 million in Chapter 11 financing, defeating an objection by the U.S. Trustee's Office to a mechanism that would let the funds be used to pay off existing debt held by the lender.

  • May 10, 2024

    Pepperidge Farm Drivers Not Employees, 3rd Circ. Affirms

    Three delivery drivers for Pepperidge Farm are independent contractors, not employees, and thus cannot sue the company for state wage and hour law violations, a Third Circuit panel ruled Friday, saying the drivers' daily responsibilities make it clear they are self-employed.

  • May 10, 2024

    NJ Attys Settle Malpractice Suit Over Wawa Injury Claim

    Attorneys at a New Jersey law firm have settled a malpractice lawsuit from a former client who claimed they caused him to lose his chance to sue convenience store chain Wawa over an on-the-job injury, according to a letter submitted Thursday to state court.

  • May 10, 2024

    Fuzzy Jurisdiction In Web Cases Has 1st Circ. Judge 'Worried'

    A First Circuit judge has said uncertainty over how personal jurisdiction rules apply to cases involving the borderless internet may require action from Congress or the U.S. Supreme Court, expressing concern that website operators can "manipulate" the legal requirement in order to avoid accountability.

  • May 10, 2024

    Feds Finalize Tariffs Topping 744% On 8 Countries' Mattresses

    The U.S. Department of Commerce firmed up anti-dumping duties reaching more than 744% on mattresses that are being dumped in the U.S., marking its third wave of sky-high tariffs on mattresses from abroad.

  • May 10, 2024

    Digital Platform Xtribe To Go Public Via $141M SPAC Merger

    Technology-driven marketplace company Xtribe PLC, advised by Cozen O'Connor PC, has announced plans to go public via a merger with Haynes and Boone LLP-led special-purpose acquisition company WinVest Acquisition Corp. in a deal that values Xtribe at an implied equity value of $141 million.

  • May 10, 2024

    Toymaker KidKraft Files Ch. 11 With Plan To Sell Assets

    Dallas toy company KidKraft Inc. filed for Chapter 11 protection in a Texas bankruptcy court Friday with more than $100 million in debt, blaming economic headwinds and saying it has a prepackaged sale plan.

  • May 09, 2024

    Amazon Shakes Wash. Suit Premised On Calif. Wiretap Claims

    A Washington federal judge has tossed a putative class action accusing Amazon.com Inc. of unlawfully recording chat conversations with consumers, finding that the plaintiff couldn't sustain a suit containing only California claims because the e-commerce giant's usage agreement makes clear that Washington law governs such disputes. 

Expert Analysis

  • The Corporate Transparency Act Isn't Dead Yet

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    After an Alabama federal court's ruling last week rendering the Corporate Transparency Act unconstitutional, changes to the law may ultimately be required, but ongoing compliance is still the best course of action for most, says George Singer at Holland & Hart.

  • New FinCEN Guide Provides Useful BOI Context For Banks

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    Financial institutions should review a new Financial Crimes Enforcement Network compliance guide for helpful details about how the agency's beneficial ownership information database should be used, though questions remain about the access rule and whether it will truly streamline bank borrowers' Corporate Transparency Act due diligence, says George Singer at Holland & Hart.

  • How Firms Can Ensure Associate Gender Parity Lasts

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    Among associates, women now outnumber men for the first time, but progress toward gender equality at the top of the legal profession remains glacially slow, and firms must implement time-tested solutions to ensure associates’ gender parity lasts throughout their careers, say Kelly Culhane and Nicole Joseph at Culhane Meadows.

  • 7 Common Myths About Lateral Partner Moves

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    As lateral recruiting remains a key factor for law firm growth, partners considering a lateral move should be aware of a few commonly held myths — some of which contain a kernel of truth, and some of which are flat out wrong, says Dave Maurer at Major Lindsey.

  • 2 Emerging Defenses For Website Tracking Class Actions

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    Putative class actions premised on state wiretapping statutes that bar website activity tracking continue to be on the rise, but they are increasingly being dismissed on two procedural grounds, says Sheri Pan at ZwillGen.

  • Series

    Cheering In The NFL Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Balancing my time between a BigLaw career and my role as an NFL cheerleader has taught me that pursuing your passions outside of work is not a distraction, but rather an opportunity to harness important skills that can positively affect how you approach work and view success in your career, says Rachel Schuster at Sheppard Mullin.

  • Args In APA Case Amplify Justices' Focus On Agency Power

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    In arguments last week in Corner Post v. Federal Reserve, the U.S. Supreme Court justices paid particular importance to the possible ripple effects of their decision, which will address when a facial challenge to long-standing federal rules under the Administrative Procedure Act first accrues and could thus unleash a flood of new lawsuits, say attorneys at Snell & Wilmer.

  • Series

    ESG Around The World: Gulf Cooperation Council

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    The Gulf Cooperation Council is in the early stages of ESG policy implementation, but recent commitments by both states and corporations — including increases in sustainable finance transactions, environmental commitments, female representation on boards and human rights enforcement — show continuing progress toward broader ESG goals, say attorneys at Cleary.

  • Steps For Companies New To Sanctions Compliance

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    Businesses newly required to implement compliance programs due to the increased breadth of mandatory sanctions and export controls, including 500 additional Russia sanctions announced last Friday, should closely follow the guidance issued by the Office of Foreign Assets Control and other regulators, say Jennifer Schubert and Megan Church at MoloLamken.

  • Using Arbitration And Class Waivers As Privacy Suit Tools

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    Amid a surge in data breach class actions over the last few years, several federal court decisions indicate that arbitration clauses and class action waiver provisions can be possible alternatives to public court battles and potentially reduce the costs of privacy litigation, say Mark Olthoff and Courtney Klaus at Polsinelli.

  • 6 Pointers For Attys To Build Trust, Credibility On Social Media

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    In an era of information overload, attorneys can use social media strategically — from making infographics to leveraging targeted advertising — to cut through the noise and establish a reputation among current and potential clients, says Marly Broudie at SocialEyes Communications.

  • Key Lessons After A Rare R&W Insurance Ruling

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    The recent New York state court decision in Novolex Holdings v. Illinois Union Insurance is noteworthy as one of the rare judicial opinions arising in the context of representations and warranties insurance, serving to remind parties entering into R&W insurance policies that they may not be immune from some doctrines unfavorable to insurers, say attorneys at Kramer Levin.

  • Class Actions At The Circuit Courts: February Lessons

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    In this month's review of class action appeals, Mitchell Engel at Shook Hardy discusses five notable circuit court decisions on topics from property taxes to veteran's rights — and provides key takeaways for counsel on issues including class representative intervention, wage-and-hour dispute evidence and ascertainability requirements.

  • A Post-Mortem Analysis Of Stroock's Demise

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    After the dissolution of 147-year-old firm Stroock late last year shook up the legal world, a post-mortem analysis of the data reveals a long list of warning signs preceding the firm’s collapse — and provides some insight into how other firms might avoid the same disastrous fate, says Craig Savitzky at Leopard Solutions.

  • Retailers Must Be Mindful Of Sale Ads As Class Actions Rise

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    A recent uptick in class actions filed against retailers over a breadth of allegedly deceptive pricing practices — including misleading reference prices for sales and discounts offered on a perpetual basis — show no sign of slowing down, indicating that class counsel are laser-focused on challenging advertising strategies, say Louis DiLorenzo and Paavana Kumar at Davis+Gilbert.

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