Retail & E-Commerce

  • April 23, 2024

    Turkish Co. Hit With $168M Suit Over Failed Uniform Deal

    Strategic advisory firm Sinclair & Wilde Ltd. sued a Turkish military textile company in New York state court, seeking approximately $168 million in damages over allegations it violated verbal military uniform supply agreements involving Ukraine and used political connections to get Sinclair's CEO detained in Turkey.

  • April 23, 2024

    Kerrygold Butter-Maker Can't Nix 'Pure' Label False Ad Suit

    A New York federal judge on Tuesday largely denied a bid by Kerrygold Pure Irish Butter's maker to discard a proposed class action alleging its product is misbranded as "pure" though it might contain "forever chemicals," finding the suit plausibly alleges chemicals from the packaging could migrate to the product.

  • April 23, 2024

    Ex-Williams Sonoma Exec Pleads Not Guilty To Fraud

    A former Williams Sonoma executive appeared remotely before a U.S. magistrate judge in California federal court on Tuesday and pleaded not guilty to an 18-count superseding indictment alleging he orchestrated a kickback scheme and another involving the diversion of payments.

  • April 23, 2024

    Pool Supply Co. Seeks Exit From Investors' Inflated Sales Suit

    Pool supply company Leslie's Inc. is urging the Arizona federal court to drop a suit accusing it of concealing that booming sales during the COVID-19 pandemic were due to an inventory glut, not the company's growth strategies, arguing that its statements were based on information it believed to be true about consumer purchasing behavior.

  • April 23, 2024

    US Gun Cos. Tell Justices Mexico Is Circumventing Law With Suit

    A group of American firearm makers is asking the Supreme Court to throw out a suit from the government of Mexico alleging they have aided and abetted cartels, saying the First Circuit broke with the high court's precedent by allowing the case to proceed.

  • April 23, 2024

    Hot Spot Co. Investors' Revised $2.4M Deal Gets Initial OK

    Investors in mobile hotspot-maker Franklin Wireless Corp. have received an initial green light for their $2.4 million deal to end claims the company knowingly sold devices with defective batteries that could burst into flames after a federal judge rejected an earlier iteration of the proposal.

  • April 23, 2024

    Chinese Foam-Making Chemicals Dominate Market, Co. Warns

    The U.S. subsidiary of an Israel-based chemical manufacturer urged the U.S. government Tuesday to impose anti-dumping and countervailing duties on Chinese-origin alkyl phosphate esters, saying imports of the chemical commonly used in making polyurethane foam are taking over the U.S. market.

  • April 23, 2024

    Sugar Giants Accused Of Using Shadow Analyst To Fix Prices

    A putative class action filed in Illinois federal court on Monday accuses top sugar producers of colluding with each other since at least 2019 to illegally fix the price for white, refined table sugar, driving up the prices of granulated sugar since in "one of the steepest climbs ever."

  • April 23, 2024

    Biz Ownership Law Constitutional, Lawmakers Tell 11th Circ.

    The Corporate Transparency Act is a garden-variety exercise of Congress' powers to address threats to national security, foreign affairs, commerce and tax collection, five Democratic lawmakers told the Eleventh Circuit, disputing a ruling that the law is unconstitutional.

  • April 23, 2024

    Trade Court Orders Feds To Rethink Canadian Lumber Duties

    The U.S. Court of International Trade ordered the U.S. Department of Commerce to redo countervailing duties on Canadian lumber, saying the department must better explain its refusal to check whether suppliers for investigated companies had received government subsidies.

  • April 23, 2024

    Do Not Remand FDA Cigar Rule Without Vacatur, DC Circ. Told

    The New Civil Liberties Alliance is urging the D.C. Circuit not to remand a U.S. Food and Drug Administration rule regulating premium cigars without first vacating the regulation, saying federal agencies cannot enforce rules that have been declared unlawful.

  • April 23, 2024

    Williams-Sonoma To Pay $3.2M Over 'Made In America' Claims

    Williams-Sonoma has agreed to a $3.18 million settlement with the Federal Trade Commission for allegedly mislabeling Chinese-produced products as American-made.

  • April 22, 2024

    Kansas Gov. Signs Earned Wage Access License Bill Into Law

    Kansas has become the fourth state to approve new laws governing so-called earned wage access products, joining Nevada, Missouri and Wisconsin in regulating services for workers seeking cash advances.

  • April 22, 2024

    Jack Daniel's, VIP Hold Firm In Yearslong Dog Toy TM Fight

    Jack Daniel's has told an Arizona federal court that VIP Products LLC's contention that its chewy, poop-themed dog toys in the shape of whiskey bottles do not infringe or dilute Jack Daniel's brand is an old argument, borne from a desire to litigate the case "from scratch" after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected its First Amendment defense last year.

  • April 22, 2024

    Kroger, Albertsons Expand Divestiture Plan

    Supermarket giants Kroger and Albertsons are willing to let go of an extra 166 stores in the hopes of swaying federal and state regulators to drop their opposition to the $25 billion grocer union, they said Monday.

  • April 22, 2024

    Trade Court Faults Feds For Ignored Russian Curbs In Probe

    The U.S. Court of International Trade faulted trade commissioners for failing to properly consider how U.S. sanctions on Russia affected oil and gas tube trade, ordering them to redo their ruling that tube imports harmed U.S. businesses.

  • April 22, 2024

    Amazon Illegally Gathered Workers' Face Scans, Suit Says

    Amazon.com Services faces a proposed class action filed Monday in Illinois federal court accusing the retail giant of gathering employees' facial geometry scans and sharing them with various third parties without first receiving the employees' written consent in violation of the Illinois Biometric Privacy Act.

  • April 22, 2024

    E-Truck Maker Rivian Faces Investor Suit Over Sales Slump

    Electric-vehicle manufacturer Rivian Automotive Inc. has been hit with a proposed class action alleging it misled investors by overstating the demand for its products and downplaying the impact historically high interest rates were having on its customers' shopping habits.

  • April 22, 2024

    Congress Can Enact Corp. Transparency, Orgs Tell 11th Circ.

    Congress is empowered to require American companies to report their beneficial owners to the federal government because there is ample evidence they've previously been used to fund hostile foreign actors, evade sanctions and traffic drugs, two think tanks told the Eleventh Circuit in an amici brief.

  • April 22, 2024

    Shade Co. Calls $34.6M Patent Verdict 'Grossly Excessive'

    Home lighting fixtures company Lutron and rival GeigTech are continuing their legal fight after a New York federal jury found that Lutron owes GeigTech $34.6 million for infringing a patent, with Lutron saying the award was "grossly excessive."

  • April 22, 2024

    US Tile Cos. Say India Is Impeding Recovery From China Imports

    Nine U.S. tile makers called on the federal government to impose anti-dumping and countervailing duties on ceramic tiles from India, saying a surge of India-origin tiles thwarts their ability to recover from unfairly priced Chinese imports already hit with duties.

  • April 22, 2024

    Ralph Lauren Can Continue Appeal Of COVID Coverage Loss

    The Third Circuit on Monday lifted a stay that sidelined a Ralph Lauren Corp. appeal of a district judge's ruling that the fashion retailer failed to show insurable physical damage to stores from the COVID-19 pandemic, sending the case to an appellate motions panel with three similar actions.

  • April 22, 2024

    FTC Moves To Block $8.5B Designer Fashion Deal

    The Federal Trade Commission moved on Monday to block a planned $8.5 billion deal for the parent company of Coach and Kate Spade to purchase the owner of designer brands Michael Kors and Jimmy Choo.

  • April 22, 2024

    Ill. Panel Relieves Insurer Of $8.3M Cracker Caper Judgment

    An insurer was relieved of covering a dispute between cracker manufacturers, an Illinois state appeals panel affirmed, finding allegations of equipment theft that led to an $8.3 million judgment against Distinctive Foods LLC constituted non-covered intentional interference with RyKrisp LLC.

  • April 22, 2024

    Vista Outdoors Nudges MNC Capital To Bolster $3B Bid

    Vista Outdoor Inc. on Monday urged investment firm MNC Capital to increase its prior $3 billion buyout offer, as Vista weighs MNC's proposals against an already inked merger agreement to sell its ammunition brands off to Czechoslovak Group.

Expert Analysis

  • Breaking Down High Court's New Code Of Conduct

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    The U.S. Supreme Court recently adopted its first-ever code of conduct, and counsel will need to work closely with clients in navigating its provisions, from gift-giving to recusal bids, say Phillip Gordon and Mateo Forero at Holtzman Vogel.

  • Rockport Ch. 11 Highlights Global Settlement Considerations

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    A Delaware bankruptcy court’s recent rejection of Rockport’s proposed settlement serves as a reminder that there is a risk that a global settlement executed outside of a plan may be rejected as a sub rosa plan, but shouldn’t dissuade parties from seeking relief when applicable case law supports approval, says Kyle Arendsen at Squire Patton.

  • 7 Critical Copyright And AI Questions Courts Need To Address

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    U.S. courts have yet to rule on many copyright issues regarding generative artificial intelligence technologies, so developers and users should consider several questions when evaluating risks, developing risk mitigation plans and making decisions about particular use cases, say John Delaney and Sean West at Perkins Coie.

  • Why E-Commerce Tools Are Under Fire Amid Privacy Lawsuits

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    As lawsuits try to shoehorn new technologies into decades-old privacy laws never intended for the digital age, e-commerce tools and the companies that use them are increasingly at risk, and retailers should act now to minimize their potential exposure, say attorneys at Benesch.

  • Alcohol's E-Commerce Spike Brings Regulatory Dilemmas

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    In the evolving landscape of beverage alcohol e-commerce, the clash between supplier marketing and tied-house laws poses challenges, with regulators grappling to keep pace with the digital marketplace, leaving the industry in a gray area, says Jaci Flug at Greenspoon Marder.

  • Opinion

    Legal Profession Gender Parity Requires Equal Parental Leave

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    To truly foster equity in the legal profession and to promote attorney retention, workplaces need to better support all parents, regardless of gender — starting by offering equal and robust parental leave to both birthing and non-birthing parents, says Ali Spindler at Irwin Fritchie.

  • 'Manufacturing' Amid Mass. Adoption Of Single-Sales Factor

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    Massachusetts’ recent adoption of single-sales-factor apportionment will benefit companies that have a greater in-state physical presence, reinforce the importance of understanding market-sourcing rules, and reduce the manufacturing classification's importance to tax apportionment, though the classification continues to be significant to other aspects of taxation, say attorneys at McDermott.

  • Pa. Court's Venue Ruling Is Likely To Worsen Forum Shopping

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    The Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s recent Hangey v. Husqvarna decision claims to narrowly clarify the standard for evaluating whether a venue is proper, but has broader implications that are likely to exacerbate the forum-shopping problem that already plagues corporate defendants in Pennsylvania, says Stefanie Pitcavage Mekilo and Joseph Schaeffer at Babst Calland.

  • Series

    Writing Thriller Novels Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Authoring several thriller novels has enriched my work by providing a fresh perspective on my privacy practice, expanding my knowledge, and keeping me alert to the next wave of issues in an increasingly complex space — a reminder to all lawyers that extracurricular activities can help sharpen professional instincts, says Reece Hirsch at Morgan Lewis.

  • What Lawyers Must Know About Calif. State Bar's AI Guidance

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    Initial recommendations from the State Bar of California regarding use of generative artificial intelligence by lawyers have the potential to become a useful set of guidelines in the industry, covering confidentiality, supervision and training, communications, discrimination and more, say attorneys at Debevoise.

  • Industry Must Elevate Native American Women Attys' Stories

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    The American Bar Association's recent research study into Native American women attorneys' experiences in the legal industry reveals the glacial pace of progress, and should inform efforts to amplify Native voices in the field, says Mary Smith, president of the ABA.

  • Understanding Discovery Obligations In Era Of Generative AI

    Excerpt from Practical Guidance
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    Attorneys and businesses must adapt to the unique discovery challenges presented by generative artificial intelligence, such as chatbot content and prompts, while upholding the principles of fairness, transparency and compliance with legal obligations in federal civil litigation, say attorneys at King & Spalding.

  • Forecasting The Impact Of High Court Debit Card Rule Case

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    John Delionado and Aidan Gross at Hunton consider how the U.S. Supreme Court's forthcoming ruling in a retailer's suit challenging a Federal Reserve rule on debit card swipe fees could affect agency regulations both new and old, as well as the businesses that might seek to challenge them.

  • Series

    ESG Around The World: Mexico

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    ESG has yet to become part of the DNA of the Mexican business model, but huge strides are being made in that direction, as more stakeholders demand that companies adopt, at the least, a modicum of sustainability commitments and demonstrate how they will meet them, says Carlos Escoto at Galicia Abogados.

  • Opinion

    FDA And Companies Must Move Quickly On Drug Recalls

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    When a drug doesn't work as promised — whether it causes harm, like eyedrops recalled last month by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or is merely useless, like a widely used decongestant ingredient recently acknowledged by the agency to be ineffective — the public must be notified in a timely manner, says Vineet Dubey at Custodio & Dubey.

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