Retail & E-Commerce

  • October 16, 2026

    Costco Beats Customers' 100% Agave Tequila Labeling Suit

    A Seattle federal judge on Friday shot down consumers' proposed class action accusing Costco of selling Kirkland Signature tequila falsely labeled as "100% de Agave," deferring to Mexico's purview over tequila regulation and citing a Mexican government body's rejection of similar adulteration claims.

  • October 16, 2026

    Gildan Carried On 'Channel Stuffing' Scheme, Investor Says

    Gildan Activewear Inc. pumped distributors with extra inventory to create an appearance of revenue growth, alleges a putative securities class action filed in New York federal court that cites short-seller firm Jehoshaphat Research's exchanges with a former employee and customers of the Canadian apparel manufacturer.

  • October 16, 2026

    5th Circ. Revives Snapper Switch Suit Against Upscale Resto

    The Fifth Circuit Friday revived a proposed class action that accused a historic fine-dining Mississippi restaurant of scheming to sell inexpensive foreign fish while pricing them as more expensive premium local fish, saying in a published opinion that a diner plausibly alleged the fish mislabeling was "widespread and routine."

  • October 16, 2026

    Denver Pot Shop Says City Can't Revoke Approved License

    A would-be marijuana shop is looking to force Denver to honor the final approval of a retail store license, claiming the city licensing director unlawfully withdrew authorization and ordered a redundant hearing, which will risk tens of thousands of dollars it has already spent.

  • October 16, 2026

    Florida Says Discord Misled Families On Child Safety

    The Florida attorney general on Thursday sued messaging platform Discord Inc. in state court, accusing it of enabling the sexual abuse of minors with a lack of age-verification measures and safeguards.

  • October 16, 2026

    Target Can't Nix Wash. Workers' Unpaid Walking Time Claims

    Target must face proposed class claims that it shortchanged distribution center workers on wages for minutes spent passing through security checkpoints and walking to their departments each shift, a Washington federal judge said Friday, finding the plaintiffs had shown the time qualified as "on duty."

  • October 16, 2026

    McDonald's Used Deloitte Tool To Fix Menu Prices, Suit Says

    McDonald's Corp. and Deloitte Consulting have been hit with a proposed class action alleging the fast food chain's internal pricing system used to set the cost of each item is based on confidential transaction data obtained from ostensibly competing McDonald's franchises and company-owned restaurants.

  • October 16, 2026

    Target Says It Warned Investors About Pride Merch Backlash

    Target Corp. told a Minnesota federal court it should be released from a class action alleging it "betrayed" investors with Pride-themed merchandise that they claim was "exceptionally offensive," saying the company sufficiently warned investors about the potential backlash to the campaign.

  • October 16, 2026

    Fed. Circ. Stands By Double Denials, SpaceTime3D PTAB Loss

    The Federal Circuit declined Friday to rehear two cases decided in August, one where an e-commerce patent owner was looking for the security to assert its patent in future litigation, and the other where SpaceTime3D was trying to revive patents cut down by Apple and Google.

  • October 16, 2026

    Temu Inks $3M Settlement To End Data To China Claims

    Online bargain retailer Temu on Friday agreed to pay $3 million to settle claims brought by the Texas Office of the Attorney General accusing the company of secretly stealing customer data and exposing it to the Chinese Communist Party.

  • October 16, 2026

    Contradictory Contract Dooms Pot Co.'s Injunction Bid

    A California state judge has rejected a cannabis genetics company's bid for an injunction against a former business partner in a contract dispute, saying the contract's self-contradictory provisions make it unclear that the company is entitled to retrieve its cannabis strains.

  • October 16, 2026

    Sprints Logo Doesn't Infringe Puma TM, Athleticwear Co. Says

    Puma was sued Friday by an activewear apparel company that wants an Ohio federal court to find that the parties' respective feline design marks and "Sprints" name won't cause confusion among consumers, arguing the marks differ significantly in overall commercial impression and appearance. 

  • October 16, 2026

    Google Users' $85M Fee Ask Stalls Over 'Utterly Lacking' Bill

    A California federal judge on Thursday rejected an $85 million attorney fee request following a $700 million settlement in a consumer-led case against Google, ruling that counsel's submitted billing records are "utterly lacking in information demonstrating what work was done and for what purpose," while granting leave to amend the request.

  • October 16, 2026

    Gap Workers In Wash. Sue Over Unpaid OT, Missed Breaks

    Gap and Athleta were hit with a proposed class action in Washington state court alleging that the retail giants failed to pay hourly employees with overtime wages and also failed to ensure that they took the meal and rest breaks they were entitled to.

  • October 16, 2026

    Stop & Shop 'Cheap Trick' Hides App Order Fees, Suit Says

    A Massachusetts resident said grocery chain Stop & Shop adds "sneaky fees" to online pickup orders at checkout, claiming in a new complaint that the tactic violates the state's price transparency regulations.

  • October 15, 2026

    Google Beats T-Shirt Co.'s Suit, Amazon Still Facing IP Claims

    An Ohio federal judge overseeing a T-shirt seller's separate intellectual property lawsuits accusing Google and Amazon of copyright infringement issued diverging rulings Wednesday, saying Weekend Warrior Clothing can pursue claims against Amazon over its "Merch on Demand" service, while tossing claims that Google advertised infringing shirts.

  • October 15, 2026

    Estée Lauder's $210M Investor Settlement Wins Final OK

    The Estée Lauder Cos. Inc. and its investors have received final approval of their $210 million deal, which includes $63 million in attorney fees, resolving proposed class claims that the cosmetics company and its top brass announced unrealistic expectations for growth amid the ongoing effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the business.

  • 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.

Expert Analysis

  • FTC Push May Create Dual Origin-Claim Risks For Contractors

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    Recent Federal Trade Commission actions involving Made in USA advertising requirements offer a preview of enforcement themes that may impose dual compliance burdens on government contractors that are also subject to Federal Acquisition Regulation Buy American restrictions, says Amy Hoang at Seyfarth.

  • Series

    Playing Bid Whist Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    As a child, I viewed bid whist as a family tradition and a source of friendly card game competition, but as a lawyer, I see it as a tool that has helped me cultivate skills like communication, teamwork, risk assessment and composure, says Keyonn Pope at Riley Safer.

  • 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.

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