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Retail & E-Commerce

  • September 12, 2025

    John Deere Rival Won't Get Redo On Safeguards In FTC Case

    An Illinois federal court on Thursday refused a bid from a Deere & Co. competitor asking for reconsideration of an order denying a bid to block the distribution of confidential information produced during the Federal Trade Commission's right-to-repair investigation into the farming equipment company.

  • September 12, 2025

    Receiver Wants To Sell Calif. Property With Illegal Ex-Pot Shop

    A court-appointed receiver asked a California state court to approve the sale of a two-story Compton commercial building that used to have an illegal cannabis dispensary.

  • September 12, 2025

    PetSmart Not Liable For Worker's Alleged Assault, Jury Says

    A Michigan federal jury on Friday found that PetSmart Inc. is not liable for its employee's assault on a customer in 2020 over a dispute involving the price of a dog toy, instead finding that the worker was completely responsible for the incident and awarding the customer $5,000.

  • September 12, 2025

    Shein Uses AI To Steal Popular Designs, Suit Claims

    Fast-fashion e-commerce giant Shein is facing a suit in California federal court by a Florida artist who claims the company uses artificial intelligence and other automated technology to dredge the internet and steal popular works to be misappropriated for profit.

  • September 12, 2025

    Fed. Circ. Backs $3.5M Award In Wallet Gadget Patent Case

    The Federal Circuit held Friday that it won't undo Dynamite Marketing's $3.5 million win in a suit in which a jury found that WowLine Inc. infringed a patent covering the Wallet Ninja, upholding awards for both damages and attorney fees.

  • September 12, 2025

    Buyers Seek Final OK In $1.5M Rust-Oleum Greenwashing Suit

    A class alleging that Rust-Oleum Corp. has been "greenwashing" its cleaning products with labels claiming they are "non-toxic" and "Earth Friendly" is asking a California federal court to grant final approval of a $1.5 million settlement to resolve the suit.

  • September 12, 2025

    Conn. Supreme Court Snapshot: Amazon Wages Top Sept.

    A wage and hour dispute between Amazon and its Connecticut warehouse workers is the top corporate dispute on the Connecticut Supreme Court's September docket after the justices agreed to answer a certified question over whether state law requires the retailer to pay employees undergoing security screenings.

  • September 12, 2025

    Hagens Berman Doubles Down On AI-Tainted Brief Correction

    Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP said that the firm has an ethical duty to correct briefs tainted by artificial intelligence errors and that the corrected versions shouldn't be stricken from a proposed class action against online platform OnlyFans' parent company.

  • September 12, 2025

    Under Armour Gets Win In Outlet Store Price Suit

    A New York federal judge on Thursday axed a consumer's potential class action alleging that Under Armour promises lower costs of products sold in its outlet stores while actually charging inflated prices, saying that she didn't claim that what she bought was defective.

  • September 12, 2025

    EU Lets Microsoft Unbundle Teams To Avoid Fine

    European Union antitrust officials signed off Friday on Microsoft's plans to offer cheaper Office 365 suites without the Teams collaboration platform in order to avoid a potentially hefty fine for past policies shackling the two services together.

  • September 11, 2025

    FTC Presses OpenAI, Meta On AI Chatbots' Impact On Kids

    The Federal Trade Commission is seeking information from Meta, OpenAI, Google and four others about the steps they're taking to measure and monitor the potentially negative impacts that AI-powered chatbots that are designed to act as companions are having on children and teens, the agency revealed Thursday. 

  • September 11, 2025

    Texas Justices Debate When Eco-Devo Public Purposes End

    Texas Supreme Court justices seemed hesitant Thursday to give JPMorgan Chase Bank NA a green light to continue collecting payments on a $10 million economic development loan for a project that went belly up, asking what public purpose the payments would serve.

  • September 11, 2025

    Apparel Co. Accuses Google Of Helping Copyright Infringers

    An apparel company that sells shirts themed around America and competitive drinking sued Google on Thursday in Ohio federal court, claiming the search engine giant assists online retailers that make copycats of its products.

  • September 11, 2025

    T-Mobile Settles With FCC Over Unapproved Phone Rollout

    T-Mobile has reached an agreement with the Federal Communications Commission to resolve allegations that it began marketing a new cellphone model before getting a green light in the FCC's equipment testing process.

  • September 11, 2025

    Minn. Signs 2nd Tribal-State Cannabis Compact 

    Minnesota on Wednesday signed a tribal-state compact with the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, giving the federally recognized tribe the ability to open eight cannabis shops outside its reservation and issue licenses to grow and manufacture the plant, the second such agreement the state has made with a tribe.

  • September 11, 2025

    Weedmaps Shouldn't Get To Exit Fraud Suit, Investor Says

    Weedmaps Technology Inc., a cannabis tech company that was fined by federal regulators for allegedly misleading investors, shouldn't be allowed to escape an investor-led proposed class action, the lead plaintiff has told a California federal court, saying the company's arguments defy common sense and understandings of the word "engage."

  • September 11, 2025

    PTAB To Review Nike Flyknit Patent After Stewart Remand

    The Patent Trial and Appeal Board has agreed to institute review of a patent covering Nike Inc.'s Flyknit line of sneakers, after the acting head of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office revived Skechers' challenge to the patent.

  • September 11, 2025

    AI, Tech and More Sectors Drive $4B-$7B Deal Rumors

    Valuations in the $4 billion to $7 billion range emerged as the sweet spot in this week's deal rumors, with companies across artificial technology, tech and other sectors reportedly nearing stake sales, divestitures and initial public offerings.

  • September 11, 2025

    Audible Credit Suit Raises Question On Wash. Gift Card Law

    A federal judge in Seattle has floated asking Washington's high court to clarify the scope of the Evergreen State's gift card law, suggesting on Thursday that a consumer suit over expiring Audible credits hinges on whether the statute only covers instruments with monetary value.  

  • September 11, 2025

    FCC Warns Cable, Prime Customers Of Scam Offering 50% Off

    Comcast and Amazon won't offer customers discounts on their subscription if they pay in gift cards, the Federal Communications Commission is warning after noticing the proliferation of a new scam claiming that a "50% discount on your monthly bill is set to expire."

  • September 11, 2025

    Google, Apple Fight Proposed UK App Ranking, Pay Mandates

    Apple and Google both pushed back on proposals by United Kingdom antitrust authorities to stop the companies from boosting their own apps and using commission-based payment systems but took slightly different approaches, according to separate responses made public Thursday.

  • September 11, 2025

    Under Armour Prevails In PTAB Challenges To 4 Shoe Patents

    The Patent Trial and Appeal Board has invalidated a host of claims across four patents owned by a golf shoe company, handing a win to Under Armour as it fights an infringement suit over the patents in Texas federal court.

  • September 11, 2025

    Insurer, Firearms Co. Drop Ghost Gun Coverage Dispute

    A firearms retailer and its insurer have resolved a dispute over coverage for three underlying government suits alleging that the company contributed to gun violence by selling unfinished components used to assemble so-called ghost guns, according to a New York federal court filing.

  • September 11, 2025

    Media, Sports-Focused SPAC's $240M IPO Guided By 3 Firms

    Trailblazer Acquisition, a blank-check company whose target businesses include media and sports and entertainment, was steered by three law firms as it raised $240 million in an upsized initial public offering with 24 million units at $10.

  • September 10, 2025

    Fed. Circ. Won't Revisit Double-Patenting, Soda TM Appeals

    The Federal Circuit on Wednesday declined to revisit its decisions in a trio of intellectual property cases, including one where it upheld an Acadia Pharmaceuticals Parkinson's disease drug patent and addressed double-patenting, and another deeming "Kist" and "Sunkist" soft drink marks confusingly similar.

Expert Analysis

  • Despite Rule Delay, FTC Scrutiny Looms For Subscriptions

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    Even though the Federal Trade Commission has delayed its click-to-cancel rule that introduces strict protocols for auto-renewing subscriptions, businesses should expect active enforcement of the new requirements after July, and look to the FTC's recent lawsuits against Uber and Cleo AI as warnings, say attorneys at Holland & Knight.

  • Va.'s Altered Surcharge Law Poses Constitutional Questions

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    Virginia's recently amended consumer protection law requiring sellers to display the total price rather than expressly prohibiting surcharges follows New York's recent revision of its antisurcharge statute and may raise similar First Amendment questions, says attorneys at Stinson.

  • Series

    Volunteering At Schools Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Speaking to elementary school students about the importance of college and other opportunities after high school — especially students who may not see those paths reflected in their daily lives — not only taught me the importance of giving back, but also helped to sharpen several skills essential to a successful legal practice, says Guillermo Escobedo at Constangy.

  • Attacks On Judicial Independence Tend To Manifest In 3 Ways

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    Attacks on judicial independence now run the gamut from gross (bald-faced interference) to systemic (structural changes) to insidious (efforts to undermine public trust), so lawyers, judges and the public must recognize the fateful moment in which we live and defend the rule of law every day, says Jim Moliterno at Washington and Lee University.

  • Prior Art Ruling Highlights Importance Of Detailed Elaboration

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    The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's recent decision in Ecto World v. RAI Strategic Holdings shows that when there is a possibility for discretionary denial, and the examiner has potentially overlooked prior art, patent owners should elaborate on as many of the denial factors as possible, says Frank Bernstein at Squire Patton.

  • Compliance Refresher For 'Made In USA' Labeling Claims

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    As tariffs reshape the trade landscape, companies hoping to invoke the powerful consumer appeal of “Made in USA” labels must understand the strict rules for making acceptable claims so they avoid the costly legal ramifications and brand damage possible from misrepresenting products as 100% American, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: Appreciating Civil Procedure

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    If you’re like me, law school’s often complex and theoretical approach to teaching civil procedure may have contributed to an early struggle with the topic, but when seen from a practical perspective, new lawyers may find they enjoy mastering these rules, says Chloe Villagomez at Foster Garvey.

  • Appellate Guidance Needed On California Chatbot Litigation

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    There is wide variation in how courts are applying the California Invasion of Privacy Act against website owners that allegedly help third parties spy on visitors via chatbots — and the lack of appellate rulings creates uncertainty, especially as these cases move toward the summary judgment stage, say attorneys at Crowell & Moring.

  • Calif. Bar Exam Fiasco Shows Why Attys Must Disclose AI Use

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    The recent revelation that a handful of questions from the controversial California bar exam administered in February were drafted using generative artificial intelligence demonstrates the continued importance of disclosure for attorneys who use AI tools, say attorneys at Troutman.

  • Opinion

    Anti-Counterfeiting Efforts Must Hold China Accountable

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    As the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development drafts guidelines for combating counterfeit goods, U.S. representatives must be frank about the need to hold Chinese platforms accountable for their role in counterfeiting — and specific about the changes that will be required, says Eli Clemens at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation.

  • Securing IP Protection For AI Avatars

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    As artificial intelligence avatars play an ever-expanding role in sales, operations and entertainment, companies must plan for intellectual property protection for these brand assets as their control will turn on the nuances of their creation and use, say attorneys at K&L Gates.

  • In 2nd Place, Va. 'Rocket Docket' Remains Old Reliable

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    The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia was again one of the fastest civil trial courts in the nation last year, and an interview with the court’s newest judge provides insights into why it continues to soar, says Robert Tata at Hunton.

  • CIPA May Not Be Necessary To Protect Ad Tech Plaintiffs

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    A California bill designed to protect businesses from advertising technology claims under the California Invasion of Privacy Act by amending the act retroactively has been highly contested by various consumer advocacy groups, but other existing law may sufficiently protect any plaintiff who suffers actual harm from such tech, says Justin Donoho at Duane Morris.

  • Parsing A Lack Of Antitrust Info-Sharing Enforcement Clarity

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    Information sharing among competing firms has recently faced dramatic changes in antitrust agency guidance, while courts grapple with the permissible scope of pricing algorithms, leaving companies in limbo, but potential Trump administration changes could offer some reprieve, say attorneys at Axinn.

  • How Attorneys Can Become Change Agents For Racial Equity

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    As the administration targets diversity, equity and inclusion efforts and law firms consider pulling back from their programs, lawyers who care about racial equity and justice can employ four strategies to create microspaces of justice, which can then be parlayed into drivers of transformational change, says Susan Sturm at Columbia Law School.

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