Coverage Litigation Leapfrog: Why Venue Matters and How to Avoid Pre-emptive Strike Actions
Law School Toolbox Podcast Episode 267: Listen and Learn -- UCC 2-207 ("The Battle of the Forms")
Podcast: IP Life Sciences Landscape: Aiding Orange and Purple Book Patent Owners in Developing PTAB Survival Skills
Meritas Capability Webinar - Controlling Where to Fight and Who Pays for it?
A federal district court recently enforced a forum selection clause in National Equipment Dealers, LLC v. IROCK Crushers LLC, transferring the case to Ohio and confirming the enforceability of venue clauses in commercial...more
In a notable clarification of removal and arbitration procedure, the Fifth Circuit in Odom Industries, Inc. v. Sipcam Agro Solutions, LLC, No. 24-60410 (5th Cir. June 4, 2025), held that a defendant may remove a case to...more
When a public company confronts a crisis, whether stemming from regulatory scrutiny, operational setbacks, or some other unfortunate development, securities litigation exposure materializes rapidly. ...more
It seems like every few months I hear about a situation where a company can’t enforce a forum selection clause as anticipated because of how it was drafted. Recently, an individual named Sidharth Lakhani fell victim to this...more
Dispute resolution provisions in franchise agreements often address how, when, and where parties will mediate. However, the enforceability of these provisions can change depending on the law of the state governing the...more
Patent litigation at the International Trade Commission (ITC) is characterized by its rapid pace, with proceedings for investigations under 19 U.S.C. § 1337 typically concluding within 15 to 18 months after the filing of the...more
On April 23, 2025, the Fourth Appellate District Court of Appeal of the State of California affirmed the dismissal of a putative class action asserting claims under the Securities Act of 1933 against an electric vehicle...more
Last month in Bullock v. Rivian Automotive, California’s Fourth District Court of Appeal became the latest to enforce a federal forum provision (FFP) embedded in a Delaware corporation’s charter and affirmed dismissal of a...more
In OTG New York, Inc. v. Ottogi America, Inc., OTG was the exclusive regional distributor for food company Ottogi from 2008–23, during which Ottogi shipped inventory to OTG’s New Jersey warehouse. In 2024, Ottogi terminated...more
In Drulias v. 1st Century Bancshares, Inc. 30 Cal. App. 5th 696 (2018), the plaintiff was a shareholder in a Delaware corporation whose board of directors approved a merger agreement and at the same time adopted a forum...more
A federal court in California recently denied a franchisor’s motion to dismiss litigation, holding that a franchise agreement provision requiring the parties to mediate in Texas prior to instituting litigation or arbitration...more
Concerns remain over the enforceability of cannabis contracts as recent cases highlight the conflict between state-sanctioned operations and federal illegality. In both state and federal courts, judges have anchored to the...more
Marie Sharp’s Fine Foods, Ltd., a Belize condiment and jam manufacturer, and Eve Sales Corp., a New York-based purchaser of Marie Sharp’s branded products, filed an anticipatory declaratory judgment and breach of contract...more
A key term of any franchise agreement is the venue selection clause as this page has previously explained. This issue was at the forefront of Convenience Stores Leasing & Management, LLC’s (“CSLM”) August 2024 suit...more
Companies facing the threat of mass arbitration continue to seek judicial intervention to thwart such tactics. However, most of those attempts have failed. Recently, the District Court in the District of Colombia rejected a...more
Ravindran v. Glas Trust Co. LLC, No. 463, 2023 (Del. Sept. 23, 2024) - In affirming the Court of Chancery’s determination in a Section 225 action that Timothy Pohl (“Pohl”) was the sole director and officer of a Delaware...more
A federal court in Wisconsin recently transferred a franchisor’s breach of contract lawsuit to Indiana, the location of the franchisee, even though the parties’ supply agreement contained a Wisconsin forum selection clause....more
A federal court in California recently granted Ringside Development Company’s motion to stay a franchisee-initiated lawsuit pending resolution through alternative dispute resolution. Jameson v. Ringside Development Company,...more
The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals recently reversed a district court’s denial of a motion to compel arbitration, finding that the parties’ arbitration clause expressed a clear intent to arbitrate and that the reference in...more
A district court in Arizona granted a franchisor’s motion to transfer venue to Missouri pursuant to the terms of the franchise agreement. S&G Elite LLC (“S&G”) and ST National Franchising, LLC (“Franchisor”) entered into a...more
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit recently compelled two parties to arbitrate their claims despite the abolishment of the forum that they selected in their international commercial arbitration clause. The case...more
The Texas Legislature follows a unique legislative calendar and convenes in regular session for 140 days only once every other year. This unusual schedule creates a flurry of new state laws every other year in Texas. These...more
A California federal court partially granted a motion to compel arbitration by car care franchisor Spiffy Franchising. However, the court invalidated provisions in the franchise agreement providing for dispute resolution in...more
Deciding whether to choose state or federal court can be outcome determinative. This is particularly important in deciding to remove a case from state to federal court. Some state franchise statutes clearly allow a court to...more
You’re spending your day off on Luna Pier beach in Monroe County, Michigan. You’ll swim in the morning, get lunch at Gander’s Family Restaurant, and rent jet skis in the afternoon. That morning, however, you wake up and...more