In this episode of the "Legal Bites Podcast" series, Food and Beverage Litigation attorney Charles Weiss and Corporate attorney Chris Phillips speak about the legal and operational fallout from the federal government's decision to stop minting pennies. Moderated by Practice Development Manager Kristina Merritt, our lawyers examine the long standing reality that pennies cost more to produce than their face value and recent policy decisions that led to a penny shortage, forcing retailers to grapple with rounding transactions, retraining staff, updating point of sale systems and posting clear rounding policies. The discussion explores how state and local cash acceptance and anti cash discrimination laws complicate rounding for cash payers, as well as the unique and often conflicting rules governing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and other Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) transactions. It also examines the ripple effects these issues have on check cashing services and payroll practices. Chris walks through the proposed Common Cents Act, including its now uncertain effort to create a federally sanctioned rounding standard, and he outlines best practices for food and beverage operators to stay compliant across multiple jurisdictions while this legal and regulatory landscape evolves.

In this episode of the "Legal Bites Podcast" series, Food and Beverage Litigation attorneys Charles Weiss and Christopher Riano, along with Practice Development Manager Kristina Merritt, speak with New York State Assemblymember Alex Bores about his sponsorship of the New York State Restaurant Reservation Anti-Piracy Act. The act, which took effect in February 2025, blocks third-party restaurant reservation platforms from selling reservations without an agreement with the restaurant. Assemblymember Bores explains he had received complaints from many industry stakeholders about platforms taking reservations and reselling them for hundreds of dollars, prompting him to take action. In this episode, he provides an in-depth look at how the law came to be, as well as the issues he is currently addressing and plans to tackle in the future.

In the next episode of the "Legal Bites Podcast" series, Food and Beverage Litigation attorney Charles Weiss and Practice Development Manager Kristina Merritt sit down with Ohio State Senator William DeMora for an important conversation concerning a recent Ohio Supreme Court ruling involving boneless chicken wings – specifically, a personal injury case in which a restaurant patron was badly injured by an unexpected bone in an order of what was on the menu as boneless chicken wings. Although technically a personal injury matter, Sen. DeMora shares why he thinks this case is a public policy issue that impacts the entire nation. If we can't count on boneless wings not to have bones in them, then what can we count on?

In the next episode of the "Legal Bites Podcast" series, Food and Beverage Litigation Team leader Nathan Adams and Practice Development Manager Kristina Merritt speak with Public Policy & Regulation attorney Sara Klock, who focuses her practice on food, agriculture, drug and device, digital health and life sciences.

Our hosts explore Ms. Klock's background and legal career, specifically how she became involved in food and beverage regulation. They also take a closer look at the most important recent regulatory developments affecting the food and beverage industry, food traceability recordkeeping requirements and how the firm can best equip clients with effective recordkeeping to comply with food traceability requirements.

In the inaugural episode of the "Legal Bites Podcast" series, Holland & Knight Food and Beverage Litigation Team leader Nathan Adams and Practice Development Manager Kristina Merritt speak with Ashley Petefish, Senior Litigation Counsel and Southwest Division Counsel at Albertsons Companies. Our hosts explore Ashley's background and legal career, asking about her work-life balance and career advice she may have for aspiring attorneys. They also delve into her experience with the Albertsons Companies, the legal challenges that her role demands and trends in the legal field that may impact grocers and the overall retail space.