Legal

A group director for the jewelry retailer Tiffany & Company sued the company in federal court last Thursday, accusing his employer of a "systemic, nationwide pattern and practice of racial discrimination." According to the complaint, of the more than 200 management positions that represent Tiffany to the public, only one is held by an African-American: Michael McClure, the plaintiff in this lawsuit. Robert D. Kraus, the lawyer representing McClure, says that pattern, along with his client's experience, demonstrates "racial bias in the belief, conscious or otherwise, that African-Americans aren't appropriate ambassadors for the iconic, luxurious and sophisticated Tiffany brand."

Swatch, the world's biggest watchmaker, has taken action against Apple over the company's use of the iWatch label, as it's too similar to its own iSwatch product, Chief Executive Officer Nick Hayek said. Swatch's measures include pointing out the use of "iWatch" to authorities in all the countries where it has been registered as a trademark, Hayek said in a telephone interview. He didn't say which countries had been contacted and when the measures started, adding there are no plans to take Apple to court.

The Justice Department settled a lawsuit against eBay Inc. Thursday that accused the company of anti-competitive practices in the recruitment and hiring of skilled employees. The settlement resolved a 2012 lawsuit that accused eBay of having an agreement with the Intuit software company preventing each firm from recruiting the other's employees. That deal, entered into by top-level executives, was designed to limit competition between the two firms for highly specialized technology employees and denied workers the chance for better, higher-paying job opportunities, the federal government said. 

In the end, popular opinion wasn't enough to save Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabanna, the designers behind the highly lucrative fashion label Dolce & Gabbana. Despite pleas on social media and protests from fans, an Italian appeals court has upheld the decision reached last year in a lower court which found the pair guilty of tax evasion. The original criminal charges followed a stiff 343.3 million euro ($439.70 million U.S.) fine ordered payable as restitution last spring.

A text message exchange between a senior executive at GSI Commerce and his friend in 2011 before eBay acquired the company has been cited as evidence of insider trading in criminal charges filed by the government. eBay has since rebranded the company eBay Enterprise, where the executive, Chris Saridakis, served as president until January of this year. The Securities and Exchange Commission also alleged that Saridakis violated a duty of trust by providing two family members and two friends with nonpublic information about the pending acquisition of GSI Commerce and encouraged them to trade on it.

Teen retailer Aeropostale has filed a lawsuit against H&M over the use of its trademarked "Live Love Dream" phrase on some of its clothing and accessories. According to Aeropostale's complaint, it contacted the Swedish retailer in March after discovering that it had used the phrase without authorization. H&M failed to pull the merchandise, spurring on Aeropostale to take the issue to court. "Despite receiving this notice, and subsequent notice that's also infringing other marks owned by Aeropostale Procurement, H&M continues to display and/or sell products bearing numerous trademarks owned and used by Aeropostale," the complaint reads. 

A class-action lawsuit targeting Pier 1 Imports was filed in Santa Clara County Superior Court last week after a woman claimed the company forced her to take unpaid leave because of her pregnancy. The suit states the company's policy toward expectant mothers is unfair and illegal. The woman at the center of the lawsuit, Erin Caselman, works as a sales associate at a San Jose, Calif. Pier 1 Imports store. "All I want is my job back," said Caselman. "I want to be able to work during my pregnancy."

Keurig Green Mountain's plans to introduce a new single-serve brewer that will lock out competitors has triggered a backlash that includes 14 lawsuits filed in the last two months, alleging violations of both federal and state antitrust and anti-competitive laws. The reaction to the Keurig 2.0, which comes out this year and will only accept K-Cup portion packs manufactured by Keurig, has also been expressed in a barrage of negative comments in the Twitterverse and blogosphere. 

Tuesday Morning Corp. and former CEO Kathleen Mason have agreed to settle a discrimination lawsuit that accused the retailer of firing the executive because she revealed she had breast cancer. Mason's attorney, Rogge Dunn, and Tuesday Morning, each said Monday that they had amicably resolved the matter, but didn't disclose terms of the settlement. Court documents show that a Dallas County judge officially dismissed the lawsuit last Thursday. Mason sued the Dallas-based housewares and home decor company last May, claiming she was fired months after she told the board of her cancer. The company called the allegations meritless.

lululemon won dismissal of claims that shareholders lost $2 billion because the athletic-wear company misled them about quality problems with its products, including bleeding colors and see-through yoga pants. U.S. District Judge Katherine Forrest in Manhattan dismissed shareholder claims against the Vancouver-based company, founder and director Dennis Wilson and former chief executive officer Christine McCormick Day. Forrest ruled the investors failed to show that statements made by company officials about product quality were false and misleading.