Starbucks Corp. is using a legal strategy known as "forum shopping" to challenge rulings from the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). According to a Bloomberg Law report, the company files its challenges in the conservative-leaning U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
This strategy involves filing cases that originated in typically more liberal jurisdictions, such as the Second or Ninth circuits. This move grants the Fifth Circuit potential veto power over NLRB decisions concerning the coffee giant’s disputes with unionized workers.
As of late 2025, Starbucks maintains six pending cases in the Fifth Circuit where the conduct in question occurred outside the circuit's geographical boundaries. The company views this approach as part of its broader response to ongoing unionization efforts and related unfair labor practice allegations.