California

  • February 13, 2025

    Musk's $97B OpenAI Bid Dubbed A 'Stunt' Amid Other Rumors

    After a Wall Street Journal report on Monday revealed that a consortium of investors led by Elon Musk was offering $97.4 billion to buy the nonprofit that controls OpenAI, rumors began to swirl regarding the true intentions behind the billionaire's bid.

  • February 13, 2025

    Musk Says He'll Drop OpenAI Bid If It Scraps 'For Profit' Plans

    Elon Musk has hit back at OpenAI's claim that his $97.375 billion takeover bid is improper, noting if the ChatGPT maker agrees to nix plans to become a for-profit business, his offer will be dropped. 

  • February 13, 2025

    Ex-Angels Staffer Says Attys Botched Skaggs Overdose Case

    A former Los Angeles Angels press officer asked a Texas federal judge to undo the 22-year prison sentence he's currently serving after being convicted of giving pitcher Tyler Skaggs fentanyl-laced pills that caused his fatal overdose in 2019.

  • February 13, 2025

    Willkie-Led Defense Firm Karman Prices Upsized $506M IPO

    Shares of Karman Holdings Inc. soared in debut trading Thursday after the defense and space systems firm priced an upsized $506 million above its marketed range, raising money for Karman and its private equity shareholders, represented by Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP and underwriters' counsel Latham & Watkins LLP.

  • February 13, 2025

    Paul Hastings, Cooley Lead Obesity-Focused Aardvark's IPO

    Obesity-focused Aardvark Therapeutics Inc. began trading Thursday after pricing a $94 million initial public offering at the bottom of its range, represented by Paul Hastings LLP and underwriters' counsel Cooley LLP, joining a string of biotechnology firms to go public recently.

  • February 13, 2025

    More US Attorneys Out In Three States

    U.S. Attorney Dena J. King of the Western District of North Carolina announced that she is stepping down from her role as the district's top prosecutor, joining her counterparts in California's Southern District and the District of Maryland in the recent parade of U.S. attorneys to leave their posts since President Donald Trump retook the White House.

  • February 12, 2025

    Calif. Panel Upends Bakery's Bias Suit Win Over Gay Wedding

    A California appeals court on Tuesday reversed a California bakery's trial court victory in a discrimination lawsuit challenging its refusal to sell a wedding cake to a lesbian couple, finding that a wedding cake design standard the bakery had leaned on was facially discriminatory.

  • February 12, 2025

    9th Circ. Revives Family's Asylum Bid Citing 'Antigypsyism'

    A split Ninth Circuit on Wednesday revived a Roma family's asylum bid, saying in a published opinion that the Board of Immigration Appeals disregarded the "extreme" persecution and mistreatment the family faced as well as a long history of "antigypsyism."

  • February 12, 2025

    Social Media MDL Judge Rips Google, Snap Quick Appeal Bid

    A California federal judge indicated Wednesday she likely won't let Google and Snap file interlocutory appeals in multidistrict litigation over social media's allegedly addictive designs, saying the appeals requests make "no sense," and she slammed Meta insurers' unnecessary motion to expedite its coverage dispute with Meta as "unprofessional."

  • February 12, 2025

    EthereumMax Buyers Seek Cert. In Celeb Crypto Promos Suit

    A group of investors in crypto product EthereumMax have asked a federal judge in California to certify a class action accusing Floyd Mayweather Jr., Kim Kardashian and other celebrities of promoting the token, which allegedly was used in a pump-and-dump scheme.

  • February 12, 2025

    Crypto CEO Made $425K Disappear, Investor Tearfully Testifies

    A former business partner of a Texas man accused of running a $5 million fraud centered on a new "anti-money laundering" cryptocurrency testified tearfully before a California federal jury on Wednesday that her family invested about $425,000 in the defendant's previous cryptocurrency venture and lost every penny.

  • February 12, 2025

    OpenAI Says Musk Takeover Bid 'Exposes' Intent Behind Suit

    OpenAI on Thursday told a California federal judge overseeing Elon Musk's lawsuit seeking to block OpenAI from becoming a for-profit enterprise that the Tesla founder has proposed acquiring OpenAI's business, saying the takeover effort reveals Musk's lawsuit to be "an improper bid to undermine a competitor."

  • February 12, 2025

    'Harry Potter' Ride At Universal Is 'Dangerous,' Jury Told

    A "Harry Potter" ride at Universal Studios Hollywood is "dangerous" for riders when they step off a moving floor, a forensic scientist told a California federal jury Wednesday considering claims that a grandmother was seriously injured in a preventable fall when exiting the popular attraction.

  • February 12, 2025

    Sea Salt Co. Sued Over Lead And Arsenic Levels

    A salt company was hit with a proposed class action Tuesday in California federal court over allegations that its salt contains arsenic and lead, asserting that there is no safe level of lead.

  • February 12, 2025

    Cannabis Vape Cos. Accused Of Price-Fixing Scheme

    A Chinese cannabis vape manufacturer and a slew of its U.S.-based distributors have been hit with a proposed class action alleging they maintained an unlawful anticompetitive arrangement that kept the price of marijuana vapes artificially high for close to a decade.

  • February 12, 2025

    RI Judge Won't Pause Order To Unfreeze Funds Amid Appeal

    A Rhode Island federal judge refused Wednesday to pause a court order blocking a freeze on funding for federal grants and programs while the Trump administration appeals the ruling to the First Circuit.

  • February 12, 2025

    Western Digital Told To Pay $553M Sooner Rather Than Later

    Hard drive manufacturer Western Digital now has less than seven days to put up over half a billion dollars to satisfy a patent judgment after a California federal judge said he "has concerns about potential corporate restructuring."

  • February 12, 2025

    Nike Asks 9th Circ. To Claw Back Workplace Harassment Docs

    A lawyer for Nike urged a Ninth Circuit panel on Wednesday to block an Oregon local newspaper from publishing workplace harassment questionnaires provided by plaintiffs' attorney in pay equity litigation against the athletic apparel giant.

  • February 12, 2025

    Google Must Face Wiretapping Suit Over AI-Powered Assistant

    A California federal judge has refused to toss a proposed class action accusing Google of using a "human-like" customer-service product powered by artificial intelligence to illegally eavesdrop on users' calls with Hulu, Verizon and others, finding the consumers adequately allege Google is a third party that can benefit from the data.

  • February 12, 2025

    PE Exec Says USC Can't Escape $75M 'Varsity Blues' Suit

    A private equity executive roped into the "Varsity Blues" college admissions case for his six-figure donation to the University of Southern California is asking a Los Angeles court to green-light his $75 million lawsuit alleging the school lied when it deemed his largesse improper.

  • February 12, 2025

    Conn. Opposes Bankrupt Prospect Medical's 'Plunder'

    Prospect Medical Holdings Inc. must be held accountable for harm that the hospital operator caused in Connecticut, but first, its three facilities in the state need to quickly transition to new ownership, the offices of the attorney general and the governor told a Dallas bankruptcy judge.

  • February 12, 2025

    Treasury Chief Exempt From Block On DOGE's System Access

    A New York federal judge clarified that an order blocking Elon Musk and members of his Department of Government Efficiency team from accessing U.S. Treasury Department payment systems does not apply to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

  • February 12, 2025

    Joann To Close Over 500 US Stores In Second Ch. 11

    Joann Inc., a fabrics and crafts retailer that reentered bankruptcy in January, asked a Delaware bankruptcy judge Wednesday for permission to close more than 500 underperforming stores throughout the country that the company said potential buyers of the business aren't interested in taking on.

  • February 12, 2025

    Meta User Antitrust Suit Gets Nov. 17 Trial Date

    A California federal judge has set a Nov. 17 trial date for accusations that Meta monopolized the social media advertising market weeks after he declined to certify a class of Facebook users that would have numbered in the millions.

  • February 12, 2025

    'Remain In Mexico' Reboot Sparks Renewed Court Battle

    A nonprofit immigration legal services provider revived its challenge to the Remain in Mexico program after President Donald Trump rebooted it, telling a California federal judge the program's reimplementation flouts U.S. asylum law and burdens the organization's First Amendment rights.

Expert Analysis

  • Series

    Exercising On My Peloton Bike Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    While I originally came to the Peloton bike for exercise, one cycling instructor’s teachings have come to serve as a road map for practicing law thoughtfully and mindfully, which has opened opportunities for growth and change in my career, says Andrea Kirshenbaum at Littler.

  • 5 Drug And Device Developments That Shaped 2024

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    The last year saw significant legal developments affecting drug and device manufacturers, with landmark decisions and regulatory changes that require vigilance and agility from the industry, say attorneys at Faegre Drinker.

  • Takeaways From SEC's Mixed Results In '24 Crypto Litigation

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    Though the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's new leadership seems likely to create a more favorable cryptocurrency regulatory environment, it must also confront the consequences of, and lingering questions raised by, the SEC's 2024 policy of investigating and charging cryptocurrency trading platforms for operating unregistered exchanges, say attorneys at Dechert.

  • Lessons From United's Axed Win In Firing Over Online Pics

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    In Wawrzenski v. United Airlines, a California state appeals court revived a flight attendant’s suit over her termination for linking photos of herself in uniform to her OnlyFans account, providing a cautionary tale for employers navigating the complexities of workplace policy enforcement in the digital age, say attorneys at ArentFox Schiff.

  • Mich. Ruling Offers View On 'Occurrence' Coverage Definition

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    As demonstrated by a Michigan state court in its recent decision finding per-wound insurance coverage for a school shooting, the amount of coverage available under occurrence-based policies often depends on how courts interpret "occurrence," say attorneys at Hunton.

  • Exploring Venue Strategy For Trump-Era Regulatory Litigation

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    Litigation will likely play a prominent role in shaping policy outcomes during the second Trump administration, and stakeholders have several tools at their disposal to steer regulatory litigation toward more favorable venues, say attorneys at Covington.

  • What 2024's Noncompete Turmoil Means For Banks In 2025

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    A look back at the most significant legal challenges to the enforceability of various restrictive covenants like noncompete and nonsolicitation agreements in 2024 can help financial institutions address the use of these critical tools this year, say attorneys at Maynard Nexsen.

  • How The UPC, ITC Complement Each Other In Patent Law

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    Attorneys at Ropes & Gray discuss the similarities and differences between the Unified Patent Court and the International Trade Commission, as well as recent matters litigated in both venues and why parties choose to file at these forums.

  • Lessons Learned From 2024's Top FMLA Decisions

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    Last year's major litigation related to the Family and Medical Leave Act underscores why it is critical for employers to understand the basics of when leave and accommodations are required, say attorneys at Dechert.

  • A Guide To Significant 2024 Data Broker Legal Developments

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    2024 saw notable developments in U.S. data broker regulation and enforcement, and this momentum will likely carry into 2025, despite hypothetical efforts to the contrary under the new administration, say attorneys at Frankfurt Kurnit.

  • Series

    Playing Esports Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Competing in a global esports tournament at Wimbledon last year not only fulfilled my childhood dream, but also sharpened skills that are essential to my day job, including strategic thinking, confidence and networking, says AJ Schuyler at Jackson Lewis.

  • How Changes In State Gift Card Laws May Affect Cos. In 2025

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    2024 state legislative movements around the escheatment of unused gift card balances and consumer fraud protections should prompt issuers to consider whether changes in company domicile or blanket cash-back policies are needed in the new year, say attorneys at Alston & Bird.

  • Retailers Must Adapt As Courts Shift On False Price Claims

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    The increasing frequency with which courts are denying motions to dismiss false reference price claims signals that these lawsuits are not going away anytime soon, so retailers must be prepared for a more complex and prolonged defense process, say attorneys at Akerman.

  • Health Tech Regulatory Trends To Watch In 2025

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    With an upcoming change in administration and the release of some long-awaited rules, the healthcare industry should prepare for shifting trends, including a growing focus on health data and interest in technology-enabled delivery of healthcare, say attorneys at Orrick.

  • An Associate's Guide To Career Development In 2025

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    As the new year begins, associates at all levels should consider establishing career metrics, fostering key relationships and employing other specific strategies to help move through the complexities of the legal profession with confidence and emerge as trailblazers, say EJ Stern and Amanda George at Fractional Law Firm.

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