California

  • July 01, 2024

    Ex-Calif. Law Firm CFO Charged in $1.2M Embezzlement

    The former chief financial officer of two related San Francisco law firms now faces federal criminal charges that he embezzled at least $1.2 million from the companies, and the government is trying to seize some of his properties.

  • July 01, 2024

    Kilpatrick Taps First Woman Atty To Lead IP Group

    Kilpatrick has elevated a longtime trademark partner based in Atlanta to lead its global intellectual property department, making her the first woman to lead the IP department.

  • July 01, 2024

    Catching Up With Delaware's Chancery Court

    Two multimillion-dollar settlement approvals, a $25 million fee-shifting demand, and a biotech merger spoiled by murder: This was just the beginning of the drama last week in the nation's preeminent court of equity. Shareholders in satellite companies filed new cases, a cannabis company headed toward trial, and there were new developments in old disputes involving Tesla and Truth Social.

  • July 01, 2024

    Apple Scores Some Patent Board Reviews In Watch IP Fight

    Yet another front has opened in Apple's ongoing legal war with a small medical software company that claims the tech giant used its patents in a blood oxygen sensor found in the newer version of the Apple Watch.

  • June 28, 2024

    Chevron's End Is Just The Start For Energized Agency Foes

    By knocking down a powerful precedent that has towered over administrative law for 40 years, the U.S. Supreme Court's right wing Friday gave a crowning achievement to anti-agency attorneys. But for those attorneys, the achievement is merely a means to an end, and experts expect a litigation blitzkrieg to materialize quickly in the aftermath.

  • June 28, 2024

    Real Estate Recap: Camping Ban, Mobile Money, Post-Surfside

    Catch up on this week's key developments by state from Law360 Real Estate Authority — including the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling on an Oregon town's anti-camping ordinance, government incentives for manufactured housing communities, and the progress states have made toward building safety in the three years since the tragic condo collapse in Surfside, Florida.

  • June 28, 2024

    'Nothing Stopping' Collection On $10B Verdict, LA Judge Says

    A Los Angeles judge on Friday decided to amend the judgment from a $10 billion verdict that found business owner Haresh Jogani stole a multibillion-dollar real estate business from his four brothers, awarding stock potentially worth billions to the brothers while dismissing his attorney's objections that the order is not allowed due to Haresh Jogani's appeal.

  • June 28, 2024

    Girardi Wins Bid To Offer Mental Condition Testimony At Trial

    Tom Girardi's defense team can call a doctor to testify at his upcoming trial as to a potential "mental condition" that they say might indirectly have bearing on his intent to defraud clients, a California federal judge ruled Thursday, rejecting prosecutors' argument that the testimony is irrelevant.

  • June 28, 2024

    LawFirms.com Can't Dodge LegalForce's Ad Trademark Suit

    A California federal judge has denied a bid by online legal services website LawFirms.com to escape a trademark suit accusing it of ripping off law firm LegalForce's stylized text and symbol used in advertisements.

  • June 28, 2024

    In Chevron Case, Justices Trade One Unknown For Another

    The U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overrule a decades-old judicial deference doctrine may cause the "eternal fog of uncertainty" surrounding federal agency actions to dissipate and level the playing field in challenges of government policies, but lawyers warn it raises new questions over what rules courts must follow and how judges will implement them.

  • June 28, 2024

    Problems Linger Amid Efforts To Clean Up Debt Firm's Mess

    After the collapse of a California debt relief firm last year amid allegations of fraud, a bankruptcy judge signed off on a plan to allow a new firm to begin providing services for thousands of affected clients. While the new firm has promised to clean up its predecessor’s mess, some consumers say little to nothing has changed, and now enforcement agencies including the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau have started asking questions.

  • June 28, 2024

    Split 9th Circ. Revives Part Of Sprout Baby Food Label Suit

    A California couple suing Sprout Foods over nutrient statements on its baby food pouches can pursue a Golden State law claim but not fraud-based claims, a split Ninth Circuit panel ruled Friday, saying federal law doesn't preempt the state's labeling standards, but the parents haven't shown the products were misleading.

  • June 28, 2024

    PAGA Reforms Clear Calif. Assembly, Head To Newsom's Desk

    California legislators in both the Senate and Assembly overwhelmingly backed big changes to California's Private Attorneys General Act, including an adjustment to how penalties are assessed to employers and awarded to employees, sending the package to Gov. Gavin Newsom's desk.

  • June 28, 2024

    Calif. Panel Won't Toss Trial Win By AT&T's Cricket

    Cricket Communications Inc. won't have to worry about a 2018 jury trial win being kiboshed after a California appeals court ruled that when it overturned a pretrial ruling because a previous judge failed to disclose that he owned AT&T stock, it didn't mean the entire trial should be undone.

  • June 28, 2024

    Inventor Group Backs High Court Bid In Patent Eligibility Case

    A trade group that represents inventors is throwing its hat into the ring to support the latest petition asking the U.S. Supreme Court to weigh in on patent eligibility.

  • June 28, 2024

    The NFL Lost Big: What Happened, What Happens Next

    A California federal jury's rebuke of the NFL's Sunday Ticket broadcast package has the league staring down a $4.7 billion class action verdict, prompting experts to wonder why the league was willing to risk a jury trial in the first place and how it will try to overturn the verdict now that it lost.

  • June 28, 2024

    Homeless Advocates Balk As High Court OKs Anti-Camping Ban

    The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Friday that an Oregon city's anti-camping ban doesn't amount to cruel and unusual punishment amid a challenge brought by a class of homeless residents, a move that residents' counsel says paves the way for municipalities to criminalize homelessness.

  • June 28, 2024

    Bitcoin Device Seller Sues Ex-CEO, Alleging $5.3M Fraud

    A California-based crypto mining-farm builder and equipment seller has sued its former CEO in California federal court, alleging that he embezzled roughly $5.3 million, leading to the company's failure to pay multiple vendors in a timely manner.

  • June 28, 2024

    Girardi's Ch. 7 Evidence Fight May Raise Novel Issues

    Tom Girardi told a California federal judge that FBI agents violated his constitutional rights by obtaining evidence from his law firm's bankruptcy trustee without a search warrant, an argument that, if successful, could hamstring prosecutors in his upcoming wire fraud trial and shake up law enforcement's dealings with trustees.

  • June 28, 2024

    Maxeon Was Overreliant On SunPower Sales, Investor Says

    Maxeon Solar Technologies was hit with a proposed shareholder class action alleging that the company concealed that a significant portion of its business depended on exclusive sales of certain products to its former parent company, SunPower Corp., and that a terminated contract between the two would lead to a 41% revenue drop for Maxeon.

  • June 28, 2024

    9th Circ. Backs Mining Co.'s Defeat Of Driver's FMLA Suit

    The Ninth Circuit upheld a mining company's jury win over a truck driver's lawsuit claiming he was fired because he took time off after a workplace injury, saying Friday that employers don't have to rely on medical evidence to challenge a doctor's diagnosis under federal medical leave law.

  • June 28, 2024

    Insurer Says Kennel Expansion Complaints Not Covered

    A Hanover unit told a California federal court that it has no obligation to defend a dog kennel in an underlying lawsuit alleging that the kennel's expansion, which increased capacity from about 20 dogs to 200 dogs, interfered with the community's rights of possession.

  • June 28, 2024

    Tesla Laid Off 14K Workers Without Notice, WARN Suit Says

    Tesla Inc. laid off approximately 14,000 employees without giving them a fair warning required under both federal and California law, a former parts advisor alleges in a putative class action seeking back pay and penalties on the automotive company.

  • June 28, 2024

    Retired Calif. Judge Known For Ethics Work Dies At 87

    Retired Los Angeles County Judge David M. Rothman, known for writing three editions of the California Judicial Conduct Handbook, died Tuesday in Berkeley, California, at age 87.

  • June 28, 2024

    Nixed Purdue Ch. 11 Plan May Leave States Ready For A Fight

    State attorneys general across the country could be gearing up for more opioid-related litigation against the Sackler family after the U.S. Supreme Court wiped out a $5.5 billion third-party release for the owners of bankrupt drugmaker Purdue Pharma LP, experts told Law360.

Expert Analysis

  • A Look Ahead For The Electric Vehicle Charging Industry

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    This will likely be an eventful year for the electric vehicle market as government efforts to accelerate their adoption inevitably clash with backlash from supporters of the petroleum industry, say Rue Phillips at SkillFusion and Enid Joffe at Green Paradigm Consulting.

  • A Post-Mortem Analysis Of Stroock's Demise

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    After the dissolution of 147-year-old firm Stroock late last year shook up the legal world, a post-mortem analysis of the data reveals a long list of warning signs preceding the firm’s collapse — and provides some insight into how other firms might avoid the same disastrous fate, says Craig Savitzky at Leopard Solutions.

  • Retailers Must Be Mindful Of Sale Ads As Class Actions Rise

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    A recent uptick in class actions filed against retailers over a breadth of allegedly deceptive pricing practices — including misleading reference prices for sales and discounts offered on a perpetual basis — show no sign of slowing down, indicating that class counsel are laser-focused on challenging advertising strategies, say Louis DiLorenzo and Paavana Kumar at Davis+Gilbert.

  • Legislative And Litigation Trends In Environmental Advertising

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    Companies that tout their products' environmental benefits can significantly reduce the risk that they will face allegations of greenwashing by staying up to date on related Federal Trade Commission guidance, state requirements and litigation trends, say Raqiyyah Pippins and Kelsie Sicinski at Arnold & Porter.

  • What's On The Horizon In Attorney General Enforcement

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    A look at recent attorney general actions, especially in the areas of antitrust and artificial intelligence, can help inform businesses on what they should expect in terms of enforcement trends as 10 attorney general races play out in 2024, say attorneys at Cozen O'Connor.

  • Preparing For DOJ's Data Analytics Push In FCPA Cases

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    After the U.S. Department of Justice’s recent announcement that it will leverage data analytics in Foreign Corrupt Practice Act investigations and prosecutions, companies will need to develop a compliance strategy that likewise implements data analytics to get ahead of enforcement risks, say attorneys at Cozen O'Connor.

  • How 3 New Laws Change Calif. Nonprofits' Legal Landscape

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    Legislation that went into effect on Jan. 1 should be welcomed by California’s nonprofit organizations, which may now receive funding more quickly, rectify past noncompliance more easily and have greater access to the states’ security funding program, say Casey Williams and Brett Overby at Liebert Cassidy.

  • Opinion

    9th Circ. Should Overturn The Miles Davis Tattoo Ruling

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    A California district court made several missteps that led to a finding that celebrity artist Kat Von D's Miles Davis tattoo did not infringe copyright, and the Ninth Circuit should overturn the decision because recent U.S. Supreme Court guidance was ignored and the jury did not receive adequate instruction, says Brian Moriarty at Hamilton Brook.

  • Calif. Disclosure Update Adds To Employer Trial Prep Burden

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    Though California’s recently updated litigation disclosure procedures may streamline some aspects of employment suits filed in the state, plaintiffs' new ability to demand a wider range of information on a tighter timeline will burden companies with the need to invest more resources into investigating cases much earlier in the process, says Jeffrey Horton Thomas at Fox Rothschild.

  • EDNY Ruling Charts 99 Problems In Rap Lyric Admissibility

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    A New York federal court’s recent ruling in U.S. v. Jordan powerfully captures courts’ increasing skepticism about the admissibility of rap lyrics as evidence in criminal trials, particularly at a time when artists face economic incentives to embrace fictional, hyperbolic narratives, say attorneys at Sher Tremonte.

  • Series

    Coaching High School Wrestling Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Coaching my son’s high school wrestling team has been great fun, but it’s also demonstrated how a legal career can benefit from certain experiences, such as embracing the unknown, studying the rules and engaging with new people, says Richard Davis at Maynard Nexsen.

  • Takeaways From 9th Circ. Nix Of Ex-GOP Rep.'s Conviction

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    The Ninth Circuit recently reversed the conviction of former Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, R-Neb., for lying to the FBI, showing that the court will rein in aggressive attempts by the government to expand the reach of criminal prosecutions — and deepening a circuit split on an important venue issue, say attorneys at Skadden.

  • SG's Office Is Case Study To Help Close Legal Gender Gap

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    As women continue to be underrepresented in the upper echelons of the legal profession, law firms could learn from the example set by the Office of the Solicitor General, where culture and workplace policies have helped foster greater gender equality, say attorneys at Ocean Tomo.

  • Despite Risks, AI Is A Worthy Tool For Healthcare Industry

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    Artificial intelligence appears to provide a productive path forward for the healthcare industry, improving economic and human health outcomes, though companies must continue to address certain technology and compliance pain points, says Sarah Abrams at Bowhead Specialty Underwriters.

  • NCAA's Antitrust Litigation History Offers Clues For NIL Case

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    Attorneys at Perkins Coie analyze the NCAA's long history of antitrust litigation to predict how state attorney general claims against NCAA recruiting rules surrounding name, image and likeness discussions will stand up in Tennessee federal court.

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