California

  • January 02, 2025

    Crypto Scam Victim Says Fraudsters' Banks Ignore Red Flags

    A California man who says he lost nearly a million dollars to a crypto "pig butchering" scam sued the alleged fraudsters and their banking partners, claiming the financial institutions ignored red flags and failed to conduct basic checks that would have revealed the scammers' actual business.

  • January 02, 2025

    3 Things To Know About 9th Circ. Ruling In $56M Beer Battle

    The Ninth Circuit has affirmed a $56 million trial verdict for Stone Brewing Co. in a long-running trademark battle involving Molson Coors, saying the evidence supported the jury's conclusion that the Canadian-American beer company's repackaging of its Keystone Light brand infringed its competitors' "Stone" mark.

  • January 02, 2025

    9th Circ. Dismisses LegalForce Trademark Appeal

    The Lanham Act, the primary federal statute dictating trademark law, does not apply to the advertising and selling of equity, the Ninth Circuit stated in an appeals case between intellectual property firm LegalForce RAPC Worldwide PC and a Japanese company that fundraised off the brand "LegalForce."

  • January 02, 2025

    Perkins Coie Fights DQ Bid In Facial Recognition IP Suit

    Perkins Coie LLP wants to continue defending Jumio Corp. in a patent infringement lawsuit involving facial recognition technology, calling plaintiff FaceTec Inc.'s bid to disqualify the law firm over its previous work for FaceTec a "tactical" ploy.

  • January 02, 2025

    Feds Want 6 Years For Ex-FBI Informant Who Smeared Bidens

    Prosecutors told a California federal judge that a former FBI informant who falsely told agents that a Ukrainian energy company had paid off President Joe Biden and his son Hunter should be sentenced to six years in prison, saying he betrayed the United States by trying to influence the 2020 election even after being granted citizenship.

  • January 02, 2025

    'Trained Lawyer' Can't Undo Guilty Plea In 'Varsity Blues'

    An attorney and former television executive lost her bid to have her "Varsity Blues" guilty plea undone after a federal judge found that she had knowingly admitted her guilt and that a recent high court ruling did not undercut the government's case.

  • January 02, 2025

    The Top Property Insurance Cases To Watch In 2025

    Two cases that could change the policies offered by California's insurer of last resort and a forthcoming Hawaii Supreme Court decision on a $4 billion wildfire settlement are among the top property insurance suits to follow in the new year. Here, Law360 looks at five cases that practitioners should note in 2025.

  • January 01, 2025

    The Top Sports & Betting Cases To Keep An Eye On In 2025

    The name, image and likeness class action the NCAA settled in 2024 for $2.78 billion was a long time coming and packs a punch that will be felt for years to come. It overshadowed other ongoing, status quo-rocking litigation involving the NFL, NBA, MLB and more. Here, Law360 looks at the top sports and betting cases the legal world will be watching in 2025.

  • January 01, 2025

    Trump Begins 2nd Term With At Least 45 Judge Seats To Fill

    Incoming President Donald Trump will take office Jan. 20 with 45 seats on the federal bench to fill. Currently, there are 39 empty seats on U.S. district and circuit courts and 6 pending vacancies due to announced retirements and plans to take senior status, three of which opened on Dec. 31 and another that opened Jan. 2.

  • January 01, 2025

    What Banking Attorneys Are Watching In The Courts In 2025

    Lawsuits pushing back on novel state-level consumer protection laws and a host of Biden-era Consumer Financial Protection Bureau regulatory actions are top of mind for financial services attorneys heading into the new year. Here, Law360 previews what's on tap. 

  • January 01, 2025

    Product Liability Cases To Watch In 2025

    Cases that attorneys will be keeping an eye on in the coming year involve Monsanto and a circuit rift over preemption regarding Roundup cancer claims, as well as mass torts over claims that social media harm minors' mental health.

  • January 01, 2025

    The Hottest Topics Appellate Attys Are Tracking In 2025

    Appellate lawyers in 2025 should probably stock up on coffee and expect some all-nighters — numerous high-profile appeals, a new presidential administration and a new framework for legal challenges to regulations suggest it'll be an uncommonly tumultuous trip around the sun.

  • January 01, 2025

    Top Personal Injury, Med Mal Rulings Of 2024

    A federal appellate panel's ruling in a "blackout challenge" death suit against TikTok's owner and a U.S. Supreme Court decision over whether bump stocks can be considered machine guns under a federal agency's rule were among Law360's top personal injury and medical malpractice rulings in 2024.

  • January 01, 2025

    Trademark Cases To Watch In 2025

    Justices will decide whether it's appropriate to have corporate affiliates of a trademark defendant pay $47 million in damages, and appellate courts are expected to grapple with how to apply the U.S. Supreme Court's 2023 opinion in Jack Daniel's fight over a chewy dog toy. Here are Law360's picks for trademark cases to watch in 2025.

  • January 01, 2025

    Copyright Cases To Watch In 2025

    Several copyright cases involving artificial intelligence are teed up for major rulings in 2025, with attorneys anxiously awaiting what courts have to say about fair use, and at the Ninth Circuit, a photographer will argue for the reversal of a jury finding that a tattoo artist didn't infringe his photo of Miles Davis. Here are Law360's picks for copyright cases to watch in 2025.

  • January 01, 2025

    Patent Cases To Watch In 2025

    The Federal Circuit has taken on a rare en banc patent case looking at damages, while the U.S. Supreme Court has been asked to review when foreign damages can be incorporated into patent awards. Here's what you need to know about these cases and others that attorneys are keeping an eye on in 2025.

  • January 01, 2025

    Trials To Watch In 2025

    The coming year will bring the first bellwether trials in the closely watched federal baby formula mass litigation, the first courtroom battle over a COVID-19 vaccine patent and six major retailers' case against Visa and Mastercard over card swipe fees.

  • January 01, 2025

    California Legislation And Regulations To Watch In 2025

    California legal experts anticipate a busy 2025 in regulatory and legislative affairs, particularly as lawmakers and regulators ready the Golden State for potential attacks from the incoming Trump administration on a number of issues including reproductive care, LGBTQ rights and environmental protections.

  • January 01, 2025

    California Cases To Watch In 2025

    Legal experts following Golden State courts in 2025 are tracking high-stakes antitrust and personal injury cases against Big Tech companies along with NFL subscribers' $4.7 billion antitrust appeal, as well as IP litigation against artificial intelligence developers and precedent-setting cases that will likely clarify environmental laws and the repercussions of unpaid arbitrateon fees.

  • January 01, 2025

    Food & Beverage Cases To Watch In 2025

    Food and beverage attorneys have no shortage of interesting issues to follow in 2025, from Albertsons turning on Kroger after their proposed $25 billion merger was blocked, to new state laws covering the life cycle of single-use packaging, and claims over heavy metals and "forever chemicals" contaminating food.

  • December 23, 2024

    Biden Vetoes Bill To Add New Judgeships

    President Joe Biden vetoed a bill Monday that would have added more federal judgeships, despite the judiciary's plea that more seats on the bench are needed desperately.

  • December 23, 2024

    Blake Lively Accuses 'It Ends With Us' Star Of Sex Harassment

    Blake Lively has filed a legal complaint in California against her "It Ends With Us" co-star and director, Justin Baldoni, accusing him of sexual harassment on set and trying to orchestrate a public relations campaign to "destroy" her reputation.

  • December 23, 2024

    DOL Wants Full 9th Circ. Review Of Contractor Wage Ruling

    A split Ninth Circuit panel decision that blocked President Joe Biden from raising federal contractors' minimum wage to $15 an hour shrinks the president's power, the U.S. Department of Labor said, urging the full appellate court to step in.

  • December 23, 2024

    Altria Unit Convinces Calif. Court To Ban Retail Elf Bar Sales

    The e-cigarette unit of tobacco giant Altria Group scored a legal victory against the highly popular flavored vape brand Elf Bar after it convinced a California federal judge to block a number of smoke shops from selling the Chinese made products.

  • December 20, 2024

    Israel's NSO Liable For Hacking WhatsApp, Judge Finds

    Israeli spyware maker NSO Group is liable for hacking into 1,400 WhatsApp users' devices, a California federal judge ruled Friday when granting WhatsApp's bid for a partial summary judgment win, leaving damages as the only issue to be probed during trial.

Expert Analysis

  • How Attorneys Can Break Free From Career Enmeshment

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    Ambitious attorneys can sometimes experience career enmeshment — when your sense of self-worth becomes unhealthily tangled up in your legal vocation — but taking the time to discover and realign with your core personal values can help you recover your identity, says Janna Koretz at Azimuth Psychological.

  • Where Can Privacy Plaintiffs Sue When Injury Is Online?

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    Website owners need to understand wiretapping laws to understand whether they may be sued for activity tracking in California or Pennsylvania courts, where the statutory damages for violations of half-century-old laws can be substantial — and a recent Third Circuit decision suggests establishing specific jurisdiction is not as easy as 1-2-3, say attorneys at Crowell & Moring.

  • Lawyers With Disabilities Are Seeking Equity, Not Pity

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    Attorneys living with disabilities face extra challenges — including the need for special accommodations, the fear of stigmatization and the risk of being tokenized — but if given equitable opportunities, they can still rise to the top of their field, says Kate Reder Sheikh, a former attorney and legal recruiter at Major Lindsey & Africa.

  • Opinion

    Judicial Committee Best Venue For Litigation Funding Rules

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    The Advisory Committee on Civil Rules' recent decision to consider developing a rule for litigation funding disclosure is a welcome development, ensuring that the result will be the product of a thorough, inclusive and deliberative process that appropriately balances all interests, says Stewart Ackerly at Statera Capital.

  • Fluoride Ruling Charts Path To Bypass EPA Risk Evaluations

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    A California federal court's recent ruling in Food and Water Watch v. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, ordering the agency to address the public health risks of fluoridated drinking water, establishes a road map for other citizen petitioners to bypass the EPA's formal risk evaluation process, say attorneys at Wiley.

  • The Strategic Advantages Of Appointing A Law Firm CEO

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    The impact on law firms of the recent CrowdStrike outage underscores that the business of law is no longer merely about providing supplemental support for legal practice — and helps explain why some law firms are appointing dedicated, full-time CEOs to navigate the challenges of the modern legal landscape, says Jennifer Johnson at Calibrate Strategies.

  • Insights From Calif. Public Labor Board's Strike Rights Ruling

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    The California Public Employment Relations Board's recent rejection of a school district's claim that public employees have no right to conduct unfair labor practice strikes signals its interest in fortifying this central labor right — and warns employers to approach potentially protected behavior with caution, say attorneys at Atkinson Andelson.

  • Series

    Beekeeping Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    The practice of patent law and beekeeping are not typically associated, but taking care of honeybees has enriched my legal practice by highlighting the importance of hands-on experience, continuous learning, mentorship and more, says David Longo at Oblon McClelland.

  • Useful Product Doctrine May Not Shield Against PFAS Liability

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    Courts have recognized that companies transferring hazardous recycled materials can defeat liability under environmental laws by showing they were selling a useful product — but new laws in California and elsewhere restricting the sale of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances may change the legal landscape, says Kyle Girouard at Dickinson Wright.

  • Challenges Of Insuring An NIL Collective

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    Sarah Abrams at Baleen Specialty examines the emergence of name, image and likeness collectives for student-athletes, the current litigation landscape that has created a favorable environment for these organizations, and considerations for director and officer insurers looking to underwrite NIL collectives.

  • Unpacking State AG Approaches To Digital Asset Enforcement

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    Attorneys at Cozen O'Connor survey recent digital asset enforcement by attorneys general nationwide driven by concerns over regulatory gaps where technological developments and market changes have outpaced legislation.

  • Opinion

    Legal Institutions Must Warn Against Phony Election Suits

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    With two weeks until the election, bar associations and courts have an urgent responsibility to warn lawyers about the consequences of filing unsubstantiated lawsuits claiming election fraud, says Elise Bean at the Carl Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy.

  • How Cos. Can Build A Strong In-House Pro Bono Program

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    During this year’s pro bono celebration week, companies should consider some key pointers to grow and maintain a vibrant in-house program for attorneys to provide free legal services for the public good, says Mary Benton at Alston & Bird.

  • Series

    Home Canning Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Making my own pickles and jams requires seeing a process through from start to finish, as does representing clients from the start of a dispute at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board through any appeals to the Federal Circuit, says attorney Kevin McNish.

  • An Update On Legal Issues In The Drone Market

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    Marialuisa Gallozzi and Alex Slawson at Covington examine recent developments in the legal issues surrounding the growing drone market, including possible First Amendment protections, Fourth Amendment surveillance, and litigation involving criminal and civil penalties, evidentiary pursuits, and insurance.

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