California

  • March 28, 2025

    Edtech Co. Instructure Faces Parent Suit Over Data Harvesting

    Education technology company Instructure, which claims to offer the nation's second most widely used learning management system, faces a suit brought by parents alleging that the company's "massive data-harvesting apparatus" violates the constitutionally guaranteed privacy rights of school-age children.

  • March 28, 2025

    Anthropic Says Using Books For AI Is 'Quintessential' Fair Use

    Anthropic on Thursday moved to toss a group of journalists and authors' proposed class action accusing the artificial intelligence startup of exploiting their copyrighted work to train its large language model, Claude, telling a California federal court that its use of their works was transformative and thus "quintessential fair use."

  • March 28, 2025

    Google Privacy Fight Raises 'Classic' Trial Issues, Judge Says

    A California federal judge Friday doubted consumers' bid to certify a class of Chrome users in a revived lawsuit accusing Google of surreptitiously collecting their data while also observing that the case raises "classic" trial questions and asking how else Americans could "tell corporations what they believe to be offensive?"

  • March 28, 2025

    Wash. Uber Driver Fails To Upend Arbitration Over Termination

    A Washington federal judge has thrown out an ex-Uber driver's case seeking to block the ride-hailing company from forcing him to settle his wrongful termination dispute in arbitration, despite the plaintiff's argument that a 2024 U.S. Supreme Court ruling upended the company's case for arbitration.  

  • March 28, 2025

    Google To Pay $100M To Resolve AdWords Action

    Groups of Google advertisers asked a California federal judge Thursday to greenlight a $100 million settlement that would resolve their long-running class claims that the tech company overcharged them for advertisements.

  • March 28, 2025

    9th Circ. Affirms Toss Of 3D Printer Co. Derivative Suit

    The Ninth Circuit on Friday affirmed the dismissal of a derivative suit brought by a venture capital firm over an $11 million investment it made in a 3D printing company, with the panel finding the lower court correctly tossed the suit due to previous and ongoing "outside entanglements" between the parties.

  • March 28, 2025

    9th Circ. Affirms Maui County's Win In Religious Land-Use Suit

    The Ninth Circuit is backing a Hawaii county's jury trial victory over a nonprofit's Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act lawsuit, ruling on Friday that the lower court rightfully sided with the county even though it erred by including a certain jury instruction.

  • March 28, 2025

    Kroger, Albertsons Appeal Block Of $24.6B Merger

    Kroger and Albertsons say they plan to appeal a Washington state judge's ruling that blocked the $24.6 billion merger of the grocery chains and determined the state could collect legal costs for prevailing in its Consumer Protection Act suit opposing the deal.

  • March 28, 2025

    Stay Of Sex Assault Suits Sought After Foreman's Death

    The death of George Foreman has prompted two women suing the late boxer in California federal court for sexual assault to request a 90-day pause in their lawsuits until a legal representative can be appointed.

  • March 28, 2025

    SEC Dismisses Kraken, Consensys, Cumberland Crypto Suits

    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filed to dismiss crypto-focused enforcement actions against Kraken, Consensys and Cumberland DRW, solidifying a series of resolutions the firms announced earlier this month as the SEC charts a new path on crypto policy.

  • March 28, 2025

    Orrick Private Equity Ace Jumps To Willkie In San Francisco

    Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP is expanding its West Coast practice, bringing in a former Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP private equity ace as a partner in its San Francisco office.

  • March 28, 2025

    Calif. Tenants Claim REIT Charged Extra For Pests, Trash

    A proposed class of California tenants accused real estate investment trust Equity Residential and two of its subsidiaries of unlawfully charging them separate fees for pest control and trash collection.

  • March 28, 2025

    LA Zoo Org. Not Covered In City Contract Row, Insurer Says

    An insurer has no duty to defend or indemnify the Los Angeles Zoo's nonprofit arm in a contractual dispute brought by the city, the carrier told a California federal court, saying claims arising out of a breach of contract or related to the association's professional services are excluded.

  • March 27, 2025

    X Says It Doesn't Owe Rivals 'Free Ride' In Data Scraping Row

    X Corp. urged a California federal judge on Thursday to dismiss antitrust counterclaims brought by data-scraping firm Bright Data Ltd. alleging the social media giant improperly imposes unfavorable contract terms to block competitors from taking its data, arguing it doesn't have to let rivals "free ride" on its platform.

  • March 27, 2025

    Video Privacy Law Doesn't Hit Movie Theaters, 9th Circ. Says

    The federal Video Privacy Protection Act doesn't cover companies that offer "a classic in-theater moviegoing experience," the Ninth Circuit ruled Thursday in affirming the dismissal of a putative class action accusing Landmark Theatres of violating the law by sharing ticket buyers' information with Facebook.

  • March 27, 2025

    Tesla Faces Fraud Claims Over Fatal Autopilot Crash

    A California state judge said Thursday that fraudulent misrepresentation claims and punitive damages claims can go ahead against Tesla Inc. in a case over an accident that killed a 15-year-old, since they were not filed too late.

  • March 27, 2025

    EV Co. Pumped Stocks Ahead Of 'Reverse' Splits, Suit Claims

    Electric vehicle maker Mullen Automotive Inc. faces a proposed investor class action alleging that the company and a trio of its executives manipulated trading prices for the company's shares in advance of reverse stock splits that consolidated the number of shares of the company five times over roughly two years.

  • March 27, 2025

    Diocese Creditors Gain Access To Abuse Claim Data In Ch. 11

    Creditors of the Archdiocese of San Francisco will have access to records of the archdiocese's independent review board after a California bankruptcy judge said production of the documents serve a valid purpose in its Chapter 11 case.

  • March 27, 2025

    'Success By Health' Execs Fight $7.3M FTC Win At 9th Circ.

    Executives behind the alleged "Success By Health" pyramid scheme urged the Ninth Circuit on Thursday to reverse a $7.3 million compensatory sanction and asset-freeze injunction, arguing the sanction wasn't tied to actual loss and the lower court shouldn't have frozen assets following the high court's 2021 AMG v. FTC ruling.

  • March 27, 2025

    9th Circ. Revives Monsanto Roundup Expiration Label Fight

    Consumers can pursue their proposed class claims against Monsanto that ingredients in its Roundup herbicides could form a dangerous cancer-causing substance, but not against a distributor, the Ninth Circuit ruled Thursday.

  • March 27, 2025

    Umpqua Bank Strikes Deal With Investors In $300M Ponzi Suit

    Umpqua Bank and a class of investors on Thursday informed a California federal judge they've reached a settlement to resolve claims the bank helped execute an alleged $300 million Ponzi scheme led by a since-deceased real estate investment manager.

  • March 27, 2025

    Oura Gets Samsung's Preemptive IP Strike Tossed, For Now

    Samsung Electronics cannot yet seek a declaration that its Galaxy Ring brand of wearable, health-tracking devices does not infringe Oura Health's smart ring patents, a California federal judge ruled Thursday, saying Samsung hasn't shown the Finnish company is threatening to sue for infringement.

  • March 27, 2025

    Whistleblowers Seek Bigger Cut Of Tetra Tech Deal With Navy

    Seven whistleblowers told a California federal judge on Thursday they deserve a cut of the total $97 million settlement the government inked over allegations a Tetra Tech unit billed the Navy for radiation remediation that was not done, and not a smaller share covering only the government's False Claims Act claims.

  • March 27, 2025

    PayPal Investors Drop Derivative Suit Over SEC, CFPB Probes

    Shareholders of PayPal voluntarily dismissed their derivative suit against the company's executives and directors accusing them of making false statements about PayPal's practices that allegedly led to federal investigations, saying the dismissal is proper since the defendants were not liable in a similar securities class action filed against them.

  • March 27, 2025

    Ex-Netflix Exec Urges 9th Circ. To Wipe Bribery Conviction

    Counsel for Netflix's former vice president of information technology urged a Ninth Circuit panel on Thursday to undo his conviction for taking bribes from vendors, saying prosecutors tainted the verdict by improperly intertwining two different fraud theories.

Expert Analysis

  • The Risk And Reward Of Federal Approach To AI Regulation

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    The government has struggled to keep up with artificial intelligence's furious pace, but while an overbroad federal attempt to adopt a more unified approach to regulating AI poses its own risks, so does the current environment of regulatory uncertainty, say attorneys at Covington.

  • Imagine The Possibilities Of Openly Autistic Lawyering

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    Andi Mazingo at Lumen Law, who was diagnosed with autism about midway through her career, discusses how the legal profession can create inclusive workplaces that empower openly autistic lawyers and enhance innovation, and how neurodivergent attorneys can navigate the challenges and opportunities that come with disclosing one’s diagnosis.

  • Top 10 Healthcare And Life Sciences Issues To Watch In 2025

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    Under the new Trump administration, this coming year may benefit some healthcare and life sciences stakeholders, while creating new challenges for others amid an increasingly complex regulatory environment, say attorneys at Debevoise.

  • Why Trump's FTC May Not U-Turn On Robinson-Patman

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    The Federal Trade Commission's recent revival of Robinson-Patman Act enforcement may well be here to stay under the Trump administration — albeit with some important caveats for businesses caught in the government's crosshairs, say attorneys at Reed Smith.

  • Series

    Documentary Filmmaking Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Becoming a documentary filmmaker has allowed me to merge my legal expertise with my passion for storytelling, and has helped me to hone negotiation, critical thinking and problem-solving skills that are important to both endeavors, says Robert Darwell at Sheppard Mullin.

  • Litigation Funding Disclosure Debate: Strategy Considerations

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    In the ongoing debate over whether courts should require disclosure of litigation funding, funders and plaintiffs tend to argue against such mandates, but voluntarily disclosing limited details about a funding arrangement can actually confer certain benefits to plaintiffs in some scenarios, say Andrew Stulce and Marc Cavan at Longford Capital.

  • A Look At Shifting Legal Landscape For Data Brokers

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    An increasingly complex legal landscape at both the federal and state levels has expanded the types of businesses classified as data brokers, so consumer-facing businesses should consider their designations under these new regulations and any consequences for compliance and business operations, say attorneys at Morrison Foerster.

  • State AG Enforcement Is Poised For Another Pivot In 2025

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    Backed by a Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives and Senate, the Trump administration intends to make substantial policy changes, and attorneys general of both parties around the country are preparing their response playbooks, say attorneys at WilmerHale.

  • Del. Dispatch: Lessons From Failed Albertsons-Kroger Merger

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    The allegations in Albertsons' lawsuit against Kroger following the grocery stores' blocked merger demonstrate how a target company can best ensure that a buyer timely and effectively complies with its obligations to pursue the necessary regulatory approvals for a deal, say attorneys at Fried Frank.

  • Series

    Adventure Photography Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Photographing nature everywhere from Siberia to Cuba and Iceland to Rwanda provides me with a constant reminder to refresh, refocus and rethink the legal issues that my clients face, says Richard Birmingham at Davis Wright.

  • What Vinyl Acetate's Prop 65 Listing Means For Cos.

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    California's recent move to add vinyl acetate to the Proposition 65 list of carcinogens, with enforcement starting later this year, will have sweeping compliance and risk implications for businesses in the retail, food and beverage, paint, adhesive, industrial manufacturing, and personal care product industries, say attorneys at Alston & Bird.

  • Opinion

    Commercial Tree Thinning Should Be Part of Wildfire Control

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    The devastating wildfires currently afflicting California make it clear that the U.S. Forest Service should step up its use of methods including commercial tree removal to lower fire risk — but litigation that drags on for years stymies many of these efforts and endangers the public, says Jeffrey Beelaert at Givens Pursley.

  • High Court Could Further Limit Deference With TCPA Fax Case

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    The Supreme Court's decision to hear McLaughlin Chiropractic Associates v. McKesson, a case involving alleged junk faxes that centers whether district courts are bound by Federal Communications Commission rules, offers the court a chance to possibly further limit the judicial deference afforded to federal agency interpretations of statutes, says Samantha Duke at Rumberger Kirk.

  • 5 Ways To Create Effective Mock Assignments For Associates

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    In order to effectively develop associates’ critical thinking skills, firms should design mock assignments that contain a few key ingredients, from messy fact patterns to actionable feedback, says Abdi Shayesteh at AltaClaro.

  • More Environmental Claims, More Greenwashing Challenges

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    As companies prepare for the 2025 greenwashing landscape, they should take heed of a D.C. appellate decision that shows that environmental claims are increasingly subject to attack and provides plaintiffs with a playbook for challenging corporate claims of sustainability, say attorneys at Sidley.

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