The California Legislature greenlighted a $25 million cash infusion Monday for the state attorney general's office in a strategic effort to bolster the state's legal defenses against President Donald Trump's policy agenda, including anticipated challenges to immigration and environmental regulations.
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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2025 Law360 iOS App Law360 Android App Follow Law360 on Facebook Follow Law360 on LinkedIn Follow Law360 on Twitter

TOP NEWS

Calif. AG Gets $25M To Fund Legal Fights Against Trump

By Rachel Scharf

The California Legislature greenlighted a $25 million cash infusion Monday for the state attorney general's office in a strategic effort to bolster the state's legal defenses against President Donald Trump's policy agenda, including anticipated challenges to immigration and environmental regulations.

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OpenAI Judge Rips Musk's 'Broad' Bid To Block For-Profit

By Dorothy Atkins

A California federal judge indicated Tuesday she'll likely deny Elon Musk's bid to preliminarily block OpenAI Inc. from transitioning into a for-profit enterprise, criticizing Musk's filings for being vague and broad and saying she'll toss some claims, while adding "something is going to trial in this case."

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'Is This A Joke?' Judge Denies Atty Fees For Grocery Patrons

By Bryan Koenig

A California federal judge had so little tolerance for shoppers claiming victory and seeking attorney fees from the abandoned Kroger-Albertsons merger that in tossing their motion and underlying lawsuit he noted with incredulity, "Plaintiffs are actually making these arguments."

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MGA Must Pay $71M For Copying OMG Girlz Dolls, Judge Rules

By Ivan Moreno

A California federal judge has affirmed a $71.4 million verdict against MGA Entertainment after jurors last year found a line of dolls from the toymaker infringed the trade dress and publicity rights of the OMG Girlz pop group owned by hip-hop moguls Clifford "T.I." and Tameka "Tiny" Harris.

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UC System Accused Of Racial Discrimination In Admissions

By Rae Ann Varona

A group of students seeking to apply for admission to University of California campuses sued the state university system on Monday, claiming in California federal court that UC schools, especially its law schools, were discriminating against Asian American and white applicants by preferring Hispanic and Black students.

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Javice's Texts About Elizabeth Holmes Not Fair Game For Trial

By Pete Brush

Frank founder Charlie Javice's sympathetic texts about healthcare-sector fraudster Elizabeth Holmes won't be seen by the jury hearing charges that the education startup executive faked data to dupe JPMorgan into a $175 million acquisition, a Manhattan federal judge said Tuesday.

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Law360 Seeks Members For Its 2025 Editorial Boards

Law360 is looking for avid readers of our publications to serve as members of our 2025 editorial advisory boards.

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ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTAL

Calif. Partly Beats Challenge To Climate Disclosure Laws

By Sarah Jarvis

A California federal judge has trimmed a lawsuit brought by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other business groups over the state's corporate climate disclosure rules, finding the groups failed to state a claim with respect to two causes of action.

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INSURANCE

Meta Attacks Insurers' Bid To Remand Social Media MDL Row

By Hope Patti

Meta asked a Delaware federal court to postpone ruling on its insurers' request to remand a dispute over coverage for thousands of suits alleging harm from the company's social media platforms, saying the action will likely soon be transferred to multidistrict litigation in California alongside the underlying claims.

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Calif. Insurer Can't Get Tax Refund On In-State Shipments

By Sanjay Talwani

A California insurance company can't get a refund of sales taxes paid when it placed orders with three vendors located out of state that the vendors fulfilled with shipments from within the state, the California Office of Tax Appeals ruled.

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PRODUCT LIABILITY

Calif. Women Drops Bindle Bottle Suit Over Lead

By Jonathan Capriel

A maker of water bottles will not have to face an Oakland woman's lawsuit accusing it of selling products with high levels of lead after a California federal judge approved a request by both sides to permanently dismiss her claims.

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PERSONAL INJURY & MEDICAL MALPRACTICE

Walmart's Win In Fatal Shooting Suit Backed By Calif. Court

By Emily Field

A California state appellate court on Tuesday upheld a defense verdict for Walmart in a suit accusing the retailer of negligently storing handgun ammunition that purportedly allowed a man to steal several boxes and go on a crime spree, killing two people.

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Pauly Shore's Bid To End Comedy Store Assault Suit Flops

By Rachel Scharf

A California state judge on Tuesday rejected actor and comedian Pauly Shore's early bid to toss a lawsuit accusing him of directing bouncers at his famed club, The Comedy Store, to violently grab and assault a patron in 2022.

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PRIVACY & CONSUMER PROTECTION

LinkedIn Shares Users' Info With Meta And Adobe, Suit Says

By Gina Kim

LinkedIn has been hit with a proposed class action in California federal court alleging it illegally shared with Meta and Adobe personal information belonging to its LinkedIn premium subscribers who watched online training courses on its LinkedIn Learning platform without their knowledge or permission.

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INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

InterDigital Targets Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ In Patent Claim

By Alex Baldwin

InterDigital Inc. said Monday that it has filed patent infringement claims against The Walt Disney Co. in several jurisdictions, alleging that the entertainment giant is using its video technology without a license.

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Lawmakers Hit Replay On Bill For Singers' Radio Royalties

By Theresa Schliep

Lawmakers in Congress have reintroduced legislation that would require radio broadcasters to pay artists when playing their music, a measure that would address what the recording industry has called a legal loophole in which songwriters and publishers get paid — but not performers and labels — when radio stations play their music.

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EMPLOYMENT & BENEFITS

Calif. Agency's Individual Claims Against Grocer May Be Axed

By Craig Clough

A California state judge on Tuesday told attorneys with the California Civil Rights Department that she doesn't think the law allows it to seek individual damages on behalf of the roughly 1,000 applicants it says were illegally denied jobs by a supermarket chain due to their criminal history, calling it a "problem" with the case. 

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Entertainment Cos. Stiff Workers On Wages, Suit Says

By Emmy Freedman

A former stagehand is suing the entertainment companies behind Coachella and many sporting events in California state court, saying she and other hourly workers are required to drive as much as three hours away from their homes for work without any compensation.

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Analysis

Wheeling & Appealing: The Latest Must-Know Appellate Action

By Jeff Overley

February is off to a rip-roaring start in several circuits, and there's plenty more action ahead, including a moment of truth for judiciary policymaking that has managed to anger both the defense and plaintiffs bars. We'll explore all that in this edition of Wheeling & Appealing, which also includes an appellate quiz pegged to recent presidential news.

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SECURITIES & BANKING

Wells Fargo Clears 2 More Consent Orders Amid Rehab Efforts

By Jon Hill

The Federal Reserve said Tuesday that Wells Fargo & Co. has exited a pair of mortgage-related consent orders from more than a decade ago, another step forward in the banking giant's regulatory rehabilitation efforts.

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COMPETITION

Southern Glazer's Wants FTC Unfair Pricing Suit Canned

By Bryan Koenig

Southern Glazer's asked a California federal judge Monday to dismiss the Federal Trade Commission's first price discrimination lawsuit in 25 years, arguing that even if the "mistaken economic theory" undergirding it holds true, dissents from the FTC's Republicans illustrate why the case fails anyway.

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Swimmers Again Seek Cert., With 9th Circ's Reversal In Hand

By Bryan Koenig

Professional swimmers have again asked a California federal judge to certify hundreds of competitors accusing swimming's international governing body of organizing a group boycott against an upstart league, now armed with a Ninth Circuit decision that both revived their case and said class certification was improperly denied.

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GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS

9th Circ. Revives FCA Suit Over Military Meds Deliveries

By Rae Ann Varona

The Ninth Circuit on Tuesday revived a whistleblower lawsuit accusing Express Scripts Inc. of defrauding the U.S. Department of Defense out of billions of dollars in unnecessary medications for military personnel, saying the lawsuit wasn't barred by any public disclosures of the alleged fraud.

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DEALS

Fortis Says $440M 3D Printing Fraud Suit Can Proceed

By Caroline Simson

Fortis Advisors LLC is urging a California federal court not to pause its $440 million fraud suit against Israeli-American 3D printer manufacturer Stratasys Ltd. as the two arbitrate related claims over allegedly miscalculated earn-out payments, saying the litigation must proceed now.

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NATIVE AMERICAN

Calif. AG Backs Tribes In Bid To Protect Cultural Resources

By Joyce Hanson

California's attorney general has won his bid to intervene in a consolidated suit challenging a county's approvals for a roadside attraction proposed to be built along Highway 101, saying the county violated environmental standards and failed to consult with Native American tribes.

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PEOPLE

VedderPrice Eyes West Coast IP Growth With DLA Piper Hire

By Andrea Keckley

VedderPrice said Tuesday that it has hired a former partner at DLA Piper's Silicon Valley office to help grow its intellectual property offerings on the West Coast, touting his experience in the technology sector.

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Mintz Adds Dentons West Coast Corporate Head In San Diego

By James Mills

Mintz Levin Cohn Ferris Glovsky and Popeo PC continues growing its corporate team, announcing Monday it is bringing in a Dentons emerging companies and venture capital specialist as a member of its San Diego office.

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Trial Atty, Ex-Rep. Sister And Son Trio Start San Diego PI Firm

By Rachel Rippetoe

A longtime San Diego trial attorney is teaming up with his son and his sister, a former California congresswoman, to start a new law firm focused on personal injury, business and mass tort law, the firm said Monday.

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EXPERT ANALYSIS

Imagine The Possibilities Of Openly Autistic Lawyering

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.

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LEGAL INDUSTRY

Senate Confirms Pam Bondi To Be AG

By Courtney Bublé

The U.S. Senate voted 54-46 on Tuesday to confirm Pam Bondi to be attorney general.

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Trump Selects McKinsey CLO For Commerce Department GC

By Hailey Konnath

President Donald Trump on Monday nominated McKinsey & Co.'s Chief Legal Officer Pierre Gentin to serve as the next general counsel at the U.S. Department of Commerce, according to congressional records.

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Haynes Boone Adds 7-Atty Seward & Kissel Team In NY

By Christine DeRosa

Haynes Boone has grown its fund finance and securitization practices with the addition of seven attorneys from Seward & Kissel LLP, including the head of the firm's asset securitization and CLO practice group.

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Former Conn. US Attorney Returns To McCarter & English

By Christine DeRosa

Vanessa Roberts Avery, who recently stepped down as U.S. attorney for the District of Connecticut, has returned to her roots as a business litigator at McCarter & English LLP in Hartford, Connecticut.

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DOJ Criminal Division Leader Joins White & Case's DC Shop

By Jack Rodgers

White & Case LLP announced on Tuesday it was growing its white collar team with the addition of partner Brent Wible, who told Law360 Pulse that it was time for him to step back into private practice following a five-year stint with the U.S. Department of Justice.

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Trump Picks AG Paxton Atty For Homeland Security Dept.

By Catherine Marfin

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's special counsel, who is also a former member of President Donald Trump's reelection campaign, has been tapped for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Paxton announced Tuesday.

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LAW FIRMS IN TODAY'S NEWS

Alioto Law Firm

Arnold & Porter

B'Ivory LaMarr Trial Lawyers

Bayard PA

Boies Schiller

BraunHagey & Borden

Bremer Whyte

Briscoe Ivester

Brown Wegner

Bursor & Fisher

Cadwalader Wickersham

Cahill Gordon

Capstone Law APC

Casey Gerry

Clement & Murphy

Cooley LLP

Cooper & Kirk

Covington & Burling

Crowell & Moring

Cummings & Lockwood

DLA Piper

Davis Polk

Debevoise & Plimpton

Dechert LLP

Dentons

Drury Legal

Freshfields

Gibson Dunn

Goldberg Kohn

Goodwin Procter

Haynes Boone

Hogan Lovells

Holtzman Vogel

Holwell Shuster

Jones Day

Kirkland & Ellis

Kobre & Kim

Kramer Levin

Kressin Meador

Latham & Watkins

Law Offices of Lawrence G. Papale

Littler Mendelson

McCarter & English

McDermott Will & Emery

McKool Smith

Mintz Levin

Morgan Lewis

Morrison Foerster

Olan Law

Orrick Herrington

Paul Weiss

Pestotnik LLP

Prentice Long

Quinn Emanuel

Ruggeri Parks

Scott & Corley

Seward & Kissel

Sheppard Mullin

Shute Mihaly

Sims Lawrence

Stamoulis & Weinblatt

Stradling Yocca

Sullivan & Cromwell

Theodora Oringher

Toberoff & Associates

Troutman

Umberg & Zipser

Veen Firm

Vinson & Elkins

Wachtell Lipton

White & Case

Willenken LLP

WilmerHale

Winston & Strawn

COMPANIES IN TODAY'S NEWS

Adobe Inc.

Amazon.com Inc.

American Association for Justice

American Chemistry Council Inc.

American Farm Bureau Federation Inc.

American Petroleum Institute Inc.

Anschutz Entertainment Group Inc.

Apple Inc.

Ballard Partners Inc.

California Chamber of Commerce

Campaign Legal Center

Center for Biological Diversity Inc.

Chevron Corp.

Citadel Securities LLC

Citizens for Responsibility & Ethics in Washington

CityMD

Credit Suisse Group AG

EQT Corp.

ESPN Inc.

Early Warning Services LLC

Earthjustice

Epic Games Inc.

Express Scripts Holding Co.

Fordham University

Fortis Advisors LLC

Google LLC

Hulu LLC

Instagram Inc.

Intellectual Ventures Management LLC

InterDigital Inc.

International Brotherhood of Teamsters

International Centre for Dispute Resolution

JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Jack Daniel's Properties Inc.

JetBlue Airways Corp.

LegitScript LLC

LinkedIn Corp.

MGA Entertainment Inc.

Major League Baseball Inc.

Maxell Ltd.

McKinsey & Co. Inc.

Meta Platforms Inc.

Microsoft Corp.

MycoTechnology Inc.

National Association of Broadcasters

National Association of Realtors

National Retail Federation Inc.

Natural Resources Defense Council

New York University

Otis Worldwide Corp.

Pacific Life Insurance Co.

PepsiCo Inc.

Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America

Princeton University

Ralphs Grocery Co.

Regents of the University of California

Rocket Mortgage LLC

SAP AG

Salesforce.com Inc.

Sierra Club

Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits LLC

Space Exploration Technologies Corp.

Spectrum Management Holding Co.

Stratasys Inc.

Tesla Inc.

Texas Bankers Association

The Cigna Group

The Geo Group Inc.

The Goldman Sachs Group Inc.

The Kroger Co.

The PNC Financial Services Group Inc.

The Recording Academy

The Walt Disney Co.

TikTok Inc.

TransUnion LLC

U.S. Chamber of Commerce

UCLA School of Law

Uber Technologies Inc.

United Food & Commercial Workers International Union

United Natural Foods Inc.

Walmart Inc.

Washington Legal Foundation

Wells Fargo & Co.

Xerox Holdings Corp.

Zillow Group Inc.

GOVERNMENT AGENCIES IN TODAY'S NEWS

California Air Resources Board

California Civil Rights Department

California Department of Tax and Fee Administration

California State Transportation Agency

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

Federal Communications Commission

Federal Election Commission

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

Federal Reserve System

Federal Trade Commission

Library of Congress

Los Angeles Superior Court

National Labor Relations Board

Texas Supreme Court

U.S. Attorney's Office

U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit

U.S. Department of Commerce

U.S. Department of Defense

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

U.S. Department of Justice

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. District Court for the Central District of California

U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut

U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas

U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission

U.S. Senate

U.S. Supreme Court

Unified Patent Court