9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, Judges and Judiciary
US Judge Lucy Koh’s 9th Circuit nomination moves to full Senate
By Craig Anderson
U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said he had “questions about her approach and reasoning” but gave Koh credit for disavowing ...
Civil Litigation
City of Orange, shelter fail to agree, US judge to decide if it stays open
By Henrik Nilsson
The dispute started after the shelter filed a lawsuit against the city’s attempt to shut down Mary’s Kitchen for violating a l...
California Supreme Court, Ethics/Professional Responsibility, Law Practice
Supreme Court brief says federal bar admission is discriminatory
By Malcolm Maclachlan
Former California Supreme Court Justice Janice Rogers Brown wrote the decision in a case finding that local rules on what atto...
Civil Litigation, Criminal
A may appeal $17M award for off-duty officer shooting
By Kamila Knaudt
“From a legal perspective, what’s groundbreaking about this case is the fact that a police officer could be technically off du...
Civil Litigation, Securities, Technology
Investors’ attorney is ‘out in speculation land’ US judge says
By Winston Cho
U.S. District Judge Beth L. Freeman in San Jose expressed skepticism that the existence of an internal cost-cutting target tha...
Corporate, Criminal, Government
Justice Department revives tougher stance on corporate crime
By Craig Anderson
U.S. Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco is putting back in place the Yates memo that required corporations seeking lenienc...
Litigation & Arbitration
Activision says it will end forced employee arbitration deals
By Gina Kim
Bobby Kotick, who has led the company for 30 years, promised in a letter to employees significant policy changes in investigat...
Civil Litigation, Intellectual Property, Technology
Suit says Instagram, Facebook stole ‘tagging’ invention
By Henrik Nilsson
Angel Technologies Group LLC, represented by McKool Smith Hennigan PC, asserting four patents related to the tagging feature w...
Criminal, Government
Long Beach city attorney to retire, endorses assistant for the job
By Kamila Knaudt
After 26 years in the job, Charles Parkin will not seek reelection next year.
Government, Legal Education
Stanford Law professor nominated as US ambassador-at-large
By Henrik Nilsson
Beth Van Schaack will help shape the United States’ policy toward atrocities prevention and response.
Civil Litigation
Class of alleged revenge porn victims won’t pursue Reddit lawsuit
By Gina Kim
U.S. Judge James V. Selna of the Central District of California dismissed the complaint, saying he believed Section 230 of the...
Criminal, Entertainment & Sports, Torts/Personal Injury
Jenner & Block investigations co-chair to lead movie shooting probe for producers
By Douglas Saunders Sr.
“In my experience, when a company hires a law firm to do an internal investigation like this, they know that they have some bi...
Banking, Civil Litigation, Securities
Investor class denied in claims against Charles Schwab
By Winston Cho
U.S. District Judge Richard G. Seeborg denied class certification because “there is not a common answer” that would “resolve t...
Civil Litigation, Government, Labor/Employment
Ex-attorney for state alcohol control agency alleges retaliation
By Malcolm Maclachlan
The case is one of three recent retaliation claims by attorneys working for the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Co...
Civil Litigation, Environmental & Energy
Groups hope oil spill will help halt desalination plant
By Gina Kim
Poseidon Water Co., which already operates a desalination plant in Carlsbad in San Diego County, rejects any comparison betwee...
9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, Antitrust & Trade Reg., Civil Litigation
Circuit panel won’t revive dealers’ suit against German carmakers
By Winston Cho
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel, responding to car dealers’ emphasis on investigations overseas, explained that al...
Judges and Judiciary, Military Law
San Bernardino mobile courtroom resolves cases for veterans, homeless
By Douglas Saunders Sr.
“We had over 60 walk-in cases, both veterans and homeless, totaling 167 cases involving misdemeanor and infraction offenses,” ...
Civil Litigation, Labor/Employment, Technology
State won’t take back seat to EEOC in gaming industry suits
By Gina Kim
State civil rights agency and federal employment regulators have different interpretations of divided responsibilities in Acti...
Administrative/Regulatory, Government, Intellectual Property
California intellectual property lawyer named to head patent office
By Craig Anderson
Kathi Vidal, managing partner of Winston & Strawn’s Menlo Park office, would be the third consecutive Californian to serve...
Civil Litigation, Military Law
Contractors’ trade secrets suit against Air Force dropped again
By Henrik Nilsson
The military contractors claimed that the Air Force unlawfully marketed designs for a mobile fire-retardant tank system, which...
Ethics/Professional Responsibility, Judges and Judiciary
Congress considers stricter judge disclosure law
By Malcolm Maclachlan
The testimony came a day after a bipartisan group of Congress members introduced two bills to strengthen financial disclosure ...
Bankruptcy, Civil Litigation, Health Care & Hospital Law
Judge intends to move J&J bankruptcy to New Jersey
By Blaise Scemama
U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Craig Whitley in North Carolina, who appears to be one of only two to rule in a bankruptcy case involvin...
Alternative Dispute Resolution
Justice David Thompson retires to join JAMS
By Douglas Saunders Sr.
"After 24 years on the bench, I am looking forward to working as a private neutral for the next chapter in my legal career," T...
California Supreme Court, Legal Education, State Bar & Bar Associations
Supreme Court issues next bar exam plan, review of law student program
By Nicole Tyau
On Feb. 22 and 23, 2022, test takers will sit for the first in-person bar exam since the pandemic started, the court said in i...
9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, Civil Litigation, Insurance
After pro-insurer 9th Circuit rulings, judge lifts stay on COVID premises case
By Henrik Nilsson
In a blow to companies seeking coverage for pandemic-related losses, the 9th circuit in another case ruled that a retailer was...
Civil Litigation, Labor/Employment, U.S. Supreme Court
US Supreme Court asked to hear challenges to forced union dues
By Blaise Scemama
In a joint certiorari petition, which covers four cases brought by California and Oregon public workers, the National Right to...
Civil Litigation, Government, Health Care & Hospital Law
US joins Medicare fraud lawsuit against Kaiser
By Winston Cho
According to the complaint, Kaiser lied about nearly 500,000 nonexistent diagnoses to submit $1 billion of fraudulent claims, ...
Civil Litigation, Constitutional Law, Corporate
Board quotas challenged as unneeded, unconstitutional
By Gina Kim
But even if legal challenges to California’s law and Nasdaq’s rule are ultimately successful, corporate lawyers say companies ...
Community News
Bay Area firms band together to end domestic violence
By Douglas Saunders Sr.
Banding Together to End Domestic Violence is an annual attorney battle-of-the-bands fundraiser benefiting the Family Violence ...
Civil Litigation, Entertainment & Sports, Labor/Employment
No halt to state action against Activision over conflict claims
By Gina Kim
Los Angeles Judge Timothy P. Dillon said he was unconvinced there was sufficient grounds to pause the case while the gaming gi...
