Environmental & Energy
Opinions vary on whether CEQA changes will matter
By Malcolm Maclachlan
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s ideas got a hearing this week when the Assembly Natural Resources Committee debated SB 149. The bill conta...
State Bar & Bar Associations
Eastman testifies that he wanted to convey something was “deeply amiss” with 2020 election results
By Skyler Romero
Attorney for John C. Eastman, facing disbarment for actions after the 2020 elections, objects to prosecution presenting TV new...
Civil Litigation
High court didn’t settle race preferences debate, some say
By Craig Anderson
“It will be a Wild West for admissions as this gets sorted out,” said Mitchell Chang, a UCLA professor of education.
Technology
FTC lawyer reveals secret number in Microsoft-Activision closing
By Jonathan Lo
Closing arguments were disorganized at the end of the hearing to decide if the FTC can pause the Microsoft-Activision merger.
Mediator Monique Ngo-Bonnici works the facts and the law to find different angles.
Closing arguments scheduled Thursday in FTC’s attempt to halt merger.
Government
$5B courts budget intact for now, as legislative year nears end
By Malcolm Maclachlan
Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders announced the deal on Monday night. On Tuesday, Newsom signed SB 101, the State Budg...
9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals
9th Circuit queries law barring advertising to minors
By Craig Anderson
“Advertisements for firearms are not statements about the Second Amendment,” said Deputy Attorney General Gabrielle D. Boutin.
State Bar & Bar Associations
2 attorneys testify against LA lawyer who tweeted 'shoot the protestors'
By Devon Belcher
Marla A. Brown is accused by the State Bar of misrepresenting herself as an LAPD union attorney and responded to tweets from t...
Judges and Judiciary
Justice Marsha Slough announces plan to retire
By Douglas Saunders Sr.
“Her legacy of excellence, fairness, and commitment to justice has made a lasting impact on the lives of Californians and will...
Real Estate/Development
Nixon Peabody adds 10 attorney real estate team from Kaufman Dolowich & Voluck
By Douglas Saunders Sr.
Labor/Employment
State Supreme Court to review Prop 22 constitutionality
By Craig Anderson
The initiative passed by voters says drivers for companies like Uber and Lyft are contractors.
Antitrust & Trade Reg., Health Care & Hospital Law, Litigation & Arbitration
HIV drug antitrust case against Gilead, Teva goes to jury
By Skyler Romero
The plaintiffs accused Gilead of forging a deal with Teva, which had challenged many of Gilead’s vulnerable patents, to delay ...
Civil Litigation
J&J expert says plaintiff got mesothelioma spontaneously
By Wisdom Howell
After settling multiple lawsuits for $8.9 billion Johnson & Johnson is defending itself in San Francisco against a single ...
Intellectual Property
Defense attorneys seek $6.1M for IP win against pop group
By Sunidhi Sridhar
Umberg Zipser partner Mark A. Finkelstein highlighted to the court a question on the jury verdict form that was unanimously in...
Environmental & Energy
Budget deal gives Newsom some of his CEQA changes
By Malcolm Maclachlan
SB 149 would extend rules requiring that court challenges of the environmental impact report for certain projects “shall be re...
Civil Rights
Mistrial for class saying Cognizant has pro-Indian bias
By Sunidhi Sridhar
Attorneys at Kotchen & Low LLP represented a plaintiff class that said Cognizant discriminates against non-Indian candidat...
California Supreme Court
State high court hears arguments against at-large elections
By Craig Anderson
Santa Monica, despite being just 13.6% Latino, has a majority of Latinos on the city council. Theodore J. Boutrous Jr. of Gibs...
Labor/Employment
Some of state’s attorneys don’t want to return to office
By Malcolm Maclachlan
In a tentative ruling, Sacramento County Judge Timothy W. Salter found the Department of Human Resources had failed to show th...
“The court finds the state board abused its discretion in reversing the district board’s and county board’s decision to deny t...
Civil Litigation
Witnesses testify against LA attorney who tweeted protesters and looters should be shot
By Devon Belcher
“This type of speech by an attorney misrepresenting an affiliation with the Los Angeles Police Department encouraging violence...
Real Estate/Development
City denied plan to turn defunct power plant into development
By Antoine Abou-Diwan
The petition, filed by attorney Michael W. Shonafelt, accuses Redondo Beach of violating the law that mandates approval of a h...
Civil Litigation
2 bellwether clergy abuse cases chosen for February trial
By Sunidhi Sridhar
Since the Legislature passed Assembly Bill 218 in 2019 and extended the statute of limitations for alleged victims of child se...
Law Practice
San Francisco bans contractors implicated in fraud from bidding on city contracts
By Wisdom Howell
“Anyone who attempts to compromise our public contracting process will face consequences,” said City Attorney David Chiu.
Microsoft and its counsel have pointed to Sony as the biggest player in the video game console market to make their main argum...
Judges and Judiciary
Newsom names 15 judges to 9 superior courts
By Douglas Saunders Sr.
Several of the judges filled new positions created last year.
Entertainment & Sports
Columbia slams ‘Bad Boys’ screenwriter’s copyright claims
By Sunidhi Sridhar
“Columbia Pictures relied on the fact that the story was a work for hire,” Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP partner Kelly M. Kla...
Civil Litigation, Government
State courts to get 2-plus years for remote proceedings
By Malcolm Maclachlan
The amendments added on Saturday to AB 133 and SB 133 would allow courts to hold remote proceedings in civil and juvenile proc...
Tax
Opponents of LA’s ‘mansion tax’ disagree on pleadings strategy
By Antoine Abou-Diwan
"Whatever happens in trial court isn't going to end this litigation. It's so big -- so much money is at stake -- it's going to...
Civil Litigation
LA judge erred in tossing firefighters’ COVID suit, panel says
By Skyler Romero
“Under California’s pleading rules, however, truth, scientific or otherwise, usually cannot be determined on demurrer,” 2nd Di...