California

  • April 29, 2025

    X Can't Escape Unjust Firing Claim In Severance Suit

    Three former Twitter executives can proceed with their claim that Elon Musk and the company owe them millions in severance benefits after falsely claiming they were fired justly, a California federal judge ruled, pointing to another suit mirroring nearly identical allegations.

  • April 29, 2025

    Cooley Life Sciences Ace Rejoins Latham In Bay Area

    Latham & Watkins LLP has welcomed back an intellectual property attorney who spent the past nine years at Cooley LLP to bolster its healthcare and life sciences practice, including advising clients about licensing and transactional matters.

  • April 28, 2025

    Ramey IP Attys Pay Sanctions, But Defend Fed. Circ. Appeal

    Texas intellectual property lawyer Bill Ramey and two other attorneys informed a California federal court Monday that they have made payments toward fines totaling $64,000 and alerted disciplinary bodies that they were sanctioned, the same day they urged the Federal Circuit to keep alive their appeal of the sanctions.

  • April 28, 2025

    Meta Gets Jury In Damages Trial Over NSO's WhatsApp Hack

    A California federal judge empaneled eight jurors Monday to decide how much Israeli spyware-maker NSO Group owes Meta Platforms for hacking into 1,400 WhatsApp users' devices, selecting from a pool of dozens of San Francisco Bay Area residents, many of whom criticized Meta, its CEO Mark Zuckerberg and the Israeli government.

  • April 28, 2025

    Feds' Bid To Spring False Biden Accuser Shot Down By Judge

    A California federal judge rejected a request Monday by prosecutors to release a former FBI informant imprisoned for lying to federal agents that former President Joe Biden accepted bribes, saying he does not agree the court made a mistake at sentencing that should result in his release pending appeal.

  • April 28, 2025

    Nivea Maker Hit With False Ad Greenwashing Suit

    The Nivea brand of products such as lotions, body creams, deodorants and cleansing wipes are falsely advertised as made predominantly of ingredients derived from natural products, like aloe or avocado oil, even though nearly all the ingredients are synthetic, according to a proposed class action filed in California federal court.

  • April 28, 2025

    Levi's Biased Against Pregnant Exec, Jury Told At Trial's Start

    Counsel for a former Levi Strauss executive suing for sex discrimination told a California federal jury Monday that her manager told the then-pregnant woman she lacked "work capacity" for a promotion, while Levi's lawyer said she merely "grew impatient" climbing the corporate ladder at a company where many mothers are leaders.

  • April 28, 2025

    Chinese Cos. Lose Immunity Fight In 9th Circ. IP Case

    The Ninth Circuit on Monday shot down arguments from related Chinese steel companies that they shouldn't have to face espionage charges that they stole DuPont trade secrets for creating titanium dioxide, saying they aren't protected by foreign sovereign immunity.

  • April 28, 2025

    Wells Fargo Exits CFPB's Mortgage, Auto Loan Consent Order

    Wells Fargo & Co. announced Monday it has exited a consent order it inked with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in a 2018 settlement that stemmed from allegations of improper practices in the bank's auto lending and mortgage divisions.

  • April 28, 2025

    Wells Fargo Investors Win Class Cert. In 'Sham' Hiring Case

    A California federal judge has certified a class of thousands of Wells Fargo & Co. investors in litigation over the bank's alleged practice of conducting "sham" job interviews to meet diversity targets, a strategy investors say led to stock prices dropping when the truth came to light, according to an order issued Friday.

  • April 28, 2025

    DOJ Wants Live Nation Case Split Between Liability, Damages

    The U.S. Department of Justice asked a New York federal court on Monday to split the case accusing Live Nation of quashing competition in the live entertainment industry by having a jury decide if the company violated antitrust law and the judge decide what remedies to impose.

  • April 28, 2025

    Viasat, Feds Settle Protest Of $424M Satellite Contracts

    The federal government and Viasat Inc. said they have settled the communications company's bid protest claims after the Space Development Agency revealed in February that its director shared bidding information with Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems before awarding it a $254 million contract.

  • April 28, 2025

    Ziploc 'Microwave Safe' Bags Shed Microplastics, Buyer Says

    S.C. Johnson & Son Inc. falsely markets Ziploc bags and containers as "microwave safe" and suitable for use in freezers despite knowing they are made from materials that shed microplastics into food when the products are used as directed, according to a proposed class action filed in California federal court.

  • April 28, 2025

    FAIR Plan Failed To Pay For LA Fire Smoke Claims, Suit Says

    Another group of California homeowners has accused the state's insurer of last resort of illegally denying and underpaying claims for smoke damage following the Los Angeles wildfires despite its obligation to cover all fire-related damage under California law, according to a lawsuit filed in state court.

  • April 28, 2025

    Tenant Right To Counsel Grows But Faces Major Hurdles

    Five states, 17 cities and one county enacted laws between 2017 and 2024 guaranteeing tenants the right to legal counsel in eviction proceedings, but uneven implementation, chronic underfunding and persistent court barriers have sharply limited the programs' effectiveness, according to a new national study published Friday.

  • April 28, 2025

    Wells Fargo Tells Judge Cash Sweep 'Conflict' Was Disclosed

    Wells Fargo said it should be allowed to escape customers' proposed class action alleging the bank's cash sweep investment program disproportionately benefits the bank, arguing it disclosed in its signed agreements with customers the bank's intentions to secure financial gains for itself through the program.

  • April 28, 2025

    Tax Services Provider Andersen Files Confidential IPO Plans

    Tax and legal services provider Andersen Group Inc. said Monday it confidentially filed for an initial public offering, marking a first step toward going public amid market volatility that has largely frozen IPOs in recent weeks.

  • April 28, 2025

    Trump To Target Sanctuary Cities With New Executive Order

    President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday evening directing the attorney general and secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to publish a list of sanctuary cities, which are often found in Democratic states, as they "obstruct" the federal immigration efforts, according to the administration.

  • April 28, 2025

    9th Circ. Nixes COVID-19 App Suit Appeal Against Apple

    The Ninth Circuit has once again shut the door on a doctor's suit accusing Apple of illegally refusing to distribute his COVID-19 tracking app through its app store, affirming a lower court ruling from October 2024 that denied his motion to reopen.

  • April 28, 2025

    Judge Weighs Impact Of Top Court Ruling On DOE Grant Cap

    A federal judge hearing a challenge to a Department of Energy grant cap on Monday expressed concerns about the case's potential overlap with a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that cast doubt on a bid to revive federal teacher training grants.

  • April 28, 2025

    Nikola Seeks Court OK For $9M Climate-Credit Sale Process

    Electric truck maker Nikola Corp. has asked a Delaware bankruptcy judge to approve a sale process for environmental credits the company earned by selling zero-emission vehicles, saying it has secured an $8.97 million bid that will set a floor price for the assets.

  • April 28, 2025

    Class Attys Seek $6.5M Cut In $29.5M Plantronics Settlement

    Lead counsel for Plantronics investors who secured a $29.5 million deal resolving claims the company used "channel stuffing" tactics to bolster revenue are seeking $6.5 million in fees, telling a California federal judge Friday the request is reasonable, given the strong recovery and their track record successfully prosecuting similar securities cases.

  • April 28, 2025

    Chancery Tosses Palantir Suit Targeting Direct Sale Gains

    Observing that corporate insiders can't be penalized for profiting from public information, a Delaware vice chancellor has thrown out a derivative suit filed by Palantir Technologies stockholders accusing the private company's directors and officers of unfairly profiting from direct-to-market stock sales without taking the company public.

  • April 28, 2025

    High Court Declines Review Of 'Server Test' In Copyright Suit

    The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected a challenge to the Ninth Circuit's criteria for determining copyright liability when photos are embedded online, denying a photographer's appeal in a case where he is suing Canadian media company Valnet Inc.

  • April 28, 2025

    Justices Won't Disturb 9th Circ.'s AT&T 401(k) Suit Revival

    The U.S. Supreme Court declined on Monday to hear AT&T's bid for review of a Ninth Circuit panel decision reviving a class action against the telecom giant alleging mismanagement of an employee 401(k) plan, rejecting employers' request for more clarity from the court on the pleading standard for federal benefits lawsuits alleging excessive fees.

Expert Analysis

  • Meta Case Brings Customer-Facing Statements Issue To Fore

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    Now that Facebook v. Amalgamated Bank has returned to California federal court after the U.S. Supreme Court in November found it improvidently granted certiorari, it will be worth watching whether customer-facing communications, such as Facebook's privacy policies, are found to be made in connection with the sale of a security, says Samuel Groner at Fried Frank.

  • A Cold War-Era History Lesson On Due Process

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    The landmark Harry Bridges case from the mid-20th century Red Scare offers important insights on why lawyers must be free of government reprisal, no matter who their client is, says Peter Afrasiabi at One LLP.

  • Series

    Improv Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Improv keeps me grounded and connected to what matters most, including in my legal career where it has helped me to maintain a balance between being analytical, precise and professional, and creative, authentic and open-minded, says Justine Gottshall at InfoLawGroup.

  • TikTok Bias Suit Ruling Reflects New Landscape Under EFAA

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    In Puris v. Tiktok, a New York federal court found an arbitration agreement unenforceable in a former executive's bias suit, underscoring an evolving trend of broad, but inconsistent, interpretation of the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act, say attorneys at Williams & Connolly.

  • Avoiding Pitfalls Around New Calif. Commercial Lease Law

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    A California law that became effective this year requires commercial landlords to extend certain protections previously afforded to residential tenancies, and a few key provisions of the law especially warrant reexamination of leasing and operational processes, say attorneys at Holland & Knight.

  • How BigLaw Executive Orders May Affect Smaller Firms

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    Because of the types of cases they take on, solo practitioners, small law firms and public interest attorneys may find themselves more dramatically affected by the collective impact of recent government action involving the legal industry than even the BigLaw firms named in the executive orders, says Reuben Guttman at Guttman Buschner.

  • Opinion

    Lawsuits Shouldn't Be Shadow Assets For Foreign Capital

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    Third-party litigation financing amplifies inefficiencies from litigation and facilitates national exposure to foreign influence in the U.S. justice system, so full disclosure of financing arrangements should be required as a matter of institutional integrity, says Roland Eisenhuth at the American Property Casualty Insurance Association.

  • How To Accelerate Your Post-Attorney Career Transition

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    Professionals seeking to transition to nonattorney careers may encounter skepticism as nontraditional candidates, but there are opportunities for thought leadership and to leverage speaking and writing to accelerate a post-attorney career transition, say Janet Falk at Falk Communications and Evgeny Efremkin at Toronto Metropolitan University.

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: Be An Indispensable Associate

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    While law school teaches you to research, write and think critically, it often overlooks the professional skills you will need to make yourself an essential team player when transitioning from a summer to full-time associate, say attorneys at Stinson.

  • The Path Forward For Construction Cos. After Calif. Wildfires

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    The increasing frequency of disastrous wildfires, like those that recently occurred in California, presents a set of complex challenges for the construction industry, including regulatory hurdles and supply chain disruptions that can complicate rebuilding efforts, say attorneys at Cozen O'Connor.

  • Series

    Birding Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Observing and documenting birds in their natural habitats fosters patience, sharpens observational skills and provides moments of pure wonder — qualities that foster personal growth and enrich my legal career, says Allison Raley at Arnall Golden.

  • What Pending FCPA Trials Suggest About DOJ Priorities

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    Following President Donald Trump's executive order in February instructing the U.S. Department of Justice to temporarily pause enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, developments surrounding five FCPA cases already set for trial provide a glimpse into how the DOJ is attempting to navigate the situation at hand, say attorneys at Covington.

  • Series

    Calif. Banking Brief: All The Notable Legal Updates In Q1

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    Among the most notable developments in California banking in the first quarter of the year, regulators and legislators issued regulations interpreting debt collection laws, stepped up enforcement actions, and expanded consumer protections for those affected by wildfires, says Stephen Britt at Severson & Werson.

  • Inside State AGs' Arguments Defending The CFPB

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    Recent amicus briefs filed by a coalition of 23 attorneys general argue that the Trump administration's efforts to dismantle the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will irreparably harm consumers in several key areas, making clear that states are preparing to fill in any enforcement gaps, say attorneys at Kelley Drye.

  • Series

    Adapting To Private Practice: From DOJ Leadership To BigLaw

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    The move from government service to private practice can feel like changing one’s identity, but as someone who has left the U.S. Department of Justice twice, I’ve learned that a successful transition requires patience, effort and the realization that the rewards of practicing law don’t come from one particular position, says Richard Donoghue at Pillsbury.

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