California

  • April 11, 2024

    Judge Sends Tax Data Suit Against H&R Block To Arbitration

    A man who used H&R Block to prepare his taxes online and then sued the company, along with Google and Meta Platforms Inc., for sharing his private data must pursue his claims against the tax preparation software giant in arbitration, a California federal judge ruled Thursday.

  • April 12, 2024

    Rash Of 401(k) Forfeiture Suits Approach First Hurdles

    Several recent lawsuits challenging how employers use 401(k) forfeitures — which occur when a worker leaves before an employer's matching contributions fully vest — are approaching critical early tests, with rulings expected on dismissal bids in the coming months. Here, Law360 looks at how this area of Employee Retirement Income Security Act litigation has gained traction, and what to look out for next.

  • April 11, 2024

    Nogin Can Get Another $3M In Ch. 11 Cash To Get Plan Done

    E-commerce company Nogin Inc. received permission Thursday from a Delaware bankruptcy court to draw another $3 million in Chapter 11 financing as it continues working toward implementing its court-approved restructuring plan.

  • April 11, 2024

    Birth Control Injury Claims Barred From Conn., Court Told

    Connecticut state courts have no basis to exercise jurisdiction over three of the four companies targeted in product liability lawsuits brought by 103 women who claim their Filshie Clip birth control devices migrated within their bodies and caused injuries, counsel for the defendants told a Waterbury judge Thursday.

  • April 11, 2024

    NPE Patent Suits Up 24% In First Quarter Of 2024

    Patent lawsuits from nonpracticing entities are on the rise yet again, with many being filed in the Eastern District of Texas, according to a new report.

  • April 11, 2024

    $24M Hidden Fee Deal Between Class, AIG Units Gets 1st OK

    A California federal court granted preliminary approval of a nearly $24 million settlement between a class of travel insurance buyers and several AIG units resolving claims that the companies stacked hidden fees on top of insurance travel premiums.

  • April 11, 2024

    State Bar Attys Fight Eastman's Bid To Activate Law License

    The State Bar of California has formally opposed John C. Eastman's motion to stay a March order placing him on inactive status pending appeal of a recommendation that he be disbarred.

  • April 11, 2024

    Calif., NY And SD Judicial Nominees Advance To Full Senate

    Four judicial nominees were voted out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday, including one scrutinized for his affiliation with the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association and the group's position on hot button issues.

  • April 11, 2024

    Ohtani's Ex-Interpreter Charged In $16M Theft From MLB Star

    The former interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers player Shohei Ohtani has been charged with stealing around $16 million from the superstar to place illegal sports bets, federal officials in Los Angeles announced Thursday, saying Ohtani was a victim and had no knowledge of his interpreter's gambling.

  • April 11, 2024

    Apple Must Face Former Executive's Trimmed Age Bias Suit

    A California federal judge narrowed a former Apple executive's suit alleging his age led the company to withhold bonuses, though the suit stands, as the judge said it sufficiently showed a contract was breached when the company did not pay a hefty stock retention bonus.

  • April 10, 2024

    States, Wild Cards & Time: Hurdles Facing Privacy Law Push

    Congress has what many experts are calling its best chance to enact a national data privacy framework, after key leaders this week announced a surprising deal on the topic. But several factors could still derail the promising proposal, including influential stakeholders that have yet to weigh in, the upcoming election and the longstanding debate over who should enforce the law.

  • April 10, 2024

    UC Berkeley Law Dean Defends Ejecting Protester From Home

    University of California, Berkeley School of Law Dean Erwin Chemerinsky on Wednesday defended actions he and his wife, Berkeley law professor Catherine Fisk, took to try to stop a Muslim law student's protest at their home during a dinner for graduating students after an online video of the incident went viral.

  • April 10, 2024

    No Merit To Autonomy Whistleblower Claims, Auditor Says

    A Deloitte partner testifying in a California criminal trial over claims that former Autonomy CEO Michael Lynch and finance director Stephen Chamberlain duped HP into buying the British tech company for $11.7 billion said Wednesday that auditors concluded that whistleblower allegations by a finance department executive were meritless.

  • April 10, 2024

    Hyundai, Kia Engine Fire Deal OK'd With 60% Atty Fee Cut

    A California federal judge has given final approval to a settlement ending a second consolidated class-action litigation alleging Hyundai and Kia sold vehicles with defective engines prone to fires, while awarding plaintiffs' attorneys only $3.4 million of the $8.9 million they requested.

  • April 10, 2024

    Full 9th Circ. Asked To Rethink Tanker Seizure Ruling

    Several operators of liquid petroleum gas carrier vessels have petitioned the full Ninth Circuit to rethink a circuit panel ruling that a nearly 800-foot crude oil tanker cannot be seized to enforce approximately $10 million in arbitral awards against a defunct gas shipping company.

  • April 10, 2024

    US News Fights Uphill To Block SF's 'Best Hospitals' Probe

    A California federal judge indicated Wednesday he'll likely dismiss U.S. News & World Report's lawsuit challenging the San Francisco City Attorney's subpoenas seeking information about its methodology for ranking hospitals, saying the issue isn't ripe since the subpoenas aren't self-enforcing and the city hasn't yet sued for the information.

  • April 10, 2024

    SEC Says Crypto Firm Kraken Can't 'Subvert' Securities Test

    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has told a California federal judge that crypto exchange Kraken is asking the court to adopt a "perversion" of the long-standing U.S. Supreme Court precedent for what constitutes an investment contract.

  • April 10, 2024

    Tribes Sue Social Platforms Over Native Youth Suicides

    Two Native American tribes are suing social media giants, accusing them of relentlessly pursuing a strategy of "growth-at-all-costs" that has contributed to the disproportionately high rates of mental health crisis and suicide affecting Indigenous youth that is devastating Indian Country.

  • April 10, 2024

    Gaming Rivals To Settle Patent Fight After $42.9M Verdict In Calif.

    Skillz Platform Inc. and AviaGames Inc. have told a California federal court that they will settle a suit over mobile gaming, months after Skillz won $42.9 million in its patent infringement fight against its rival.

  • April 10, 2024

    DOJ's Apple Antitrust Suit Gets New Judge After Recusal

    The New Jersey federal judge overseeing the U.S. Department of Justice's recent iPhone antitrust case against Apple recused himself from the litigation Wednesday, according to a text order posted to the docket reassigning the case.

  • April 10, 2024

    9th Circ. Mostly Affirms Industry Ban For COVID PPE Delays

    A Ninth Circuit panel on Tuesday largely upheld a district court's ruling requiring personal protective equipment suppliers to pay over $3 million after finding that they misrepresented the shipping times of hand sanitizer products at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, while reversing the Federal Trade Commission's injunction against one of the companies' owners.

  • April 10, 2024

    Ex-Art Institutes Execs Want Insurers To Avert $336M Suit

    Former executives of a holding company that bought now-defunct for-profit colleges Argosy University, South University and The Art Institutes asked an Ohio federal court to force excess insurers to settle receivership claims before the pair are formally accused of leaving a $336 million debt in their wake.

  • April 10, 2024

    Disney Defends Right To Fire 'Star Wars' Actor Over X Posts

    The Walt Disney Co. and Lucasfilm Ltd. asked a California federal judge to toss Gina Carano's claims that she was unlawfully fired from "The Mandalorian" for her social media posts, arguing they have a constitutional right as artistic creators to decide which actors to employ to express their artistic messages.

  • April 10, 2024

    UGG, Wal-Mart Ordered To File More Details On Slipper Patent

    A California federal judge has ordered Deckers Outdoor Corp. and Wal-Mart Inc. to submit joint briefing on claim construction for an UGG slipper design patent that Deckers alleges the big-box retailer is infringing, saying there is insufficient information for the court to make a decision on summary judgment.

  • April 10, 2024

    Emissions Rules' Foes May Be Forced To Yield To Automakers

    Potential challengers of vehicle emissions rules were shown they're not necessarily in the drivers' seat on the issue when the D.C. Circuit upheld California's authority to set its own greenhouse gas emissions standards and run a zero-emission vehicles program while citing the auto industry's peace with the regulations.

Expert Analysis

  • SG's Office Is Case Study To Help Close Legal Gender Gap

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    As women continue to be underrepresented in the upper echelons of the legal profession, law firms could learn from the example set by the Office of the Solicitor General, where culture and workplace policies have helped foster greater gender equality, say attorneys at Ocean Tomo.

  • Despite Risks, AI Is A Worthy Tool For Healthcare Industry

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    Artificial intelligence appears to provide a productive path forward for the healthcare industry, improving economic and human health outcomes, though companies must continue to address certain technology and compliance pain points, says Sarah Abrams at Bowhead Specialty Underwriters.

  • NCAA's Antitrust Litigation History Offers Clues For NIL Case

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    Attorneys at Perkins Coie analyze the NCAA's long history of antitrust litigation to predict how state attorney general claims against NCAA recruiting rules surrounding name, image and likeness discussions will stand up in Tennessee federal court.

  • SAG-AFTRA Contract Is A Landmark For AI And IP Interplay

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    SAG-AFTRA's recently ratified contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers introduced a framework to safeguard performers' intellectual property rights and set the stage for future discussions on how those rights interact with artificial intelligence — which should put entertainment businesses on alert for compliance, says Evynne Grover at QBE.

  • Reducing Carbon Footprint Requires A Tricky Path For CRE

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    As real estate owners find themselves caught between rapidly evolving environmental, social and governance initiatives and complicated societal debate, they will need to carefully establish formal plans to remain both competitive and compliant, say Michael Kuhn and Mahira Khan at Jackson Walker.

  • Ore. Insurance Ruling Opens Door To Extracontractual Claims

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    The Oregon Supreme Court's recent Moody v. Oregon Community Credit Union decision expanding an insurer's potential liability when adjusting life insurance policies exposes insurers to extracontractual tort liability, and the boundaries of this application will likely be tested through aggressive legal action, says Tessan Wess at GRSM50.

  • Navigating New Regulations In Healthcare And Other M&A

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    While notice requirements recently enacted in several states are focused on the healthcare industry for now, this trend could extend to other industries as these requirements are designed to allow regulators to be a step ahead and learn more about a transaction long before it occurs, say Kathleen Premo and Ashley Creech at Epstein Becker.

  • The Corporate Disclosure Tug-Of-War's Free Speech Issues

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    The continuing conflict over corporate disclosure requirements — highlighted by a lawsuit against Missouri's anti-ESG rules — has important implications not just for investors and regulated entities but also for broader questions about the scope of the First Amendment, say Colin Pohlman, and Jane Luxton and Paul Kisslinger at Lewis Brisbois.

  • What Brands Must Know For Calif. Recycle Label Compliance

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    A brand that stamps nonrecyclable packaging with the chasing arrows symbol could face liability under California's new law on labeling recyclable material, so brand owners should keep an eye on the state's pending survey process to identify which materials meet the criteria before requirements go into effect, say attorneys at ArentFox Schiff.

  • What New Calif. Strike Force Means For White Collar Crimes

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    The recently announced Central District of California strike force targeting complex corporate and securities fraud — following the Northern District of California's model — combines experienced prosecutorial leadership and partnerships with federal agencies like the IRS and FBI, and could result in an uptick in the number of cases and speed of proceedings, say attorneys at MoFo.

  • FTC AI Inquiry Signals Intensified Focus On Emerging Tech

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    The Federal Trade Commission's recent inquiry into investments and partnerships between Big Tech companies and artificial intelligence startups appears to be directed at guiding future enforcement decisions in competition, privacy and consumer protection — and three principles discussed at a related tech summit give insight on the agency's approach, say attorneys at Skadden.

  • Preparing For A New Wave Of Litigation Under Silicosis Rules

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    After the Division of Occupational Safety and Health of California issued an emergency temporary standard to combat noncompliance with assessments of workers' exposure to particles of crystalline silica, companies that manufacture, distribute or sell silica-containing products will need aggressive case-specific discovery to navigate a new wave of litigation, say attorneys at Dechert.

  • Reimagining Law Firm Culture To Break The Cycle Of Burnout

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    While attorney burnout remains a perennial issue in the legal profession, shifting post-pandemic expectations mean that law firms must adapt their office cultures to retain talent, say Kevin Henderson and Eric Pacifici at SMB Law Group.

  • A Key Tool For Calif. Policyholders With Nonadmitted Insurers

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    As insurers increasingly flee California and residents of the Golden State are forced to insure their properties with nonadmitted insurers, it is crucial to understand the Unauthorized Insurers Process Act, a critical but underutilized tool for policyholders, say Keith Meyer and Kya Coletta at Reed Smith.

  • Opinion

    Gilead Ruling Signals That Innovating Can Lead To Liability

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    A California appeals court's ruling last month in Gilead Life Sciences v. Superior Court of San Francisco that a drug manufacturer can be held liable for delaying the introduction of an improved version of its medication raises concerns about the chilling effects that expansive product liability claims may have on innovation, says Gary Myers at the University of Missouri School of Law.

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