California

  • 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.

  • April 10, 2024

    EPA Files First Admin. Complaint Over Illegal HFC Import

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency filed an administrative complaint against USA Wholesale Inc. on Wednesday for unlawfully importing hydrofluorocarbons, marking the first time the agency has done so under the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act of 2020.

  • April 10, 2024

    Retailer 99 Cents Can Tap $60.8M DIP For Ch. 11 Winddown

    99 Cents Only can access $20.5 million of its Chapter 11 financing package, a Delaware bankruptcy judge ruled Wednesday, after attorneys for the discount retail chain resolved a handful of objections to first day approval of its debtor-in-possession loan.

  • April 10, 2024

    'Varsity Blues' Judge Won't Recuse From Bid For Plea Redo

    The Boston federal judge overseeing the waning "Varsity Blues" college admissions case said Wednesday he should be the one to decide whether a parent who pled guilty in the scandal's early days should be able to have the conviction erased, calling her recusal bid "fraught with judge-shopping."

  • April 10, 2024

    Justices Asked To Ban FCA Suits Relying On Patent Reviews

    Valeant Pharmaceuticals is going to the U.S. Supreme Court to argue that information cited in Patent Trial and Appeal Board reviews cannot later be used by whistleblowers in False Claims Act lawsuits.

  • April 10, 2024

    9th Circ. Doubts Calif.'s Standing In DOL Union Transit Fight

    The Ninth Circuit appeared open Wednesday to restoring the U.S. Department of Labor's power to deny California transit funding because of a perceived conflict between state pension law and bargaining rights, focusing on the state's standing in a dispute that began between the DOL and a union.

  • April 10, 2024

    Former X Worker Can't Force Doc Release In Bonus Suit

    A California federal judge refused to grant an ex-worker's request that the court decide whether X Corp. must provide employee bonus-related documents to its former chief financial officer before he sits for a deposition, chiding the former worker for not filing a proper request.

  • April 10, 2024

    NBC, Universal Sued Over 'Harry Potter' Ride Malfunction

    Riders who were stuck for over an hour on a ride at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Universal Studios Hollywood that left them suspended midair have sued NBCUniversal and the theme park in California court, accusing them of negligently failing to safely maintain the attraction.

  • April 10, 2024

    EEOC Throws Weight Behind AI Bias Suit Against Workday

    The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said Workday shouldn't be able to dodge a Black job seeker's California federal court suit claiming it uses biased algorithms to screen out applicants, arguing that the software company can't evade liability by claiming it's not an employer.

  • April 10, 2024

    9th Circ. Says Arbitration Carveout Doesn't Apply To Cos.

    Section 1 of the Federal Arbitration Act only applies to humans, not companies, a Ninth Circuit panel ruled Wednesday, affirming a Washington federal court decision shipping three Amazon workers' misclassification suit to arbitration.

  • April 10, 2024

    Musk Deposition Decision Put Off In Twitter Layoff Fight

    A California federal judge deferred ex-Twitter employees' request to depose X Corp. owner Elon Musk until after other defendants gave their depositions in a suit alleging the company violated federal laws requiring advance warning of mass layoffs.

  • April 10, 2024

    Feds Cleared To Use Undercover Recording In Atty's Tax Trial

    Federal prosecutors trying an attorney next week on charges he orchestrated a tax fraud scheme that spanned seven states will be allowed to play for the jury an audio recording made by an undercover agent, a North Carolina federal judge ruled.

  • April 10, 2024

    'Smart' Glass Maker View Escapes SPAC Merger Suit For Good

    "Smart" glass manufacturer View Inc. has permanently beaten a proposed investor class action over an internal probe it announced following its go-public merger with a special purpose acquisition company, with a California federal judge ruling that the lead plaintiff did not own View stock when the identified corrective disclosures occurred.

  • April 10, 2024

    Venable Adds Cybersecurity Leaders In San Francisco, DC

    Venable LLP has hired a senior director of cybersecurity services and a director of global security and technology strategy — additions joining on opposite sides of the U.S., the firm announced Wednesday.

  • April 10, 2024

    Children Fight Feds' Bid To Dodge Constitutional Climate Suit

    A group of children has fired back at the federal government's attempt to dismiss its California federal court lawsuit alleging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency knowingly allows unsafe levels of climate pollution despite the Constitution guaranteeing "a life-sustaining climate system." 

Expert Analysis

  • EEO-1 Ruling May Affect Other Gov't Agency Disclosures

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    By tightly construing a rarely litigated but frequently asserted term, a California federal court’s ruling that the Freedom of Information Act does not exempt reports to the U.S. Department of Labor on workplace demographics could expand the range of government contractor information susceptible to public disclosure, says John Zabriskie at Foley & Lardner.

  • What Retailers Should Note In Calif. Web Tracking Suits

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    As retailers face a deluge of class actions alleging the use of conventional web analytic tools violate wiretapping and eavesdropping provisions of the California Invasion of Privacy Act, uncovering the path toward a narrow interpretation of the law will largely depend on how these cases proceed, say Matthew Pearson and Kareem Salem at BakerHostetler.

  • Copyright Lessons Following Ruling In Artist AI Suit

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    The recent California district court ruling in Andersen v. Stability AI — that artists needed to specify how the training of artificial intelligence tools violated their copyrights — shows that lawyers on either side of generative AI matters must carefully navigate copyright issues including temporary copying and data sourcing, says Carlos Araya at Magnolia Abogados.

  • The Legal Industry Needs A Cybersecurity Paradigm Shift

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    As law firms face ever-increasing risks of cyberattacks and ransomware incidents, the legal industry must implement robust cybersecurity measures and privacy-centric practices to preserve attorney-client privilege, safeguard client trust and uphold the profession’s integrity, says Ryan Paterson at Unplugged.

  • As Promised, IRS Is Coming For Crypto Tax Evaders

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    The IRS is fulfilling its promise to crack down on those who have neglected to pay taxes on cryptocurrency earnings, as demonstrated by recently imposed prison sentences, enforcement initiatives and meetings with international counterparts — suggesting a few key takeaways for taxpayer compliance, say attorneys at BakerHostetler.

  • 5 Reasons Associates Shouldn't Take A Job Just For Money

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    As a number of BigLaw firms increase salary scales for early-career attorneys, law students and lateral associates considering new job offers should weigh several key factors that may matter more than financial compensation, say Albert Tawil at Lateral Hub and Ruvin Levavi at Power Forward.

  • Following Banking Regulators' Breadcrumbs To 2024 Priorities

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    Through blog posts, speeches, and formal guidance and regulations, prudential and other federal and state financial regulators laid out a road map last year pointing to compliance priorities that should be reflected in financial institutions' planning this year, say Laurel Loomis Rimon and Gina Shabana at Jenner & Block.

  • 1869 Case May Pave Off-Ramp For Justices In Trump DQ Fight

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    In deciding whether former President Donald Trump is disqualified from Colorado's Republican primary ballots, the U.S. Supreme Court could rely on due process principles articulated in a Reconstruction-era case to avert a chaotic or undemocratic outcome, says Gordon Renneisen at Cornerstone Law Group.

  • Directors And Officers Face Unique AI-Related Risks

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    As privacy, intellectual property and discrimination lawsuits focusing on artificial intelligence increase, corporate directors and officers must stay aware of associated risks, including those related to compliance, litigation and cybersecurity, says Jonathan Meer at Wilson Elser.

  • Series

    Playing Competitive Tennis Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    My experience playing competitive tennis has highlighted why prioritizing exercise and stress relief, maintaining perspective under pressure, and supporting colleagues in pursuit of a common goal are all key aspects of championing a successful legal career, says Madhumita Datta at Lowenstein Sandler.

  • New Strain Of Web Tracking Suits Pose Risks For Retailers

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    Amid an ongoing surge of California state and federal lawsuits that are using novel theories to allege companies used certain recording technologies to illegally track website users, retailers should take steps to develop a potential argument that customers consented to any alleged uses of these devices, say attorneys at Benesch.

  • Series

    The Pop Culture Docket: Judge Djerassi On Super Bowl 52

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    Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Judge Ramy Djerassi discusses how Super Bowl 52, in which the Philadelphia Eagles prevailed over the New England Patriots, provides an apt metaphor for alternative dispute resolution processes in commercial business cases.

  • 9 Tools To Manage PAGA Claims After Calif. High Court Ruling

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    In Estrada v. Royalty Carpet Mills, the California Supreme Court recently dealt a blow to employers by ruling that courts cannot dismiss Private Attorneys General Act claims on manageability grounds, but defendants and courts can still use arbitration agreements, due process challenges and other methods when dealing with unmanageable claims, says Ryan Krueger at Sheppard Mullin.

  • Workplace Speech Policies Limit Legal And PR Risks

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    As workers increasingly speak out on controversies like the 2024 elections and the Israel-Hamas war, companies should implement practical workplace expression policies and plans to protect their brands and mitigate the risk of violating federal and state anti-discrimination and free speech laws, say attorneys at McDermott.

  • Staying Ahead Of The AI Policymaking Curve

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    With artificial intelligence poised to be the hottest legislative and regulatory topic in 2024, expect the AI policymaking toolbox to continue to expand and evolve as stakeholders in the U.S. and abroad develop, deploy, use and learn more about these technologies, say attorneys at Hogan Lovells.

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