California

  • May 30, 2025

    Praying Or Parking? Religious Land Use Fights Head To Court

    Local zoning and planning boards, usually unelected decision-making bodies, often operate with sweeping discretion that can provide cover for discrimination against religious communities. But backed by pro bono attorneys, religious groups are leaning on a 2000 federal law in their bid for court intervention.

  • May 30, 2025

    Peet's Coffee, AddShoppers Beat Cert. Bid In Privacy Suit

    A California federal judge refused to certify a proposed class action alleging AddShoppers and Peet's Coffee illegally tracked visitors' browsing activities to send targeted advertising emails, ruling Thursday that the named plaintiffs' claims are not typical of the groups they want to represent, since they did not receive emails about any products.

  • May 30, 2025

    'Spinning Wheels': Judge Laments 'No Progress' In Meta Case

    A California federal judge indicated Friday that she'd order a Chinese information company to pay Meta's contempt motion fees after it failed to pay a $5.5 million default judgment for cybersquatting, but she complained that all involved are "spinning wheels here and spending attorneys fees and making no progress at all."

  • May 30, 2025

    DOE Yanks $3.7B In Funding For Clean Energy Projects

    An ExxonMobil hydrogen project in Texas and carbon capture projects throughout the U.S. are among two dozen clean energy projects that have seen a combined $3.7 billion in funding rescinded by the Department of Energy, the agency said Friday.

  • May 30, 2025

    AT&T Unit Loses Dispute Over Calif. Property Tax Rates

    AT&T unit Pacific Bell and other phone companies failed to prove that a California county's differing tax rates for locally assessed and state-assessed properties are unconstitutional, a state appeals court affirmed.

  • May 30, 2025

    Google Nears Class Deal In Privacy Suit Over Recording Users

    Google and a 30 million-strong consumer class have told a California federal judge they've made "substantial progress" in reaching a potential settlement that would "fully and finally" resolve a years-old action alleging Google Assistant-enabled devices surreptitiously recorded conversations to fuel its advertisement business and train machine-learning models.

  • May 30, 2025

    More Californians Face Legal Issues, But Get Less Help

    The gap between the need for civil legal services for Californians and the help that is actually available has grown over the past five years, as has the income level of those affected by that gap, according to a new study from the State Bar of California.

  • May 30, 2025

    Akin Adds Ex-Federal Export And Security Head As Adviser

    Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP is boosting its international trade practice, bringing in an expert in export enforcement with the U.S. Department of Commerce as a senior regulatory adviser.

  • May 30, 2025

    Trump Admin Says States Can't Fight Wind Permit Pause

    The Trump administration said a Massachusetts federal judge should reject states' push to block a decision to pause permitting for wind energy projects, saying their claims amount to nothing more than a policy disagreement with no place in court.

  • May 29, 2025

    Ex-MLBer Sues TNT And Warner For 'Dirty Moneyball' Doc

    Former Major League Baseball All-Star Yasiel Puig sued Turner Broadcasting, Warner Media and others for defamation in California state court Wednesday over his depiction in an episode of a documentary series stating he was awaiting trial on gambling charges, when the charges allege false statements and obstruction.

  • May 29, 2025

    GM Gets Initial OK For $150M Engine Defect Post-Trial Deal

    A California federal judge on Thursday said he'd grant preliminary approval to a $150 million deal General Motors reached with car buyers over an engine defect following a trial verdict against the auto giant that class counsel said, with prejudgment interest, would have cost the company more than $270 million.

  • May 29, 2025

    DOT Calls States' EV Charging Funding Suit Premature

    The U.S. Department of Transportation urged a Washington federal judge to reject an attempt by 16 states to block the Trump administration from cutting off funding for electric vehicle charging projects, saying their claims aren't yet ripe for review.

  • May 29, 2025

    Split 9th Circ. Says Spa's Rule On Certain Trans Women Biased

    A divided Ninth Circuit refused to reinstate a Korean spa's constitutional challenge against the Washington State Human Rights Commission and ordered it to rescind its policy denying admission to trans women without gender-affirming surgery, noting Thursday the policy violated state law prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

  • May 29, 2025

    Restaurant Liable After Fraudster Steals $475K Settlement

    A California appeals court has found in a case of first impression that a restaurant is responsible for $475,000 in settlement funds that its attorneys sent to a fraudster impersonating the other party in a personal injury suit, saying it missed a number of red flags in the impostor's correspondence.

  • May 29, 2025

    ​​​​​​​Netflix's 'Broad' IP Claims Against Broadcom Face Skepticism

    A California federal judge appeared open Thursday to tossing some claims in Netflix's lawsuit accusing Broadcom of ripping off five software patents, repeatedly questioning how Netflix's patents improve technology and calling certain terms "incredibly broad and undefined," while also observing that Netflix's willful infringement claim may amount to "good lawyering."

  • May 29, 2025

    Masimo Founder Slaps Board With Lawsuit Over His Ouster

    The founder and former CEO of Masimo Corp. has alleged six of the medical technology company's directors orchestrated his wrongful termination and denied him the compensation he is now owed, according to a suit for hundreds of millions of dollars filed against the executives in California state court.

  • May 29, 2025

    DC Court Blocks Trump's Tariffs As Overreach Of Power

    The International Emergency Economic Powers Act does not empower the president to impose tariffs, the D.C. federal district court said Thursday, ruling that President Donald Trump's global levies are unlawful and barring his administration from enforcing them on two toymakers who challenged the policies.

  • May 29, 2025

    Disney Can't Stop Brazil Court Injunction In IP Row, For Now

    A California federal judge has denied The Walt Disney Co.'s request to block a Brazilian court from taking injunctive action against it in a patent dispute with wireless technology developer InterDigital Inc., saying the entertainment giant has not shown it's likely the Brazilian court will issue a preliminary injunction barring the use of certain video codec technology.

  • May 29, 2025

    Calif. Justices Propose Tweaking Rules For Bar Examiners

    The California Supreme Court has proposed changes to the administration of the state's troubled bar exam, circulating a slate of amendments designed to clarify the role of the Committee of Bar Examiners, including spelling out its duty to review and approve all questions used in the exam.

  • May 29, 2025

    Seyfarth Adds Greenspoon Marder Corporate Atty In LA

    Seyfarth Shaw LLP is expanding its West Coast team, bringing in a former Greenspoon Marder LLP transactional attorney as a partner in its Los Angeles office in Century City.

  • May 29, 2025

    Wells Fargo Settles Suit Over Online Wire Fraud Protections

    Wells Fargo has settled a proposed class action alleging it failed to properly investigate and reimburse mobile banking customers who reported scammers stole money from their accounts through fraudulent wire transfers, according to a notice filed Wednesday in California federal court. 

  • May 29, 2025

    Crowell & Moring Hires Ex-EPA Deputy Assistant Admin In SF

    Crowell & Moring LLP announced on Thursday the hiring of a former deputy assistant administrator from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as senior counsel in the firm's environmental and regulatory enforcement groups in its San Francisco office.

  • May 29, 2025

    Titan Of The Plaintiffs Bar: Grant & Eisenhofer's Beth Graham

    Elizabeth "Beth" Graham, a San Francisco-based principal at Grant & Eisenhofer PA and a member of its executive committee, played a key part in negotiating a $600 million settlement in April 2024 for plaintiffs in litigation arising from the 2023 Norfolk Southern train derailment, earning her a spot among Law360's 2025 Titans of the Plaintiffs Bar.

  • May 29, 2025

    Digital Health Startup Omada Launches Plans For $150M IPO

    San Francisco-based virtual healthcare provider Omada Health on Thursday filed plans with U.S. regulators for a $150 million initial public offering, the proceeds of which will be used for general corporate purposes.

  • May 29, 2025

    Willkie Brings On Musician-Turned-Atty In LA From Manatt

    Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP has hired a former Manatt Phelps & Phillips LLP partner and professional musician for its corporate and financial services department and entertainment transactions practice.

Expert Analysis

  • How Focus On Menopause Care Is Fueling Innovation, Access

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    Recent legislative developments concerning the growing field of menopause care are creating opportunities for increased investment and innovation in the space as they increase access to education and coverage, say attorneys at Kirkland.

  • Calif. Digital Assets Proposal Provides Only Partial Clarity

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    Recently proposed regulations under California's Digital Financial Assets Law answer some important questions about the new regime, particularly regarding its interaction with the state's money transmission law, but many key compliance questions remain, say attorneys at Stinson.

  • Opinion

    The BigLaw Settlement Crisis Is About Risk, Not Profit

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    The nine Am Law 100 firms that settled with the Trump administration likely did so because of the personal risk faced by equity partners in today's billion‑dollar national practices, enabled by an ethics rule primed for modernization, says Adam Forest at Scale.

  • What Gene Findings Mean For Asbestos Mesothelioma Claims

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    Recent advances in genetic research have provided substantial evidence that significant numbers of malignant mesothelioma cases may be caused by inherited mutations rather than asbestos exposure — a finding that could fundamentally change how defendants approach personal injury litigation over mesothelioma, say David Schwartz at Lumanity and Kirk Hartley at LSP Group.

  • State Tort Claims May Help Deter Bribes During FCPA Pause

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    As the U.S. pauses Foreign Corrupt Practices Act enforcement, companies that lose business due to competitors' bribery should consider using state tortious interference suits to expose corruption, deter illegal practices and obtain compensation for commercial losses, says Jason Manning at Levy Firestone.

  • 4 States' Enforcement Actions Illustrate Data Privacy Priorities

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    Attorneys at Wilson Elser examine recent enforcement actions based on new consumer data privacy laws by regulators in California, Connecticut, Oregon and Texas, centered around key themes, including crackdowns on dark patterns, misuse of sensitive data and failure to honor consumer rights.

  • Series

    Brazilian Jiujitsu Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Competing in Brazilian jiujitsu – often against opponents who are much larger and younger than me – has allowed me to develop a handful of useful skills that foster the resilience and adaptability necessary for a successful legal career, says Tina Dorr of Barnes & Thornburg.

  • Birthright Ruling Could Alter Consumer Financial Litigation

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    The U.S. Supreme Court’s upcoming decision about the validity of the nationwide injunctions in the birthright citizenship cases, argued on May 15, could make it much harder for trade associations to obtain nationwide relief from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's enforcement of invalid regulations, says Alan Kaplinsky at Ballard Spahr.

  • Signed, Sealed, Deleted: A Look At The California Delete Act

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    The California Delete Act, proposed Delete Request and Opt-Out Platform regulations, and California Privacy Protection Agency enforcement raise a number of compliance considerations — even for data brokers that have existing deletion processes in place, say attorneys at Hunton.

  • And Now A Word From The Panel: A Rare MDL Petition Off-Day

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    In an unusual occurrence in the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation's history, there are zero new MDL petitions scheduled for Thursday's hearing session, but the panel will be busy considering a host of motions regarding whether to transfer cases to eight existing MDL proceedings, says Alan Rothman at Sidley.

  • Energy Order Brings Risks For Lenders And Borrowers Alike

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    A recent executive order directing the attorney general to submit a report next month with recommendations for halting enforcement of state laws the administration says are hampering energy resources presents risks for lenders and borrowers using state-generated carbon credits, but proactive steps now can help insulate against adverse consequences, say attorneys at Faegre Drinker.

  • Customs Fraud Enforcement In The Age Of Tariffs

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    In the wake of the Trump administration’s new approach toward tariffs, two recent Justice Department developments demonstrate aggressive customs fraud enforcement, with the DOJ emphasizing competitive harm to American businesses, and signaling that investigations will likely involve both civil and criminal enforcement tools, say attorneys at Bernstein Litowitz and London & Naor.

  • Series

    Power To The Paralegals: An Untapped Source For Biz Roles

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    Law firms looking to recruit legal business talent should consider turning to paralegals, who practice several key skills every day that prepare them to thrive in marketing and client development roles, says Vanessa Torres at Lowenstein Sandler.

  • Collective Cert. In Age Bias Suit Shows AI Hiring Tool Scrutiny

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    Following a California federal court's ruling in Mobley v. Workday, which appears to be the first in the country to preliminarily certify a collective action based on alleged age discrimination from artificial intelligence tools used for hiring, employers should move quickly to audit these technologies, say attorneys at Davis Wright.

  • Using Federal Forum Provisions To Nix State Securities Cases

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    A California appeals court's recent decision in Bullock v. Rivian clarifies that underwriters may enforce federal forum provisions to escape state court Securities Act claims, marking progress in restoring such lawsuits to federal court and reducing the litigation costs arising from duplicative state court litigation, say attorneys at Paul Weiss.

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