California

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.
April 25, 2025
Baby Food Maker Keeps Win In Suit Saying It Concealed Toxins

The Ninth Circuit on Friday affirmed a summary judgment win for California-based Plum Organics, saying in an unpublished opinion that parents who accused the baby food maker of failing to disclose potential toxins in its baby food products didn't sufficiently prove that Plum's products pose an unreasonable safety hazard.
April 25, 2025
HHS Sued Over Withholding Of $65.8M In Title X Funding

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services unlawfully withheld $65.8 million in federal grants for critically needed family planning services, a nonprofit alleged in a suit filed Thursday in D.C. federal court, saying the withholding seemed to be based, in part, on grantees' support for diversity, equity and inclusion.
April 25, 2025
Ramey Loses Last-Minute Attempts To Avoid Sanctions

Texas attorney Bill Ramey and two others will have to pay more than $64,000 and alert disciplinary bodies that they have been sanctioned by Saturday, after a California federal court and the U.S. Supreme Court refused a last-minute stay on the sanctions.
April 25, 2025
OCC Slashes Fines In Deals With Ex-Wells Fargo Auditors

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency has settled with two former Wells Fargo executives who were fighting seven-figure penalty orders for their alleged roles in the bank's fake accounts scandal, agreeing to accept greatly reduced fines totaling $150,000.
April 25, 2025
Real Estate Recap: Q1 Hospo Deals, Data Center Speculation

Catch up on this past week's key developments by state from Law360 Real Estate Authority — including the law firms that guided the largest global hospitality mergers and acquisitions of the first quarter, and how local utilities are attempting to weed out data center speculators.
April 25, 2025
Samsung Presses For New Trial After $192M EDTX Verdict

Samsung is asking a Texas federal court for a new trial in its latest bid to escape a $192 million jury verdict owed to a small Silicon Valley outfit that asserted a handful of wireless charger patents against the tech giant.
April 25, 2025
9th Circ. Revives Fired Clorox Worker's Gender Bias Claim

A Ninth Circuit panel on Friday revived a gender discrimination claim brought by a former employee of The Clorox Co. in Washington who alleged he was wrongfully fired during a reorganization, but the panel ruled against the worker on his race and age discrimination claims.
April 25, 2025
Sutter Health To Pay $228M In Years-Old Antitrust Suit

A class of millions of health insurance premium payors asked a California federal judge Friday to greenlight an eleventh-hour $228.5 million settlement resolving their long-running claims that hospital chain Sutter Health drives up costs by pushing all-or-nothing network deals on insurers.
April 25, 2025
19 AGs Sue Trump Admin Over Anti-DEI School Funding Threat

Nearly 20 state attorneys general sued the U.S. Department of Education in Massachusetts federal court Friday accusing it of embarking on efforts to withhold funding from educational institutions that engage in vague, undefined, "illegal" diversity, equity and inclusion practices through an agency action passed earlier this month.
April 25, 2025
Up Next At High Court: Class Cert., Religious Charter Schools

The U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in five cases this coming week, including in disputes over whether courts can certify classes of plaintiffs when some members haven't suffered an injury and whether students alleging disability discrimination in public schools must meet a higher standard of proof to bring claims under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
April 25, 2025
US Tourism Dips Amid ICE Confinement Of Foreign Travelers

Stories of foreign travelers getting stuck in prolonged immigration detention while trying to enter the U.S. has other potential visitors spooked, leading to a predicted downturn for the hospitality industry and an economic hit for local businesses that rely on tourists.
April 25, 2025
Calif. Judge Rips Trump Admin's 'Whack-A-Mole' ICE Policies

A California federal judge deciding whether to issue a nationwide injunction in multiple cases challenging the government's termination of foreign students' F-1 visa records expressed frustration with the Trump administration's abrupt policy changes Friday, saying "it's a new world order every day — it's like whack-a-mole."
April 25, 2025
Roblox, Discord Enabled Fla. Minor's Exploitation, Suit Says

A Florida minor who was sexually exploited on the platforms Roblox and Discord has sued both companies in California, claiming they fail to protect vulnerable users.
April 25, 2025
Live Nation Investors Get 1st OK For $20M Eras Tour-Tied Deal

Event ticketing giant Live Nation and its shareholders on Friday secured a California federal judge's initial green light for their proposed $20 million deal to end proposed class action claims alleging the company misled shareholders in the face of anticompetitive allegations involving its Ticketmaster subsidiary following its missteps selling tickets for pop star Taylor Swift's Eras Tour.
April 25, 2025
HHS Says Cuts Target Excess After Judge Seeks More Info

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services told a Rhode Island federal judge that a group of states has no basis to challenge the cancellation of billions in grants supporting public health programs because they already received the funds appropriated to them by Congress.
April 25, 2025
Trimmed Challenge To Fla. Lab-Grown Meat Ban Moves Ahead

A Florida federal judge Friday largely disposed of a food technology company's lawsuit challenging the state's law that bans cultivated, or lab-grown, meat products but kept alive a claim that the law is unconstitutional because it violates the company's right to sell its products through interstate commerce.
April 25, 2025
Calif. Justices Say Sauce Cos. Can't Cap Willful Injury Liability

The California Supreme Court held Thursday that New England Country Foods can seek unlimited damages against a competitor for allegedly stealing its barbecue sauce recipe, answering a certified question from the Ninth Circuit that a contract provision between the companies restricting liability for willful injury is unenforceable.
April 25, 2025
Judge Asks How Ed Dept. Can Fulfill Mandates Without Staff

A Massachusetts federal judge on Friday appeared skeptical of arguments by the Trump administration that it can continue delivering legally mandated services without reinstating hundreds of U.S. Department of Education employees who were fired last month.
April 25, 2025
50 Cent Says Horror Film Using His Name Without Permission

Rapper 50 Cent filed a trademark infringement suit against Hollywood producer Ryan Kavanaugh in California federal court Thursday to stop the release of a horror movie that he alleged used his name, likeness and intellectual property to promote it, without a finalized agreement in place.
April 25, 2025
Ex-Google Engineer Claims Coercion In AI Trade Secrets Case

A former Google software engineer accused of stealing artificial intelligence trade secrets for Chinese startups has asked a California federal court to suppress statements he made to government investigators, alleging they used forceful tactics during an interrogation and did not read him his Miranda rights.

Expert Analysis

Lessons From United's Axed Win In Firing Over Online Pics

In Wawrzenski v. United Airlines, a California state appeals court revived a flight attendant’s suit over her termination for linking photos of herself in uniform to her OnlyFans account, providing a cautionary tale for employers navigating the complexities of workplace policy enforcement in the digital age, say attorneys at ArentFox Schiff.
Mich. Ruling Offers View On 'Occurrence' Coverage Definition

As demonstrated by a Michigan state court in its recent decision finding per-wound insurance coverage for a school shooting, the amount of coverage available under occurrence-based policies often depends on how courts interpret "occurrence," say attorneys at Hunton.
Exploring Venue Strategy For Trump-Era Regulatory Litigation

Litigation will likely play a prominent role in shaping policy outcomes during the second Trump administration, and stakeholders have several tools at their disposal to steer regulatory litigation toward more favorable venues, say attorneys at Covington.
What 2024's Noncompete Turmoil Means For Banks In 2025

A look back at the most significant legal challenges to the enforceability of various restrictive covenants like noncompete and nonsolicitation agreements in 2024 can help financial institutions address the use of these critical tools this year, say attorneys at Maynard Nexsen.
How The UPC, ITC Complement Each Other In Patent Law

Attorneys at Ropes & Gray discuss the similarities and differences between the Unified Patent Court and the International Trade Commission, as well as recent matters litigated in both venues and why parties choose to file at these forums.
Lessons Learned From 2024's Top FMLA Decisions

Last year's major litigation related to the Family and Medical Leave Act underscores why it is critical for employers to understand the basics of when leave and accommodations are required, say attorneys at Dechert.
A Guide To Significant 2024 Data Broker Legal Developments

2024 saw notable developments in U.S. data broker regulation and enforcement, and this momentum will likely carry into 2025, despite hypothetical efforts to the contrary under the new administration, say attorneys at Frankfurt Kurnit.
Series

Playing Esports Makes Me A Better Lawyer

Competing in a global esports tournament at Wimbledon last year not only fulfilled my childhood dream, but also sharpened skills that are essential to my day job, including strategic thinking, confidence and networking, says AJ Schuyler at Jackson Lewis.
How Changes In State Gift Card Laws May Affect Cos. In 2025

2024 state legislative movements around the escheatment of unused gift card balances and consumer fraud protections should prompt issuers to consider whether changes in company domicile or blanket cash-back policies are needed in the new year, say attorneys at Alston & Bird.
Retailers Must Adapt As Courts Shift On False Price Claims

The increasing frequency with which courts are denying motions to dismiss false reference price claims signals that these lawsuits are not going away anytime soon, so retailers must be prepared for a more complex and prolonged defense process, say attorneys at Akerman.
Health Tech Regulatory Trends To Watch In 2025

With an upcoming change in administration and the release of some long-awaited rules, the healthcare industry should prepare for shifting trends, including a growing focus on health data and interest in technology-enabled delivery of healthcare, say attorneys at Orrick.
An Associate's Guide To Career Development In 2025

As the new year begins, associates at all levels should consider establishing career metrics, fostering key relationships and employing other specific strategies to help move through the complexities of the legal profession with confidence and emerge as trailblazers, say EJ Stern and Amanda George at Fractional Law Firm.
The Justices' Securities Rulings, Dismissals That Defined '24

The U.S. Supreme Court's 2024 securities rulings led to increased success for defendants' price impact arguments, but the justices' decisions not to weigh in on important issues relating to the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act's pleading requirements may be just as significant, say attorneys at Skadden.
Series

Fixing Up Cars Makes Me A Better Lawyer

From problem-solving to patience and adaptability to organization, the skills developed working under the hood of a car directly translate to being a more effective lawyer, says Christopher Mdeway at Kaufman Dolowich.
2024 Has Been A Momentous Year For ESG

Significant developments in the environmental, social and governance landscape this year include new legislation, evolving global frameworks, continued litigation and enforcement actions, and a U.S. Supreme Court decision that has already affected how lower courts have viewed some ESG challenges, say attorneys at Katten.