California

  • September 30, 2026

    Victoria's Secret Violated Deal For Instagram Ad, Model Says

    Victoria's Secret unlawfully used a professional model's entire face in a recent Instagram perfume advertisement, despite explicit restrictions in the parties' contract to use less than 30%, and refused to pay additional compensation for doing so, according to a right-of-publicity lawsuit filed in California federal court.

  • September 30, 2026

    Paramount Gets OK On Deal With State AGs Over Merger

    A California federal judge gave the green light Wednesday to a settlement to end a group of state enforcers' challenge of Paramount Skydance's planned $110 billion purchase of Warner Bros. Discovery, saying the resolution reflects a "good faith approach" to alleviate concerns that the merger will stifle entertainment industry competition.

  • September 30, 2026

    Marilyn Monroe Home's Owners Lose Landmark Fight, Again

    A California federal judge nixed claims that Los Angeles officials improperly landmarked the home where Marilyn Monroe died without properly compensating the owners, ruling Monday that the landmark status isn't a regulatory taking and that the city never authorized or encouraged lookie-loo trespassers.

  • September 30, 2026

    Defamation Litigation Roundup: Candace Owens, Firm DQ

    In this month's review of defamation fights, Law360 highlights a new suit over right-wing media personality Candace Owens and her conspiracy theories about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, as well as Quinn Emanuel's disqualification from a suit against a former client.

  • September 30, 2026

    Newsom Signs Law Letting California Target Solo Monopolies

    California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill Wednesday that expands California's Cartwright Act to allow the state to pursue monopoly and monopsony claims against a solo company, instead of requiring multicompany coordinated conduct, saying the bill is "leveling the playing field" for small businesses. 

  • September 30, 2026

    Meta Fights 'Monster' Proposed $1.1B CIPA Judgment

    Meta has urged a California federal judge not to grant a partial final judgment of more than $1.1 billion against it for unlawfully obtaining sensitive data from users of the menstrual tracking app Flo, saying the judgment it criticized as "Frankenstein's monster" violates its due process rights.

  • September 30, 2026

    Joby Air Taxi Trade Secrets Suit Against Archer Trimmed

    A California federal judge has cleared Joby Aviation to advance a slimmed-down lawsuit alleging rival electric air-taxi developer Archer Aviation misappropriated its trade secrets, but again rejected Archer's counterclaims alleging Joby unfairly jockeyed for government contracts and concealed its pervasive China ties.

  • September 30, 2026

    23andMe Beats Calif.'s Bankruptcy Sale Privacy Challenge

    A Missouri federal judge on Tuesday denied California's bid to undo the $305 million bankruptcy sale of 23andMe over concerns that the sale sidestepped state consumer data protections, ruling that the state lacks standing to challenge the sale and that the court's "good-faith" findings aren't clearly erroneous.  

  • September 30, 2026

    Google Looks To Toss 'Implausible' Amended AI Spying Action

    Google is seeking to permanently end the third iteration of a proposed action alleging its "Smart Features" unlawfully give Gemini AI access to users' private correspondence, asserting Google's privacy policy allows it to automatically collect such communication data.

  • September 30, 2026

    Tort Report: Uber Owes $40M In Abandoned Rider Death Case

    A $40 million arbitration award in a case over an Uber incident and looming litigation against the federal government over a highly publicized U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raid on a Hyundai-LG plant in Georgia lead Law360's Tort Report, which compiles recent personal injury and medical malpractice news that may have flown under the radar.

  • September 30, 2026

    Monster Energy Bares Teeth Over Car Parts Co.'s Claw Mark

    Monster Energy has accused Monster Transmission of copying its "M" logo, complete with the claw and scratch design and bright green-and-black color scheme, and trading on the energy drink company's recognition and goodwill in the motorsports and automotive industry.

  • September 30, 2026

    Tech Co. Sensata Can't Duck Data Breach Class Action

    Sensata Technologies Inc. must face a lawsuit over a cybersecurity breach, a Massachusetts federal judge ruled Wednesday, finding that the industrial sensor technology company's former employees adequately pled that the ransomware attack has exposed them to a risk of identity theft.

  • September 30, 2026

    UC Davis Accused Of Gender Bias In Financial Aid To Athletes

    Current and former University of California, Davis women's equestrian team members upset with the athletic program's downgrade from Division I status are accusing the school of violating Title IX by giving female student-athletes proportionally "far less" financial aid.

  • September 30, 2026

    IP Notebook: AI Dilution, Alamo TM, India Copyright Ruling

    An unsettled copyright theory over competition from artificial intelligence-generated works and a trademark clash between Texas and an association representing descendants of those who fought at the Battle of the Alamo lead this edition of Law360's look at emerging copyright and trademark issues.

  • September 30, 2026

    Paramount Can't Ax Most Claims In Pluto TV Privacy Action

    A California federal judge Tuesday allowed seven claims to proceed in an amended action alleging Paramount Skydance Corp. unlawfully disclosed the personally identifiable information of children who streamed content on its Pluto TV service, finding the parents sufficiently alleged privacy injuries after an earlier dismissal.

  • September 30, 2026

    Relator Must Seek Part Of $4.7B Opioid Deal In State Courts

    A whistleblower must turn to state courts to pursue his bid for a portion of a $4.7 billion settlement between Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. and a group of states resolving opioid-related claims against the retail pharmacy chain, an Illinois federal judge ruled.

  • September 30, 2026

    3 States Ask High Court To Block Abortion Shield Laws

    Louisiana, Arkansas and Alabama urged the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday to strike down shield laws for reproductive care in New York, California and Massachusetts, alleging they illegally allow the mailing of abortion medication into states that restrict or ban abortion.

  • September 30, 2026

    Brothers Cop To Tax Crimes From Golf Side Hustle

    Twin brothers pled guilty to failing to report $1.3 million in income to the Internal Revenue Service, including money made from a golf tee-time brokering business they ran as a side hustle, California federal prosecutors said.

  • September 30, 2026

    Seyfarth Brings On Glaser Weil RE, Entertainment Pro In LA

    Seyfarth Shaw LLP has added an attorney specializing in the intersection of real estate and the entertainment industry to its downtown Los Angeles office from Glaser Weil Fink Howard Jordan & Shapiro LLP.

  • September 30, 2026

    EEOC Sues Staffing Firm Over 'ONLY H1B' Job Notice

    The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has sued an information technology recruiting firm over alleged discriminatory practices after the company allegedly broke off contact with an American applicant after he questioned the legality of the recruiting email designated "ONLY H1B."

  • September 30, 2026

    Split 9th Circ. Keeps Ariz. Land Swap In Place

    The Ninth Circuit won't rethink a decision to allow a 2,500-acre land exchange within Arizona's Tonto National Forest that tribal nations and conservation groups say will destroy a sacred Apache worship site, with several judges voicing opposition in a pair of dissents and a statement saying the circuit court's 2024 decision in the dispute was wrong.

  • September 29, 2026

    P&G Calif. Buyers Nab Class Cert. In Tampon Lead Suit

    A California federal judge Tuesday certified a class of consumers who allege that the Procter & Gamble Co. failed to disclose that its tampons contain unsafe amounts of lead.

  • September 29, 2026

    Social Media Cos., Teens Spar Over Evidence Ahead Of Trials

    Social media companies and teens who allege the companies harmed their mental health sparred in California state court Tuesday over what evidence jurors will hear in an upcoming round of bellwether trials, including whether jurors should hear purported instances of domestic violence in the teens' home lives.

  • September 29, 2026

    OpenAI Knew AI Was Rogue Before Hugging Face, Suit Says

    A public interest law nonprofit sued OpenAI in California state court Tuesday, seeking to hold the ChatGPT maker liable for a July cyberattack on Hugging Face, arguing OpenAI "straightforwardly violated California law" by failing to rein in hundreds of rogue AI agents that OpenAI knew were running amok without proper safeguards.

  • September 29, 2026

    En Banc 9th Circ. Mulls Copyright Test Change In Tattoo Case

    Counsel for a photographer who lost at trial over claims that a Kat Von D tattoo infringed his copyrighted photo of Miles Daves urged an en banc Ninth Circuit panel Tuesday to end the circuit's use of a subjective "intrinsic" test for juries to determine substantial similarity. 

Expert Analysis

  • Occupier Contract Strategies For Locking In Expansion Rights

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    In a market defined by record-setting demand, shrinking availability and rising rents, large commercial office occupiers must treat expansion space planning as a strategic priority, including by auditing existing rights, understanding the competitive landscape within their buildings and exploring creative lease provisions, says Josh Winefsky at HSF Kramer.

  • How State, Local Rules Are Expanding Debt Collection Reach

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    Consumer protection rules recently enacted by several states signal that the rules of debt collection are being rewritten at a pace that should command the attention of every creditor, servicer, debt buyer, collection agency and collection law firm operating across state lines, says Weldianne Scales at Reed Smith.

  • 2 AI Washing Rulings Apply Familiar Securities Fraud Rules

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    Two recent federal court decisions to allow AI washing complaints to proceed begin to clarify the line between nonactionable optimism and actionable misstatements by framing the core issue as not overstating the promise of artificial intelligence, but misrepresenting the current state of a company's products, say attorneys at WilmerHale.

  • A New Regulatory Environment For PE In Calif. Healthcare

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    The California Office of Health Care Affordability's proposed revisions to its cost and market impact review regulations, amid broader state scrutiny of private equity-backed healthcare arrangements, represent a qualitative shift in California's regulatory posture toward institutional healthcare investment, say attorneys at Ropes & Gray.

  • CFIUS' Mandate Misses Foreign Risk In Project Subcontracts

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    Recent calls for the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States to review equity transactions like the Paramount Skydance-Warner Bros. deal miss a consequential oversight gap — CFIUS' inability to review the subcontracting layer of U.S. infrastructure projects, says Thibaut Giret at Alstef Group.

  • AI Governance Tips For Avoiding Securities Suits

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    A recent securities class action in California federal court against lending platform Upstart highlights how statements about artificial intelligence are increasingly being scrutinized not only by regulators, but also by shareholders, meaning companies should ensure oversight frameworks keep pace with the technology, say attorneys at Akerman.

  • How Cos. Can Prep For Ultra-Processed Food Legal Risks

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    A wave of litigation and government scrutiny directed against ultra-processed foods is now gaining momentum, following patterns seen previously in other industries — and food companies that recognize those patterns early will be better positioned to manage the increasing risks, say attorneys at Arnold & Porter.

  • Series

    Bass Fishing Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Landing a trophy striped bass and closing a big deal both require cultivating the patience to finesse — not force — your way to desired outcomes, changing course when your old approach isn’t working and learning from the ones that got away, says Jon Ruiss at Alston & Bird.

  • Roundup

    The Most Talked-About Supreme Court Decisions Of 2026

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    This term, 11 U.S. Supreme Court decisions quickly became hot topics among Law360's guest writers.

  • Pregnancy Bias Suits Highlight EEOC's Expanding Reach

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    Recent U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission suits show that enactment of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act has drawn scrutiny to a wider range of employment decisions and an increasing focus on individual decisions as indicators of whether an employer's policies comply with evolving federal requirements, say attorneys at Krevolin Horst.

  • Series

    Calif. Banking Brief: All The Notable Legal Updates In Q2

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    The year's second quarter brought several noteworthy financial services developments to California, including activity around a commercial finance oversight bill, the former Consumer Financial Protection Bureau head's appointment to lead a new consumer agency, and a ruling reinforcing viable bank-fintech partnerships, say attorneys at Manatt.

  • What Ex-CFPB Head's Calif. Role May Foretell For Oversight

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    California Gov. Gavin Newsom's selection of former Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Rohit Chopra to lead a new consumer agency signals tougher state financial services oversight, especially for fintechs, as well as heightened enforcement activity and larger penalties, say attorneys at WilmerHale.

  • Justices Stand On Statutory Specifics In Cisco And Landor

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    With its June 23 decisions in Cisco Systems Inc. v. Doe and Landor v. Louisiana Department of Corrections and Public Safety, the U.S. Supreme Court doubled down on the critical point that the statute invoked in a federal claim must authorize a private lawsuit and the remedy sought, says Patrick Judd at Phelps Dunbar.

  • Immigration Ruling Maps Alternative To Universal Injunctions

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    A Rhode Island federal court's decision in Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island v. USCIS vacating policies that froze key immigration adjudications for nationals of 39 countries, and paused asylum applications altogether, suggests how practitioners might press for the Administrative Procedure Act's bad faith exception to record review and seek vacatur as a viable alternative to universal injunctions, says Kemal Hepsen at Mandamus Lawyers.

  • A Potential Turning Point For Short-And-Distort Claims

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    A California federal jury's conviction of Andrew Left signals that the historically blurry line between securities fraud and legitimate criticism of companies is growing clearer, and that there is a viable recourse against so-called short-and-distort campaigns intended to create a false impression of the market, say attorneys at Baker McKenzie.

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