California

  • October 31, 2024

    Firms' Hiring Strategies Are Evolving In Fight For Top Spot

    Competition for top talent among elite law firms shows no signs of slowing down, even amid economic uncertainty, with financially strong firms deploying aggressive strategies to attract and retain skilled professionals to solidify their market position.

  • October 31, 2024

    Meta Says CFPB Mulling Enforcement Action Over Advertising

    Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, said Thursday that it is facing a potential Consumer Financial Protection Bureau enforcement action following an agency probe into financial-related advertising on its platform.

  • October 30, 2024

    'Vague' Witness Sinks Green Materials Co. Investor Suit

    A California federal judge dismissed an investor suit Tuesday filed against a maker of sustainable materials alleging it failed to disclose a change in direction in its manufacturing plans and a delay in building a new plant, saying the suit relies heavily on statements of a confidential witness that are "fatally vague."

  • October 30, 2024

    Calif. Panel Axes $10.6M Abex Asbestos Verdict

    A California appellate panel has thrown out a $10.6 million asbestos verdict against Pneumo Abex LLC and ordered a new trial, finding that the trial court erred in granting a directed verdict that rejected the now-bankrupt braking lining manufacturer's sophisticated user defense.

  • October 30, 2024

    9th Circ. Says Calif. City Can't Sue State Over Housing Laws

    The Ninth Circuit refused to revive the city of Huntington Beach, California's challenge to Golden State laws requiring it to build a certain number of housing units to keep up with population growth, writing in an order Wednesday that the city lacked standing to sue the state in federal court.

  • October 30, 2024

    Dole Whip Buyer Says Labels Belie Artificial Ingredients

    Dole Food Co. falsely lauds its Dole Whip products as containing "no artificial ingredients," despite the sweet snacks containing manufactured citric acid and other artificial additives, according to a consumer's proposed class action filed Wednesday in California federal court.

  • October 30, 2024

    Judge Quizzes Attys As $1.5M Mascara TM Trial Wraps

    A California federal judge quizzed counsel during bench trial closings Wednesday in Benefit Cosmetics' $1.49 million lawsuit alleging e.l.f. Cosmetics' "Lash 'N Roll" mascara ripped off Benefit's blockbuster "Roller Lash" mascara, questioning why Benefit didn't conduct a consumer survey and asking whether it matters that Benefit inspired e.l.f.'s product.

  • October 30, 2024

    PayPal Says CFPB Is Probing Its Credit Product, Digital Wallets

    PayPal has disclosed that it received an investigative demand from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau over its PayPal Credit-branded product, as well as digital wallet payment options.

  • October 30, 2024

    Capital One Says It Disclosed Sale Of Consumer Account Data

    Capital One has urged a California federal judge to toss a proposed class action alleging that it surreptitiously disclosed the personal financial information of millions of consumers to Meta, Google, Microsoft and other third parties without consumers' consent, saying it "fully disclosed" to customers the bank's use of routine marketing and analytics software. 

  • October 30, 2024

    Realtor.com's Parent Can Amend Costar Claims, Judge Rules

    A federal judge has ruled that Realtor.com's parent company can amend two claims alleging its rival Costar unlawfully accessed its computers but that it would not be limited in its Computer Fraud and Abuse Act claim to arguing that it suffered "technological harms."

  • October 30, 2024

    LA Times Owner Faces Investor Suit Over Drug Co.'s Woes

    Officers and directors of biotechnology company ImmunityBio Inc., including L.A. Times owner Patrick Soon-Shiong, face a shareholder's derivative complaint alleging the company concealed issues affecting a path to regulatory approval for one of its key product candidates.

  • October 30, 2024

    Judge Finds Some Patent Claims Indefinite In Chip Fight

    A California federal judge has found that some of the claims in HD Silicon Solutions LLC patents it accused semiconductor company Microchip Technology Inc. of infringing are invalid, ruling they are not specific enough.

  • October 30, 2024

    Calif. Agency Targets Data Brokers Over Registry Mandate

    The California Privacy Protection Agency revealed Wednesday that it's cracking down on data brokers' compliance with the registration requirements of a groundbreaking consumer data deletion law, stressing that it won't hesitate to impose hefty fines on those that are falling short. 

  • October 30, 2024

    DOI Invests $46M In Klamath Basin Restoration

    The U.S. Department of the Interior on Wednesday unveiled nearly $46 million in investments from the bipartisan infrastructure law for ecosystem restoration activities in the drought-prone Klamath River Basin of Southern Oregon and Northern California. 

  • October 30, 2024

    Ex-Ford Models CEO Can't Arbitrate Sex Misconduct Suit

    A California appeals court won't let the former CEO of Ford Models send a woman's suit brought under a state sex trafficking law to arbitration, saying her allegations don't fall within the scope of the arbitration agreement she signed.

  • October 30, 2024

    Eyelash Biz Wants Albright To Triple $31M Patent Verdict

    A California company that sells do-it-yourself eyelash extension kits is asking U.S. District Judge Alan Albright to triple a nearly $31 million willful patent infringement verdict against a Chinese rival that "intentionally flooded the market with 632 models of infringing products."

  • October 30, 2024

    Biopharma Co. Can't Knock Ex-CFO's Bias Suit Out Of Court

    A biopharmaceutical development company can't kick a fired executive's bias suit to arbitration, a California federal judge said, ruling that the harassment she said she faced on the job was gendered enough to invoke a federal law curbing out-of-court-resolutions of sex harassment claims.

  • October 30, 2024

    Jury Finds Importer Didn't Report $17M On Tax Returns

    A Los Angeles jury found an importer of Chinese clothing guilty of skirting more than $8 million in customs duties and failing to report more than $17 million in cash transactions on tax returns, federal prosecutors in California announced Wednesday.

  • October 30, 2024

    State AGs Ask Congress For Federal Price-Gouging Ban

    Attorneys general from 15 states and the District of Columbia sent a letter to House and Senate leaders Wednesday urging Congress to adopt national protections against price-gouging.

  • October 30, 2024

    Rap Producer Metro Boomin Accused Of Rape In Calif. Suit

    Grammy-nominated rap and hip-hop producer Metro Boomin was sued in California state court Tuesday for allegedly raping a woman who visited his recording studio in 2016, resulting in an unwanted pregnancy and an abortion.

  • October 30, 2024

    Southwest Seeks To Dismantle Military Leave Class

    Southwest Airlines urged a California federal judge to disassemble a nearly 3,000-member class of workers who say the company violated federal law by failing to pay them for short stints of military leave, saying new evidence shows there are too many individualized issues to warrant class treatment.

  • October 30, 2024

    Keurig Dr Pepper Sued Over 'Naturally Flavored' Ginger Ale

    Keurig Dr Pepper faces a proposed class action filed in California federal court accusing it of mislabeling its Schweppes and Canada Dry brands of ginger ale beverages as only containing "natural flavors" while they actually contain a synthetic chemical to mimic the taste of ginger.

  • October 30, 2024

    Historic World Series Prompts Flagrant IP Theft, MLB Says

    A World Series matchup between two of baseball's most storied franchises has fueled a boom in sales of counterfeit apparel, Major League Baseball's media arm has told a New York federal court, identifying several pockets of New York City as hubs for the illicit merchandise.

  • October 30, 2024

    Calif. Judge Scolded For Public Fight Over School Renaming

    A California state judge has been publicly disciplined for leading a monthslong crusade against the renaming of his old high school, during which he spoke at rallies and fundraisers, called opponents "morons" on social media and generally "demeaned the judicial office."

  • October 30, 2024

    O'Neill Brand Owner Says La Jolla Flouted Pre-Sale Deal

    The owner and maker of O'Neill sportswear accessories is suing La Jolla Sport in California federal court over claims it breached a longstanding agreement that requires the company to provide certain due diligence information so the plaintiff can finalize a planned sale of the O'Neill brand.

Expert Analysis

  • Considerations As State AGs Step Up Privacy Enforcement

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    As new state privacy laws take effect, businesses are facing an increasingly complex patchwork of compliance obligations and risk of scrutiny by attorneys general, but companies can gain a competitive edge by building consumer trust and staying ahead of regulatory trends, say Ann-Marie Luciano and Meghan Stoppel at Cozen O’Connor.

  • 9th Circ. Ruling Flags Work Harassment Risks Of Social Media

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    The recent Ninth Circuit ruling in Okonowsky v. Garland, holding an employer could be liable for a co-worker's harassing social media posts, highlights new challenges in technology-centered and remote workplaces, and underscores an employer's obligation to prevent hostile environments wherever their employees clock in, say Jennifer Lada and Phillip Schreiber at Holland & Knight.

  • Lessons From Rising Fake Discount Consumer Class Actions

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    Ellen Robbins and Scott Allbright at Akerman discuss the rise of false reference price consumer class actions and outline key strategies to minimize legal risk and protect businesses.

  • Mirror, Mirror On The Wall, Is My Counterclaim Bound To Fall?

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    A Pennsylvania federal court’s recent dismissal of the defendants’ counterclaims in Morgan v. Noss should remind attorneys to avoid the temptation to repackage a claim’s facts and law into a mirror-image counterclaim, as this approach will often result in a waste of time and resources, says Matthew Selmasska at Kaufman Dolowich.

  • Daubert Motion Trends In Patent Cases Reveal Damages Shift

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    A review of all 2023 Daubert decisions in patent cases reveals certain trends and insights, and highlights the complexity and diversity in these cases, particularly in relation to lost profits and reasonable royalty damages opinions, say Sherry Zhang and Joanne Johnson at Ocean Tomo.

  • Why The SEC Is Targeting Short-And-Distort Schemes

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    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's recent crackdown on the illegal practice of short-and-distort trades highlights the urgent need for public companies to adopt proactive measures, including pursuing private rights of action, say attorneys at Baker McKenzie.

  • How High Court Ruling Is Shaping Homelessness Policies

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    The U.S. Supreme Court’s June decision in Grants Pass v. Johnson to allow enforcement of local ordinances against overnight camping is already spurring new policies to manage homelessness, but the court's ruling does not grant jurisdictions unfettered power, say Kathryn Kafka and Alex Merritt at Sheppard Mullin.

  • Series

    Playing Dungeons & Dragons Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Playing Dungeons & Dragons – a tabletop role-playing game – helped pave the way for my legal career by providing me with foundational skills such as persuasion and team building, says Derrick Carman at Robins Kaplan.

  • Gilead Drug Ruling Creates Corporate Governance Dilemma

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    If upheld, a California state appellate court's decision — finding that Gilead is liable for delaying commercialization of a safer HIV drug to maximize profits on another drug — threatens to undermine long-standing rules of corporate law and exposes companies to liability for decisions based on sound business judgment, says Shireen Barday at Pallas.

  • Class Action Law Makes An LLC A 'Jurisdictional Platypus'

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    The applicability of Section 1332(d)(10) of the Class Action Fairness Act is still widely misunderstood — and given the ambiguous nature of limited liability companies, the law will likely continue to confound courts and litigants — so parties should be prepared for a range of outcomes, says Andrew Gunem at Strauss Borrelli.

  • 3 Notes For Arbitration Agreements After Calif. Ruling

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    After last month's California Supreme Court decision in Ramirez v. Charter Communications invalidated several arbitration clauses in the company's employee contracts as unconscionable, companies should ensure their own arbitration agreements steer clear of three major pitfalls identified by the court, say attorneys at Cooley.

  • Jarkesy Ruling May Redefine Jury Role In Patent Fraud

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    Regardless of whether the U.S. Supreme Court’s Jarkesy ruling implicates the direction of inequitable conduct, which requires showing that the patentee made material statements or omissions to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the decision has created opportunities for defendants to argue more substantively for jury trials than ever before, say attorneys at Cadwalader.

  • 3 Leadership Practices For A More Supportive Firm Culture

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    Traditional leadership styles frequently amplify the inherent pressures of legal work, but a few simple, time-neutral strategies can strengthen the skills and confidence of employees and foster a more collaborative culture, while supporting individual growth and contribution to organizational goals, says Benjamin Grimes at BKG Leadership.

  • E-Discovery Quarterly: Rulings On Hyperlinked Documents

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    Recent rulings show that counsel should engage in early discussions with clients regarding the potential of hyperlinked documents in electronically stored information, which will allow for more deliberate negotiation of any agreements regarding the scope of discovery, say attorneys at Sidley.

  • Loper Bright Limits Federal Agencies' Ability To Alter Course

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    The U.S. Supreme Court's recent decision to dismantle Chevron deference also effectively overrules its 2005 decision in National Cable & Telecommunications Association v. Brand X, greatly diminishing agencies' ability to change regulatory course from one administration to the next, says Steven Gordon at Holland & Knight.

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