California Pulse


  • Calif. Panel Probes Disbarring Eastman Over 2020 Election

    An appeals panel appeared unlikely Wednesday to reverse a California State Bar judge's finding that John Eastman, a former attorney for President Donald Trump, engaged in misconduct when he tried to overturn the results of the 2020 election, but questioned whether disbarment is the appropriate punishment.

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    Plaintiffs Attys Fight Arbitration, While Imposing It On Clients

    Plaintiffs attorney groups have for decades lobbied against forced arbitration, saying it strips injured consumers and aggrieved workers of their right to jury trial and hides corporate misconduct from public view. But many plaintiffs lawyers nationwide have subjected their own clients to forced arbitration in their retainer contracts — including leaders of some organizations that forbid the practice, Law360 has found.

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    Ex-Lewis Brisbois Hospitality Ace Joins Signature Resolution

    Alternative dispute resolution service Signature Resolution is bringing in a recently retired Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP hospitality industry litigator to join its panel of neutrals.

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    Alston & Bird Securities Litigator Joins Katten In Calif.

    Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP added a former Alston & Bird LLP securities litigation partner whom one firm leader has hoped to hire after a stint working together decades ago.

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    Robbins Geller Escapes Sanctions In Gas Price-Fixing Suit

    A California federal judge on Wednesday rejected a bid to sanction Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP attorneys in a gas price-fixing suit, determining that the firm didn't act in bad faith or unreasonably multiply proceedings in a way that unnecessarily cost Alon USA Energy millions.

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    EEOC Bid For Law Firm DEI Info On Shaky Ground, Attys Say

    The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's recent call for law firms to cough up a trove of information about their diversity, equity and inclusion programs lacks statutory authority and may contravene federal law, according to experts from both sides of the aisle.

  • Law360 Announces The Members Of Its 2025 Editorial Boards

    Law360 is pleased to announce the formation of its 2025 Editorial Advisory Boards.

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    Six Takeaways From California's State Of The Judiciary

    California Supreme Court Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero gave an annual State of the Judiciary address to Golden State legislators Tuesday that highlighted the judicial branch's independence and commitment to providing "fair and impartial justice," while putting less attention than in years past on policies that support diversity and inclusion.

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    How BigLaw Is Tweaking Diversity Messaging Amid Pushback

    As the Trump administration intensifies its scrutiny of diversity programs, some of the nation's leading law firms are quietly adjusting how they publicly present their diversity commitments, including softening language, scrubbing diversity reports, and, in some cases, erasing diversity pages altogether.

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    Eisner Lands 2 Reed Smith Entertainment Pros In NY, Calif.

    Business and entertainment firm Eisner LLP announced Tuesday that it has hired two attorneys from Reed Smith LLP to enhance its capacity to negotiate entertainment industry transactions.

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    Maynard Nexsen Adds 5 Constangy Employment Attys In LA

    Maynard Nexsen PC has brought a 5-lawyer team from labor and employment firm Constangy Brooks Smith & Prophete LLP to its Los Angeles office, bringing on a team that is experienced in management-side employment law and can converse in six languages.

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    Dem Ex-EEOC Officials Call Law Firm DEI Letters Overreach

    A group of Democratic-appointed former U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission officials urged acting Chair Andrea Lucas on Tuesday to rescind letters seeking information from 20 law firms about their diversity, equity and inclusion practices, saying she had exceeded the agency's power.

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    Semiconductor Co. AMD Paid GC Nearly $16.9M In '24

    Semiconductor manufacturer Advanced Micro Devices Inc.'s legal chief made nearly $16.9 million in her first year with the company, including a $2 million sign-on bonus, according to a recent filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

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    Debevoise Atty Goes In-House As TPG's Legal Chief

    Global asset manager TPG announced Monday that it has hired Debevoise & Plimpton LLP partner Jennifer Chu to take over as its chief legal officer and general counsel, saying her deep "experience, leadership expertise and judgment" are an ideal match for the rapidly expanding firm.

  • Ex-Avenatti Clients Resolve Fight Over Seized Honda Jet

    Two of Michael Avenatti's former clients have settled their dispute over ownership interest and an insurance policy covering a $4.4 million Honda jet that the disgraced attorney allegedly purchased with stolen client funds, according to a notice filed in California federal court.

  • Wayne Gretzky Suing Co-Investor For Malicious Prosecution

    NHL legend Wayne Gretzky and his wife filed a lawsuit in California state court against a co-investor in a failed weight-loss business, whom he alleges lodged a meritless suit against him in 2022 to "score a quick payday" after accusing him of contributing to the demise of the company.

  • Judge Ikuta's Sr. Status Plans Give Trump 9th Circ. Opening

    U.S. Circuit Judge Sandra Segal Ikuta of the Ninth Circuit will be taking semi-retired status upon appointment of her successor, a court representative confirmed to Law360 on Monday.

  • X Corp. Says Dismissal, Sanctions Go Together In Bonus Suit

    A former X Corp. senior director of compensation engaged in "vexatious conduct" that should not allow him to drop his suit claiming unpaid bonuses without sanctions, the social media platform told a California federal judge.

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    20 Law Firms Face EEOC Demands For DEI Employment Info

    The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has written to 20 law firms seeking information about their diversity, equity and inclusion-related employment practices, the agency announced Monday.

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    Sheppard Mullin's CIO Jumps To Lewis Brisbois In Calif.

    Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP's longtime chief information officer has left to take the same role at Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP, the latter firm announced Monday.

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    How Public Companies Are Changing Their DEI Disclosures

    So far in 2025, public companies appear to be adjusting to new legal and regulatory pressures surrounding diversity issues, with some jettisoning all mention of DEI in their disclosures and others maintaining broad commitments to equity in their operations, according to a study released on Monday.

  • Vorys Releases Labor-Focused AI Tool For Its Attys, HR Pros

    Vorys Sater Seymour and Pease LLP announced Monday the launch of an in-house agentic artificial intelligence product designed to help its attorneys and human resources professionals answer questions regarding federal, state and local employment laws.

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    Ogletree Adds Ex-Aleshire & Wynder Practice Leader

    Labor and employment firm Ogletree Deakins Nash Smoak & Stewart PC announced Monday that it has hired the former leader of Aleshire & Wynder LLP's Oakland, California, office and employment litigation practice to ramp up its efforts to serve public-sector clients and others.

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    Clearway Energy GC's Compensation Rose To $1.4M In '24

    Compensation for the New Jersey-based general counsel of San Francisco-headquartered Clearway Energy climbed to about $1.4 million in 2024, according to a recent proxy statement.

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    Littler Elects 6 New Members To Board Of Directors

    Littler Mendelson PC has elected six new members to its 19-member, 2025 board of directors, the management-side employment and labor law firm announced Monday.

Expert Analysis

  • Making Legal Cents: Firm Culture Is The New Game Plan Author Photo

    Law firm culture is often dismissed as a soft factor — merely platitudes on a website that seem disconnected from the bottom line — but by intentionally embedding a strong culture into day-to-day operations, law firms can achieve sustainable success, says Shireen Hilal at Maior Strategic Consulting.

  • 5 Questions Firms Must Ask For Successful Lateral Integration Author Photo

    To ensure that lateral partners effectively integrate their books of business, firms should design a structured transition plan based on a few fundamentals, from tracking the right data to implementing meaningful incentives, says Lana Manganiello at Practice Growth Partner.

  • Goldilocks Solution: Why The 4-Day Office Week Is Just Right Author Photo

    As law firms continue to wrestle with return-to-office policies, many are being pulled toward one or the other of two extremes: the rigidity of a five-day in-office schedule and the laissez-faire approach of a flexible three-day hybrid model — but a four-day in-office workweek may be the sweet spot, says Paul Manuele at PR Manuele Consulting.

  • As Attys Adopt Generative AI, 3 Elements Should Be Cardinal Author Photo

    As the legal world increasingly adopts generative artificial intelligence, lawyers and firms must develop and utilize strong prompting skills, keep a pulse on forthcoming tech evolutions, and remain steadfast to ethical obligations, say Michele Carney at Carney & Marchi and Marty Robles-Avila at BAL.

  • Rethinking 'No Comment' For Clients Facing Public Crises Author Photo

    “No comment” is no longer a cost-free or even a viable public communications strategy for companies in crisis, and counsel must tailor their guidance based on a variety of competing factors to help clients emerge successfully, says Robert Bowers at Moore & Van Allen.

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    Biz Development Tip Of The Month: Prioritize Connections Author Photo

    One reason business development in the legal industry seems so mysterious is because human relationships are so complex, but lawyers can reorient their thinking in two important ways to drive the process of connecting with new colleagues and contacts, say Jamie Lawless and Angela Quinn at Husch Blackwell.

  • Overcoming US Law Firms' Hesitancy To Enter Indian Market Author Photo

    Successful private equity exits with strong returns have solidified India's buyout market as an increasingly attractive destination for future investments, offering compelling reasons for the U.S. legal community to overcome its caution on the country's markets, says Vaishali Movva at Eimer Stahl.

  • Biz Development Tip Of The Month: Make A Plan For The Year Author Photo

    While firms are busy allocating resources and assessing client demand, individual attorneys should use the start of the year to slow down and create a personal business plan, which can be accomplished with a few steps, say Elizabeth Gooch, Teri Robshaw and Chris Newman at McDermott.

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    Talking Mental Health: Caring For Everyone As A Firm Leader Author Photo

    Reid Phillips at Brooks Pierce discusses how he manages the pressure of running a law firm, how sources of stress in the legal industry have changed over the past decade, and what firm leaders should do to help manage burnout and mental health issues among employees.

  • How Firms Can Use LinkedIn To Aid Marketing Efforts In 2025 Author Photo

    LinkedIn has several features law firms can use to showcase their capabilities and thought leadership to reach prospective and existing clients, including the Event and Live features, says Sofia Millar at Reputation Ink.

  • Talking Mental Health: Managing Emotions In Trauma Cases Author Photo

    Nikki Hurtado at The Ferraro Law Firm discusses what motivates her to represent victims of catastrophic injuries, how she copes with the emotional toll of such cases, and what other attorneys taking on similar cases can do to protect their mental well-being.

  • Strategies For Successful Law Firm Mergers In 2025 Author Photo

    Law firms are expected to continue consolidating in the year to come, and because these mergers require a different kind of playbook, firm leaders must carefully consider office culture nuances, professional services economics and talent retention strategy before any merger, say directors at FTI Consulting.

  • Making Legal Cents: Winning More Work In A Crowded Market Author Photo

    In a market where clients have more options, tighter budgets and higher expectations, firms must figure out how to differentiate themselves without discounting their rates, and several practical strategies for pitching, pricing and early-engagement communication can help, says Shireen Hilal at Maior Strategic Consulting.

  • Best Practices For Implementing Firm Revenue Cycle Roles Author Photo

    Law firm revenue cycles are becoming more complex and time-consuming, but hiring dedicated revenue cycle personnel can help streamline the process and reduce the burden on attorneys, says Christine Indiano at Harbor Global.

  • Tips For Constructing Your Small-Law Exit Strategy Author Photo

    By initiating planning and processes to evaluate personal retirement goals and firm value early, longtime solo practitioners and small-firm owners can unlock a range of possibilities and potential buyers, setting up for a profitable exit and a rewarding transition, says Brent Daub at Gilson Daub.

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