U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit
Court says cost awards should be based on total circumstances
By John Roemer
Losing litigants in federal civil cases aren't automatically liable for the prevailing party's costs, a 9th U.S. Circuit Court...
Litigation
9th Circuit limits extent of states’ power over arbitration agreements
By Michael Leen
The 9th Circuit significantly limits California's power to restrict the enforcement of arbitration agreements and class action...
Intellectual Property
Patent office declares Westinghouse's patent invalid
By Paul Jones
Solar installation equipment company Zep Solar scored a victory over rival Westinghouse Solar after the U.S. Patent and Tradem...
Securities class-action settlements in 2011 dropped to the lowest level in a decade - in both total number and dollar value - ...
The country's largest pension fund has lowered its estimated rate of return on investments, forcing the state, local governmen...
Fenwick & West LLP partners Douglas N. Cogen and Kris S. Withrow advised San Jose-based Cisco Systems Inc. on its proposed...
California Courts of Appeal
Governor vetting at least 5 nominees for 6th District seats
By Laura Ernden
A year after the first of two vacancies opened on the 6th District Court of Appeal, at least five people are reportedly being ...
Senate leaders reached an agreement Wednesday on stalled judicial nominees, apparently paving the way for Los Angeles federal ...
Alston & Bird LLP slightly expanded its digs in downtown Los Angeles' Bank of America Plaza to 80,000 square feet on three...
Law Practice
As class actions are squeezed, Lieff Cabraser branches out
By Jill Redhage
Lawyers at Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein LLP have noticed the challenges facing consumer class actions, their bread a...
In a year brimming with social media IPOs, Cooley LLP stood at the forefront, helping to lead companies like popular gaming si...
The hot spotlight on wins in the big Wal-Mart Stores Inc. class action and the attack on Proposition 8 illuminate Gibson, Dunn...
It took Richard E. Climan just two years to turn Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP into Silicon Valley's powerhouse M&A law firm. ...
With De Beers, it was a monopoly on diamonds. With vitamin makers, price-fixing. No matter the transgression, Lieff Cabraser H...
As lead bankruptcy counsel for the city of Vallejo, Orrick put together a team of lawyers from relevant practices, including p...
A look at how Thomas Turner, managing partner of Procopio, has fended off countless merger proposals and kept the 120-lawyer S...
As many homegrown law firms reduced attorney headcount or remained flat in reaction to the stagnant economy, a handful of out-...
Perspective
After AT&T Mobility LLC v. Concepcion — a year in review
By Karen Natividadn
Courts continue to wrestle with arbitration agreements post-Concepcion. By Rodger R. Cole and Guinevere L. Jobson of Fe...
Texas-based Dell Inc. again turned to Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP for an acquisition that moves the company away from its traditio...
Research in Motion challenges a company's attempt to trademark "Crackberry" phrases. By Scott Plamondon of Weintraub Genshlea ...
Judges and Judiciary
Federal criminal filings spike in Southern District
By Robert Iafolla
Federal criminal filings are down all over California except in the state's San Diego-based Southern District, according to st...
Mergers & Acquisitions
Taleo hit with class action over $1.9 billion sale to Oracle
By Saul Sugarman
A group of investors in a Dublin, Calif.-based software producer have lodged a proposed class action against the company's exe...
The city of Hercules has settled a $4.1 million lawsuit over redevelopment bond service. Officials say the deal will allow the...
Perspective
Probate battles: Where there’s a will, there’s a relative
By Sharon Liangn
Strategies for avoiding probate litigation in intra-family conflicts. By Elaine Rushing of JAMS ...
Law Practice
Paul Hastings wants Brobeck's claims moved to district court
By Kevin Lee
Paul Hastings LLP has requested that unfinished business claims against the firm related to the 2003 bankruptcy of Brobeck, Ph...
Another effort to extend expiring renewable energy incentives failed in the U.S. Senate Tuesday. ...
Oracle Corp.'s patent and copyright trial against Google Inc. over the alleged infringement of its Java programming language w...
Public Interest
Private groups pitch in to aid defendants in collaborative courts
By Don Debenedictisn
Momentum is gaining for a handful of private, nonprofit groups that assist people going through programs like drug court or ve...
Seeking to limit what employees say about them on Twitter and Facebook, companies have added a slew of restrictive clauses to ...