Law Practice
Freshfields hires prominent corporate lawyers to open Silicon Valley office
By Craig Anderson
A London-based international law firm poached five partners from Silicon Valley powerhouses for its first West Coast office.
Potentially reshaping how local governments impose new taxes, the 1st District Court of Appeal confirmed citizen-proposed tax ...
Government, Criminal
Interim federal public defender appointed in Central District of California
By Gina Kim
Cuauhtemoc Ortega is the first Latino to lead the office. He had been a deputy federal public defender since 2010.
U.S. senators say they will work across the aisle to add more federal judgeships as crushing caseloads overwhelm judicial offi...
Judges and Judiciary, Government
State courts get $200M cut, but $953M for construction remains
By Malcolm Maclachlan
The final budget cuts $176.9 million in General Fund support for trial courts and another $23.1 million from the state judiciary.
The Judicial Council is asking the public to comment next week on proposed revisions to California’s criminal jury instruction...
U.S. Supreme Court, Civil Litigation, Alternative Dispute Resolution
Supreme Court lets stand ruling vacating arbitrator’s award
By Blaise Scemama
The possibility that a part-owner might cater to one of the company’s frequent clients was the grounds for the circuit majorit...
Criminal
A frank conversation about race and change in our criminal justice system
By Ilan Isaacs
Proposed reforms to the criminal justice system in American have broad implications for the work of judges, prosecutors, defen...
Labor/Employment, Civil Litigation, California Supreme Court
Delta’s pay system doesn’t short flight attendants: court
By Jessica Mach
The pay system that Delta Air Lines uses to compensate flight attendants satisfies California's minimum wage laws, even those ...
Government, Data Privacy, Administrative/Regulatory
Despite confusion, AG begins privacy act enforcement
By Craig Anderson
State Attorney General Xavier Becerra’s office will start enforcing the California Consumer Privacy Act on Wednesday as attorn...
Labor/Employment, Environmental & Energy, Criminal
PG&E battles to seal employee names in grand jury transcripts
By Gina Kim
Lawyers for Pacific Gas & Electric Co. are fighting to keep secret the names of 22 employees mentioned in criminal grand j...
Civil Litigation, Antitrust & Trade Reg.
Class action accuses energy traders of inflating gas prices
By Winston Cho
Two energy trading firms allegedly inflated gasoline prices in California through a complex scheme that might have cost consum...
State Bar & Bar Associations
California watches Washington state end nonlawyer licensing
By Henrik Nilsson
The Washington Supreme Court suspended licensing of new applicants for its program because of high costs and few participants,...
Government, California Courts of Appeal
Santa Monica tentatively wins reversal of voting ruling
By Blaise Scemama
A judge erred when she found the city of Santa Monica's at-large voting structure diluted Latino votes and ordered it to adopt...
Judges and Judiciary, Civil Litigation
LA, San Bernardino civil filings halved during shutdown
By Justin Kloczko
Los Angeles County Superior Court new case filings decreased by 56% compared to the same time period last year, while filings ...
Criminal
Reducing lockup population for virus was insufficient test of bail reform, lawyers say
By Tyler Pialet
In the two months since state courts adopted a zero bail schedule for most misdemeanor and felony offenses, more than 20,000 d...
Government, Environmental & Energy
Bill to allow state takeover of PG&E heads to Senate floor
By Malcolm Maclachlan
Senators opposing the bill raised questions about the state’s authority to take over a private company and potentially saddle ...
The establishment of several law clinics at the school is one of Stephen Ferruolo’s proudest achievements.
U.S. Supreme Court, Administrative/Regulatory
Ruling on CFPB could create more uncertainty
By Craig Anderson
The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to give the president the right to fire the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s director ...
Government, Criminal
State bills aim to increase access to police records, defer 911 calls
By Malcolm Maclachlan
SB 776 would expand this access to “all records” relating to police use of force, dishonesty, sexual misconduct, race and gend...
Judges and Judiciary
Judge Charlene Kiesselbach of San Francisco retires after 25 years
By Winston Cho
San Francisco Superior Court Judge Charlene Padovani Kiesselbach retires today after 25 years on the bench.
Days after Cormac J. Carney relinquished his post as chief judge over comments he made that were seen as racially insensitive,...
Ventura's Myers Widders shares personal loss and court victories with county residents.
Civil Litigation, Antitrust & Trade Reg.
State, plaintiffs object to Sutter Health’s bid to delay settlement approval
By Craig Anderson
Sutter Health attorneys said the financial impact of COVID-19 on its business has changed everything.
Legal Education
Berkeley, Irvine law schools to hold classes remotely in the fall
By Craig Anderson
UC Berkeley School of Law and UC Irvine School of Law announced Friday that most or all of their classes will be taught online...
Law Practice, Labor/Employment, Civil Rights
Firm will focus on police brutality and protest cases
By Kamila Knaudt
Mika M. Hilaire launched Equal Rights Law Group, a firm based in Sherman Oaks specializing in civil rights and employment law.
Immigration, Government, 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals
9th Circuit panel finds transfer of $2.5B for border wall unlawful
By Gina Kim
Last year, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra sued to block the funds transfer.
The ACLU of Southern California and the First Amendment Coalition sued Kern County officials Friday, alleging they are unconst...
Judges and Judiciary, Criminal
Jurors being summoned for trials across California
By Blaise Scemama
Jury services across the state are resuming after months of delay, but with varying social distancing solutions, the Californi...
Despite a steep request for attorney fees, Facebook's $40 million settlement with advertisers who say they overpaid for ads on...