A weekly roundup of lateral attorney moves, law firm office openings and partner promotions from around California.
Santa Barbara County Judge James Rigali has sought help when in unfamiliar legal territory.
Judge Michael Fitzgerald broke boundaries and now helps the next generation follow his lead.
Judges and Judiciary
Appellate justices get mixed results at state Supreme Court
By Emily Green
With four decisions overturned by the state Supreme Court, Justices Conrad L. Rushing, Eugene M. Premo and Franklin D. Elia of...
E-discovery is here to stay - and ethical obligations will follow. ...
With the recent announcement of discussions between Locke Lord LLP and Edwards Wildman Palmer LLP, an overview of law firm com...
Perspective
Could 3 little words expand reach of state securities laws?
By Katharine Malonen
Little discussed is the reach of California's securities statutes. By Timothy P. Crudo ...
Hewlett-Packard Co.'s Russian subsidiary bribed Russian government officials to win big technology contracts and will pay a $5...
Ethics/Professional Responsibility
Judge sets trial date in malpractice suit against Paul Hastings
By Matt Hamilton
A Superior Court judge set a March 16 trial date Wednesday in a legal malpractice suit claiming $370 million in damages becaus...
A mediator and arbitrator for the past several years, Arendt relies on his extensive knowledge of injury cases, the insurance ...
San Ramon-based accounting and business consulting firm Armanino LLP announced Wednesday the hire of its first general counsel...
Government
Kuhl succeeds Wesley as LA County Superior Court presiding judge
By Matt Hamilton
Judge Carolyn B. Kuhl was unanimously elected to be the presiding judge of Los Angeles County Superior Court for 2015 and 2016...
From left, James J.S. Holmes, a partner and event chair for Sedgwick LLP, Therese M. Stewart, chief deputy city attorney at th...
Community News
Supreme Court justice discusses book at annual State Bar meeting
By John Michael
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, right, and lexicographer Bryan A. Garner sign copies of their 2012 book "Reading th...
Solo and Small Firms
Carlson & Nicholas keep a local focus as economy improves
By Melanie Brisbon
Francisco Nicholas and Scott Carlson teamed up in 2011 to start a real estate and business law firm, hoping to capitalize on t...
Criminal
Gibson Dunn partner observes legal proceedings in 9/11 trial
By Kibkabe Arayan
Perlette M. Jura, a partner at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP in Los Angeles, traveled to Guantanamo Bay last month to observ...
U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit
VIDEO: For FedEx employees, what's in a name?
By Riley Guerin
A recent decision finding FedEx employees to be employees contradicts numerous other cases holding the opposite. It also "unra...
Determining whether an issue was explicitly or implicitly decided can raise profound difficulties. By James C. Martin, Paula M...
Government
Doctor testing provision costing MICRA initiative traditional labor allies
By Paul Jones
Plaintiff's attorneys want California voters to approve a ballot measure raising the state's cap on medical malpractice payout...
U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit
9th Circuit judges debate whether to keep retired NFL players' video game suit alive
By John Roemer
The outcome was in doubt Thursday as lawyers for retired NFL players and a leading video game maker argued before a 9th U.S. C...
Conventional wisdom is that engagement letters should include an arbitration clause. By Bruce A. Friedman ...
Ethics/Professional Responsibility
Ethics opinion lays groundwork for prosecutors in misconduct issues
By Kylie Reynolds
It's up to supervising prosecutors to develop policies and procedures to reduce or eliminate prosecutorial misconduct in their...
Community News
Supreme Court justice discusses book at annual State Bar meeting
By MANNING & KASS ELLROD RAMIREZ TRETER LLP
Here are summaries of lawyer disciplinary actions taken recently by the state Supreme Court or the Bar Court, listing attorney...
As the new State Bar president, Craig Holden says the bar's mission of public protection should encompass helping new lawyers,...
Senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary of Accuray Inc. Sunnyvale ...
U.S. Supreme Court
Justices to weigh 'state action' antitrust exemption
By Ben Armisteadn
Simply put, the exemption is a blunt tool for ensuring good state government. By Daniel G. Swanson and Blaine H. Evanson ...
Insurance agent or insurance broker? In everyday parlance these two terms are often used interchangeably, but the difference c...
Despite robust market dynamics, frothy equity market valuations are straining traditional valuation metrics. By Ryan A. Murr ...
Litigation
Police legal defense fund and former law firm settle litigation
By Vik Jolly
The nation's largest police legal defense fund and the now-defunct police advocacy law firm Lackie Dammeier McGill & Ethir...