Labor/Employment
How politics are quietly rewriting your employee handbook
By Karen J. Sloat
California employers are scrambling to balance state requirements with new federal directives that impact everything from im...
State Bar & Bar Associations, Ethics/Professional Responsibility
A bridge to resolve attorney-client issues before they become discipline complaints
By Enrique Zuniga
The State Bar of California's new Attorney-Client Bridge Program offers a practical, preventive alternative to formal complain...
Technology, Evidence
When murder victims testify through AI, California law is ready
By James Mixon
A family's AI-generated courtroom statement honoring a murder victim challenges our discomfort with technology -- but fits squ...
Technology, Intellectual Property
AI can learn, but not loot: Pirated data off-limits for LLM training
By Meaghan H. Kent, Marcella Ballard
Court holds that Anthropic's training of AI using legally obtained books is fair use, but storage of pirated books is not.
Guide to Legal Writing, Appellate Practice
Better briefs, better advocacy
By Melissa Shalit
Practical, behind-the-scenes strategies for writing clear, credible, and persuasive appellate briefs that resonate with judges...
Intellectual Property
AI wins in court as book training deemed fair use
By Edward D. Lanquist, Dominic Rota
In a matter of days, two federal courts allowed the use of copyrighted books to train generative AI -- offering different anal...
Military Law
Psychedelic therapy moving from fringe to frontline for veterans
By Eileen C. Moore
Amid growing evidence and vocal support from veterans, bipartisan lawmakers are pushing to advance research and access to psyc...
Torts/Personal Injury, Government
Is that homeless encampment a dangerous condition?
By Michael E. Rubinstein
An unpublished appeals court ruling in a machete attack case clarifies the steep hurdles plaintiffs face when suing public ent...
Civil Procedure, Business Law
Texas stakes its claim as new home for business courts
By Paul A. Reynolds
With companies increasingly eyeing Nevada and Texas over Delaware, Texas's new Business Court offers a timely, if still untest...
Torts/Personal Injury, Labor/Employment, Civil Rights
How ignoring harassment allegations cost the LAPD $4M
By Ryan H. Wessels
A recent California appellate court decision underscores that employers must take prompt, meaningful action in response to har...
Technology, Law Practice
AI in law: Optional tool or professional necessity?
By Benjamin Softness
AI excels at document review, summarization, and pattern recognition in legal work, but successful implementation requires und...
Family, Alternative Dispute Resolution
Mediation of family care disputes requires more than a one-size-fits-all approach
By Cynthia Ludvigsen
Disputes over conservatorships and elder care are rarely as straightforward as they first appear, requiring careful considerat...
Technology, Evidence
AI on the stand: Do we still need the expert witness?
By Laura Lin
A new rule would let courts consider AI expert analysis without a human witness -- but in doing so, leaves the jury without an...
Environmental & Energy
California cannot sacrifice public safety in pursuit of renewable energy
By Knut S. Johnson
California's push for renewable energy is vital, but without strict oversight and meaningful safety standards for massive batt...
Intellectual Property
Dupe culture on trial: Lululemon, Costco, and the future of trademark law
By Pejman Javaheri
In an era where TikTok hauls and hashtag trends blur the line between homage and infringement, Lululemon's lawsuit against Cos...
Torts/Personal Injury, Technology, Health Care & Hospital Law
Artificial intelligence, real liability: The new frontier of medical malpractice
By Anne Schneider
As AI edges toward becoming standard of care, providers may soon face liability for not using it -- raising ethical concerns a...
Government, Contracts, 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals
9th Circuit navigates the twists and turns of the federal and state False Claims Acts
By Garret D. Murai
The 9th Circuit Court upheld that J-M Manufacturing violated federal and state False Claims Acts by falsely claiming its pipes...
Civil Litigation, Alternative Dispute Resolution
Complex case mediation: 6 essential tips for attorneys to succeed
By Jill M. Manning
Court-ordered mediation in complex cases can feel like a detour, but by applying the six CIRCLE strategies, attorneys can turn...
Constitutional Law, Business Law
Bribery is still illegal here: California challenges D.C.'s retreat
By Kevin B. Frankel, Kristin Lee
In response to the federal government's pause on enforcing the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, California Attorney General Rob ...
Immigration, Constitutional Law, Civil Rights
MAGA means 'misinformed about the greatness of America'
By William Rothbard
The MAGA movement's vision of American greatness is dangerously misguided, rejecting the very pillars -- immigration, innovati...
Tax, Government
Litigation funding dodges tax bullet in Big Beautiful Bill
By Robert W. Wood
A controversial excise tax on litigation funding proceeds -- once feared by funders and lawyers alike -- has been left out of ...
Labor/Employment, California Courts of Appeal
Breaking for flexibility: Bradsbery serves employers a win on meal waivers
By D. Andrew Quigley, Michael A. Pearlson
In Bradsbery v. Vicar Operating, Inc., the California Court of Appeal, in a case of first impression, held that prosp...
When the California Supreme Court depublishes a well-reasoned appellate opinion without explanation, it doesn't just erase pre...
If the California Supreme Court decides to depublish an opinion, just tell us why -- we can take it.
Technology, Law Practice, Ethics/Professional Responsibility
What AI learns from us, and why that could be a legal problem
By James Mixon
AI is reshaping legal practice--but when left unchecked, its subtle biases in language and logic can expose California attorne...
Alternative Dispute Resolution
You can't change the other side, but you can drop the rope
By Robert S. Mann
Mediation can powerfully relieve emotional and financial stress by resolving conflict--but while it helps people heal, it does...
Supreme Court rulings in Heller and Bruen have created a shaky legal foundation for interpreting the Second Ame...
Education Law, Civil Litigation, Administrative/Regulatory
AB 1264: A legal quagmire masquerading as school nutrition reform
By Kyla Christoffersen Powell
Assembly Bill 1264 aims to reform school nutrition but instead introduces vague, unscientific legal definitions that would rai...
Technology
Is AI listening? Rising trend in consumer class actions targets smart tech
By Matthew D. Pearson
As companies rush to adopt AI, they risk costly litigation under California's wiretapping law -- unless they take proactive st...
This is the wrong time to defund the Legal Services Corporation in Orange and Southeast Los Angeles Counties
By Thomas J. Umberg, Ronald S. Flagg
The proposed elimination of Legal Services Corporation funding would severely undermine Community Legal Aid SoCal's ability to...