Anti-SLAPP motions can sting in a surprising variety of cases
By Brendan J. Begley
Once limited mostly to defamation and media cases, California's anti-SLAPP statute (Code Civ. Proc. § 425.16) has expanded int...
Alternative Dispute Resolution
Regret and reimagination in art and mediation
By Greg Derin
Sargent's Portrait of Madame X shows how revision reveals growth -- a reminder that, in mediation as in art, change ca...
Answer first, click never: The new rules of AI content and search
By Jennifer O'Donnell, Ioana Good
As the digital landscape rapidly evolves, law firms that ignore how AI is transforming online search risk becoming invisible t...
Mediation works - if you can afford a lawyer. Most Californians can't.
Family
Bridging traditions: Prenuptial agreements and Mahr in cross-cultural marriages
By Abbas Hadjian
In California, cross-cultural couples -- particularly those with Iranian or Muslim heritage -- can honor both an Islamic Mahr ...
Cash for keys agreements: Legal considerations for landlords and their attorneys
By Sasha Struthers
Cash for keys agreements can offer landlords with properties in rent-controlled jurisdictions flexibility, but failure to foll...
Torts/Personal Injury
Security guard role in spotlight as Rose Bowl faces lawsuit
By Donavon J. Sawyer
Jurors may apply the law as instructed, but rising ticket prices and advancing surveillance are shaping a new expectation: tha...
Family
Common mistakes in family law matters: Pitfalls practitioners and courts should avoid (Part 2)
By Patti C. Ratekin
Strict compliance with procedural rules is critical -- common mistakes in child and spousal support cases can render orders in...
Data Privacy
CCPA legal update series Part 2: CCPA finalizes cybersecurity audit rules
By Sarah L. Bruno, Grace D. Wiley
California's newly finalized CCPA regulations now require certain high-revenue or high-data-volume companies to conduct and ce...
Tax, Ethics/Professional Responsibility
When plaintiffs sell their legal claims, who pays taxes and when?
By Robert W. Wood
As more plaintiffs look to sell their legal claims, the quirky tax rules around such transfers make early tax advice crucial.
Constitutional Law
Voting on Prop 50 means picking your poison, not your party
By James J. Brosnahan
On Nov. 4, California voters must choose between approving gerrymandered maps drawn by the Legislature or rejecting them and r...
Torts/Personal Injury, Ethics/Professional Responsibility, Civil Litigation
Protecting the system: How the plaintiffs' bar can be the solution to the DTLA scandal
By Brian S. Kabateck, Shant A. Karnikian
The allegations of widespread fraud in Los Angeles County sexual abuse claims demand immediate, independent action from experi...
Torts/Personal Injury, Government, Civil Procedure
California opened the door to justice for sexual abuse survivors - but fraud walked in too
By David I. Levine
The widespread allegations of fraudulent sexual abuse claims in Los Angeles County demand continued independent review to prot...
Torts/Personal Injury, Evidence, Civil Litigation
The high cost of junk science verdicts in Los Angeles
By Lauren Sheets Jarrell
A billion-dollar Los Angeles verdict over baby powder and mesothelioma underscores how junk science, aggressive trial lawyer a...
Entertainment & Sports, Contracts
At the buzzer in 2025: College athletics in the era of NIL
By Frank N. Darras
Recent judicial decisions and evolving NIL policies have effectively ended NCAA amateurism, creating a new labor market for co...
Administrative/Regulatory, 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals
9th Circuit rejects broad public disclosure bar in whistleblower cases
By Stephen D. Kaus
The 9th Circuit clarifies that prior media reports and earlier lawsuits won't automatically block whistleblower claims unless ...
Consumer Protection Law
Old law, new risks: Navigating California's Shine the Light law
By Wynter L. Deagle, Samuel Hyams-Millard
Businesses across industries are facing a surge in "Shine the Light" law requests under California Civil Code §1798.83, exposi...
Civil Procedure, Appellate Practice
Appeal deadline rules are a trap -- it's time to fix them
By David J. Ozeran
Whether it's titling a notice correctly or complying with strict timing rules, California's appeal deadlines demand precision.
Constitutional Law
Lawyers in the crosshairs as Trump targets dissent
By John H. Minan
Amid "No Kings" protests over his authoritarian tactics, Trump's March 22 directive to punish lawyers challenging his policies...
Health Care & Hospital Law
Doctors shouldn't have to choose between their oath and their jobs
By Christian R. Jagusch, Katherine Hazen
A recent lawsuit in San Francisco Superior Court, Harrison v. Dignity Health, exposes how legal ...
Securities, Environmental & Energy, Corporate, Administrative/Regulatory
California's climate reporting rules are about to get real
By Maureen F. Gorsen, Caleb J. Bowers
The California Air Resources Board released a preliminary list of in-scope entities and draft guidance on the state's mandator...
As AI transforms business risks, the insurance industry faces growing uncertainty over whether existing cyber policies will co...
Environmental & Energy
EPA scales back while EU tightens ESG reporting rules
By Roberto Escobar
The EPA's proposal to gut greenhouse gas reporting would sideline nearly all sectors, leaving a gaping hole in climate account...
Ethics/Professional Responsibility
Ethics of preparing legal opinions for third parties
By Shari L. Klevens, Alanna G. Clair
Lawyers asked to prepare evaluations for third-party use in California must carefully navigate potential liability, confidenti...
Alternative Dispute Resolution
Putting hospitality disputes to bed through mediation
By David Samuels
Hotel disputes -- from guest injuries to vendor or event conflicts -- are often best solved through mediation, which is faster...
Constitutional Law
The quiet threat that could muzzle free speech
By Krista L. Baughman
Sen. Ted Cruz plans bipartisan legislation to curb government "jawboning" -- pressure on media or platforms to silence speech ...
Law Practice
What do judges think when trial counsel claims to be 'unavailable?'
By Lawrence P. Riff
Particularly unhelpful are orders from other judges 'deeming' counsel actually engaged when they are not actually engaged.
Using AI in place of a creative legal mind will only ever produce a cover version -- and in high-stakes battles, you need the ...
Environmental & Energy, Administrative/Regulatory
CEQA reform trims down burdensome administrative record rules.
By Stephen Zelezny
Recent California legislation will enable municipalities -- and reviewing courts -- to conserve valuable resources and time du...
Criminal, Civil Rights
The case for commuting every death sentence in California
By Aimee Solway
Rampant racial bias in California's capital prosecutions -- especially in Alameda County -- underscores why Gov. Newsom should...