Contracts, Civil Procedure, Admiralty/Maritime
Ocean cargo claims and forum selection clauses
By Terry Coniglio
When ocean-borne cargo is damaged or lost during transit without insurance, the liability for the loss depends on the terms s...
Arbitration, once a widely debated method for resolving legal disputes, is evolving with new federal and state reforms, incl...
Constitutional Law
How courts are calling the shots on presidential power
By Allan Lee Dollison
The controversy surrounding the Trump Administration's use of executive orders, particularly regarding USAID and its foreign...
Banking
Banks and digital assets: Navigating new regulations to stay ahead
By Darrell P. White, Douglas C. Stastny
The evolving regulatory landscape for digital assets, including the SEC's withdrawal of SAB 121 and President Trump's Digital ...
Litigation & Arbitration
Updating the protocols and rules for the next century of the Federal Arbitration Act
By Barbara A. Reeves
Summit II, on June 5, 2025, will mark the FAA's 100th anniversary, bringing experts together to modernize arbitration, tackle ...
Real Estate/Development, LA Fires
Altadena faces unique challenges in property valuation after Eaton Fire
By Zachary D. Schorr
The Eaton Fire has devastated Altadena, challenging how to value property in a historically Black community with deep cultural...
Constitutional Law, Civil Rights
In search of the 'better (not bitter) angels of our nature'
By Michael C. Kelley
Lincoln's words, from his inaugural address to his reflections on jury service, remain timeless guides for justice, leadership...
Alternative Dispute Resolution
A frightening flight: The power of empathy in mediation
By Eydith Kaufman
Empathy requires courage--by sharing our vulnerabilities, we foster understanding, build trust, and create space for resolutio...
Labor/Employment
California exempt status explained: Navigating salary and duties tests for employers
By Jonathan Fraser Light
Employers in California often struggle with determining salaried exempt status for employees, as it involves both a "salary ...
International Law, Immigration, Criminal, Constitutional Law
El Salvador's offer to house US criminals is a constitutional catastrophe
By Sara Azari
Outsourcing U.S. prisoners to El Salvador would be a constitutional catastrophe, violating the Eighth Amendment's ban on crue...
LA Fires, Insurance
California Court of Appeal decision sets dangerous precedent for wildfire insurance claims
By Shant A. Karnikian
A recent California Court of Appeal ruling in Gharibian v. Wawanesa narrows the definition of "direct physical loss," p...
Government
Trump's power grab and the threat to American democracy
By Erwin Chemerinsky
In just three weeks, the Trump administration has engaged in an unprecedented disregard for the law, violating constitutional...
Kanye West's recent eruption of antisemitic rhetoric on social media, openly embracing extremist Nazi values and whitewashing ...
Alternative Dispute Resolution
A mediator's perspective on standard of care
By Gary N. Stern
In health care negligence cases, the "standard of care" is rarely disputed in mediation. Expert testimony usually aligns, so t...
Insurance
Shining light on Proposition 103 by the California Department of Insurance
By Michael Rosenfield
California's Bulletin 2024-14 clarifies Proposition 103, outlining insurers' duties on lowest premiums, rate filings, credit c...
Technology, International Law
Why the US and China should compete to cooperate
By Xinying Huang
The U.S. and China, despite their fierce competition in AI, have opportunities to collaborate, leveraging each other's strengt...
Family
What to know about children's health insurance during a divorce
By Emily Faye Robinson
In California divorces involving minor children, courts require parents to address health insurance coverage, ensuring continu...
Law Practice
Surviving the first year of practice, and lessons from the other side
By Kevin S. Dicker
Young attorneys should focus on time management and prioritize tasks, aiming for good rather than perfect results to maintain ...
Think you're safe from IRS audits after three years? Think again - a single missing form or signature could give tax collector...
Letters
Appointing sheriffs for better accountability is a proposition whose time has come
By Eugene M. Hyman
A state proposition to replace elected sheriffs with an appointment process is long overdue, as cities like Los Angeles and Sa...
Constitutional Law, 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals
9th Circuit hooks government on Fisher privilege
By Dmitry Gorin, Alan Eisner
The Ninth Circuit ruled that an attorney invoking the Fisher privilege can't be forced to produce a privilege log, as ...
Environmental & Energy
A phony fish story reveals the need for Endangered Species Act reform to unleash American energy
By Mark Miller
The so-called endangered snail darter, used to block the Tellico Dam in the 1970s under the Endangered Species Act, was never ...
Government, Administrative/Regulatory
Will Californians get to vote on voter ID?
By Michael A. Columbo
A voter ID requirement in California is unlikely to come from the legislature but could be decided by voters through a ballot ...
Torts/Personal Injury
Aviation tragedy poses many legal questions
By Michael E. Rubinstein
Last week's deadly crash near Reagan Airport raises legal questions about negligence, potential wrongful death claims under th...
Law Practice, Ethics/Professional Responsibility
Workaholic and worn out: Don't let work stress lead you astray
By Shari L. Klevens, Alanna G. Clair
Lawyers are among the professions most vulnerable to alcoholism and mental health issues, with one in five lawyers having an a...
A primer on contract formation disputes for litigators and transactional lawyers.
Civil Rights
Lawsuit sought to restore monuments honoring a Confederate officer
By Eileen C. Moore
U.S. District Judge Clay D. Land dismissed the National Ranger Memorial Foundation's lawsuit, stating that Congress has the au...
Real Estate/Development, LA Fires
California Coastal Commission's role uncertain in LA wildfire rebuilding after Newsom orders
By Jena Acos, Justin Bogda
The tension between state emergency powers and local coastal protections leaves cities struggling to determine which rebuildin...
Corporate
Corporate Transparency Act: Reporting obligations halted for business owners
By Molly L. Okamura, Jon J. Janecek
The Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) requires certain business entities to report ownership information to FinCEN, but its e...
Intellectual Property
Trade secret theft could snare corporate wrongdoers
By Peter Kirwan