Judges and Judiciary
Superior court judge admonished for misconduct in son's case
By Don Debenedictisn
The Commission on Judicial Performance publicly admonished a Contra Costa County Superior Court judge on Tuesday for going beh...
U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit
Best Buy, lacking arbitration clause, must face class action claims
By John Roemer
In an illustration of the value of arbitration clauses, DirecTV avoided a consumer class action while Best Buy did not in a Tu...
Litigation
City's plan to seize mortgages could lead to court fights, attorneys say
By Omar Shamout
Lawyers are gearing up to challenge Richmond's controversial plan to seize underwater mortgages through eminent domain, likely...
Labor/Employment
Kmart seating settlement steps forward despite judge's concerns
By Laura Hautalan
A federal judge will allow Kmart to move toward settling a lawsuit filed by former cashiers but said he's concerned that class...
Eastern District Chief Judge Morrison England is known for being affable and a team player.
Law Practice
Incubators ease new attorneys into full-time practice
By Don Debenedictisn
Long present in the business world, incubators have begun to multiply within the legal industry, allowing newer lawyers an opp...
Failure to disclose a pending or potential civil action can be drastic for a debtor/plaintiff and result in the ultimate sanct...
San Diego-based energy services holding company Sempra Energy has announced that Martha B. Wyrsch will succeed Javade M. Chaud...
Law Practice
Event explores legal issues affecting U.S., South Korea
By Alexandra Schwappach
Legal professionals gathered Saturday at the 3rd annual U.S.-Korea Law Day to discuss the intersection of American and Korean...
After losing its two core partners and one associate in the past two months, San Francisco plaintiffs' firm Sher Leff LLP fill...
Government
State Bar General Counsel Starr Babcock will step down in January
By Don Debenedictisn
State Bar General Counsel Starr Babcock will retire next year after about 25 years working for the bar and the state judiciary...
Judges and Judiciary
State attorney general declines to pursue case against longtime, "temporary" judge
By Saul Sugarman
The state attorney general's office has refused to pursue a case against a retired Shasta County Superior Court judge, who has...
Immigration
Hurdles remain for implementation of judge's order on counsel for immigrant detainees
By Henry Meier
Three months after a judge issued an injunction requiring the government to provide legal counsel for mentally incompetent imm...
Intellectual Property
Patent office finds Apple patent invalid, but ruling isn't final
By Hadley Robinson
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office determined Apple's "pinch to zoom" patent, which a jury had nabbed Samsung Electronics Co...
Government
Proposition 13 reform push likely wouldn't help bankrupt cities
By Paul Jones
When Stockton sought bankruptcy protection in March, its creditors said the city should have tried to raise taxes first. Propo...
U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit
Circuit grants habeas petition after dog's sniff called into question
By Hamed Aleazizn
Prosecutors' failure to disclose a police dog's history of mistaken scent identifications could mean freedom for a convicted m...
As a recent case shows, collateral estoppel does not prevent a plaintiff from pursuing medical expenses under the tortfeasor's...
5th District Court of Appeal Justice Jennifer Detjen revisits her decisions years after she rules.
A roundup of recent mergers and acquisitions and financing activity and the lawyers involved.
Corporate
Rising rates fuel tension between GCs and outside counsel
By Caitlin Johnson
Changes brought about during the recession are having lingering effects on corporate legal departments' relationships with the...
Executive Vice President and General Counsel for Saban Capital Group Inc. Los Angeles ...
Re: "Cutbacks on Court ADR Programs Frustrate Attorneys," June 24. By James A. Steele ...
Letter to the Editor
Vindication exception to FAA was never meant to apply to states
By Ben Armisteadn
Re: "Life and Times of California Arbitration," July 17. By Ronald W. Novotny ...
Perspective
No attorney client privilege in preparation of environmental impact reports
By Ben Armisteadn
A court recently ruled communications between developers and cities in the CEQA process are not protected by attorney-client p...
Fox Searchlight's recent ordeal is an important reminder that the mere labeling of a worker as an "intern" does not automatica...
Letter to the Editor
State Bar leaders respond to criticism of immigration fraud bill
By Ben Armisteadn
Re: "State Bar Backs Shaky Immigration Legislation," July 23. By Patrick M. Kelly and Luis J. Rodriguez ...
Criminal
Inmate advocates enlist lawyers to assist resentencing petitions
By Hamed Aleazizn
Stanford Law School's Three Strikes Project has enlisted law firms and law schools to make sure that no inmate eligible for re...
Law Practice
Eight Stradling partners defect to launch their own boutique
By Alexandra Schwappach
Eight partners defected from Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth PC to form their own boutique focusing on real estate, employ...
U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit
Oracle must arbitrate Java dispute, 9th Circuit rules
By Kevin Lee
Oracle Corp. and Swiss mobile software company Myriad Group AG will likely enter into arbitration in their breach of contract ...
Corporate
Activision Blizzard Inc. agrees to $8.2 billion share buyback
By Dominic Fracassan
Santa Monica-based Activision Blizzard Inc. announced on Friday that it would be buying back $8.2 billion worth of shares owne...