A weekly roundup of lateral attorney moves, law firm office openings and partner promotions from around California.
U.S. District Judge William Keller's vast experience gives him a vested interest in a variety of cases.
Criminal
9th Circuit panel reverses judge's decision declaring state death penalty unconstitutional
By Matthew Hamity
Declining to address whether the long delays between sentencing and execution under California's death penalty violate the U.S...
Post-bankruptcy, the Beverly Hills-based media company names Andrew W. Levin the president of legal affairs. ...
Law Practice
Hunton Williams founding LA partner moves to Reed Smith
By Steven Crighton
Belynda B. Reck practices product liability, complex business matters, and most notably environmental law. ...
Ethics/Professional Responsibility
IP lawyer recommended for disbarment
By Saul Sugarman
Malcolm Wittenberg, an intellectual property lawyer whose license is currently suspended, has been recommended for permanent d...
Litigation
Blizzard launches legal battle over 'World of Warcraft' bots
By Ashley Cullinsn
Blizzard Entertainment Inc. is suing a software engineer, claiming he created bots that are being used to help players cheat, ...
Litigation
Expert testimony in corn syrup trial devolves into Daubert fight
By Gautham Thomas
Experts testify in the sugar industry case against corn syrup producers while a Daubert motion looms. ...
Judges and Judiciary
Citing lack of autonomy, L.A. Superior Court Judge steps down
By Matthew Blake
After just three years on the bench, Jeffrey K. Winikow said he is too disillusioned to stick with the job. ...
Lambert was a 44-year veteran of entertainment firm Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP ...
A state appellate court has affirmed an $8.15 million settlement between plaintiffs and thermostat manufacturer Honeywell Inte...
The state Supreme Court will consider whether public record laws require officials to disclose messages located on personal de...
Nonprofit organization California Reform Sex Offender Laws is seeking a writ of mandate ordering the Department of Justice to ...
Labor/Employment
Seminal employment dispute set to settle after tragic turn
By Matthew Blake
A dispute that set case law on adjudicating PAGA claims will quietly settle due to grisly death of plaintiff. ...
As GC of AeroVironment, Douglas Scott helps the unmanned aircraft maker stay on the cutting edge. ...
A roundup of recent transactions across the state and the lawyers involved
Litigation
Port of Los Angeles fends off claims it ignored air pollution harms in pushing new train and truck facility
By Fiona Smith
Regional air quality regulators, the city of Long Beach and others hope to convince a court next week that the port violated C...
Criminal
Implementation of Prop. 47 varies widely from county to county
By L.J. Williamson
Citing vastly disparate statistics from local law enforcement agencies statewide, an American Civil Liberties Union report rel...
Revenue at firms up 4.7 percent in third quarter, Citi report finds ...
Intersil Corp., a power management solutions company based in Milpitas, named Andrew S. Hughes as the new vice president and g...
Law Practice
Orange County bankruptcy boutique Weiland Golden adds partners, changes name
By Steven Crighton
The firm, which managing partner Michael Weiland said is now one of the largest and most experienced bankruptcy boutiques in C...
Litigation
Judge to issue sanctions, injunction in disjoined mural suit
By Ashley Cullinsn
The owners of a Los Angeles bar who cut a mural into six pieces and tried to sell those as unique works are now facing sanctio...
California Courts of Appeal
State appeals court affirms $37K in sanctions against lawyer
By Banks Albachn
A Sacramento attorney is facing more than $37,000 in court-ordered sanctions after the 3rd District Court of Appeal affirmed a...
Litigation
Settlement with NCAA, Electronic Arts finalized after objections dropped
By Matthew Hamity
A settlement between student-athletes and defendants Electronic Arts Inc. and the NCAA overcame a final hurdle as objectors dr...
Litigation
FDA takes up 'natural' claims in sweetener industry battle
By Gautham Thomas
Court battle over "natural" claims for sweeteners is now the subject of a proposed FDA rule. ...
Carpenter Zuckerman & Rowley LLP settled with Metzger Law Group PLC over class action compensation both firms claimed they...
Pharmaceutical companies have prevailed in multidistrict litigation involving failure to warn of risks with diabetes drugs. ...
The city of Oakland on Tuesday joined the ranks of California cities that have filed lawsuits against Monsanto Corp. seeking t...
Intellectual Property
Open Internet trumps piracy concerns, appeals court rules
By Kevin Lee
A federal appeals court ruled Tuesday that the U.S. International Trade Commission cannot regulate electronic data transmissio...