Alternative Dispute Resolution
The arbitration discovery thicket of SB 940
By Gary Nadler, Louise A. LaMothe
California's new Senate Bill 940, effective January 1, 2025, expands discovery rights in arbitration, aligning them with Calif...
9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals
Inside the Ninth Circuit's en banc process
By Johanna Schiavoni
A recent program hosted by the Ninth Circuit provided insights into the complexities of the Ninth Circuit's en banc process, c...
International Law
Revisiting CBAM and its impact on California amidst global trade tensions
By Roberto Escobar
The EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), starting in 2023, targets carbon-heavy imports like steel and cement, pres...
Family
In Re M.V. shows legal burden on parents remains steep in dependency cases
By Eric W. Meyer
The appellate court's decision to uphold a trial judge's ruling in In Re M.V. illuminates the broad discretion judges ...
Letters
Was Judge VanDyke trying to say in his video 'Don't mess with me?'
By Mark E. Hancock
Judge VanDyke's video raises concerns about the intersection of judicial conduct, public safety, and rhetoric in the ongoing g...
Constitutional Law
250 years after Patrick Henry's cry, is legal independence dying on our watch?
By Charles H. Jung
As we honor Patrick Henry's call for liberty, we face modern threats to judicial and legal independence; it's our duty to defe...
Labor/Employment, Civil Rights
DEI after SFFA: How Supreme Court ruling and executive orders reshape workplace diversity
By Kenneth Sharperson
Expanding the concept of diversity beyond race to include other important factors can continue to build diverse and inclusive ...
Civil Rights
Trump's attacks against big law present an opportunity for the plaintiff's bar
By Zachary N. Zaharoff
Trump's executive orders targeting law firms threaten the legal profession, stifle political opposition, and limit rights enfo...
Civil Rights
Extending Patrick Henry's call for freedom to autonomous sentient beings
By Paul A. Bacigalupo, Theresa J. Macellaro
Patrick Henry's cry for liberty lives on in the fight to free Billy and Tina, two elephants at the LA Zoo, as advocates demand...
Tribal governments balance sovereignty, democracy and individual rights through elections, judicial systems and hiring prefere...
The firing of top military lawyers by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, seen as an attack on the rule of law, signals a dange...
Criminal
What is liberty? Why New Zealand's approach to youth justice is worth emulating
By Frankie Guzman
Patrick Henry's call for liberty, which has long symbolized freedom for some, must be reexamined in light of its historical im...
Land Use
The American dream is built on property rights - why have we forgotten that?
By Steven D. Anderson
The erosion of property rights, once fundamental to personal liberty, has led to widespread government overreach.
Constitutional Law
The 2nd Amendment as liberty for some, oppression for others
By Jacqueline Goodman
Give me liberty or give me death: How the Second Amendment delivers both, fueling mass incarceration and widening the societal...
Environmental & Energy
California must guard against the tyranny of Trump, fossil fuels
By Kassie Siegel
Patrick Henry's call to overthrow tyranny echoes today as we confront the climate crisis fueled by fossil fuels, demanding bo...
Civil Rights
Thinking about freedom during women's history month
By Debra R. Schoenberg
The American experiment is ongoing and imperfect, as history shows - from Patrick Henry's fiery call for freedom to the long, ...
Judges and Judiciary
Patrick Henry: The lawyer who fought for liberty, not just a slogan
By Patricia Guerrero
Patrick Henry's demand of "Give me liberty, or give me death!" reflected his belief in local self-governance and the judiciary...
Ethics/Professional Responsibility, Corporate
Why serving on a legal aid board could be your most rewarding pro bono work
By Karin Wang
As demand for legal aid rises and funding dwindles, California's 400+ legal services organizations urgently need dedicated boa...
Technology, Intellectual Property
Google's AI tool faces legal battle as creators fight for copyright protection
By Anita Taff-Rice
A class action lawsuit alleges Google generative AI scraper vacuums up creators' rights and royalties for copyrighted works.
Judges and Judiciary
How litigant-chosen judges could fix America's broken court system
By Richard W. Morris
The pending Lawyers for Fair Reciprocal Admission case demonstrates the inherent issues with the United States' curren...
Torts/Personal Injury, Consumer Protection Law
The trial lawyer playbook: How aggressive advertising and junk science are costing Californians
By Tiger Joyce
In 2024, legal services ads hit $164 million in LA, part of a 39% national rise, fueling aggressive marketing, third-party fun...
Judges and Judiciary, Civil Procedure
What is necessary and what is wise
By Brian M. Hoffstadt
The distinction between a court's holding and dicta can be difficult to navigate, as seen in cases like Andrew v. White...
Governor Newsom proclaimed this week as Women's Military History Week to honor the achievements of women in the U.S. military,...
Law Practice
Navigating law firm business strategy amid political pressures
By Marci Taylor
Recent executive actions against firms like Perkins Coie and Covington & Burling underscore the rising political risks, pu...
U.S. Supreme Court, Constitutional Law
How far is too far? SCOTUS signals limits on presidential power
By Steven S. Kimball
The United States Supreme Court's unsigned order in Department of State v. AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition hints that t...
Immigration
Abusing wartime powers: the dangerous precedent of invoking the Alien Enemies Act
By Allan Lee Dollison
Invoking the Alien Enemies Act to deport individuals linked to the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua raises serious concerns, as ...
Torts/Personal Injury
Where water meets liability
By Bradford B. Kuhn, James R. Oleshansky
The Shehyn v. Ventura County Pub. Works Agency allows property owners to pursue inverse condemnation claims ag...
Mergers & Acquisitions, Corporate
Legal giants merge as rainmakers cash in
By Kate Reder Sheikh
The legal industry is experiencing a surge in mergers and high-profile dealmaker moves, driven by competition for growth, top ...
Torts/Personal Injury, Corporate
$50 million Starbucks verdict should be a wakeup call for more corporate responsibility
By Michael E. Rubinstein
This case isn't about tort reform; it's about a company failing to follow basic safety procedures, leading to severe injuries,...
Labor/Employment
NLRB joint employer rule to continue along traditional standards
By Sehreen Ladak
Despite the contentious history of the joint employer rule during administrative transitions, the current regulation is unlike...