GUEST COLUMNS
Wednesday, May 21, 2025
The Trump administration's enforcement of the long-dormant Alien Registration Act of 1940 presents immigration attorneys with an ethical dilemma and their clients with an impossible choice.
Senate Bill 607 poses one of the most serious threats in decades to the California Environmental Quality Act, undermining a 50-year legacy of environmental protection and public participation, and endangering vulnerable communities by weakening critical environmental review and accountability.
Monday, May 19, 2025
Aging on the bench is a complex and deeply personal journey, and while some judges remain sharp and effective well past traditional retirement age, the struggle to assess one's own decline, the fear of irrelevance, and the pull of legacy and identity make the decision to step down as difficult as it is inevitable.
As NIL rights continue to reshape college athletics, from high-profile transfer disputes like Nico Iamaleava's to antitrust litigation and revenue-sharing negotiations, sports lawyers are increasingly essential in navigating the legal and regulatory chaos.
Friday, May 16, 2025
Goebner confirms that in probate court, the deadline to file a demurrer is any time at or before the hearing, rather than within 30 days of service of the petition, as would be required in civil actions.
With sky-high beef prices and biotech prowess,
California can pioneer a hybrid meat model--blending ranching and cultivated
meat to cut emissions, boost resilience, and lead the global protein shift.
Wednesday, May 14, 2025
California law once allowed negligent parties to escape full accountability when injured victims died before trial--erasing their pain and suffering from the record--but unless lawmakers pass Senate Bill 29 to make recent reforms permanent, that unjust "death discount" will return in 2026.
Business Email Compromise (BEC) is a fast-moving, trust-based cyberattack that exploits human behavior - not technical flaws - to defraud organizations of billions, making it one of the most financially damaging threats in today's digital workplace.
Monday, May 12, 2025
The Ninth Circuit took a common-sense approach in
the case, steering clear of case law and legislative history, and focusing on
what could be proven
California is pioneering sustainable food systems through innovative corporate models and legislation that embed circular economy principles.
Friday, May 9, 2025
The Ninth Circuit's decision in D'Braunstein v. CHP offers a rare win for civil rights plaintiffs, highlighting how qualified immunity--often a near-fatal obstacle--can be overcome when officers fail to recognize and respond to visible medical distress.
Puerto Rico faces worsening blackouts as leaders extend coal and gas use--ignoring clean, proven solutions like rooftop solar that could meet demand and save lives.
Wednesday, May 7, 2025
Litigation, like archery, demands calm under pressure, sharp focus, and the courage to strike with purpose.
The Trump Administration's crackdown on undocumented immigrants, including courthouse arrests, jeopardizes the ability of vulnerable silicosis plaintiffs who seek justice without the threat of deportation.
Monday, May 5, 2025
Estate planning involves not only managing the distribution of assets but also addressing income tax considerations, such as the implications of final tax returns, how income generated after death is reported by estates, and the tax responsibilities of heirs and beneficiaries.
The Supreme Court's 2024 Loper Bright
ruling, which overturned Chevron deference, is unlikely to significantly
impact copyright law.
Friday, May 2, 2025
There is a nuanced distinction between a statute's "effective" date - the moment it becomes law--and its "operative" date--the point at which its provisions can be enforced, and how the presumption of prospective application governs most statutes.
California's SB 1383 is transforming food waste from environmental liability into economic and climate opportunity, combining bold mandates, tax incentives, and community-driven programs to slash landfill-bound organics and boost food recovery across the state.
Wednesday, April 30, 2025
Emblem and remedy: How a California housing rights law already uniquely protects immigrant tenants from unscrupulous landlords emboldened by Trump's anti-immigrant rhetoric.
It's time to replace outdated, court-based speed
enforcement with automated civil penalties focused on the vehicle, not the
driver, to make our streets safer and hold car owners financially accountable
for dangerous speeding.
Monday, April 28, 2025
As the federal government retreats from climate regulation, California steps up with sweeping disclosure laws requiring large companies doing business in the state to report emissions and climate-related financial risks.
Though well-intentioned, the act urgently needs reform to distinguish between viable housing sites and rural parcels like El Dorado's pond where rigid application of the law blocks community-driven efforts to preserve public spaces without advancing affordable housing goals.
Friday, April 25, 2025
How big tech defends algorithmic addiction in the
name of the First Amendment.
AI developments are rapidly reshaping the legal landscape, with key issues like copyright infringement, trademark misuse, defamation, right of publicity, and unfair competition highlighted through the
hypothetical AI-created film
Sundar Pichai, the chief executive of Google, speaks during Google I/O, an annual conference for software developers, in Mountain View, Calif., on Tuesday, May 20, 2025. (Mike Kai Chen/The New York Times)
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NEWS
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General News
Wednesday, May 21, 2025 |
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| In the wake of a tragic crash that killed a Dana Hills High School student and injured five others, two families have hired legal counsel as investigators search for the cause. The Seal Beach law firm representing them pledges to pursue accountability. | |
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General News
Wednesday, May 21, 2025 |
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| In Bradsbery v. Vicar Operating, the court held that revocable meal period waivers prospectively signed by employees are enforceable, unless the waivers are unconscionable or unduly coercive. | |
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General News
Wednesday, May 21, 2025 |
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| LACERA sues former cybersecurity officer Carmelo Marquez for allegedly defrauding $123,000 by secretly funneling contracts to his covertly owned firm, SafeSec, using an alias, breaching public trust. | |
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General News
Monday, May 19, 2025 |
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| If there is a political consensus that debanking is a problem, there is less agreement on what to do about it. Or on what it is at all. | |
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General News
Monday, May 19, 2025 |
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| California lawmakers criticize Gov. Gavin Newsom's budget for omitting Proposition 36 funding, warning of a fiscal crisis for courts and counties tasked with enforcing the voter-approved felony theft measure. | |
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General News
Monday, May 19, 2025 |
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| A San Francisco judge urged the parties in the five-year Uber and Lyft wage litigation filed by the state to take the summer to settle. The case centers on driver classification under California's ABC test. | |
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General News
Friday, May 16, 2025 |
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| StudioFest accuses "Together" filmmakers of copying its 2023 rom-com "Better Half," alleging Dave Franco, Alison Brie, and others stole plot, themes, and dialogue. | |
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General News
Friday, May 16, 2025 |
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| Sisters sue estate lawyers for malpractice, seek to disqualify firm's defense counsel after an unredacted client file was mistakenly shared, in a case raising questions about legal accountability in family trust disputes. | |
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General News
Friday, May 16, 2025 |
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| If you are a beneficiary currently or expect to be one in the future, you should know recent legal changes on inherited IRAs can result in costly implications if not followed properly. | |
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General News
Wednesday, May 14, 2025 |
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| Edelson PC and Kerley Schaffer LLP sue California FAIR Plan, alleging it withholds wildfire claim records, violating California Insurance Code Section 2071, following a Fresno County court ruling. | |
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General News
Wednesday, May 14, 2025 |
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| A Los Angeles arts school sued L.A. Grand Hotel owners, alleging homeless tenants' drug use and exposure created unsafe conditions, forcing the school to shut down. | |
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General News
Wednesday, May 14, 2025 |
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| When the chief administrative officer of Providence Saint John's Health Center invited him into his office to ask Dr. Ashraf Elsayegh how he could support him and his family, Elsayegh replied instead, "Let's open a clinic." | |
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General News
Monday, May 12, 2025 |
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| Cities like Santa Monica, along with counties and school districts around the state, are grappling with their own steep judgments and settlements that are not as record-breaking as Los Angeles County's but are nonetheless pushing some of them to the brink of financial crisis. | |
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General News
Monday, May 12, 2025 |
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| Jonathan Nolan has put himself at the forefront of Hollywood's push to get California to approve $750 million in tax rebates to help bring more TV and film production back to the state. | |
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General News
Monday, May 12, 2025 |
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| DiCello Levitt LLP seeks co-lead counsel role in Adobe privacy lawsuits, citing unique evidence of widespread internet user tracking. Federal court battle looms as firms vie for leadership. | |
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General News
Friday, May 9, 2025 |
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| Musician Jake Holmes has filed a new lawsuit against Led Zeppelin, guitarist Jimmy Page and several companies related to recent use of the hit song. | |
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General News
Friday, May 9, 2025 |
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| Altadena resident sues California FAIR Plan for delaying and underpaying wildfire claims, alleging bad faith and breach of contract in Los Angeles County Superior Court. | |
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General News
Friday, May 9, 2025 |
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| World has created a program called World ID -- you can think of it as Clear or TSA PreCheck for the internet -- that will allow users to verify their humanity online. | |
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General News
Wednesday, May 7, 2025 |
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| A San Diego judge rules the Port of Los Angeles violated air quality laws at its China Shipping terminal, ignoring a 2024 judgment. | |
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General News
Wednesday, May 7, 2025 |
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| Once upon a time, Hollywood wasn't just a neighborhood. It was the beating heart of film and television production in North America. But over the last two decades, the bright lights of Los Angeles have dimmed. | |
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General News
Wednesday, May 7, 2025 |
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| Plaintiffs' attorneys argue Edison is demanding damage details far sooner than in previous wildfire cases. | |
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General News
Monday, May 5, 2025 |
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| U.S. District Judge Sunshine Sykes denied independent producer Francesca Gregorini's bid for a new trial in $81M "Servant" infringement case, upholding the jury's verdict. | |
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General News
Monday, May 5, 2025 |
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| Can Los Angeles, by devoting time and attention to the long-suffering area around historic MacArthur Park, actually make a difference for those who live and work there, those who have despaired as the park has become a magnet for drugs, gangs and crime? | |
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General News
Monday, May 5, 2025 |
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| U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ruled that Apple's noncompliance with her injunction to stop overcharging app developers was a "gross miscalculation." She referred the company to federal prosecutors for possible criminal contempt. | |
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General News
Wednesday, May 21, 2025 |
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| On Tuesday, Google said it was introducing a new feature in its search engine called AI Mode. The tool will function like a chatbot, allowing people to start a query, ask follow-up questions and use the company's AI system to deliver comprehensive answers. | |
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General News
Monday, May 19, 2025 |
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| An LA judge scolded attorneys in a sexual harassment and retaliation case against NBCUniversal, urging cooperation. Plaintiff Tyler Adkins alleges wrongful termination after reporting an executive's illicit messages. | |
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General News
Friday, May 16, 2025 |
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| In a landmark shift, Major League Baseball will no longer uphold lifetime bans after death, paving the way for Hall of Fame consideration of Pete Rose and others. Behind the decision: Los Angeles attorney Jeffrey M. Lenkov, whose dogged advocacy achieved what decades of petitions could not. | |
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General News
Wednesday, May 14, 2025 |
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| Gov. Gavin Newsom plans to use state budget and bond funds to reward or punish local governments based on their efforts to clear homeless encampments, potentially sparking legal battles. | |
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General News
Monday, May 12, 2025 |
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| A putative class action accuses Southern California Edison of negligence in the Eaton Fire, alleging widespread lead and asbestos contamination. | |
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General News
Friday, May 9, 2025 |
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| United Water Conservation District sues California Fish and Game Commission, alleging the 2022 endangered listing of Southern California Steelhead trout violated court orders and the law, threatening water supply. | |
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General News
Wednesday, May 7, 2025 |
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| A judge tentatively approved dumping Los Angeles County wildfire debris in Calabasas Landfill, finding no evidence of hazardous waste, as the city has until June 2 to amend its complaint. | |
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General News
Monday, May 5, 2025 |
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| A Los Angeles judge is considering petitions against Los Angeles for approving a luxury Hollywood hotel project, risking demolition of affordable housing. | |