Government
Alameda County court cancels part of its contract with services provider
By Phil Johnson
Alameda County Superior Court appears to be headed to litigation with Tyler Technologies Inc. after canceling part of its cont...
A roundup of recent transactions and the California lawyers involved.
Litigation
Judge dismisses $12B lawsuit, awards defendant $6M in attorney fees
By Justin Kloczko
A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge dismissed a real estate breach of contract suit on the grounds that the plaintiff fa...
California Courts of Appeal
Appellate court revives gun groups' challenge to state weapons law
By Kevin Lee
Firearm trade groups can challenge a state statute that restricts which semiautomatic handguns can be sold in the state, the 5...
Criminal
Warrants to draw blood may increase with marijuana legalization
By L.J. Williamson
Since the Supreme Court decided Birchfield, there has been an uptick in requests for search warrants to draw blood in DUI inve...
Legal experts have cautious optimism for strong public and private markets in 2017. ...
Criminal
Man who planned to kill five U.S. officials sentenced to 20 years
By Meghann M. Cuniff
A man convicted of a plotting to kill FBI agents, federal prosecutors and U.S. District Judge Andrew J. Guilford in a scheme i...
Litigation
O'Reilly Auto Parts settles environmental suit for $10 million
By Renee Flannery
An Alameda Superior Court judge ordered O'Reilly Auto Enterprises LLC pay a $10 million settlement on November 30 in a civil p...
State legal employment experienced a modest bounce in the most recent jobs report, adding 600 jobs in October and ending a two...
State Bar & Bar Associations
State Bar board approves reversal of $1.6M transfer
By Lyle Moran
The board also recently adopted a policy that will prohibit the agency from pledging attorneys' dues revenue as collateral for...
Attorney moves and promotions and new firms from around the state.
Admiralty/Maritime
Consolidations in shipping industry threaten maritime legal work
By Eli Wolfe
Hard times in the shipping industry may diminish work for legal practices that rely on maritime matters. But maritime attorney...
Alternative Dispute Resolution
Longtime judge and reader of people moves to mediation
By Malcolm Maclachlan
Frank C. Damrell Jr. oversaw high profile cases during 14 years as a federal judge, met three presidents, and was also Gov. Je...
Firm Profile
Landlord-tenant expert builds thriving 11-attorney practice
By Joshua Seboldn
Steven Adair MacDonald has built his real estate and landlord-tenant legal disputes practice from a one-man show to an 11-atto...
Corporate
Data indicate GC pay is outpacing CEO compensation gains
By Paula Lehman Ewing
The rate of increase in GCs' salaries is outpacing the rise in CEO salaries, according to a report. ...
California Supreme Court
State high court declines plea to review judge removal
By Meghann M. Cuniff
In a rare split vote the state Supreme Court on Wednesday declined to review a 2-1 decision from the 4th District Court of App...
Labor/Employment
State Supreme Court to consider if one government contractor can sue another
By Matthew Blake
Lawsuits against contractors, especially those brought by rival companies who suspect foul play, are virtually unheard of nati...
California Supreme Court
State high court revives family members' suits over asbestos-related illness
By Kevin Lee
The state Supreme Court held Thursday that employers owe a duty of care to an employee's household members who suffered from a...
Law Practice
Venable LLP adds four-partner team for West Coast tax and wealth planning group
By Eli Wolfe
Venable LLP has scooped up a four-member team of attorneys from McDermott Will & Emery to accommodate a growing demand amo...
Media
Journalist ordered to testify in ex-LA sheriff's trial, judge rules
By America Hernandez
U.S. District Judge Percy Anderson found Thursday that the federal government's interest outweighed the First Amendment intere...
Government
Brown's AG nomination may help cement criminal justice legacy
By Malcolm Maclachlan
Gov. Jerry Brown's nomination Thursday of U.S. Rep. Xavier Becerra, D-Los Angeles, as the new state attorney general appears t...
Government
In surprise move, governor nominates veteran congressman as attorney general
By Malcolm Maclachlan
Gov. Jerry Brown has nominated U.S. Rep. Xavier Becerra, D-Los Angeles, as California's next attorney general. ...
Chief Legal Officer United Parcel Service Inc. (Atlanta) ...
U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit
9th Circuit gives immigrant another chance at avoiding deportation
By Kevin Lee
An immigration judge and the Board of Immigration Appeals erred when they denied an El Salvador native's request for relief fr...
Ahilan T. Arulanantham of the ACLU of Southern California argued that immigrant detainees should have the right to a bond hear...
Criminal
Lawmakers say they will introduce bills to alter bail system
By L.J. Williamson
Proponents of bail law changes argue that the current system punishes only those who cannot afford to post bond. ...
U.S. District Judge James V. Selna rejected a motion by Latham's Daniel S. Schecter that argued the jury's dismissal of the tr...
State Bar & Bar Associations
State Bar's practice groups pursue split from agency
By Lyle Moran
The so-called "sections" are exploring the best way to no longer be under the bar's auspices for a variety of reasons. ...
Uber Technologies Inc.may snuff out their drivers' strongest tool left in employment misclassification lawsuits, according to ...
Litigation
Trial begins for plaintiff shot by San Bernardino County authorities
By Renee Flannery
A jury heard opening arguments in federal court Tuesday in a case against San Bernardino County in which the plaintiff alleges...