GUEST COLUMNS
Monday, February 9, 2026
AI-generated hallucinations are appearing in California court filings. When a decision rests on cases that don't exist, appellate review becomes impossible: You cannot judge the route when you cannot trust the map. California should recognize fabricated legal authority as per se reversible error, no prejudice analysis required.
Enacted 30 years ago through careful legislative deliberation, Section 230 remains the internet's strongest bulwark for free expression, protecting the services--and users--that make online speech possible.
Friday, February 6, 2026
Since 2019, South American Theft Groups have driven millions in losses across Los Angeles County, exploiting loopholes in California's Values Act (SB 54) that critics say unintentionally enable repeat offenders to evade deportation and reoffend.
Plaintiffs are deploying established negligence and product liability doctrines against AI developers in cases alleging chatbot interactions exacerbated mental health crises and failed to escalate warning signs.
Thursday, February 5, 2026
SB 440 offers broader, more protective change order remedies for private works, providing a model to improve AB 626 before its sunset.
A court-appointed receiver was supposed to stabilize a troubled Tenderloin building--now, 24 tenants, many elderly or non-English speaking, face eviction in a move that deepens the housing crisis.
Wednesday, February 4, 2026
Post-judgment interest on attorney fees is simple but sneaky: if the law makes fees automatic (like anti-SLAPP), the meter starts at judgment; if a judge must later decide entitlement, the clock doesn't start until the fee award.
In Vetter v. Resnik, the 5th Circuit held that copyright terminations under the U.S. Copyright Act allow authors to recapture worldwide rights--not just U.S. rights--creating potentially enormous implications for the music and broader copyright industries.
Tuesday, February 3, 2026
Private mediation in divorce cases allows parties to resolve disputes confidentially and efficiently, significantly reducing both the financial and emotional costs compared with traditional court proceedings while giving families control over outcomes.
Patagonia's lawsuit against drag queen Pattie Gonia raises a familiar trademark question--but in a context where advocacy, performance and commerce collide, the stakes are anything but routine.
Monday, February 2, 2026
The Pasadena City Council's acceptance of a donated police tracking dog without scrutiny reflects a dangerous, well-documented pattern in which unreliable canine scent evidence--often amounting to junk science--has led to wrongful arrests and convictions, as shown by cases like Josh Connole's and others where dog alerts supplanted rigorous proof and nearly destroyed innocent lives.
Video used to speak for itself in court. Now, thanks to AI and digital manipulation, officers and their attorneys must be ready to prove it's telling the truth.
Friday, January 30, 2026
Desegregation is not discrimination: Why the lawsuit against LAUSD distorts history, law and justice
The lawsuit claiming LAUSD's desegregation policies "harm white students" isn't just a misreading of the law--it's a distortion of constitutional history and civil rights jurisprudence.
Annual reporting isn't what it used to be--find out what's required and avoid an unpleasant surprise that could put your license at risk.
Thursday, January 29, 2026
Leaving California can eliminate its 13.3% state income tax, but expatriating from the U.S. entirely triggers a costly "exit tax" on all your assets that can be difficult to avoid.
Grok has become a hub for AI-generated sexual exploitation, prompting California officials to investigate its failure to prevent the creation of deepfakes and child pornography.
Wednesday, January 28, 2026
As parents let teens ride solo in autonomous vehicles, the real legal question isn't rule-breaking--it's whether companies can avoid responsibility when they knowingly allow foreseeable risks.
Lululemon is now tackling dupe culture on two fronts--challenging lookalikes in court while using a new trademark strategy to curb how competitors talk about them online.
Tuesday, January 27, 2026
Canadian securities regulators have introduced sweeping reforms to strengthen capital markets amid U.S. trade tensions, expanding capital-raising limits, streamlining IPO requirements and broadening investor participation--creating conditions for continued growth in 2026.
As AI hype accelerates, a wave of "AI washing" securities lawsuits--alleging companies overstated or misrepresented their AI capabilities--highlights the need for careful, fact-based disclosures, forward-looking safe-harbor language and proactive risk management to mitigate litigation exposure.
Monday, January 26, 2026
The California Supreme Court recognizes the public's right under the California Public Records Act to enforce proper public agency behavior.
Proposed federal evidence rule would require AI-Generated evidence to meet same standard as expert witnesses.
Friday, January 23, 2026
In 2025, California courts and the Department of Insurance clarified that
"direct physical loss or damage" from fires and smoke--including invisible or
microscopic damage--can qualify for coverage under insurance policies, building
on the precedent set in Another Planet Entertainment v. Vigilant Insurance.
The fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis violated the
Fourth Amendment's ban on unreasonable seizures, yet federal doctrines like
qualified immunity and the fading Bivens remedy leave victims without
real redress.
Thursday, January 22, 2026
More than a year after the Eaton and Palisades fires, many families still cannot rebuild because insurers quietly shortchange total-loss claims by delaying, minimizing or withholding benefits they owe.
California has finally delivered broad tax relief for wildfire settlements--but new legal definitions and shifting requirements mean many victims must still tread carefully to secure their exclusions.
Wednesday, January 21, 2026
McConaughey is trademarking 'Alright, alright, alright'--and himself--to fight AI deepfakes before they fight him.
The Trump administration's most consequential norm-breaking act may be its sidelining of senior JAG officers and targeting of Senator Mark Kelly for restating the bedrock rule that service members must obey only lawful orders.
Tuesday, January 20, 2026
Long before today's trade wars, tariff disputes helped shape the legal definition of art--forcing courts to draw lines between culture and commerce.
The start of a new year offers a timely reminder: maintaining perspective is essential for attorneys and firm leaders working to build meaningful, sustainable practices amid ongoing professional demands.
Friday, January 16, 2026
For Iranians, U.S. foreign policy isn't just unpredictable--it's dangerous, as shifting statements and unclear signals from Washington can raise hopes, trigger crackdowns and leave people vulnerable.
While FEHA already provides for fee recovery, an offer to compromise remains a powerful, underutilized tool that can bolster plaintiffs' leverage, efficiency and positioning throughout litigation.
Thursday, January 15, 2026
SB 37 redefines "truthful and not misleading" for an era when AI, vendors and influencers often blur the line between real legal advice and digital impersonation.
Five 2025 appellate rulings that trusts and estates practitioners need to know, from reformation petitions and elder abuse liability to demurrer deadlines and will revocation requirements.
Wednesday, January 14, 2026
As multimillion-dollar payouts for police violence, infrastructure failures and civil rights violations surge, California's public liability funds are straining under risks their original designs never envisioned.
A series of antitrust defeats has left the NCAA unable to enforce its own eligibility rules, fueling a bidding war for top athletes that threatens to destroy non-revenue sports programs. Federal legislation may be the only way to preserve college athletics.
Tuesday, January 13, 2026
California's highest court will decide in Bring Back the Kern v. City of Bakersfield whether a statutory duty to protect fish under Fish & Game Code ยงย 5937 must be tied to the Constitution's "reasonable use" requirement before a violation can be found.
In Paglia & Associates Construction
v. Hamilton, a homeowner's critical Yelp reviews and blog posts about her
contractor led to a libel lawsuit. The 2nd District Court of Appeal ruled the
litigation privilege doesn't extend to public social media complaints--only to
communications made within official proceedings.
Monday, January 12, 2026
After years of attempts, California has amended the Elder Abuse and Dependent Adult Civil Protection Act to let judges lower the evidentiary bar in cases involving spoliation.
Federal contractors are supposed to give hiring preferences to veterans, but the Department of Labor lets them off the hook.
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NEWS
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Monday, February 9, 2026 |
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| Arizona jury finds Uber liable under apparent-agency theory for driver's alleged rape of passenger, awards $8.5 million, but rejects negligence, design-defect and punitive-damage claims. | |
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Monday, February 9, 2026 |
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| Workplace investigations are a balancing act | |
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Monday, February 9, 2026 |
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| Judge Vince Chhabria questioned authors' late effort to add a contributory copyright claim against Meta, saying the theory appeared available earlier and may reflect a strategic do-over. | |
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Friday, February 6, 2026 |
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| The general bewilderment that bedevils the economic mandarins these days was captured by a recent World Bank note: "Global Growth Defies Expectations." | |
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Friday, February 6, 2026 |
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| A federal judge appointed Susman Godfrey's Rohit Nath and Keller Rohrback's William Dreher as co-lead counsel in authors' class action accusing Apple of using pirated works to train its AI model. | |
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Friday, February 6, 2026 |
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| Former state attorney Anthony Tartaglio is running to unseat San Francisco Superior Court Judge Michelle Tong, citing public criticism of her record as judicial challenges continue to rise statewide. | |
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Friday, February 6, 2026 |
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| Many California Sikhs built livelihoods in the trucking industry. Thousands suddenly just lost their licenses. | |
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Thursday, February 5, 2026 |
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| Closing arguments ended in the Phoenix bellwether trial, with the plaintiff's counsel urging a $144 million verdict against Uber for alleged rape, while the defense argued unforeseeable alleged conduct by an independent contractor driver does not make the company liable. | |
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Thursday, February 5, 2026 |
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| After 12 years of litigation, San Francisco Union Square Hilton agreed to a $12 million class settlement proposing to resolve claims it withheld mandatory banquet service charges from servers and bussers. | |
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Thursday, February 5, 2026 |
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| Yann LeCun argues that the technology industry will eventually hit a dead end in its AI development -- after years of work and hundreds of billions of dollars spent. | |
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Wednesday, February 4, 2026 |
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| Kevin Clune succeeds longtime president Joan Graff as head of Legal Aid at Work, pledging impact litigation, immigrant worker protections, and system reforms while inheriting a strong financial foundation statewide. | |
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Wednesday, February 4, 2026 |
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| Food delivery, which skyrocketed during the pandemic as a practical necessity, has become even more entrenched in the years since as a convenience, an everyday alternative to cooking or eating out. | |
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Wednesday, February 4, 2026 |
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| A San Francisco judge awarded former Farella lawyer Neil Goteiner $47,000 in fees after his dismissal from a malpractice lawsuit brought by the International Swim League and its founder entities. | |
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Tuesday, February 3, 2026 |
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| President Donald Trump's proposed one-year 10% cap on credit card interest rates doesn't appear imminent. But there may be steps you can take to lower your rate while paying down card balances. | |
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Tuesday, February 3, 2026 |
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| A federal judge weighed competing bids for lead counsel in the Roblox child exploitation MDL, signaling concern that multiple leaders or steering committees could hinder efficiency and delay progress proceedings. | |
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Tuesday, February 3, 2026 |
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| A San Francisco judge coordinated 13 lawsuits accusing OpenAI's ChatGPT of causing severe mental health harms, despite objections from one plaintiffs' lawyer, setting up a complex proceeding to address shared discovery and legal issues. | |
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Monday, February 2, 2026 |
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| Metro Verde's lead developer, John Moscato, decided four years ago that, whenever feasible, his company would no longer install natural gas lines for heating, hot water or cooking. | |
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Monday, February 2, 2026 |
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| U.S. home prices surged to new highs in 2025 even as seller profits slipped and affordability pressures deepened, according to a year end report released Thursday by the real estate data firm Attom. | |
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Monday, February 2, 2026 |
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| Music publishers allege Anthropic trained its Claude AI model using pirated lyrics and sheet music, reviving copyright claims after a prior lawsuit and a landmark federal ruling on AI training and fair use. | |
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Monday, February 2, 2026 |
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| Jurors heard closing arguments on whether Southern California Edison caused millions in cannabis business losses from the Thomas Fire or only limited, provable damages tied directly to smoke and debris. | |
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Friday, January 30, 2026 |
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| If you're wondering how to keep yourself financially on track in the face of these competing demands, the following strategies may help. | |
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Friday, January 30, 2026 |
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| The case centers on whether a $200,000 loan was part of a True Up calculation or a separate obligation due at the sale of the firm in 2023. | |
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Friday, January 30, 2026 |
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| Shareholder activism remains elevated, with activists increasingly pushing for M&A and other strategic changes, prompting companies to engage shareholders early, plan proactively and respond thoughtfully rather than react defensively. | |
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Thursday, January 29, 2026 |
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| After last-minute settlements by TikTok and Snap, Meta and Google moved forward with jury selection in the first Los Angeles Bellwether trial alleging social media platforms harm minors' mental health. | |
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Thursday, January 29, 2026 |
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| Initial public offerings in the U.S. rose in 2025, boosted by medical supply distributor Medline Inc., and attorneys expect another increase this year, even if much-anticipated offerings by San Francisco AI companies such as Anthropic PBC and OpenAI Inc. do not happen. | |
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Thursday, January 29, 2026 |
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| Gavin Newsom's relationship with legislators has always been more transactional than collaborative. | |
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Wednesday, January 28, 2026 |
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| Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is expected to testify Feb. 9 as the first jury trial over alleged addictive social media design moves forward, with a Los Angeles judge urging efficiency while resolving scheduling, evidentiary and jury logistics. | |
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Wednesday, January 28, 2026 |
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| The effects of lowering rates beyond a level that is appropriate for the economy are complicated, and not entirely positive. | |
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Wednesday, January 28, 2026 |
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| Corporate legal leaders from Robinhood, Coherent, Peloton, and Edward Jones said U.S. regulatory uncertainty is slowing blockchain and digital asset innovation, particularly in areas such as tokenization, payments, and market infrastructure, while Europe moves ahead. | |
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Tuesday, January 27, 2026 |
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| Google and Epic urged a federal judge to modify an Android app store injunction, but the FTC and Microsoft warned proposed changes could undermine competition and preserve Google's market power. | |
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Tuesday, January 27, 2026 |
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| A Democratic lawmaker is pushing a proposal to speed up $10 billion in funding for climate programs more than a year after voters approved Proposition 4, the state's biggest investment yet to combat climate change. | |
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Tuesday, January 27, 2026 |
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| A California Court of Appeal revived claims by more than 100 renters, holding tenants may sue landlords for background-check disclosure violations under state law even without proving they suffered actual harm. | |
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Tuesday, January 27, 2026 |
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| Corporate bankruptcies have hit their highest level in 15 years, and while attorneys do not see the large-scale filings that occurred during the Great Recession, they are expecting another increase in 2026. | |
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Monday, January 26, 2026 |
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| Ian Rambarran assumes operational leadership of the San Diego-based law firm as founder John Klinedinst focuses on strategy and growth. | |
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Monday, January 26, 2026 |
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| California faces a half-dozen existential issues that threaten the state's future economic and social wellbeing, and they have persistently defied attempts to resolve them over the last 25 years. | |
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Monday, January 26, 2026 |
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| A Los Angeles judge questioned whether Pasadena's anticipatory breach claims against UCLA fit the Rose Bowl agreement's narrow arbitration clause, taking under submission whether the dispute belongs in court or arbitration. | |
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Friday, January 23, 2026 |
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| Google urged Judge Richard Seeborg to decertify a privacy class after a $425 million verdict, arguing the lead plaintiff's testimony undermines the claim that users uniformly found the data collection highly offensive, the applicable legal standard. | |
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Friday, January 23, 2026 |
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| Former Optrics lead counsel Herbert Terreri settled malpractice claims for at least $1.75 million, denying wrongdoing, as pending good-faith settlements leaving Cloud9 Discovery as the sole remaining defendant. | |
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Friday, January 23, 2026 |
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| A surge of anti-government protests swept Iran this month, leading to civilian casualties and prompting President Donald Trump to hint that he was considering military intervention. Somehow, it was also a betting opportunity. | |
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Thursday, January 22, 2026 |
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| Major technology companies are using a creative legal method to add AI company founders and talented engineers without buying the startups. | |
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Thursday, January 22, 2026 |
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| San Francisco Public Defender Manohar Raju hired outside counsel as contempt proceedings continue over his office's refusal to accept new cases, prompting Judge Harry Dorfman to delay hearings and stress court objectivity. | |
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Thursday, January 22, 2026 |
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| Google this month began rolling out a suite of new tools relying on generative AI, the technology driving chatbots, to help users manage their bloated inboxes and speed up the process of writing email. | |
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Monday, February 9, 2026 |
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| Justice Department announcements of two new denaturalization petitions underscore how infrequently the government seeks to strip citizenship, immigration lawyers say, despite Trump-era pledges to expand the practice. | |
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Friday, February 6, 2026 |
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| Stanford Law professor Jeffrey L. Fisher has argued 50 cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, brings a track record of landmark constitutional victories in digital privacy, confrontation rights and racial justice. | |
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Wednesday, February 4, 2026 |
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| A federal judge said an antitrust challenge to Altria's stake in Juul should go to trial, rejecting summary judgment while expressing skepticism about plaintiffs' Clayton Act claims over acquired "assets" in his tentative order. | |
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Tuesday, February 3, 2026 |
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| A federal judge ordered the Court of Master Sommeliers-Americas to produce internal investigative records in a lawsuit by former students alleging a rigged 2018 wine-tasting exam and a leadership coverup of cheating and sexual misconduct. | |
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Monday, February 2, 2026 |
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| Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero said federal immigration authorities have appeared at at least 17 California courthouses in the past year, prompting courts to expand remote proceedings and seek guidance, while the Supreme Court prepares to address a growing backlog of Racial Justice Act appeals. | |
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Friday, January 30, 2026 |
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| Two cannabis companies are seeking more than $20 million in damages from the 2017 Thomas Fire. Edison acknowledges liability but contends any losses tied to the utility are far lower than the plaintiffs claim. | |
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Thursday, January 29, 2026 |
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| A proposed federal class action claims the San Francisco Giants misled fans by advertising low ticket prices online and adding mandatory fees at checkout, a practice now barred under California's Honest Pricing Law. | |
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Wednesday, January 28, 2026 |
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| The lawsuit accuses U.S. Border Patrol agents of making unconstitutional stops and arrests in the Central Valley. | |
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Monday, January 26, 2026 |
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| New judge Araceli Martinez-Olguin signaled Anthropic's $1.5 million author settlement may proceed, weighing a special master, opt-out deadline issues, and next steps after Judge Alsup's retirement without significant additional delays. | |
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Friday, January 23, 2026 |
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| The 4th District Court of Appeal panel decision will have significant fiscal and structural implications as counties confront a rising volume of postconviction claims. | |
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Thursday, January 22, 2026 |
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| Uber asked a magistrate judge to sanction a plaintiffs' lawyer for allegedly misusing confidential MDL discovery, prompting skepticism, sharp questioning, and warnings that sanctions remain possible after related injury lawsuits. | |