GUEST COLUMNS
Wednesday, December 8, 2021
California’s economy was tied for the nation’s highest unemployment rate in October while Nebraska had the lowest.
Tuesday, December 7, 2021
Both trial and appellate courts review settlements in class actions with "heightened scrutiny" for good reason. Class actions are both a blessing and a curse.
Monday, December 6, 2021
In the absence of meaningful changes in the law that prioritize public safety, more stores will face robberies and theft.
Fears of mass tree shortages are unwarranted, said Marsha Gray, executive director of the Christmas Tree Promotion Board, a marketing and research group.
Friday, December 3, 2021
As prior Arbitration Angle columns attest, it is no secret that the Federal Arbitration Act creates a vast number of substantive and procedural rules. But what exactly does the FAA say, or more precisely, what does it mean, regarding whether federal courts have jurisdiction to enforce such rules? We're about to find out.
Whether you're gathering in person or celebrating at a distance this year, it will be tempting to overspend.
Thursday, December 2, 2021
Along the California coast, we have a case where the rhetoric of property and liberty have met the reality of the California Coastal Commission.
The Ninth Circuit was recently asked to determine whether to continue to apply the Circuit's two-part extrinsic/intrinsic test for "substantial similarity" with regard to a copyright infringement claim or apply the Second Circuit's "ordinary observer" test instead.
California needs to maintain its competitive advantage, which will minimize businesses expanding R&D operations elsewhere.
Wednesday, December 1, 2021
California politicians have been jousting over the state’s chronic housing shortage but now the debate is turning into a political war. By Dan Walters
Reducing penalties without requiring accountability is not working for drug offenses or serious crimes. By Shelley Zimmerman
Some people have blamed this crisis on Proposition 47, the 2014 statewide referendum that reclassified many felony theft offenses as misdemeanors. While petty retail theft skyrocketed more than 20% soon after Prop. 47, the law isn't the only problem. There's clearly something else going on.
We can update our response to the pandemic and begin treating COVID-19 infections with new medications.
Tuesday, November 30, 2021
As California has long taught schoolchildren, the 21 California missions were key in our state's history. For better or worse, the missions provided a toehold for Christianity and European "civilization" in this remote outpost of Spain's empire.
The point is simply this: Government agencies, like all citizens, have an obligation to act not only legally, but morally.
Monday, November 29, 2021
The responses by Newsom and Boudin imply that they see political peril in concerns about crime.
After 70 years of squabbling, partisan politics may have been taken out of drawing political districts in California.
We should start thinking about who would best represent us and complain more about the failed policies of both parties.
Not long ago, reports about potential federal government legal settlements sparked outrage. The news broke that the Biden administration was considering payouts of approximately $450,000 to each undocumented immigrant who was separated from their family at the southern border.
Mobility argued that the PTAB's structure is unconstitutional as violative of due process because the PTAB is biased against patent owners.
Friday, November 26, 2021
Ongoing angst about state-by-state admissions rules for practicing lawyers is a pronounced and seeming unending and rancorous argument. Upon the advent of AI in the legal profession, the multijurisdictional matter is likely to get kicked into an even higher gear.
The Building Standards Commission should require that all new multi-family housing with parking must include EV ready charging.
When it comes to major purchases, when is the expenditure worth it, and when is the cost too prohibitive relative to your financial future?
Wednesday, November 24, 2021
In 2013, California’s system of financing public schools was overhauled in an effort to close the “achievement gap,” but we still don’t know whether it’s working.
California’s future depends on sustained investment in forest health and community protection from wildfires.
Monday, November 22, 2021
How should parents and courts approach a move-away case in the time of COVID?
People who leased their cars before the pandemic can probably buy their vehicles at the end of the lease for much less than the going market price.
Friday, November 19, 2021
Criticism of U.S. Supreme Court justices who are identified in the media as "conservative" proceeds apace and seems to have recently been given new life by certain justices speaking publicly about how the court and its justices do and do not decide cases.
One complicating factor is that inflation is a fact of life, and it can result in meaningfully higher expenses over time.
Thursday, November 18, 2021
Environmental, social and governance factors have pushed to the forefront of the Securities and Exchange Commission's attention in recent years.
While it is currently unclear how the FTC will pursue and penalize violations, what is clear is that the Biden administration's FTC will be actively looking to enforce its authority, with proprietary institutions as a likely target for any campaign.
Studies show that transitioning to an electricity grid powered by 100% clean energy can lock in lower utility bills.
Under the America Invents Act, a party may ask the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to review and potentially cancel claims in an already-issued patent that the PTO finds to be unpatentable in light of prior art.
Wednesday, November 17, 2021
Last week, Gov. Gavin Newsom extended two of his pandemic decrees until March 31, indicating that he has no present intention of withdrawing the emergency declaration he issued 20 months ago.
Important issues central to economic and environmental justice are at stake as the Public Utility Commission debates the future of rooftop solar in California.
Tuesday, November 16, 2021
Each month, federal and state officials release employment data for the preceding month, basically telling us how many Californians are employed and how many aren't.
As we discussed in our previous article, "New California Workplace Law, Part One," employers must be aware of a number of new California employment laws. Below is a brief summary of Part Two.
Monday, November 15, 2021
2021 brought employers an avalanche of new laws and ever-changing COVID-19 obligations. The good news is that the California Legislature gave employers a bit of a break this session, and the changes for 2022 are not too overwhelming.
Thursday, November 11, 2021
California will receive about $45.5 billion from the infrastructure improvement legislation that Congress approved last week, which sounds like a lot of money.
During the COVID-19 pandemic earlier this year, Shira Shafir was trying to make vaccine appointments for some colleagues at UCLA.
If you own a home, chances are your net worth has shot up in the last year. According to a new report, skyrocketing home prices caused by a pandemic-fueled real estate frenzy have led to a scenario where homeowners in the U.S. are sitting on a record $22.7 trillion worth of home equity.
Wednesday, November 10, 2021
Well, that was awkward. Gov. Gavin Newsom stalled for weeks on attending last week's global conference on climate change in Glasgow, then announced at the last moment that he would, only to just as suddenly announce that he wouldn't "due to family circumstances" which were never explained.
Will California's strict vaccine rules help bring an end to the pandemic that has disproportionately ravaged communities of color — or further entrench and widen those longstanding disparities?