News from March 2024
Consumer Watchdog announced that it has saved California policyholders more than $800 million
Consumer Watchdog, a nonprofit consumer advocacy group, announced that it has saved California insurance policyholders more than $800 million by challenging proposed auto and home insurance rate increases from providers including Allstate and State Farm. Despite these savings, data indicates that Californians still bear some of the highest insurance costs in the nation.
Leave It to Us: Managing Employee Leaves in California on March 27, 2024
California’s leave laws are complex, have a broad reach, and are subject to frequent change.
Cozen O’Connor’s Construction Group Continues its U.S. Buildout With a Major Expansion into Southern California
Cozen O’Connor announced it has further expanded its international Construction Law practice — this time into California — by adding six of the state’s leading construction attorneys to its Los Angeles office.
'De facto invisible': High costs, state rules, lack of online access can block public from monitoring 'public' court proceedings
A settlement has resolved a class action vs federal courts over fees charged to access online court documents. But high costs for certain records and varying court rules about public access to court records in Illinois and elsewhere create a legal patchwork that mostly limits public view into the courts
Troutman Pepper Wins Critical Trademark Dispute Securing TRO, Injunctive Relief for Guang Tai He Import Export, Inc.
Troutman Pepper Partner Ben Wagner has notched a mission-critical trademark win on behalf of Guang Tai He Import Export, Inc., a Maryland-based flooring company, securing a permanent injunction from the United States District Court for the Central District of California.
Class action accuses Sinclair of allegedly letting Google access online channel subscribers' info
Sinclair Broadcasting has been accused in a class action lawsuit of violating federal privacy laws.
Business groups, others, ask SCOTUS to force CA courts to abide by earlier SCOTUS decision in PAGA cases
The petition asserts the California courts have issued 'nonsensical' rulings, finding that under the SCOTUS' Viking River decision, California workers who are blocked from suing their employers by arbitration clauses can still sue their employers under California's PAGA law on behalf of coworkers
Pulte claims insurers owe millions in coverage denied for Perris homeowners' construction defects lawsuit
Homebuilder Pulte says the insurance companies, who had issued policies to subcontractors employed by Pulte, wrongly denied or ignored their requests for coverage against a homeowner construction defect legal action worth $9 million
Environmentalists again seek to force USFWS to add certain Joshua trees to endangered species lists
WildEarth Guardians has accused the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service of improperly refusing to place Joshua tree species on the Endangered Species List out of fear of climate change
Meta can't escape class action claiming Facebook 'Potential Reach' for ads misled advertisers
A majority on a split panel of the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals said it should only matter that Facebook allegedly inflated the "Potential Reach" of "boosted" ads, not by how much individual advertisers may have been misled, if at all
Lawyer who sued over exclusion from L.A. trial attorney group loses lawsuit
LOS ANGELES (Legal Newsline) - A federal judge not only threw out the lawsuit of a lawyer kicked out of a Los Angeles trial attorney group but has ordered him to pay the other side's attorneys fees.
Carl's Jr. accused of improperly allowing drive-thru tech vendor to record drive-thru customers ordering food
The lawsuit asserts tech vendor Presto used an automated ordering assistant to route customer orders through its server and allegedly record the customer conversations with drive thru attendants to improve customer experience, but allegedly without customers' knowledge or consent
Environmental activists accuse Escondido concrete making facility of releasing too much polluted runoff
Activists are seeking court orders directing Superior Ready Mix Concrete to pay potentially stiff civil penalties under the Clean Water Act.
Lawsuit accuses San Diego of operating discriminatory anti-white homebuyer assistance program
The lawsuit seeks a court order blocking the city of San Diego from administering its first-time homebuyer assistance program which the lawsuit said intentionally excludes white applicants.
Company selling kratom powder faces class action
SAN DIEGO (Legal Newsline) - The maker of a powder that gives users an opioid-like fix is facing a class action lawsuit over its side effects.
Substantial Hurdles on Substantial Similarity on March 21, 2024
In the Ninth Circuit, it has become increasingly difficult to get copyright infringement cases arising from film and TV productions dismissed due to lack of substantial similarity at the motion to dismiss stage.
Mom Support: Monique Lillard '83 encourages women in law, starting with her own mother
When Monique Lillard graduated from UCLA Law in 1983, about one-third of all newly minted lawyers were women.
Dinsmore Expands National Labor and Employment Practice with Four-Attorney Team in California
Less than a year after welcoming a dynamic team of women to Dinsmore & Shohl LLP’s Los Angeles office, the Firm’s national labor and employment practice has added four more attorneys in California.
UCLA Law welcomes Liz Vohwinkel as head of external affairs
Liz Vohwinkel, an experienced professional in fundraising, higher education and donor and alumni relations, including several previous years at UCLA School of Law, has rejoined the law school as its associate dean for external affairs.
State Bar accuses L.A. lawyer of colluding with opposing counsel in class action against city utility
An attorney who represented plaintiffs in a class-action lawsuit allegedly colluded with opposing counsel working on behalf of city of Los Angeles officials during the fallout from a Los Angeles Department of Water & Power billing system failure.