News from 2025
CA A/G Bonta threatens hospitals for complying with Trump's order blocking child gender transition procedures
Attorney General Rob Bonta sent a letter to Children's Hospital Los Angeles and issued a public statement threatening state action vs hospitals and other medical providers who comply with President Trump's order forbidding federal funding and directing federal action vs those providing child gender transition procedures
Barnes & Thornburg Welcomes New Attorneys and Legal Professionals
Barnes & Thornburg has added corporate, labor and employment, litigation and real estate attorneys and legal professionals to its Atlanta, Indianapolis, Los Angeles and San Diego offices.
San Diego among California counties suing social media companies for 'addicting' youths
Three California counties are suing Meta/Facebook, Instagram, Snap, TikTok, Google and YouTube, alleging the companies have created a social media addiction crisis among youth through their insecurity- and dependency-promoting platforms.
Jackson Lewis Welcomes Amy Todd as New Leader of San Diego Office
Nationwide employment law firm Jackson Lewis P.C. is pleased to announce Amy Todd has joined the firm as office managing principal in San Diego.
Judge in Meta class-action lawsuit: Expert's 'guesswork' must be excluded
A federal judge has rejected the certification of a class-action lawsuit against Facebook’s parent company that challenged how Meta uses people’s personal data, calling the arguments of the plaintiffs’ expert witness unreliable and inadmissible.
Sheppard Mullin Recognized in World Trademark Review's 2025 WTR 1000
World Trademark Review’s 2025 edition of WTR 1000, the definitive guide to identifying the world’s leading trademark professionals, has recognized Sheppard Mullin among the best trademark practices nationally and regionally in California (for enforcement and litigation and prosecution and strategy) and in New York (for enforcement and litigation).
Employment Attorney Christopher Cianci Joins Epstein Becker Green, Strengthening Litigation Capabilities in Los Angeles
Epstein Becker Green (EBG) is pleased to announce that seasoned employment litigator Christopher Cianci has joined EBG as a Member of the Firm in the Employment, Labor & Workforce Management (ELWM) practice.
From federal public defender’s office to post-conviction work: Michael Parente
Now in his second year back at USC Gould School of Law as a clinical assistant professor of law, Michael Parente (JD 2012) has continued his work in the field of criminal justice as a practitioner and educator.
Draft ethics alert: California lawyers should avoid bad-mouthing judges in public statements
A California State Bar committee is weighing rule changes aimed at reminding attorneys of their duty not to make public statements criticizing the actions of judges in a way that could pose safety risks for the judges and their families.
LA school district gets new chance to shut down lawsuit over Covid vax mandate
The full Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals tossed out their colleagues' earlier holding that had allowed L.A. public school workers to sue L.A. Unified School District over its Covid shot mandate, because the Covid shots don't prevent infection. LAUSD said the effectiveness of the shot shouldn't matter to the court
2025 California Breakfast Briefing Series - San Diego on February 5
A series of new employment law bills has been signed by California Gov. Gavin Newsom and will take effect next year.
Experienced Labor & Employment Litigator Stephen E. Baumann II Joins Holland & Knight in Denver and Los Angeles
Holland & Knight has strengthened its labor and employment and litigation practices with the addition of Stephen E. Baumann II as a partner in the Firm’s Denver and Los Angeles offices.
Dean Tolson strengthens ties with USC Gould alumni in Asia
Expanding the law school’s global engagement efforts, USC Gould Dean Franita Tolson traveled to Asia in September, hosting a series of events in Shanghai, Seoul and Tokyo to strengthen ties with alumni across the region.
Arko Steel Sues Construction Firm Over Alleged Fraudulent Practices
Arko Steel has filed a lawsuit against a construction company and its officers alleging fraud related to uncompleted pool construction projects in California.
Former Employee Alleges Multiple Labor Violations Against Food Service Companies
A former employee has filed a lawsuit against several food service companies alleging numerous labor law violations including unpaid wages and inadequate break times.
Plaintiff Alleges Hospital Negligence Led to Mother's Wrongful Death
Jolie Bruns has taken legal action against Los Robles Regional Medical Center and Dr. Hazel B. Abaya for allegedly causing her mother's wrongful death through negligent medical practices in February 2022.
Plaintiff alleges Amazon.com Services LLC violated labor laws
Adriana Yarelis De Jesus has taken legal action against Amazon.com Services LLC for alleged labor law violations including unpaid wages and pregnancy discrimination.
Partner Judy Suwatanapongched Selected as 2025 Leadership Council on Legal Diversity Fellow
Sheppard Mullin is pleased to announce that Los Angeles-based Business Trial partner Judy Suwatanapongched has been selected as the firm’s 2025 Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) Fellow.
Andre Thiollier Named Latino Business Leadership Honoree by Silicon Valley Business Journal
Foley & Lardner LLP partner André Thiollier is recognized by Silicon Valley Business Journal as an honoree for the publication’s 2025 Latino Business Leadership Awards.
Judge: Profs can't challenge CA community college DEI rules, because rules haven't been enforced yet
A federal judge has rejected, for now, a lawsuit brought by Fresno-area community college instructors challenging California's community college DEI regulations. The instructors said the rules are an unconstitutional threat vs professors who could be found to be insufficiently 'anti-racist'