California

Former Lewis Brisbois executive criticized firm’s financial practices in 2019 claim

The former chief operating officer of Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith has alleged in an August 2019 whistleblower letter that he was fired after raising concerns about the law firm’s financial practices.

May 22, 2023 10:57 AM CDT

Jackson joins 3 conservative dissenters as Supreme Court upholds California’s pig welfare law

The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday upheld a California law that bans the in-state sale of pork that comes from pigs raised in tiny stalls.

May 11, 2023 12:06 PM CDT

More than 110 lawyers leave this BigLaw firm to join new shop

More than 110 lawyers are leaving Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith to join a new law firm founded by two of its longtime lawyers.

May 2, 2023 3:03 PM CDT

California rolling out ‘CARE Court’ program that offers treatment to people with psychosis

California is embarking on a new "CARE Court" program that will help people with psychotic disorders get comprehensive mental health treatment.

Apr 28, 2023 10:45 AM CDT

Protecting Polyamory: Municipalities expand rights, domestic partnerships to include nontraditional relationships

Polyamory is a slightly narrower form of consensual nonmonogamy in which people agree to have multiple, loving relationships openly and with full consent. Structure and agreements vary widely.

Apr 27, 2023 10:08 AM CDT

Some law firms avoid layoffs by adjusting associate class years downward

Law firms looking for a way to save money without layoffs are increasingly adjusting associate class years, according to legal recruiters in California and New York who spoke with Law.com.

Apr 25, 2023 9:31 AM CDT

Supreme Court will decide when public officials can block people from personal social media accounts

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday accepted two cases that consider whether public officials may violate the First Amendment when they block people from personal social media accounts that discuss their government roles.

Apr 24, 2023 3:05 PM CDT

Through overseas currency exchanges, California deputy DA helps online romance scam victims get their money back

In the criminal justice world, pig butchering refers to bacon—but not literally. Instead, it’s a term used to describe scamming someone online out of all their money through promises of romance and cryptocurrency windfalls, says Erin West, a prosecutor in the Santa Clara County, California, district attorney’s office.

Apr 24, 2023 8:40 AM CDT

‘Desperate for lawyers,’ Maine considers alternative path to law license

Maine lawmakers are considering a bill that would allow aspiring lawyers to skip law school if they study under a supervising attorney for two years.

Apr 11, 2023 9:29 AM CDT

Is honking your car horn expressive conduct protected by First Amendment? 9th Circuit weighs in

A federal appeals court has upheld a California law that bans honking your car horn—except when reasonably needed to warn of a safety hazard.

Apr 11, 2023 8:50 AM CDT

Weekly Briefs: Justice Thomas responds to luxury trips story; suit filed over Idaho AG’s abortion referrals opinion

Justice Thomas: I was following colleagues’ advice on luxury trips U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas said he was following guidance from colleagues and others in the judiciary when he didn’t report luxury trips financed by a good friend, Republican megadonor Harlan Crow. ProPublica’s report on the trips said Thomas…

Apr 7, 2023 2:13 PM CDT

Judicial Conference asks Congress for 75 new, converted federal judgeships—2 of them at appellate level

The U.S. Judicial Conference is recommending that Congress create two more permanent judgeships with the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at San Francisco and dozens of new judgeships at the district court level.

Mar 15, 2023 4:02 PM CDT

Law school gets extension to meet Standard 316; ABA Legal Ed council posts additional notice on faculty diversity

Updated: The Golden Gate University School of Law, which has not had a two-year bar pass rate at or above 75% since its class of 2017, has received an extension to come into compliance with Standard 316, which requires a bar passage rate of at least 75% within a two-year time period.

Mar 14, 2023 10:52 AM CDT

Smith Gambrell faces 2 suits over late disclosure of hack said to have exposed client information

Two proposed class actions filed against Smith, Gambrell & Russell last week allege that the law firm failed to safeguard clients' private information and waited too long to disclose a hack of its cloud-based database.

Mar 13, 2023 12:47 PM CDT

State bar finds ‘shocking past culture of unethical and unacceptable behavior’ in its handling of Girardi complaints

Disbarred trial lawyer Tom Girardi’s efforts to buy relationships and exercise influence at the State Bar of California likely caused some ethics complaints against him to be improperly closed, according to an outside review released Friday.

Mar 13, 2023 9:33 AM CDT