GUEST COLUMNS
Monday, February 23, 2026
The entertainment industry is at the forefront of innovative claims arising from the intersection of media and generative AI technologies, and as these cases begin to settle on their own and with the help of mediators, they are drawing new lines in the sand while establishing novel licensing frameworks.
Legislation intended to promote affordable housing by limiting community associations' enforcement, collection, and maintenance powers often backfires, forcing compliant homeowners to subsidize non-compliant neighbors, shoulder higher costs and face greater safety and insurance risks.
Friday, February 20, 2026
Fueled by advertising deregulation from the Supreme Court of the United States, high-volume "plantation" law firms rely on mass-marketing and industrial intake systems that prioritize profit and scale over ethics, supervision and meaningful client representation.
Candlestick Park was more than cold and windy. It was built on insider deals, political maneuvering and a grand jury probe that went nowhere -- leaving taxpayers in the cold while the Giants cashed in.
Wednesday, February 18, 2026
For decades, legal research rested on the scarcity of authoritative information; general-purpose AI now places that assumption under pressure by changing how experienced lawyers test, refine and pressure-check legal reasoning.
H.R. 3699 would broadly block state and local governments from most forms of energy regulation --potentially disrupting electrification efforts, safety rules, wildfire protections and utility cost oversight.
Friday, February 13, 2026
Although the IRS generally presumes litigation recoveries are ordinary income, damages in some defamation cases--particularly those involving harm to professional reputation or goodwill--may qualify for capital gain or basis recovery.
California's 2026 employment law updates impose new operational obligations affecting records, pay data, leave coordination and training, requiring employers to realign policies and internal systems now.
Wednesday, February 11, 2026
As genomic testing becomes more accessible, defense counsel in mesothelioma cases are increasingly leveraging BAP1 and other genetic mutations to challenge asbestos causation theories and provide an alternative explanation for the disease.
Last week, a 92-year-old driver may have mistaken the gas for the brake and crashed into Westwood's 99 Ranch Market, killing three and injuring several others, raising questions about driver age, potential medical emergencies, foreseeability, and insurance coverage.
Monday, February 9, 2026
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.
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.
Friday, February 6, 2026
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
U.S. District Judge Monica Ramirez Almadani. (Courtesy of Public Counsel)
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NEWS
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General News
Monday, February 23, 2026 |
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| High electricity costs and cold temperatures can make heating through the cold season with a heat pump more expensive than using a gas furnace. | |
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General News
Monday, February 23, 2026 |
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| A federal judge challenged DivX's theory that Netflix induced patent infringement by continuing operations after being sued, as attorneys sparred over alleged copying and the scope of streaming technology claims. | |
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General News
Monday, February 23, 2026 |
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| The City of Malibu has sued the state, Los Angeles and other agencies over the devastating Palisades Fire, alleging dangerous conditions of public property, public nuisance and inverse condemnation, and seeking to recover extensive public and economic losses. | |
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General News
Friday, February 20, 2026 |
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| Judge David O. Carter criticized the City of Los Angeles and homeless advocates for prolonging a dispute over a court-appointed data monitor, urging them to reach agreement and avoid further public expense in ongoing oversight litigation. | |
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General News
Friday, February 20, 2026 |
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| If you had to ask whose forehead was plastered on a billboard along San Francisco's Route 101 last month, you were clearly not in the startup world. | |
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General News
Wednesday, February 18, 2026 |
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| As the country grapples with a housing shortage, Irvine's model has gained a new appeal. | |
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General News
Wednesday, February 18, 2026 |
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| An African American-led development team sued Los Angeles and former councilmember Kevin de León, alleging officials sabotaged a $1.2 billion downtown project in retaliation for condemning a 2022 racist recording scandal. | |
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General News
Wednesday, February 18, 2026 |
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| Over the past few months, amid the rows and rows of rail cars in various stages of production, the newest Amtrak trains have finally begun rolling onto the tracks. | |
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General News
Friday, February 13, 2026 |
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| Protect your legacy with regular updates to your financial documents | |
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General News
Friday, February 13, 2026 |
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| Instagram chief Adam Mosseri testified as an adverse witness in the first bellwether trial of Los Angeles County's coordinated minors' social media litigation, as jurors reviewed internal Meta emails warning that lifting restrictions on cosmetic filters could prioritize growth over teen safety. | |
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General News
Friday, February 13, 2026 |
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| CoStar Group fired back at arguments opposing its bid to disqualify Quinn Emanuel, accusing the firm of knowingly representing a competitor in active litigation without consent and dismissing claims that an advance waiver or ethical wall could cure what it calls a clear breach of loyalty. | |
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General News
Wednesday, February 11, 2026 |
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| Jurors heard dueling openings in the first bellwether trial accusing Meta and Google of designing addictive platforms that harmed a child, with the defense arguing her mental health struggles stemmed from a troubled home, not social media use. | |
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General News
Wednesday, February 11, 2026 |
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| Making healthy financial decisions, such as saving for retirement, paying down credit card debt, and refinancing your mortgage can set you up for long-term financial success. | |
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General News
Wednesday, February 11, 2026 |
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| A special effects studio sued Paramount and Spyglass, alleging the Ghostface mask infringes its original design, while the studios countered with a lawsuit arguing the claims are untimely and aimed at leveraging the upcoming "Scream 7" release. | |
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General News
Monday, February 9, 2026 |
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| The 9th Circuit en banc held immigration judges must conduct a case-specific inquiry into whether severe traffic can constitute "exceptional circumstances," overruling part of a 2021 precedent and remanding a family's removal case to the BIA. | |
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General News
Monday, February 9, 2026 |
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| Workplace investigations are a balancing act | |
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General News
Monday, February 9, 2026 |
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| A Northern District judge declined to hold insurance broker John Marques in contempt after his lawyer said a serious medical condition prevented compliance with post-judgment discovery in an SEC action tied to the $170 million EquiAlt real estate fraud. | |
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General News
Friday, February 6, 2026 |
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| Proposed class actions allege a 2025 breach exposed sensitive client data at Wisner Baum, prompting negligence claims, privacy law allegations, and disputes over cybersecurity practices, delayed notice, and resulting harms. | |
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General News
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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General News
Friday, February 6, 2026 |
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| A man hit in the eye by a rubber bullet during a Los Angeles protest sued the city and police, alleging civil rights violations after officers dispersed a demonstration he said he was photographing peacefully. | |
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General News
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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General News
Monday, February 23, 2026 |
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| A federal judge in Los Angeles dismissed a putative class action accusing PepsiCo and Frito-Lay of unlawfully favoring large grocery chains over small convenience stores, ruling that the plaintiffs' Robinson-Patman Act claims lack a workable class framework but granting leave to amend. | |
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General News
Friday, February 20, 2026 |
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| Mark Zuckerberg defended Instagram's age limits and design choices, disputing claims the platform intentionally addicted minors for profit. | |
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General News
Wednesday, February 18, 2026 |
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| A federal judge considers certifying a class action alleging UNOS and Cedars-Sinai used race-based kidney function calculations that delayed Black patients' transplant wait times and harmed thousands nationwide. | |
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General News
Friday, February 13, 2026 |
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| A Los Angeles Superior Court judge tentatively ruled that Palisades Fire plaintiffs adequately alleged dangerous conditions and infrastructure failures, allowing inverse condemnation claims against the city, its water and power utility and the state to move forward into discovery. | |
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General News
Wednesday, February 11, 2026 |
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| It has been just 26 months since some of the most grueling strikes in Hollywood history came to an end. Now comes the possibility that it will happen all over again. | |
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General News
Monday, February 9, 2026 |
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| Bankruptcy partner Aram Ordubegian will lead ArentFox Schiff's Los Angeles office, aiming to grow the roster from 75 to 100 attorneys as longtime managing partner Aaron Jacoby steps aside after 10 years. | |
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General News
Friday, February 6, 2026 |
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| Austin Beutner, a Los Angeles civic leader who has run the city's school system and major daily newspaper, said Thursday that he was dropping out of the mayor's race after suffering profound grief from the sudden death of his 22-year-old daughter. | |