eNews

It’s a jungle out there! No, I’m not referring to the political climate, but rather the trend towards a lack of civility, courtesy, and cooperation within our profession as family law litigants. In a decision from earlier this year, Lasalle v. Vogel (2019) 36 Cal. App.5th 127, 248 Cal.Rptr.3d. 263, it was pointed out that things in California had gotten so bad between attorneys, the State Bar decided to amend it’s oath to newly admitted attorneys, by including a civility requirement, as well as a vow to treat opposing counsel with “dignity, courtesy, and integrity.” That was back in 2014 and five years later the Court of Appeal is still urging a return to professionalism. Read more

Courtesy of CEB, we are bringing you selected legal developments in areas of California business law that are covered by CEB’s publications.  This month’s feature is from the November 2019 update to Trade Secrets Practice in California.  References are to the book’s section numbers.  See CEB’s BLS Landing Page for special discounts for Business Law Section members.  The most significant legal developments since the last update include developments in such important topic areas as trade secrets protection, workplace issues, trade… Read more

The Litigation Section held its 2019 “A Week in Legal London” program September 29 – October 4, 2019. Our Section Chair, George Wailes and ExCom member Ana Sambold attended—and they really enjoyed it! During the week, participants visited the major courts in London, attended trials, dined at the historical Inns of Court, and met barristers, solicitors, judges and prominent members of the British legal community including "Lady Hale," the Chief Justice of the UK’s new Supreme Court. Read more

Over 150 California attorneys attended the Annual Appellate and Litigation Summit at LA Live on September 20. Read more

As the new chair, I am pleased to carry on the good work of Tom Greene, the outgoing chair. Under Tom’s strong guidance, last year was another banner year for the Litigation Section. Highlights included the “So You Want to be a Judge” program co-sponsored with the California Women Lawyers in San Francisco, the Litigation and Appellate Summits in Los Angeles, a very informative program on international commercial arbitration presented in Los Angeles, the Week in Legal London program, and much, much more. Your Litigation Section membership brought to your inbox the Litigation Journal, the California Litigation Review, the monthly Litigation Update, and this newsletter, which you have told us are valued benefits of membership. Read more

On July 5, 2019, Judge Thomas Hardiman, writing for a unanimous three-judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit (the “Panel”), affirmed the District Court of the Virgin Islands’ verdict dismissing all claims in Spartan Concrete Products, LLC v. Argos USVI, Corp., 929 F.3d 107 (3d Cir. 2019). The case involved a dispute over the sale of ready-made concrete in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Id. at 109. Read more

The case is about telescopes and the antitrust law. The Court’s earlier opinion denying defendants’ Motion to Dismiss was covered in a previous e-brief (here). In the above-captioned Order the Court ruled on a myriad of summary judgment motions filed by the plaintiff, Optronic Technologies (“Orion”), and the defendants, Ningbo Sunny Electronic Co. Ltd. and Sunny Optics, Inc. (“Sunny”). Read more

The Environmental Law Section was well-represented at the California Lawyers Association Annual Meeting in Monterey on October 10-12. The Section presented four panels: “Holding the Line In the Face of Federal Rollbacks and Environmental Law;” “California and the International Environmental Legal Framework for Mitigating Climate Change” (co-sponsored with the International Law Section); “Stormwater Citizen Suit Liabilities in The Information Age;” and “Los Angeles River Stormwater Use and River Restoration: Competing or Compatible Visions?” Read more

The 28th Annual Environmental Law Conference at Yosemite® was another tremendous success! Over 650 participants enjoyed excellent speakers and panel presentations on a wide array of California environmental topics, fun and challenging outdoor activities in beautiful weather in Yosemite National Park, and many opportunities to network with friends old and new. Read more

Recent Family Law Cases (current through 10/25/19)
By: Stephen D. Hamilton, CFLS Read more