It’s official. The Supreme Court of California has voted to approve the newest California Rule of Professional Conduct (“CRPC”), rule 8.3, which addresses a lawyer’s duty to report the misconduct of another lawyer. Effective August…
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Employee Handbook Best Practices for Small Businesses in California
Creating an effective employee handbook is a pivotal task for every employer who employs five or more employees in California. Serving as a critical tool for communication, management, planning, and legal protection, the Employee Handbook…
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C.C.P. 998(c)(1)’s cost-shifting penalty provisions could apply to certain settlements
Issue: In Oscar J. Madrigal et al. (2023) 2023 S.O.S. 1464 the Court considered whether C.C.P. 998(c)(1)’s cost-shifting penalty provisions apply when an offer to compromise is rejected and the case ends, not with a…
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Exercise Caution and Do Not Disclose Confidential Information to AI Programs
It is hard to go a day or two without getting an email about some new virtual assistant application (i.e., ChatGPT or Bing Chat). While these tools can greatly increase attorney efficiency with things like…
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Proposed Rule 8.3 Competing Alternatives: What’s on the Table Now?
Currently out for public comment are two alternative versions of a proposed new California Rule of Professional Conduct, rule 8.3, which would address a lawyer’s duty to report the misconduct of another lawyer to the…
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Court of appeal clarifies requirements for equitable contribution claims among co-insurers
California Capital Insurance Company v. Employers Compensation Insurance Company Court of Appeal of California, Fourth Appellate District, Division Three (Certified for Publication on 3/20/2023) dealt with the appeal from a judgment of the Superior Court of Orange…
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Court confirms right of employees to engage in union organizing activities without fear of retaliation
Tesla, Inc., the electric car maker founded by Elon Musk, has been facing a series of lawsuits from its former and current employees alleging racial discrimination and harassment at its Fremont factory. One of these…
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Senate Bill 1155 adds new rules for policy limit demands
A new California law is responding to the continued use of time-limit demands to “open” insurance. Time-limited demands are offers to settle a claim within a specified period of time, usually within the policy limits…
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