Daily Commerce

GUEST COLUMNS

Where innovation meets cybersecurity challenges in digital real estate

Real estate's digital evolution promises incredible efficiency gains but requires advanced planning to successfully navigate cybersecurity risks.

Redefining workspaces: Law firms' success in hybrid work environments

In response to post-COVID workplace shifts, law firms--long familiar with remote work--are transforming their office spaces to support hybrid models, enhance collaboration, foster firm culture, and attract top talent through wellness, amenities, and technology.

Register your huddled masses, yearning to breathe free

The Trump administration's enforcement of the long-dormant Alien Registration Act of 1940 presents immigration attorneys with an ethical dilemma and their clients with an impossible choice.

How SB 607 threatens California's environmental protection: the dangers of gutting CEQA

Senate Bill 607 poses one of the most serious threats in decades to the California Environmental Quality Act, undermining a 50-year legacy of environmental protection and public participation, and endangering vulnerable communities by weakening critical environmental review and accountability.

Firing blanks at history: How the 9th Circuit misfires on the 2nd Amendment

The Ninth Circuit's decision in Duarte upheld a lifetime gun ban for non-violent felons, clashing with Bruen's historical test and deepening a circuit split that now begs for Supreme Court review.

America cannot rewrite birthright

As the Supreme Court weighs the procedural challenge to nationwide injunctions in Trump, et al. v. CASA, Inc., et al., the nation must remain focused on the original intent of the 14th Amendment--to guarantee full citizenship and equal protection under the law to all persons born on U.S. soil.

You know it's time to retire when ... (a retirement test)

Aging on the bench is a complex and deeply personal journey, and while some judges remain sharp and effective well past traditional retirement age, the struggle to assess one's own decline, the fear of irrelevance, and the pull of legacy and identity make the decision to step down as difficult as it is inevitable.

Halftime analysis of NIL in 2025: Key legal developments in college athletics

As NIL rights continue to reshape college athletics, from high-profile transfer disputes like Nico Iamaleava's to antitrust litigation and revenue-sharing negotiations, sports lawyers are increasingly essential in navigating the legal and regulatory chaos.

Goebner clarifies California probate court demurrer deadline

Goebner confirms that in probate court, the deadline to file a demurrer is any time at or before the hearing, rather than within 30 days of service of the petition, as would be required in civil actions.

Beef and bioreactors: How California can lead and export a new protein revolution

With sky-high beef prices and biotech prowess, California can pioneer a hybrid meat model--blending ranching and cultivated meat to cut emissions, boost resilience, and lead the global protein shift.

Justice for survivors, bankruptcy for schools?

California's well-intentioned AB 218 opened the door for long-overdue justice for survivors of childhood sexual assault, but its sweeping elimination of time limits on claims has left public schools and local governments vulnerable to massive liabilities, threatening their financial stability and essential services.

Compliance, candor, and contempt: the case of Epic Games v. Apple

A federal judge recently condemned Apple's willful noncompliance with an injunction and referred the matter for criminal contempt: reminding the legal profession that candor isn't optional -- it's the job.

The 'death discount': Ending an unjust legal paradox

California law once allowed negligent parties to escape full accountability when injured victims died before trial--erasing their pain and suffering from the record--but unless lawmakers pass Senate Bill 29 to make recent reforms permanent, that unjust "death discount" will return in 2026.

Opening the Trojan email: How BEC breaches businesses from within

Business Email Compromise (BEC) is a fast-moving, trust-based cyberattack that exploits human behavior - not technical flaws - to defraud organizations of billions, making it one of the most financially damaging threats in today's digital workplace.

Cunningham decision reshapes ERISA litigation landscape

The U.S. Supreme Court's decision may require policymakers to consider targeted reforms to ensure ERISA continues to serve its intended purpose.

The constitution, the courts, and nationwide injunctions

The Supreme Court will hear arguments next week in three consolidated cases challenging President Trump's executive order on birthright citizenship, focusing narrowly on whether the lower courts exceeded their constitutional authority under Article III by issuing nationwide injunctions that extended relief beyond the parties before them.

The False Claims Act in action: What Hendrix v. J-M reveals

The Ninth Circuit took a common-sense approach in the case, steering clear of case law and legislative history, and focusing on what could be proven

Legal fuel for food waste solutions in California

California is pioneering sustainable food systems through innovative corporate models and legislation that embed circular economy principles.

The qualified immunity tight rope: A closer look at D'Braunstein v. California Highway Patrol

The Ninth Circuit's decision in D'Braunstein v. CHP offers a rare win for civil rights plaintiffs, highlighting how qualified immunity--often a near-fatal obstacle--can be overcome when officers fail to recognize and respond to visible medical distress.

Puerto Rico's energy precipice

Puerto Rico faces worsening blackouts as leaders extend coal and gas use--ignoring clean, proven solutions like rooftop solar that could meet demand and save lives.

Packard opens the door to more trust reformation and construction litigation

Packard v. Packard confirms that petitions to reform a trust to reflect a settlor's intent aren't "contests" and aren't barred by no-contest clauses or the 120-day deadline, but follow a three-year limit under CCP § 338(d).

How to advertise your services without running afoul of the ethics rules?

To ethically reach out to potential clients during a disaster, lawyers must recognize the difference between advertising and solicitation, ensuring their messages are accurate, not misleading, and in line with the Rules of Professional Conduct.

Law is an archer's game

Litigation, like archery, demands calm under pressure, sharp focus, and the courage to strike with purpose.

Courts or courted for deportation? The immigration crackdown threatens vulnerable workers

The Trump Administration's crackdown on undocumented immigrants, including courthouse arrests, jeopardizes the ability of vulnerable silicosis plaintiffs who seek justice without the threat of deportation.

Moskovitz vs. Hahvahd

Harvard University's enduring influence and indifference to political power is nothing new.

Income tax considerations in estate planning: Part 2

Estate planning involves strategic decisions about asset management and transfer, with trusts serving as a key tool; however, the tax implications--ranging from income taxes on trust-generated income to estate and gift tax consequences--can be complex and require careful consideration to align with long-term goals.

Income tax considerations in estate planning: Part 1

Estate planning involves not only managing the distribution of assets but also addressing income tax considerations, such as the implications of final tax returns, how income generated after death is reported by estates, and the tax responsibilities of heirs and beneficiaries.

Copyright after Loper Bright: New challenges for the copyright office?

The Supreme Court's 2024 Loper Bright ruling, which overturned Chevron deference, is unlikely to significantly impact copyright law.

When is a law a law?

There is a nuanced distinction between a statute's "effective" date - the moment it becomes law--and its "operative" date--the point at which its provisions can be enforced, and how the presumption of prospective application governs most statutes.

The business case for food waste reduction in California

California's SB 1383 is transforming food waste from environmental liability into economic and climate opportunity, combining bold mandates, tax incentives, and community-driven programs to slash landfill-bound organics and boost food recovery across the state.

When will they ever learn?

In Knellinger v. Young (2025), the 10th Circuit examined a case where Colorado's unclaimed property laws led to the state taking property without proper notice or compensation, with the court ultimately reaffirming that property owners are entitled to just compensation under the Fifth Amendment, regardless of administrative processes.

Proposed amended Rule 1469: Balancing public health and industrial impacts

Proposed amendments to Rule 1469 by the South Coast AQMD aim to strengthen regulation of hexavalent chromium emissions to protect public health and address environmental justice concerns, but they also present significant operational, financial, and competitive challenges for industries reliant on Cr(VI).

Unscrupulous landlords and attorneys who help them target immigrants could pay the price

Emblem and remedy: How a California housing rights law already uniquely protects immigrant tenants from unscrupulous landlords emboldened by Trump's anti-immigrant rhetoric.

Speed doesn't care who's driving, so why should the law?

It's time to replace outdated, court-based speed enforcement with automated civil penalties focused on the vehicle, not the driver, to make our streets safer and hold car owners financially accountable for dangerous speeding.

CIPA meets AI: Genesys case signals compliance challenges ahead

At its core, the Genesys Cloud Services litigation extends established privacy principles to AI vendors, foreshadowing the compliance landscape companies must navigate as they integrate intelligent technologies.

Trump's showering of deregulation may just go down the drain

Trump's push to fast-track deregulation bypasses Administrative Procedure Act rules, but courts--bolstered by Loper Bright--may block shortcuts that sidestep public input and legal procedure.

Red tape or green future? Unpacking California's climate disclosure laws and the pushback

As the federal government retreats from climate regulation, California steps up with sweeping disclosure laws requiring large companies doing business in the state to report emissions and climate-related financial risks.

California's Surplus Lands Act needs a reality check for rural parcels

Though well-intentioned, the act urgently needs reform to distinguish between viable housing sites and rural parcels like El Dorado's pond where rigid application of the law blocks community-driven efforts to preserve public spaces without advancing affordable housing goals.

The ugly freedom of 'feeding speech'

How big tech defends algorithmic addiction in the name of the First Amendment.

AI takes center stage in the legal battle over digital creativity

AI developments are rapidly reshaping the legal landscape, with key issues like copyright infringement, trademark misuse, defamation, right of publicity, and unfair competition highlighted through the hypothetical AI-created film

Why immigration enforcement is changing the way California works

Immigration crackdowns post-2025 have made compliance a top business priority, with rising audits, steep fines, and legal risks forcing employers to act fast and stay sharp.

Community outreach defeats SB 832, creating a win for sex abuse survivors

California Senate Bill 832, which proposed stringent "clear and convincing" evidence requirements for childhood sexual abuse survivors, faced significant backlash, leading to its withdrawal after widespread community mobilization and advocacy.

Tax-exempt advocacy under pressure: The diverging paths of 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) organizations

Amid rising political scrutiny and legal uncertainty, California nonprofits must navigate shifting rules and rising risks around 501(c)(3) and (4) advocacy to protect their tax-exempt status and public trust.

Insurance payments, bad faith claims and taxes

Insurance payments, including those for wildfire-related damages or bad faith claims, can be tax-free under certain conditions, but complexities in the tax code, such as the treatment of settlements and the IRS's evolving interpretations, make it crucial for taxpayers to carefully navigate insurance recoveries to avoid unintended tax liabilities.