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Sperm Bank Fraud Lawsuits in California

We just reviewed an interesting article in the New York Times about sperm bank fraud lawsuits in California.  Couples and individuals trust sperm banks in collecting and storing their sperm securely for a later date.  However, sperm banks have been found mishandling and misrepresenting the donated sperm.  Whether missing, misplaced, or containing disorders, these vials are not being maintained with… READ MORE

California Trade Secret Law Preempts Other Claims

As Bloomberg BNA’s reporting on the Oculus Rift lawsuit notes, California law limits the types of claims plaintiffs may bring in trade secret lawsuits.  Unlike in other lawsuits, where plaintiffs are basically allowed to throw the kitchen sink at a defendant, with regard to trade secret theft allegations, California plaintiffs are forced to narrow their lawsuits.  This basically means they are only… READ MORE

San Diego Employee Trade Secret Theft

As noted in the CEBblog on trade secrets, one of the most likely times for actual (or alleged) San Diego employee trade secret theft is when an employee leaves a company.  In her blog, Julie Brooks does a great job informing lawyers and companies of the potential for trade secrets theft when an employee leaves, and recommending the use of a proper… READ MORE

What is the Definition of Independent Contractor in California?

California employers and employees often want to know: what is the definition of independent contractor in California?  More specifically, how does an independent contractor differ from an employee in California?  This question and classification can have a lot of ramifications.  As just one example, one of our clients recently received a California Labor Commissioner Notice, after a purported employee filed… READ MORE

Fraud Lawsuits Against California Wine Company

Several fraud lawsuits against California wine company, Premier Cru, were put on hold recently after the company filed bankruptcy.  Consumers filed the fraud lawsuits against the California wine merchant after paying for expensive wines, but the company failed to deliver the product. As reported by WineSpectator.com, thePremier Cru entity filed bankruptcy after racking up an alleged $70 million in liabilities, including debts… READ MORE