The California state legislature, local government entities, and state and federal courts are constantly changing the environment in which our clients operate on a daily basis and plan their future strategic direction. Staying abreast of new laws, regulations and other legal developments – and analyzing the impact on clients – is what makes our attorneys standout as go-to experts. We share breaking-news information through the timely distribution of Client Alerts, and we encourage you to sign up to receive these updates by completing the subscription information in the left column. Our most recent Client Alerts are provided below, alphabetized by area of law. Prior alerts are available in the annual archives in the left column or via the search function on our website.
First Amendment
- Social Media & Government: What Are the New Rules of Engagement?May 2, 2019Government entities and elected officials are becoming more accessible and connected to constituents through the ubiquitous use of social media, email, text messaging and other communication technologies. The 21st century question is what may government entities and elected officials do and not do to block or otherwise regulate the public’s participation in their social media accounts? Part of ... read more
- California Supreme Court Upholds Local Ordinance Regulating Wireless Telecommunication Facilities’ AestheticsApril 8, 2019On April 4, 2019, the California Supreme Court issued a unanimous decision upholding the First District Court of Appeal’s ruling that telecommunications facilities must comply with a municipal ordinance that enforces aesthetic guidelines. The case, T-Mobile West LLC v. City and County of San Francisco, was brought by T-Mobile, Crown Castle, and ExteNet Systems against the City and ... read more
- New NOx Emissions “Indirect Source Rules” Target Warehouses in Southern CaliforniaApril 5, 2019Despite years of regulatory effort and billions invested in pollution control technologies, Southern California remains unable to meet federal requirements for clean air and is designated “extreme nonattainment” for the class of air pollutants called NOx (nitrogen oxides), which causes the formation of smog and acid rain. Diesel fuel emissions from trucks on roads and highways is a major ... read more
- EPA’s New Action Plan: Urgent Next Steps for the Regulated CommunityFebruary 25, 2019In response to increasing concerns regarding contamination from potential exposure to per- and polyfluroalkyl substances (PFAS), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has now released its PFAS Action Plan. The Plan affects thousands of PFAS substances that have been manufactured since the 1940s, used most prominently in products such as fire-fighting foams, non-stick cookware, food packaging, ... read more
- Pension Law Update: CA Supreme Court Avoids Addressing the “California Rule” in Much-Anticipated Cal Fire DecisionMarch 5, 2019In its March 4 ruling in Cal Fire Local 2881 v. California Public Employees' Retirement System, the California Supreme Court held that the Legislature’s elimination of the opportunity for employees to purchase additional retirement service (ARS) credit ... read more
- California’s Density Bonus Law: 2019 UpdateJanuary 16, 2019California’s Density Bonus Law provides housing developers with powerful tools to encourage the development of much needed affordable and senior housing, including the right to build up to 35% more homes, and other favorable local development requirements. In 2018, the California Legislature approved four bills that expanded the density bonus to a wider range of housing projects and ... read more
- California Supreme Court Establishes CEQA Rules for EIR’s Discussion of Health EffectsJanuary 9, 2019In an important CEQA case, the California Supreme Court ruled that courts reviewing claims that an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) inadequately discusses environmental impacts must determine whether the EIR “includes sufficient detail” to support informed decisionmaking and public participation. The court also held an EIR must make “a reasonable effort to substantively connect a ... read more