Civil Law

School District Violated Labor Code By Rejecting Applicants Based On Expunged Misdemeanor Convictions

A.S. v. Los Angeles Unified Sch. Dist., 123 Cal. App. 5th 519 (2026)

Two applicants for employment with the Los Angeles Unified School District (one for a part-time after-school program position and the other for a legal secretary position) were rejected based on their prior misdemeanor convictions (for battery and grand theft, respectively), both of which had been expunged pursuant to Cal. Penal Code § 1203.4. The District contended that its duty to protect students required it to … Read the rest

Civil Law

The Climate Hush – Unpacking the 2026 Midterms’ Environmental Messaging

Commercial real estate developers and business leaders routinely underwrite projects against ten, twenty, and thirty year horizons, knowing that capital expenditures must outlast political cycles. Yet every two years, Washington and the state capitals deliver a referendum on policy priorities that alters the regulatory risk calculus.

The 2026 midterm elections delivered an unmistakable verdict: for the average American voter, immediate economic stability and affordability decisively superseded aspirational climate agendas.

While environmental stewardship remains a societal value, a palpable “climate hush” … Read the rest

Civil Law

When Use of Artificial Intelligence Conflicts With Employees’ Sincerely Held Religious Beliefs (US)

“Call it the fault of civilization. God isn’t compatible with machinery …”

Or so Mustapha Mond warns John the Savage in Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, but that tension is not confined to great works of literature. As businesses embrace generative artificial intelligence (AI) in the workplace, a new trend is emerging: conscientious objectors requesting exemption from AI tools to accommodate their sincerely held moral views.

One may ask how AI intersects with religious observance, but prominent religious leaders … Read the rest

Civil Law

Monday Practice Pointer: Want your settlement to stick? Waive fraud claims expressly.

In Udell v. Udell, 397 So. 3d 1050 (Fla. 4th DCA Nov. 27, 2024), a surviving spouse settled with the trustees of his late wife’s trust, accepting larger monthly payments and waiving the right to receive any other distributions from the trust. He later petitioned to reopen the estate, alleging that the personal representative withheld material information about his rights as the surviving spouse to the wrongful death settlement. The trial court held the settlement barred his claim. The Fourth … Read the rest

Civil Law

Top 10 in Law – October 30, 2026

Every week, lawyers add sharp, timely commentary to the Library at LexBlog, covering the issues shaping their practices and industries. Top 10 in Law highlights the pieces that stood out and drew readers in.

Honeywell Aerospace Hit with Securities Suit Following FCA Cybersecurity Settlement

The D&O Diary — By Sarah Abrams — October 29, 2026

The D&O Diary has spent months tracking DOJ’s widening use of the False Claims Act, and here is the consequence it kept flagging. Honeywell Aerospace

… Read the rest
Civil Law

U.S. Trademark Strategy: What Asian Companies Should Consider Before Entering the Market

On October 26th, Lauren Leipold, J.C. Heinbockel, and Raymond Wong presented “Trademark Strategy for Asian Companies Entering the U.S. Market: Trademark Protection and Monetization.” The program explored an increasingly important question for companies looking to grow in the United States: how can trademark strategy support not just brand protection, but broader business objectives?

For Asian companies entering the U.S., one of the most important distinctions is that U.S. trademark rights are based largely on use in commerce. Registration … Read the rest

Civil Law

“Ottawa Charter at 40” Panel Presents on Support for Personal Skills and Social Development

As suggested in my previous post introducing the October 2026 conference in Canada that reexamined the public health goals set by the Ottawa Charter in 1986, there was reason both for modest celebration and serious critical thinking about what has happened during the last 40 years.

In a morning panel on October 21, we were tasked with the 4th Pillar of the Ottawa Charter, focusing on “personal and social development.” The presentations ranged from detailed frameworks for implementing new health … Read the rest

Civil Law

All or Nothing? Second Circuit Clarifies Scope of Sexual Harassment Arbitration Law (US)

A recent decision by the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit clarified the reach of the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act (“EFAA”), with significant implications for employers in New York, Connecticut, and Vermont seeking to enforce arbitration agreements.

On September 30, 2026, in Diaz-Roa v. Hermes Law, P.C.,[i], the Second Circuit held that when an employee properly invokes the EFAA, a pre-dispute arbitration agreement is unenforceable as to the entire lawsuit, … Read the rest