Articles/News
Client Vidado Named One of the 10 Best Tech Startups in Oakland
The Tech Tribune, considered revenue potential, leadership team, brand/product traction, competitive landscape, and other several factors in their research. Additionally, according to The Tech Tribune, “all companies must be independent (un-acquired), privately owned, at most 10 years old, and have received at least one round of funding in order to qualify.” Founded in 2011, Vidado’s […]
Read »Donahue Fitzgerald Ranked in Top Tier of 2020 “Best Law Firms”
Firms included in the 2020 “Best Law Firms” list are recognized for professional excellence with persistently impressive ratings from clients and peers. To be eligible, a firm must have a lawyer listed in The Best Lawyers in America©, which recognizes the top 5 percent of private practicing attorneys in the U.S. Receiving a Tier 1 […]
Read »Our Oakland Office Is Moving Up A Floor
On November 22, 2019, our Oakland office will move up from the 25th floor to the 26th floor of the same Lake Merritt Plaza building. Effective November 22nd, our new Oakland address will be: 1999 Harrison Street 26th Floor Oakland, CA 94612 All phone and email contact information will remain the same. If you […]
Read »Get Ready for California’s New Lactation Accommodation Law
If you are an employer in San Francisco, you will find that the new requirements are very similar to San Francisco’s Lactation in the Workplace Ordinance. For other parts of the state, the law imposes significant additions to the physical requirements for lactation spaces, and also requires employers to develop a written lactation policy. Additionally, […]
Read »Local Landscape and Public Artist, Walter Hood, Awarded the MacArthur Foundation ‘Genius’ Grant
According to the MacArthur Foundation, Hood won for “creating ecologically sustainable urban spaces that resonate with and enrich the lives of current residents while also honoring communal histories.” His works can be seen throughout the Bay and across the U.S. from Splash Pad Park, the gathering place for the weekend Farmer’s Market near Oakland’s Lake […]
Read »Did Your Business Receive a PG&E Public Safety Power Shut-Off Notice? Don’t be in the Dark about Employee Pay during Power Outages
One of the many inconveniences of last week’s outage was the lack of clarity about which areas would be impacted and how long the power would be down. Unsure of their ability to open for business, employers may have wondered: Is it okay to tell employees to report to work even if we may be […]
Read »Partner David M. Jolley Joins Donahue Fitzgerald
David is a seasoned trial lawyer with over 20 years of experience. His practice focuses on commercial, consumer and financial services litigation, with an emphasis on defending businesses against class actions. He represents a wide range of clients, including large financial institutions, food and drug companies, corporate officers, high technology companies, and major sports leagues. […]
Read »Ninth Circuit Revives Off-the-Clock Claim Post-Troester v. Starbucks Corp.
Last year in Troester v. Starbucks Corp., the California Supreme Court held that the de minimis doctrine did not apply to claims brought under California law. In Troester, Starbucks employees were required to clock-out before conducting various closing activities. In reaching its decision, Troester rejected the 10-minute de minimis threshold as inconsistent with California law and […]
Read »Business Succession Considerations Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017
Estate and Gift Tax Considerations An important update under the Act is the adjustment made to the federal estate and gift tax exemption (the “Exemption”). The Act effectively doubled the unified federal estate and gift tax credit, with an individual’s Exemption previously set at $5 million now set at $10 million (both inflation adjusted). In […]
Read »New California Supreme Court Decision Holds Business Owner Cannot be Held Personally Liable on a Common Law Theory of Conversion Due to Failure to Pay Wages
The Voris decision involved a co-founder of a group of real estate investment startups who was fired after he raised financial improprieties involving his business partners. Voris was successful in his wage claims against the business entities. However, he was unable to collect because the start-ups were insolvent. Voris instead attempted to obtain a recovery […]
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