Articles/News
Branding 101: Major Pitfalls to Avoid in Launching a New Business or Product Name
Sales are starting to increase and you are gaining some great momentum in the right direction! Several months later, you receive a letter from an attorney representing XYZ corporation who advises you that you are infringing on XYZ’s trademarks and other legal rights and that you must immediately cease and desist from all further use […]
Advertising and Social Media
Have you ever given your product to a friend and been thrilled when she raved about it on her Facebook page? Have you ever picked a restaurant based on Yelp.com or Chowhound reviews, or scoured online review sites before buying your next laptop, car, or mobile phone? Did you ever wonder whether the authors were […]
5 Changes to California FEHA Regulations Effective April 1, 2016
Highlighted below are five key amendments to the FEHA regulations. For the text of all of the changes, visit the Fair Employment and Housing Council website. 1. Coverage to Employers with Five or More Employees FEHA’s anti-discrimination provisions apply to all employers with five or more employees. The new regulations clarify that to reach the “five […]
Franchising a Marijuana Business: It’s Not Quite Mission Impossible
Medical marijuana has been legal in California for 20 years, and today almost half of the states have followed California’s lead by making cannabis legal for at least some medical patients. Recreational cannabis use is also legal for adults – 21 and over – in Alaska, Colorado, Oregon and Washington. In those markets alone, cannabis […]
I Love You… But Who’s Paying This Bill?
Forum with Michael Krasny, KQED Radio March 11, 2016 First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes… setting up a joint checking account? A recent study found that talking about money can be one of the biggest areas of conflict for couples. Our experts take your questions on how couples should deal with finances, like […]
Judge Rules “Happy Birthday To You” Now In Public Domain
Oakland, CA (September 23, 2015) – Two years after the lawsuit began, Judge George King of the Central District of California today ruled the copyright for “Happy Birthday to You” is not held by Warner/Chappell Music. The song known worldwide and sung at birthday parties for over 100 years is now in the public domain. […]
Happy Birthday to You
Now the Oakland-based firm Donahue Fitzgerald is involved in what The New York Times calls “a lawsuit for the ages” to prove that “Happy Birthday to You” is no longer under copyright and belongs to the public. The story of “Happy Birthday to You” started in 1893, when Mildred and Patty Hill published Song Stories […]
Are You Ready for the Next Data Breach? The FTC, Privacy Policies, and Data Protection
A recent ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, FTC v. Wyndham, affirms the FTC’s authority to take actions against companies that have unfair or deceptive cybersecurity practices. It is more critical than ever that businesses implement measures to adequately protect their customer data, prepare response plans in case the data […]
Napa Earthquake Losses: Insurance Coverage Matters
Early published estimates place earthquake-related losses from the Napa earthquake on August 24, 2014, at over a billion dollars. Northern California residents and businesses can learn from the experiences of insureds who suffered similar losses during the 1995 Northridge earthquake. Those who suffered losses should quickly document their losses and carefully examine their insurance policies […]
Online Privacy Laws Take Effect in California
See generally Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 22575 et seq. Disclosure on How Company Handles Do-Not-Track Signals Operators of commercial websites and services that collect personally identifiable information (“PII”) must disclose in their online privacy policies how they will respond to “Do-Not-Track” signals sent from consumers that reside in California. For purpose of this […]