Recent Blog Posts
The Legal Significance of Emojis in the Digital Age
The first documented “emoticon” use was in 1982: the function of writing ‘:)’ was to add emotional depth and nuance to a purely text-based message. Eventually, there was a shift from emoticons to emojis, graphic images that were code-based. First introduced in 1999, people used them in a similar manner to emoticons: to convey… Read More »
A Scooter Injuries FAQ
In decades past, scooters were literally child’s play. But the rise of e-scooters has turned these toys into a new common mode of transportation. And with that newfound popularity are a huge spike in scooter-related injuries. For example, one study found that scooter-related hospitalizations for 18-34 year-olds skyrocketed 354% in just four years. Yet… Read More »
Injured in a Drag Racing Accident?
It’s not your imagination. It’s always been a challenge to navigate the congested streets and highways of Los Angeles safely. But things have been getting more dangerous. Los Angeles is seeing a new spate of “street takeovers” (a.k.a. “sideshows”) and other forms of illegal drag racing. The Los Angeles Times recently reported on the… Read More »
Nefarious Ways Companies Undercut Pregnant Employees
Overall, less than two percent of all workers become pregnant each year. So few employers will have a pregnant woman on their staff. But if we think of it from the perspective of pregnant women, pregnancy discrimination is “rampant” in the workforce—despite being illegal since 1978. Let’s tackle some of the more nefarious ways… Read More »
How Will CA’s Shifting Wage and Hour Rules and Laws Impact You?
With its $3.4 trillion economy, California laws impact about four million small businesses. Therefore, the state’s changes in wage and hour rules can have a profound impact on its employers and employees alike. Let’s review a couple of the noteworthy changes. Increases in Minimum Wage As of January 1, 2022, if employers have 26… Read More »
Can a California Resident Sue over an Amazon Purchase?
According to industry estimates, 56.7 percent of all e-commerce purchases are made on Amazon.com. However, only about 3.5 percent of these products are directly sold by Amazon. The vast majority—96.5 percent—are procured from other sellers affiliated with the platform. If you’re a California resident and receive a subpar product from a U.S. company selling… Read More »
What to Do If a Company Lies that Its Products Are “Made in the USA”
You went out of your way to find a product made in the U.S.; perhaps you chose the American product because you believed it would be safer or of higher quality. Or perhaps you did it out of a sense of buy-local support or concern over the environmental impact of international shipping. Maybe it… Read More »
What Does the FDA “Fresh” Label Requirement Mean?
When you read a label that describes a food item as “fresh,” what does that mean? There’s more to it than the product is simply new. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has regulations for when a food manufacturer can and cannot use the description “fresh.” So it’s important for consumers to understand this… Read More »
When a Food Manufacturer Lies on the Product’s Label
Organic. Healthy. All-natural. Diet. Good for you. On every trip to the market, you’ll see descriptions like these on food items. But what if you buy something, believing those descriptions, and it turns out to be false? What if you have a nut allergy, so you purchased an item that claimed to be “nut-free,”… Read More »
Are Tenants Covered under CLRA?
California law protects consumers from damages they’ve suffered due to businesses’ fraudulent conduct. Furthermore, the Consumer Legal Remedies Act (CLRA) gives private actors the right to sue on behalf of California consumers by requesting injunctive relief, thereby preventing businesses from defrauding others. But there is a question as to whether or not tenants would… Read More »
