Rushing McCarl wins favorable settlement in trade-secrets lawsuit

When an executive was sued by her former employer for misappropriating trade secrets, she turned the tables by hiring aggressive business litigation boutique Rushing McCarl LLP.

California strengthens laws barring noncompetition agreements

California law has long disfavored or barred noncompetition agreements. Courts have struck down such agreements made with out-of-state employers and voided overbroad confidentiality agreements that amounted to noncompetition agreements. A new law has further strengthened the state’s policy.

Avoiding product-name trademark infringement

In Cruise LLC et al v. Ford Motor Company,  No. 3:21-cv-05685 (N.D. Cal. July 23, 2021), two automobile companies butted heads over this trademark infringement. 

Standing in consumer class actions: TransUnion LLC v. Ramirez

The Supreme Court’s decision in TransUnion LLC v. Ramirez tightened standing requirements for consumer class actions.

If you develop a character, copyright it

Huffman v. Activision Publishing Inc. serves as a reminder that content creators should register copyrights for the personas and characters they develop.

Innovation or Infringement: The Fine Line Between Marketing Strategy and Unfair Practices

In Insurance King Agency, Inc. v. Digital Media Solutions, media giant DMS is alleged to have deceived consumers through their ad campaigns. Don’t make the same mistake.

Sloppy Settlements: What Kim v. Tinder Means for Early Class Action Settlements

The Ninth Circuit’s disapproval of a pre-certification class settlement involving Tinder signals that early class action settlements are likely to face greater scrutiny.

Use Your Trademark From Day One: Social Technologies LLC v. Apple Inc.

After the recent trademark case, Social Technologies LLC v. Apple Inc., companies should use trademarks commercially if they lose their registration.

Email marketing in California: Beware of anti-spam laws

Email marketing is a core component of customer outreach but businesses in California need to take care not to run afoul of the state’s strict anti-spam laws.  

Read my lips: masks can discriminate against the hearing-impaired

Masks can help protect us from virus transmission, but they also risk socially isolating those who depend on lip-reading, leaving them unable to communicate.