Blog

19 Dec The Coming Wave of SEC and CFTC Regulation of ICOs

Posted at 17:18h in Securities Litigation & Regulation by Ron Wood

With the startling rise in the value of Bitcoin and the proliferation in the number of crypto- or digital currency initial coin offerings (“ICO’s”) -- more than 160 thus far in 2017 -- government regulators around the world are actively evaluating the risk and utility...

12 Dec Bitcoin Goes Mainstream

Posted at 21:25h in Securities Litigation & Regulation by Ron Wood

Bitcoin. The very mention of the name conjures the tripartite faces of fear, greed and the unknown. To many it is an unfamiliar economic engine that produces both financial volatility and enormous riches in the Internet’s equivalent of the wild west. But what are the...

05 Dec SEC Abruptly Changes Position on ALJs

Posted at 18:28h in Securities Litigation & Regulation by Ron Wood

The SEC last week abruptly changed its position on the status of its administrative law judges ("ALJs"). In a Supreme Court brief filed in the case of Lucia v. Securities and Exchange Commission, the SEC conceded that its ALJs are indeed inferior officers requiring appointment...

28 Nov New California Law Bars Salary History Questions

Posted at 19:29h in Uncategorized by Evelina Gentry

California is the fourth state, after Massachusetts, Oregon and Delaware, to bar employers from asking job applicants about their salary history, including the rate of compensation and benefits. The new law (A.B. 168) comes in effect on January 1, 2018 and will apply to all employers...

09 Nov Estate Planning for Pets: Establishing Trusts for Furry Friends

Posted at 20:18h in Probate, Trusts & Estates by Mark Flory

Pet ownership comes with great rewards and responsibilities. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, pet ownership can provide many health benefits. Research has shown that pet ownership can decrease blood pressure, cholesterol levels, triglyceride levels, and can also decrease or eliminate feelings...

09 Nov Can I Include Foreign Property in My California Estate Plan?

Posted at 00:38h in Probate, Trusts & Estates by Jack Osborn

Many assume that property owned outside of the U.S. can be treated the same as property held in California in a Will or trust. Is there a risk to simply including foreign property in a California estate plan? Or is it preferable to omit the...

07 Nov Jake Paul, Criminal Eavesdropper? YouTubers Need Legal Advice Too

Posted at 21:26h in Criminal Defense by Caleb Mason

If you’re a kid, or have kids (more likely, if you’re reading a law firm blog), you’ve probably heard of Jake Paul. If not, that’s ok—think of him as the Disney Channel version of Anthony Scaramucci. Jake Paul is a teenager who posts videos on...

06 Nov To Share or Not to Share: The Ever-Present Risk of Selective Waiver of Attorney-Client Privilege and Work Product

Posted at 23:38h in Securities Litigation & Regulation by Ron Wood

Corporate entities that find themselves in litigation after a negative announcement or embarrassing event often conduct internal investigations to get to the root of the problem. Outside law firms, usually not the company’s regular counsel, typically conduct these investigations to ensure objectivity and avoid a...

20 Jun Recent Publications By Brown White & Osborn Attorneys

Posted at 15:14h in Criminal Defense, Litigation by Brown White & Osborn LLP

Brown White & Osborn LLP's attorneys have been published on current events recently: In a recent LA Times column, BWO Partner Caleb Mason explained how Attorney General Sessions' testimony illustrates the risks of clients answering questions. In another Los Angeles Times column, Partner Ken White explained how...

20 Jun When A Leaker Blows The Whistle

Posted at 15:08h in Litigation, Securities Litigation & Regulation by Ron Wood

Numerous recent stories have reported criticism of former FBI Director James Comey’s “leak” of a memorandum summarizing his non-classified conversations with President Donald J. Trump. Critics, mostly in the political world and blogosphere, have decried Comey’s so-called leak as illegal or unethical. Removed from the...