Newsletters

10.28.22

TCPA Suit Over Doctor’s Calls Fails

A doctor’s calls to his patients informing them of his plans to reduce his caseload and encouraging them to join his new, limited practice fell under the “health care messages” exception to the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, a Maryland federal court found, granting the ...


10.20.22

Bots Beware: Website Chat Bots Become Latest Target for California Class Actions

California class action lawyers have turned their sights on a new target: websites that employ “chat bots,” digital assistants that allow companies to communicate with customers without employing live website customer service representatives.


10.20.22

DOL Releases New Rule on Worker Classification

On October 13, 2022, the Department of Labor released a new proposed rule on the question of whether a worker is an employee or an independent contractor under the Fair Labor Standards Act.


10.20.22

California Employers Face Privacy Law Requirements

Following the failure of a measure that would have delayed effectiveness of the California Privacy Rights Act, employers in California now must comply with the state’s privacy law beginning January 1, 2023.


10.20.22

Costly Lesson in California Court to Pay Arbitration Fees on Time

Providing an expensive lesson, a California appellate court held that an employer’s failure to timely pay an arbitration fee resulted in a waiver of the employer’s right to require arbitration.


10.20.22

New York Proposes Regulations for AI Use in Employment Decisions

After enacting a measure in 2021 restricting the use of artificial intelligence in employment-related decisions, New York City has released proposed regulations in advance of the new law’s effective date of January 1, 2023.


10.20.22

Texas Court Strikes Down EEOC’s LGBTQ+ Guidance

A Texas federal court has struck down Equal Employment Opportunity Commission guidance on protections for LGBTQ+ employees.


10.18.22

Updated Guidance on Discretionary Denial of Inter Partes Review Proceedings

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issued updated interim guidance on when the Patent Trial and Appeal Board may deny review of patents based on parallel litigation.


09.29.22

Inter Partes Review: Updated Guidance on Use of Applicant Admitted Prior Art

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issued updated guidance on acceptable uses of applicant admitted prior art in inter partes review proceedings under 35 U.S.C. § 311.


09.28.22

New Employment Laws in California

As the California legislative session ended, several employment-related bills were sent to Governor Gavin Newsom for a signature by September 30.