In October, the L&L team celebrated an annual tradition and spent the weekend at a retreat. We headed to Palm Springs and enjoyed some rest and relaxation! Highlights of the trip included a sunrise hike, dinner in downtown Palm Springs, and quality time in the sun with our team members. We feel as grateful as ever to work with such an incredible group of people. 
Starting December 1, a new system in the Central District of California will be implemented and U.S. magistrate judges will now be randomly assigned to supervise civil cases from start to finish, without requiring the district judge’s oversight. This change is intended to alleviate the heavy caseloads of district judges and expedite case processing. However, lawyers can opt out of magistrate judge assignments if they prefer an Article III district judge.
Only two other districts in the U.S.—the Eastern and Western Districts of Washington—have a similar system. The shift is expected to provide quicker access to justice and reduce costs by minimizing delays associated with the need for district judge supervision in civil cases. Attorneys and legal professionals see this modification as a step towards greater court efficiency, as it enables more frequent utilization of magistrate judges’ expertise and allows a more balanced workload.
The system modification received support from the Federal Bar Association, and its potential to streamline case assignments has been recognized as a significant improvement in handling civil cases in one of the nation’s busiest court districts.
Last month, Lewis & Llewellyn team members attended the opening for the Institute of Contemporary Art’s new location at the Cube on Montgomery Street. As a sponsor of the event, our firm is proud to be part of a broader movement to reenergize the San Francisco financial district. 
Lewis & Llewellyn is excited to announce its recognition in the 15th edition of Best Lawyers’ Best Law Firms 2025 list.
The Best Law Firms rankings honor firms that consistently showcase exceptional legal expertise and industry insight. Each recognized firm has undergone a thorough evaluation, incorporating client feedback, peer recommendations, leadership interviews, and the depth of their practice areas. We are honored to be selected among other top-tier law firms in the United States.
Lewis & Llewellyn is honored to be named by the Daily Journal as one of the top litigation boutiques in California.
The firm was one of only five litigation boutiques and just one of two in Northern California to be selected for this honor. The award recognizes “specialty firms in California with a large portfolio of complex and impactful matters.” Lewis & Llewellyn is committed to providing the highest quality legal representation to its clients at every stage of litigation and is honored to be named a Top Boutique for a third time. The full article can be read here.
Partner Paul Llewellyn’s article supplement for the Top Boutiques issue can be read here.
Additionally, Paul wrote a perspective column for the Daily Journal’s Top Plaintiff Lawyers 2024 guide. The article is entitled “’It would be my pleasure:’ How we ought to be treating clients” and is also available here.
Lewis & Llewellyn Partners Paul Llewellyn and Ryan Erickson recently participated in the Spartan Pan American Championship Weekend in Seattle—a grueling 21-kilometer race with 30 obstacles.
The new year will bring significant changes to the timing requirements for filing and opposing motions for summary judgment (MSJs) in California. Effective January 1, 2025, parties must follow the following updated deadlines:
The updated California Code of Civil Procedure (CCP) Section 437c(b)(4) prohibits parties from introducing new evidence or material facts in their reply briefs. While this rule aims to prevent the introduction of unexpected evidence on reply, it does leave room for interpretation. There may still be some debate about whether parties can include rebuttals to the opposing party’s arguments, provided they do not introduce new arguments or evidence.
While these new timing requirements may seem like minor details, they can provide a trap for the unwary litigant, who can risk missing the deadline and thus waiving their right to move for summary judgment.
As a supporter of continuing legal education, Lewis & Llewellyn attorneys recently spoke at two conferences.
Partner Paul Llewellyn was a featured speaker at PLI’s Pocket MBA 2024: Finance for Lawyers and Other Professionals last month. The program is a two-day intensive program focused on finance for lawyers and other professionals.
Also last month, Partners Becca Furman and Brad Estes were featured speakers at Pincus Professional Education’s 19th Annual Superior Court Boot Camp: The Nuts and Bolts program. Becca lectured on strategies and tips for motions for summary judgment (apropos of her recent victory) and Brad presented on best practices for “The Early Parts of your Case: Themes, Complaints, Answers, and More.” On demand streaming is available here.
Last month, Lewis & Llewellyn Partner Becca Furman attended the Bar Association of San Francisco’s Justice and Diversity Center’s 20th Annual Gala: Advocacy in Action. As part of its commitment to expanding diversity in the legal profession and its support of equal access to legal services, the firm was a proud sponsor of the event.
As you may have heard, the Institute of Contemporary Art San Francisco (“ICA SF”) is moving from its current building in Dogpatch to a new space downtown, a stone’s throw from the headquarters of Lewis & Llewellyn. We are proud to be sponsoring the opening of the ICA SF, especially because it is part of a broader movement to reenergize the financial district.
Like Lewis & Llewellyn, ICA SF was founded with the ideal of staying nimble. For example, it offers free admission to all and embraces non-traditional exhibition formats. ICA SF will open with three fall exhibitions: The Poetics of Dimensions curated by Larry Ossei-Mensah, Maryam Yousif: Riverbend, and Spotlight: Kathleen Ryan. Details about the museum’s opening can be found here.
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