Last week Lewis & Llewellyn marked its 13th anniversary since the founding of the firm. We are thankful as ever to work with such a phenomenal group of people and look forward to the years ahead!
Author: Caroline Recupero
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New Laws in Effect in 2025
Several new laws and updates addressing key areas such as collaborative courts, artificial intelligence, access to justice, and juvenile protections are shaping the landscape of California’s judicial system. These changes aim to enhance rehabilitation, ensure transparency, and expand access to fair proceedings while aligning with evolving societal and technological needs. Below is a summary of the most notable updates, most of which took effect in January.
Artificial Intelligence
- CA Transparency Act (SB 942): AI businesses must identify AI-generated content starting January 1, 2026.
Collaborative Courts
- Drug Treatment Programs (AB 2106): Courts must order an available drug treatment or education program for defendants charged with drug offenses.
- Youth Court Referrals (SB 1005): Probation officers can refer cases to youth courts, with youth and family consent, instead of filing dependency or wardship petitions.
- Competency Determinations and Diversion (SB 1323, SB 1400):
- Courts can use written evaluations by licensed psychologists or psychiatrists for competency determinations.
- Felony defendants deemed incompetent may be referred to mental health diversion programs.
- For misdemeanor defendants, courts must consider diversion options or dismissal within specified timeframes.
- Treatment Court Guidelines (SB 910): Treatment courts must follow state and national guidelines, with updated drug court standards due by January 1, 2026.
- Veterans Court Diversion (SB 1025): Pretrial diversion programs in veterans’ courts now include felony offenses.
Juvenile Protections
- Restitution Fines for Minors (AB 1186): Minors cannot be charged restitution fines, and outstanding balances will become uncollectible after 10 years.
Earlier this month, Lewis & Llewellyn attorneys Evangeline A.Z. Burbidge and Nitesh Daryanani presented a CLE on Strategic Litigation: Weighing the Pros and Cons of Jury Trials and Arbitration. for the Beverly Hills Bar Association. The two discussed a comprehensive framework for navigating jury trials and arbitration as methods for dispute resolution and tailoring litigation strategies to clients’ needs.
The webinar is now available for CLE credit and can be viewed here.
On behalf of his alma mater, L&L Attorney John Frost recently hosted an alumni event for the University of Minnesota Law School at the Lewis & Llewellyn office in San Francisco. It was a great opportunity to connect with UMN alumni in the San Francisco Bay Area community.
Lewis & Llewellyn is dedicated to providing an opportunity for high-achieving young adults to explore their interest in the law. In furtherance of this mission, Lewis & Llewellyn created our Annual Fellowship to remove barriers and create opportunities for talented individuals with diverse experiences in the legal industry.
The fellowship is geared towards undergraduate students who want to see behind the scenes and gain valuable experience at California’s fastest growing litigation boutique. This individual will be working as a critical member of our team, assisting attorneys and staff with investigations, legal briefing, analyzing evidence, and much more across a wide variety of substantive legal areas in commercial litigation. The program will also offer opportunities to see the life cycle of a litigation, observe hearings and depositions, and receive one-on-one mentorship with our attorneys.
This fellowship is a paid opportunity.
Please send a resume and a short personal statement (250 words maximum) to careers@lewisllewellyn.com if you are interested in applying.
Lewis & Llewellyn is delighted to welcome Peter Squeri to the partnership.
Peter joined Lewis & Llewellyn in April 2023 after practicing for more than 10 years in the San Francisco office of international powerhouse Gibson Dunn & Crutcher.
At Lewis & Llewellyn, Peter continues to litigate a wide range of complex civil litigation, with substantial experience representing corporate clients and individuals in high-stakes trials and arbitrations. He has been selected to the 2024 Northern California Super Lawyers list and has twice been recognized as a Northern California Rising Star by Super Lawyers. Peter’s experience, judgment, and tireless work ethic epitomize what Lewis & Llewellyn offers its clients.
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Lewis & Llewellyn Firm Retreat 2024
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.
