Earlier this month, Marc Lewis had the opportunity to speak at Pincus Professional Education’s 20th Annual Federal Court Boot Camp: The Nuts and Bolts, an event dedicated to educating attorneys about the ins and outs of practicing in Federal Court. The panel consisted of both sitting and retired Federal Court judges, and seasoned litigators.
Lewis & Llewellyn recently sponsored the Third Annual California International Arbitration Week in San Francisco. California International Arbitration Week, or CIAW, celebrates international arbitration within the state. Marc Lewis was in attendance throughout the week, and as part of the firm’s robust arbitration practice, we look forward to participating again next year.
Lewis & Llewellyn is excited to welcome Daniel Jordan back to the firm.
Daniel first joined Lewis & Llewellyn in 2020, after practicing for four years at O’Melveny & Myers LLP. In 2022, Daniel joined Unity, a software company dominating the real-time 3D industry, as in house counsel.
Lewis & Llewellyn is thrilled to welcome Grace Ramirez to the firm.
Prior to joining Lewis & Llewellyn, Grace practiced at the Washington, D.C. office of White & Case LLP, where she represented clients in a broad range of high-stakes litigation matters, including contract and business disputes. Grace also maintained a robust pro bono practice focused on education and civil rights.
Lewis & Llewellyn celebrated its 12th anniversary this month! We express sincere gratitude to all our clients, colleagues and friends of the firm who have contributed to our firm’s remarkable journey of growth, and we are looking forward to what’s yet to come.
On January 1, 2024, the California Legislature amended the California Business and Professions Code to solidify and reinforce the prohibition of noncompete agreements in employment contracts.
Effective February 14, 2024, Section 16600.1 mandates that employers notify all current and former California employees hired after January 1, 2022, with existing “noncompete agreements” or contracts containing a “noncompete clause” that these agreements are now considered void. Additionally, Senate Bill 699 introduces Section 16600.5, declaring any contract void under Section 16600 as unenforceable, regardless of signing location or date. Employers are restricted from enforcing such contracts, even if executed and maintained outside California.
Applications for the Lewis & Llewellyn Annual Fellowship are now open for 2024!
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 in the practice of law through mentorship, professional development, and hands-on exposure and training.
This individual will work 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.
Interested candidates may apply by sending a resume and a short personal statement (250 words maximum) to careers@lewisllewellyn.com.
Lewis & Llewellyn attorneys have recently been interviewed by numerous news outlets regarding high-profile lawsuits filed by the firm. Specifically, the firm has filed two lawsuits against American Airlines on behalf of two minors who were allegedly secretly filmed in an airplane restroom by a flight attendant using a hidden camera. Chris Cuomo’s interview with Paul Llewellyn on NewsNation can be watched here.
Lewis & Llewellyn also recently filed suit against Cal Poly San Luis Obispo on behalf of the family of Kristin Smart, a freshman at the university who went missing after a party in May 1996. Paul Flores, another student at the time, was ultimately convicted of her murder in 2022. Marc Lewis’s interview with CBS News Sacramento can be watched here.
Lewis & Llewellyn LLP will continue to deploy its aggressive litigation skills on on behalf of survivors of sexual abuse and sexual assault. We feel passionately about our efforts to hold individuals and institutions accountable.
As a part of our continued expansion, Lewis & Llewellyn is thrilled to welcome Erin Keefe to the firm.
Prior to joining Lewis & Llewellyn, Erin practiced at boutique litigation firms in Los Angeles and San Francisco where she obtained extensive motion and trial experience representing a range of clients from Fortune 500 companies, to start-up technology companies, to individual entrepreneurs. In addition to her corporate litigation expertise, Erin remains committed to challenging institutional biases and transforming the legal landscape to be more equitable with her experience representing indigent clients in criminal appeals.
As one of California’s premier litigation boutiques, Lewis & Llewellyn will continue to welcome the best and the brightest attorneys from the world’s leading law firms who are looking to break out of their shell and practice at the cutting edge of litigation. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you – or a colleague – is interested in applying.
On September 30, 2023, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill No. 235 (SB235) into law, which amends California Code of Civil Procedure section 2016.090. It institutes a new procedure for initial disclosures of information and documents. Beginning on January 1, 2024, parties will be required to make initial witness and document disclosures within 60 days of another party’s request. Failure to comply or act in good faith with the new law will result in a court-imposed sanction of $1,000.
The initial disclosures shall include:
The new law also clarifies that “a party is not excused from its initial disclosures because it has not fully investigated the case, because it challenges the sufficiency of another party’s disclosures, or because another party has not made it’s disclosures.” The rule will remain in effect until January 1, 2027.
These changes have the potential to streamline fact investigations and reduce the amount of written discovery exchanged between parties. The new timeline will also require counsel to evaluate their position and case strategy much earlier to ensure all relevant information is captured in the initial disclosure. Counsel would be well-advised to familiarize themselves with the new rule, which may catch opposing counsel off guard.
601 Montgomery Street, Suite 2000, San Francisco, CA 94111