Last week, a Lewis & Llewellyn team consisting of Toby Snyder, Zack Flood and Paul Llewellyn filed a brief in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, on behalf of the firm’s client, Top Agent Network, challenging the National Association of Realtors’ so-called “Clear Cooperation Policy.” The draconian rule requires real estate agents to submit a real estate listing to the MLS within one business day of “marketing” a property to the public. The NAR has defined marketing extremely broadly to include two agents even discussing a property. The appeal has already attracted the attention of the media, including Law360, Inman and The Real Deal, as well as the U.S. Department of Justice, which has asked the Court for permission to file an amicus brief. Stay tuned for further details.
Author: chayward@lewisllewellyn.com
Just days after its launch, Paul Llewellyn’s debut book, Unshackled: Reimagining the Practice of Law, has become an Amazon Bestseller. The book reached the number 1 spot in the country in several categories including the Practice of Law, Legal Services and Legal Education. If you have not yet purchased your copy Unshackled is available on Amazon here.
For those wanting to learn more, Paul will discuss Unshackled in a virtual program hosted by the Marin County Bar Association on February 28, 2023 at noon. More information about the program, which will qualify for 1 hour of CLE credit, is available here.
Lewis & Llewellyn is delighted to start 2023 by welcoming Sable Hodson to the firm.
Prior to joining Lewis & Llewellyn, Sable practiced for over six years at Kirkland & Ellis LLP, one of the world’s premier international law firms. There, she represented clients from numerous sectors, including aerospace, technology, consumer products, entertainment, and private equity in complex business litigation. The addition of Sable to the firm’s deep bench of experienced attorneys further strengthens our ability to handle litigation of any size or complexity.
As California’s premier litigation boutique, Lewis & Llewellyn looks forward to continuing to welcome the best and the brightest attorneys from the world’s leading law firms who are looking to practice at the cutting edge of litigation.
Lewis & Llewellyn is pleased to announce that Paul Llewellyn’s debut book, Unshackled: Reimagining the Practice of Law is now available for purchase on Amazon! For the first week only, we have set the Kindle price at just $0.99 for friends of the firm.
A must-read for every lawyer, aspiring lawyer, or those simply interested in the legal profession, Unshackled is a call to action for establishing a more service-oriented and satisfying profession. From how we train lawyers and bill hours to how we service clients and market ourselves, the legal system is long overdue for a wake-up call. After practicing criminal and civil law in England and California, Paul brings a unique perspective to an age-old problem: how to update an outdated system. In Unshackled, Paul reimagines the practice of law as a more humane and human-centered career, presenting a practical plan for improving the lives of lawyers and their clients. Learn more at www.unshackledlaw.com.
Get your copy of Unshackled on Amazon now.
Last week the Lewis & Llewellyn team gathered in San Francisco for our annual holiday party, and we were reminded once again how fortunate we are to work with such an incredible group of people. We are grateful to have had so many opportunities to spend time together in 2022, and we look forward to many more in 2023. We wish you all a very happy holiday season and a joyous new year! 
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New California Laws for 2023
January 1, 2023 will see the introduction of hundreds of new laws in California. While most will go unnoticed by the vast majority of the public, here are just a handful of new laws which will likely have widespread impact.
Jaywalking rules relaxed: Police officers will be prohibited from stopping or citing people for jaywalking “unless a reasonably careful person would realize there is an immediate danger” of a collision with a vehicle or bicyclist. In other words, pedestrians will no longer be cited for crossing the street outside of a crosswalk, unless they are in immediate danger of being hit.
Increase to minimum wage: Beginning on January 1, 2023, all California employers, regardless of size, must provide their employees a minimum wage of not less than $15.50 per hour. Many California cities, including San Francisco, already have ordinances in place that mandate a higher minimum wage.
Abortion rules eased: Nurse practitioners will now be able to perform first-trimester abortions without a doctor’s supervision. This is one of about a dozen new laws intended to increase abortion access in California, some of which have already taken effect.
Rape kit DNA: Police departments will be prohibited from using the DNA profile of sexual assault survivors in investigations of unrelated crimes. The new law was proposed after it came to light that the San Francisco Police Department was using DNA from rape kits to identify suspects in unrelated crimes, prompting a national outcry.
Restriction on fur sales: Finally, in a blow to fashionistas, the sale and manufacture of new fur clothing and accessories will be outlawed. The law passed in 2019, but legislators delayed implementation until 2023 to give retailers time to unload their inventories. Retailers can still sell secondhand fur clothing or décor and the ban will not apply to faux fur. The new law does not apply to leather, taxidermied animals, cowhides and the full skin of deer, sheep and goats.
Last month, Paul Llewellyn and Ryan Erickson attended Crisp’s Game Changers Summit in Atlanta, Georgia—the world’s largest conference for law firm owners. In addition to networking with some of the most successful lawyers in the country, Paul and Ryan also had the privilege of meeting renowned leaders including David Goggins, Camille Vasquez, and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
The Daily Journal recently named Paul Llewellyn to its annual list of the Top 100 Lawyers in California. This list honors the most highly regarded attorneys in the state who execute cutting edge legal work and make an impact on their clients, the industry, and society at large. Paul was recognized not only for his success handling complex business litigation matters, but also for his commitment to representing sexual abuse survivors and obtaining justice on their behalf. A copy of The Daily Journal’s profile on Paul can be found here.
Lewis & Llewellyn is pleased to announce that partners Marc Lewis, Paul Llewellyn, Ryan Erickson, and Becca Furman have been selected by The National Law Journal (“NLJ”) to its 2022 list of Plaintiffs’ Attorneys Trailblazers. The NLJ selected just 50 plaintiffs’ attorneys across the United States who it characterized as “truly agents of change.” In selecting the firm for this honor, the NLJ recognized the firm’s groundbreaking work bringing civil lawsuits on behalf of survivors of sexual abuse. Lewis & Llewellyn is unique among litigation boutiques in that it splits its practice approximately 50-50 on the plaintiff and defense side. By applying the same aggressive advocacy it deploys on behalf of its business litigation clients, the firm has recovered tens of millions of dollars on behalf of survivors of sexual abuse and has driven institutional change to help prevent future instances of abuse. A copy of the NLJ’s profile of the firm can be found here.
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.
