News & Publications

In a landmark ruling, the Ninth Circuit expanded the application of specific personal jurisdiction principles to the realm of nationwide e-commerce. On April 21, 2025, an en banc panel issued a 10–1 decision ruling that allegations that Shopify embedded cookies that tracked a California consumer's location data were sufficient to establish specific personal jurisdiction over Shopify in California (reversing the Court's prior opinion on this exact issue). In the wake of this decision, businesses may face increased legal challenges [...]

On April 10, 2025, Judge Charles R. Breyer of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California granted a motion for summary judgment in favor of a software company (the "Company") in a purported class action alleging that the Company violated Sections 11 and 15 of the Securities Act of 1933 (the "Securities Act"). Sundaram v. Freshworks Inc., No. 22-cv-06750-CRB, 2025 WL 1083168 (N.D. Cal. Apr. 10, 2025). The Court granted summary judgment, [...]

Former Employee Accused of Theft In 2018, DeWolff, Boberg & Associates, Inc. (DB&A) hired Justin Pethick as a regional vice president of sales. In 2020, he accepted a position at competitor, The Randall Powers Company (The Powers Co.). Following his departure, some potential DB&A clients chose The Powers Co., leading DB&A to allege that Pethick stole trade secrets to attract these clients. The United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas excluded DB&A's [...]