Month: March 2016

Arbitration, Unconscionability, Employment: California Supreme Court Holds That Carve-Out For Preliminary Injunctive Relief Does Not Make Agreement Substantively Unconscionable

The Exception To Arbitration Simply Restates Existing Law.     The California Supreme Court has ruled that an employment agreement providing for arbitration of disputes, but authorizing the parties to seek preliminary injunctive relief in the superior court, does not make the agreement one-sided and substantively unconscionable, even if employers are more likely to seek injunctive […]

Arbitration/Employment: Arbitration Award Of Fees Against Employee Losing Overtime Claim Properly Vacated Under Public Policy Exception To Arbitral Finality

  Arbitral Award Was Properly Corrected To Take Into Account That Labor Code Section 1194 Is A One-Way Fee Shifting Award.     California Attorney’s Fees posts today on  Ling v. P.F. Chang’s China Bistro, Inc., Case No. H039367 (6th Dist. Mar. 25, 2016) (published), an employment law case in which the Court of Appeal agreed […]

Arbitration: Enforceability/Nonsignatories: Arbitration Provision In Internet Browsewrap Agreement Fails For Lack Of Conspicuousness

  Court Of Appeal Advises Online MerchantsTo Include Conspicuous Textual Notice With Terms Of Use.      Consumers may be bound by arbitration provisions in internet “clickwrap” or “browsewrap” agreements – except when they are not – as was the case in Long v. Provide Commerce, Inc., B257910 (2/3 March 17, 2016) (Jones, J.).        Internet contracts […]

Foreign Arbitration/Enforceability: Wake Up And Smell The Coffee: Ninth Circuit Holds Foreign Arbitration Foiled By Sham Agreement Concerning Coffee Franchise

. . .  In Which We Inaugurate A New Sidebar Category (Foreign Arbitration) And Petitioners Who Successfully Compelled Arbitration In District Court Lawsuit Concerning Coffee Franchise Dispute Get Roasted On Appeal.      Our next case involves a dispute between an Italian corporation seeking to open a coffee franchise in the United States, and two entrepreneurs […]