Author: calmediation

Arbitration/Vacatur: Arbitrator Whose Power Is Contractually Limited To That Of A Superior Court Judge Enforcing California Law Is Subject To Ripeness Doctrine

But Arbitration Panel Did Not Exceed Power In Panoche Energy Center v. PG&E.     RIPENESS Advertisement.  c1869.  Library of Congress.      Under California law, parties to an arbitration can contractually limit an arbitrator’s powers, creating opportunities for vacating arbitration awards when the arbitrator exceeds the arbitrator’s powers – something not to attempt under federal law. […]

Arbitration/Scope: Ninth Circuit Holds That Antitrust Claims Fell Outside Scope Of Agreement To Arbitrate Fishermen’s Opposition To Marketing Arrangement Of Seafood Companies

May 11, 2016 · Arbitration: Scope

Fish Story Weighed On Scales Of Justice Results In 2-1 Opinion. New Orleans writer and television personality Ronnie Virgets is served the house specialty, ice-cold oysters on the half shell, by Alma Griffin at Casamento’s Seafood Restaurant in Uptown New Orleans, Louisiana.  Carol M. Highsmith, photographer.  Between 1980 and 2006.  Library of Congress.      Motions […]

Mediation Confidentiality: Second District, Division Four, Affirms That There Is No “Attorney Malpractice” Exception To Mediation Confidentiality

Mediation Confidentiality Survived End Of Mediation.      Above:  Whispering.  Masanobu Okumura.  1743.  Library of Congress.      Based on the confidentiality of communications made in the course of mediation, the Court of Appeal affirms a judgment dismissing a complaint for legal malpractice and breach of fiduciary duty.  Biller v. Faber, No. B244232 (2/4 April 27, 2016) […]

News: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Seeks Rule On Arbitration To Restore Right To Sue Banks

May 5, 2016 · News

Rule Would Not Apply To Consumer Sectors Outside Bailiwick Of Consumer Financial Protection Bureau      Jessica Silver-Greenberg and Michael Corkery, who have reported recently in the NYT about how arbitration clauses are spreading throughout consumer contracts, now report in the May 5, 2016 online edition of the NYT, that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will […]

Mandatory Fee Arbitration: Two New Committee On Mandatory Fee Arbitration Advisories

     The Committee on Mandatory Fee Arbitration of the State Bar of California has two new Advisories on Mandatory Fee Arbitration (MFA) brought under the Business & Professions Code.  Advisory 2016-01, replacing Advisory 2011-02, is about the application of the Statute of Limitations for MFAs.  Advisory No. 2016-02, replacing Advisory 2003-01, is an analysis of […]

Arbitration/Disclosure: Arbitrator Whose Practice Involved Representing Lawyers Against Lawyers Did Not Have To Disclose That Fact In Arbitration Involving Lawyer Versus Client Fee Dispute

Dissent By Justice Rubin Emphasizes That Disclosure Rules Must Be Broader Than Disqualification Rules      I have a sidebar category for “disclosures.”  Perhaps I should add one for “disqualification”, because as the lengthy dissent of Justice Rubin explains in Safarian, Choi & Bolstad, LLP v. Minassian, No. B262526 (2/8 April 7, 2016) (Bigelow, P.J.) (unpublished), […]

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 […]