Hamid Sheikh

California Supreme Court Dramatically Alters the Classification of Independent Contractors

Whether a worker is classified as an independent contractor or an employee is of critical importance to businesses. By way of example, if a worker is classified as an employee, she is given the protection of the California Wage Orders and is entitled to regular meal and rest breaks as well as overtime compensation. If

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Update to Arbitration Awards

In a recent case, Baker Marquat LLP v. Kantor  2018 DJDAR 3685, (April 25, 2018), the California Court of Appeal held that in a binding fee arbitration, the submission and consideration of a confidential brief that contained claims not included in the arbitration demand was an ex parte communication. The Appellate Court found that the arbitration award

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Stating Damages

In a recent case, the Forth District Court of Appeal held that a complaint that fails to state an amount of damages or states that it will be an amount “to be proved” is void not just voidable. In Airs Aromatics v. CBL Data Recovery Technologies  2018 DJDAR 5045, the Court set aside a $3 million default

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When Is An Employer Liable During an Employee’s Commute to Work?

In the recent case of Newland v. County of Los Angeles (2018) WL 3017203, the 2nd District of the California Court of Appeal considered the “Vehicle use exception” to the “going and coming” rule of employees commuting to work.  An employee’s commute to and from work is generally not considered to be within the course and scope of

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