Legal Pad

Rounded Up: Capital Moves, Embezzlement, and Controversy in L.A.

Los Angeles County Supervisor is in an uncomfortable position after refusing to release information regarding his relationship with lobbyist associate. (LA Times)

An office manager at Sacramento's Diepenbrock Harrison has been sentenced to three years in prison for embezzling $1.6 million from her employers. (Sac Bee)

The Governator hits the Jay Leno Show to announce his new choice for lieutenant governor. His pick is old ally state Sen. Abel Maldonado. (Political Blotter)

Restrictions on class action suits brought by legal aid lawyers survive a Ninth Circuit test. (SFGate)

Speaking of Schwarzenegger, he appointed four lawyers to state positions on Friday. (LA Legal Pad)

— Cynthia Foster

What the I.P. Judge Grants, The I.P. Judge Takes Away ...

Farella Braun & Martel lawyers were pretty excited about winning a rare preliminary injunction for client Volterra Semiconductor in a patent case against Infineon. Now, Infineon’ lawyers from McDermott Will & Emery are even more excited, because U.S. Magistrate Judge Joe Spero reversed his own preliminary injunction ruling.

The order was filed under seal last week so we don’t know the details. But basically Spiro said in a minute order he was going to grant an injunction but then after more briefing by both sides, decided against it.

“We said we would pursue this vigorously and we did. We are extremely pleased,” said Terry McMahon, who represents Infineon, in a prepared statement.

— Zusha Elinson

John Roos: The Toast of Tokyo

Hey! Who’s that raising a shot glass right next to the leader of the free world? Yes, it’s our beloved Wilson Sonsini CEO turned Japanese ambassador, John Roos raising a toast to what we can only guess is a lasting peace with the Japanese, to be forever enshrined in the history books as the "Sake Summit." Or he could be toasting to the fact that he doesn’t have to deal with partner compensation at Wilson Sonsini this year

President Barack Obama and the U.S delegation toast with Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and the Japanese delegation at a dinner at the prime minister's official residence following their bilateral meeting and joint press conference in Tokyo. November 13, 2009. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

We see Roos as literally Obama’s right-hand man thanks to the official White House page. You see the only photo, and the White House caption, above, but you’ll find the entire Nov. 13 entry in the ongoing series, “What Obama Does All Day,” in this set (the above photo is No. 6).

— Zusha Elinson

Michael Nava, Superior Court Hopeful, Makes It Official

At the Castro’s low-lit Eureka Lounge last night, Michael Nava (pictured at right in one of our old photos) officially kicked off his campaign for San Francisco Superior Court judge.

“I want to be an agent for justice in the judicial system,” Nava told Legal Pad during a brief break from mingling with supporters. “As a Latino and a gay man, I’ve been on the receiving end of injustice. For me, equal protection isn’t just a slogan. It’s a necessity.”

Nava said he’s been “energized” by all of the new people he’s been meeting in his nascent campaign, and that he’s been surprised by “the willingness of people in these difficult economic times to write pretty big checks.”

Among those in attendance at the party were Supervisor David Campos, author Katherine Forrest, and Ron Flynn, former co-chair of Bay Area Lawyers for Individual Freedom.

Nava, a staff attorney for state Supreme Court Justice Carlos Moreno and author of seven novels, is also chronicling his campaign on a blog called “The Year of Judicious Living.”

—  Kate Moser

Rounded Up: Jerry Brown, medical marijuana and pesky Twitter

Sometimes I feel like marijuana is being positioned as the great savior of the California budget. This week, San Jose weighs the opening of new dispensaries and Los Angeles stops to consider if it's already opened too many. (San Jose Mercury News/Los Angeles Times)

Would-be Governor Jerry Brown raised $1M in one night in LA while he continues to remain mum on whether or not he's... really running. (Calbuzz)

Sara Granda, a disabled law grad who successfully sued the California Bar for the right to take the bar exam in July, has another victory to celebrate: she passed the test. (SFGate)

The Twitter COO spills his guts on the company's move to generate revenue. Is IPO next? (TechCrunch)

— Cynthia Foster

Safire's P.I. Indicted, Arrested, Over Voice Mail to Crime Victim

Criminal defense investigator Steve Vender has run afoul of the law, but the defense lawyer he was working with in the case that landed him in hot water is adamant that Vender did nothing wrong.

While working for San Francisco defense lawyer Eric Safire, Vender called the victim in the case and left a message the D.A.’s office said encouraged the man to leave town before testifying against Safire’s client.

Vender didn’t break any laws and the District Attorney’s office should have handed any case on him to another office, Safire said. He compared the prosecutors investigating the defense to a football game in which one team also acts as the referee.

“If I had the ability to prosecute them, would I?” Safire said. “I wouldn’t, because it would create a conflict of interest. It’s improper for an opponent to investigate another opponent. Think of the chilling effect it has on all our other cases.”

Chilling with Vender, after the jump.

Former Munger Lawyer, Rookie Ambassador, Gets Big Sendoff

Jeff Bleich had a word of advice to all his mates out there flooding his Facebook page with all things Aussie.

“If you stop sending me e-mails about Foster’s beer and your favorite Crocodile Dundee lines, I’ll re-friend you,” he told a crowd of about 200 late Friday in the San Francisco City Hall rotunda just after being sworn in as the ambassador to Australia.

The event, organized by Bleich’s now former law firm — Munger, Tolles & Olson — had quite a turnout. California Chief Justice Ronald George was on hand, as were several judges, including First District Justice Martin Jenkins. A group of State Bar folk, including Executive Director Judy Johnson, attended as a reminder of Bleich’s year as State Bar president.

Christopher Paul De Cure, the L.A.-based Australian consulate general, showed up, as did baseball great Willie Mays, a longtime friend and client of Bleich’s.

We can’t believe we had to show up to work on “Jeff Bleich Day.” More after the jump …

S.F. Office Space: Get It Cheap, While You Can

 San Francisco landlords are pretty desperate for tenants these days — but just a little less so than earlier this year.

And that means they’re still willing to throw in sweeteners on top of lower prices. We chatted with Frank Fudem, a San Francisco real estate broker with NAI BT Commercial who works with all kinds of companies, including law firms. Fudem says “good class A space” that would’ve cost in the high $50s per square foot two years ago can now be had for the low $30s. (That chart at left shows you, courtesy of NAI BT, the sad state of current occupancy rates.)

And, he says, landlords are willing to pay just about whatever it takes to cover improvements — such as laying down quality carpeting, installing glass walls and high-quality lighting. A small tenant can even hope to get a kitchen with a sink (just the plumbing for that is $10,000). All these count among expenses that Fudem says tenants have to pretty much cover themselves in a seller’s market.

“Even an office-intensive tenant like a law firm can probably get enough money from a landlord to fund what it needs,” Fudem said.

Of course, there are limits. Fudem says no one should expect free linen wall coverings or fancy oriental rugs. Let’s be serious, here.

Fudem says this is a window of opportunity that won’t stay open forever. Occupancy rates have been dropping, but less precipitously than in previous quarters. That, he says, could mean we’re approaching the bottom of this cycle. And, he warns, when San Francisco landlords start raising rates, the upswing is typically sharp.

— Petra Pasternak

Trademark Fight Draws a Line on Sand Hill Road

A legal battle for the trademark rights to the very heart of Silicon Valley is under way. Sand Hill Advisors, the Palo Alto wealth management company, is suing Sand Hill Advisors, the commercial real estate company in Los Altos, for trademark infringement. Confusing!

For the three people who are still unaware, Sand Hill Road is the iconic stretch of pavement near which the sainted feet of venture capitalists tread daily to their places of work.

Sand Hill Advisors, the wealth management one, claims it’s been using the mark since 1995 and that its alleged namesake has been profiting off the use of the name since 1999. The complaint (.pdf) was filed by Shartsis Friese lawyers in San Francisco.

Well, Sand Hill Advisors may have picked the wrong Sand Hill Advisors to pick a fight with because Sand Hill Advisors, the commercial real estate one, is NOT GOING TO SETTLE.

Fight! Fight! Remember, folks, absolutely no wagering! Just click for the jump …

BART Cop's Murder Trial Goes to L.A.

The murder trial for a former BART police officer is headed to Los Angeles County, an Alameda County judge reportedly ruled today.

Alameda County Superior Court Judge Morris Jacobson had granted a change of venue motion a month ago, citing massive media attention to Johannes Mehserle’s murder trial, public anger and political turmoil, as well as concerns over courthouse security.

Los Angeles court officials reportedly said they likely wouldn’t be ready for the case to start for another six months or a year.

— Kate Moser