Best Lawyers has recognized Jasmin Bhandari and Jose Cabada in the 2026 edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America. The rigorous selection process of Best Lawyers “employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services.”

“Joining Scali Rasmussen is like a homecoming for me,” said Franjo. “I started my legal career with Chris and Bert over 16 years ago, and now I’m excited to reunite with them and bring over a decade of Big Law experience to their practice. Our well-rounded and diverse practice strengths ensures that Scali Rasmussen will deliver the quality, support, and expertise that clients expect from a firm with a national reach.”

The CalSavers Retirement Savings Program is a state-run retirement savings system for private-sector California employers that do not sponsor their own employee retirement plans. The program enrolls eligible employees into Roth Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) and was implemented in phases based on employer size.

California is set to implement new regulations governing the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Automated Decision Systems (ADS) in employment decisions, starting October 1, 2025. These regulations, approved by the California Civil Rights Council on June 27, 2025, aim to clarify how existing anti-discrimination laws apply to the use of emerging technologies in the workplace.

“There is a special breed of attorney that needs to transcend expert comprehension of the legal system," states the publisher. The lawyers recognized are “the very best litigators and trial attorneys in the region. These are the trusted advisors you want in your corner in court.”

Not sure when you’re required to submit personnel or payroll records after receiving an employee request? Missing a deadline could lead to penalties, and potentially force you to disclose documents prematurely that otherwise would only be available through discovery.

The franchise dealer model has proven very resilient over the past 50 years. But with the dramatic amount of change coming, how should dealers be looking to build resiliency over the next 5 to 10 years?

The Zeigler Auto Group acquired Jeep and Ferrari franchises in May. Good personal chemistry between Aaron Zeigler and the dealerships’ owners created a pleasurable and efficient deal process for both.

With new car sales becoming an unpredictable revenue source, dealerships are exploring potential revenue streams outside of traditional avenues. While some may be successful, deviating from what you know is not easy and can be risky.

Dealerships have long relied on manufacturer incentives to help boost the dealership’s bottom line. Of course, these “incentives” often have somewhat onerous strings attached. Now that tariffs are expected to boost prices and thus dent demand for new vehicles, incentive initiatives are likely on the horizon.

Scali Rasmussen announced today that the firm’s Chief Financial Officer/Chief Operating Officer CFO Jennifer Whisenant has been recognized as a "Women's Leadership Symposium & Awards 2025” nominee by the Los Angeles Business Journal.

California, the world’s fourth largest economy, presents a compelling opportunity for Italian Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) aiming to expand internationally. With a GDP exceeding $4.5 trillion and a strong consumer appetite for luxury, quality, and innovation, California offers Italian businesses a vast and receptive market, especially in sectors like automotive, fashion, furniture, and food.

The Private Attorneys General Act of 2004 (Lab. Code, § 2698 et seq.) (“PAGA”) has long served as a formidable vehicle for employee-plaintiffs to pursue civil penalties for Labor Code violations on a representative basis. However, California courts have recently placed renewed focus on the standing requirements for PAGA claims—particularly in cases where the named plaintiff does not pursue his individual PAGA claims. This emerging judicial doctrine is colloquially referred to as “Headless PAGA.”

In recent years, the landscape of employment law has undergone significant changes regarding the enforceability of arbitration agreements in employment cases. The enactment of the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act (“EFAA”) has introduced crucial exceptions to the enforcement of mandatory arbitration clauses. The EFAA allows employees who allege sexual harassment, gender-based discrimination, or sexual orientation harassment to evade arbitration agreements and take their claims directly to court.

The last five years has seen a dramatic rise in cases involving exposure to PFAS—also known as “forever” chemicals—and cases by municipalities and water districts seeking damages caused by water contamination. Unlike benzene, cigarettes and mold, PFAS claims appear to have legs, at least for now.

Some exotic brands, such as Bugatti, Pagani, and Koenigsegg, sell some or all of their repair parts directly—without passing through a U.S.-based parts distributor. Unlike mainstream manufacturers like Mercedes-Benz or Audi who import parts through U.S. distribution subsidiaries and sell them to dealers, these brands require U.S. dealers to purchase parts directly from their European headquarters. As a result, the dealer becomes the importer of record and is responsible for paying U.S. customs duties and tariffs.

For California’s complex employment litigators, 2025’s arbitration rulings have introduced new fault lines in the enforceability landscape—particularly where statutory rights, procedural fairness, and mutuality collide.

You recorded a Notice of Pendency of Action (the “Notice”), also referred to as a “lis pendens,” in your litigation involving claims affecting real property. You now have priority to any judgment obtained after the Notice was recorded which affect the property.

For 60 years the U.S. Government favored the idea that employers should take into account the minority status of employees to foster diversity in the workplace and remedy past discrimination. In a dramatic reversal, the current President of the U.S. has decreed that all such programs should be illegal. At the same time, the laws that encourage diversity programs remain in place. So, what is an international business with a presence in the U.S. to do?

Read on for more details on how we are getting involved in our community and remaining ahead of the curve in our industry. In this issue, we review the productive seasons of Winter 2024 and Spring 2025, where we attended and sponsored several events and conferences. We also highlight our Firm’s recent industry recognition, including being recognized in the Chambers California Spotlight Guide. The Firm looks forward to continuing the delivery of exceptional service to our clients and embracing ongoing opportunities to make a positive impact on the community.