News

Listen as shareholder, Beth West, discusses with Mark Montgomery on AM 1380 KTKZ the challenges California employers face every day as they try to comply with the complex employment laws that govern their workplace.

Part 1

Part 2

(Radio clips courtesy of AM 1380 KTKZ)

…Martin and Janet Sheen are weighing a conservatorship bid, similar to what Spears’ dad, Jamie Spears, did in 2008 when he won a court order to put her financial empire under his control.

However, the Sheen’s believe they’d have little chance of convincing a Los Angeles court that the 45-year-old “Two and a Half Men” star needs parental intervention, according to Us magazine and Radar Online.

“Martin and Janet know that it’s highly unlikely their petition would be granted,” a source close to the family told Radar.

But top family-law and trust attorney said the elder Sheens have a shot at succeeding.

“I suspect if [Charlie] is in rehab and needs assistance, there may be merit to such a petition,” said Edward Corey, vice chairman of the California State Bar’s section on trust and estates.

“Age really does not matter…the standard is essentially [if] a person is unable to provide properly for his or her needs.”

To read the entire article, please click the link above.

Download: LDK-SPI Joint Press Release.pdf

XINYU CITY, China, SUNNYVALE, CA and Roseville, CA., January 6, 2011 – LDK Solar Co., Ltd. (“LDK Solar”) (NYSE: LDK), a leading manufacturer of multicrystalline solar wafers, high purity polysilicon and PV products, and Solar Power, Inc. (“SPI”) (OTCBB:SOPW), announced today that LDK Solar agreed to acquire a 70% interest in SPI for approximately $33 million. LDK Solar’s investment provides strategic benefits to both parties. The transaction signifcantly strengthens SPI’s balance sheet, which will enable the acceleration of the development of its project pipeline, which primarily consists of utility-scale power plants and commercial/industrial distributed generation systems. SPI’s growing development portfolio and pipeline, in turn, should provide LDK Solar with enhanced downstream benefit to its vertical integration model through module supply for large scale projects.

To view the entire press release, please click on the PDF link above.

Weintraub Genshlea Chediak in partnership with Hands On Sacramento and the Metro Chamber’s Project Inspire volunteered to spend an afternoon last week at RAFT Sacramento, a nonprofit that distributes materials and supplies at very low cost to the region’s teachers.

“It feels good to part of a firm that supports and encourages its attorneys and staff to volunteer to help the community we work and live in” says Donna Holtz, Shareholder at Weintraub Genshlea Chediak (and Metro Chamber Board Member). Donna, along with Shareholder James Kachmar, Human Resource Manager Cheryl Lewis, and Secretary Sandra Acosta were among the group of volunteers.

In addition to those from Weintraub Genshlea Chediak, thirty volunteers from local businesses such as the River District, SAFE Credit Union, Horizon West, Event Architects, Natomas Chamber, AT&T, Sacramento Housing Redevelopment Agency, ICF International, Sacramento State and the Metro Chamber chalked up more than 40 hours sorting and packaging supplies in an effort to help area teachers get ready for the new school year. Volunteers, Metro Chamber Board Members and staff filled four shopping carts full of donations for RAFT.

About Weintraub Genshlea Chediak:

Founded in 1978, Weintraub Genshlea Chediak specializes in corporate transactional work, real estate transactional work and business litigation. Recognized nationally for our expertise, the firm has a strong regional presence and experience representing clients throughout California. Our clients range from national institutional entities to regional businesses and individuals with personal legal needs.

We dedicate ourselves to understanding our clients and helping them with their changing business challenges. We are equally committed to supporting the community where we work and live.

Download: Kelso Press Release re MOTO Acquisition.pdf

Weintraub Genshlea Chediak, a law firm based in Sacramento, California, recently represented its client MOTO Development Group, Inc., based in San Francisco, in connection with MOTO’s acquisition by Cisco Systems, Inc. which was completed in early June. Founded in 1991, MOTO is a design consulting firm that develops innovative products and product strategies for the consumer industry. MOTO’s team has been involved in the development of a wide range of products for startups and Fortune 500 companies, including the Flip Video^TM product family which was previously acquired by Cisco. The MOTO team will join Cisco’s consumer products group.

Kevin Kelso, a shareholder in the firm’s corporate/securities group, represented MOTO and assisted its in-house attorney David Kadish. Associate Sara Davidson assisted Kelso on the transaction. “MOTO is full of smart, creative people and it was a pleasure to work with them. Working with Cisco’s inside and outside acquisition team was an interesting experience,” said Kelso. “Cisco has of course completed a large number of acquisitions over the years, brings enormous resources to transactions and is very thorough in terms of their approach to a transaction.”

“Many of the attorneys in our corporate group, including Kelso, came from larger firms and/or firms in the Silicon Valley, and that experience has been invaluable in their ability to handle larger, complicated acquisition transactions involving technology companies but at more affordable rates given our geographical location” said managing shareholder Michael Kvarme. “I think companies are looking more closely at their legal budgets and realizing that firms like ours can provide the same level of service, if not better service, at substantially lower rates.”

Click the link above to view the entire press release.

Download: Metropolitan News Company Press Release re Shames v. CTTC.pdf

The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals yesterday rejected claims that the California Travel and Tourism Commission violated federal antitrust law by agreeing with rental car companies to pass tourism assessments on to customers. A three-judge panel said the commission was shielded from liability for price-fixing allegations under the “state action immunity” doctrine because it acted pursuant to a “clearly articulated state policy.”

To view the press release in its entirety, click the link above.