The question is a common one for many corporations in these legally complex and highly litigious times: Should we seek outside counsel from high-powered law firms, or work to develop an in-house law department with intimate knowledge of the company's business? For Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE), the choice was the latter.

If someone offered you a good way to lose a lawsuit before it started, regardless of whether you were right or wrong, would you take it? That is exactly what you are doing if you ignore California's new discovery rules on electronic data (also known as e-discovery).

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) -- Global payment services company Western Union Co. (NYSE: WU) said Friday it won a jury verdict in a patent infringement lawsuit against MoneyGram Payment Systems Inc.

WASHINGTON -- Former Attorney General John Ashcroft and a leading Bush administration legal hardliner face the rare prospect that they could be held personally liable in U.S.lawsuits that allege violations of individuals' rights in the aggressive, post-Sept. 11 actions to prevent another terrorist attack.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Despite industry objections and threats of lawsuits, California air regulators on Friday approved the nation's first statewide carbon fee on utilities, oil refineries and other polluting industries.

The largest set of improvements in the history of San Diego International Airport -- known as The Green Build -- means big opportunities for local small, disadvantaged, minority/woman-owned and disabled veteran businesses in the San Diego region.

The traditional reason for filing for a patent on an invention is to prevent others from selling or using the invention or a potential substitute for the invention. Yet, there are many other roles patents may serve. As part of a research team that recently conducted a wide-scale nationwide survey -- the 2008 Berkeley Patent Survey -- on the use of patents by startup companies, we found that many companies use patents in nontraditional, so-called "strategic" ways. We also found that many managers and in-house counsel are relatively unaware of the variety of strategic uses of patents. Following are the 10 most common patent strategies.

The winds of change are blowing in the legal profession. Rates and salaries at big firms continue to escalate - even as the economic crisis persists. Moreover, job satisfaction for lawyers continues to decline, as billing and revenue pressures require more time and effort to support firm financial goals.

Attorney Lisa Martens, who heads the West Coast trademark practice for Fish & Richardson, one of the world's largest intellectual property firms, recently made a presentation to the San Diego Chapter of American Corporate Counsel (ACC) about how companies can effectively trademark their products in cost conscious ways.

Corporate general counsel certainly feel as if their departments have been especially hard hit during this period. A recent survey of general counsel by Altman Weil revealed that approximately 75 percent have faced overall cuts in their legal department budget in 2009. With revenues shrinking, all corporations are taking a hard look at "non-critical expenses" and CEOs and CFOs may often perceive that a company's legal expenses fall in this category. However, savvy general counsel with the appropriate knowledge, foresight and planning can take steps to change this view by other senior managers.

The San Diego legal community has weathered the economic downturn better than other regions, according to local law firm officials.

When Walter Scott couldn't find a legal group geared specifically for military veterans, he decided to fill the void himself.

David Casey will receive a lifetime achievement award from a statewide consumer advocacy group this Saturday and a top honor from the American Bar Association next month.

Federal, state and local law enforcement authorities are joining forces for a special initiative aimed at curbing the misuse of stimulus funds.