The Best Lawyers in America®: Dan Egan, Daniel Foster, David Frenznick, and George Guthrie. Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America: Islam M. Ahmad, Kathryne Baldwin, Melissa Eaton, Jason Eldred, and Mustafa Karim. Congratulations to this outstanding group! We’re proud to congratulate George Guthrie, named the Best Lawyers® 2027 Construction Law “Lawyer of the Year” Read more…..

By: Larissa C. Celaya California employers continue to face significant exposure for misclassifying workers as independent contractors rather than employees. Under California law, worker classification is not simply a matter of contract language or employer preference. Instead, California Labor Code section 2775 codifies the “ABC test” established by the California Supreme Court in Dynamex Operations Read more…..

By: Kathryne E. Baldwin George Bernard Shaw has a quote we use a lot in my family: “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” This is pertinent to contractors and homeowners alike because the cost of failing to get proper signatures on documents like construction contracts, and particularly, Read more…..

By: Jizell K. Lopez On May 21, 2026, the California Court of Appeal sided with an employer in a Fair Employment and Housing Act (“FEHA”) disability case, a genuine win for employers, but one with real limits worth understanding.  As a brief background, FEHA requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations for an employee’s physical or Read more…..

By: Analiese Machado “Law Clerk” and Jizell K. Lopez In California, an employer can seek protection on behalf of its employees and their family or household members against a person who has stalked, harassed, threatened, or been violent with one or more employees at the workplace by requesting a workplace violence restraining order (WVRO) under Read more…..

By: Jordan M. Brown-Burd “Law Clerk” and Michael G. Polis On May 7, 2026, Attorney General (“AG”) Rob Bonta filed a lawsuit on behalf of the people of California alleging that Aspen Dental Management, Inc. (“ADMI”) violated California Business and Professions Code sections 17200 et seq. and 17500 et seq. The parties have since agreed Read more…..

By: Trevor L. Stapleton So you finally finished your estate planning and signed your revocable living trust. Phew!! Now you are done. Or are you? Finalizing your trust is a major accomplishment to be applauded for sure. However, your trust is only effective as to assets “in the trust.” You will not avoid probate unless Read more…..

Wilke Fleury is pleased to announce that 18 of the firm’s attorneys have been selected for inclusion on the 2026 Northern California Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists. The annual Super Lawyers and Rising Stars selections recognize attorneys across a wide range of practice areas. This year’s honorees reflect the depth of Wilke Fleury’s litigation, Read more…..

By: Trevor L. Stapleton Some assets automatically pass to a designated beneficiary upon the owner’s death, often referred to as “non probate” assets. Common examples are bank accounts or life insurance policies where a beneficiary designation is made on the account. This may seem like a quick and efficient way to provide for the disposition Read more…..

By: Trevor L. Stapleton Government programs such as Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid provide financial assistance to millions of Americans with disabilities. However, qualification for public “means tested” programs is typically available only if an individual has very limited financial resources. For example, programs such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medicaid generally require individuals Read more…..

By: Mario S. Turner DMHC’s March 2026 Roundtable Signals a Busy Year Ahead The Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) held its quarterly roundtable on March 4, 2026, and the message was clear: 2026 will be an active year for health plans. DMHC shared updates on assessments, pending regulations, licensure initiatives, network reporting, and several Read more…..

By: Aaron R. Claxton On February 27, 2026, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”) issued a moratorium on the enrollment of new durable medical equipment (“DME”) suppliers with Medicare. The moratorium applies to the following seven supplier types: In issuing the moratorium, CMS noted that their determination for the need to implement the Read more…..

By: Trevor L. Stapleton We recently had a call from an individual, “Person X”, who was asked to pay money to a Companion to help settle the estate of the Companion’s father. Specifically, the money was necessary to pay estate taxes, to allow the release of the decedent’s assets. The Companion provided Person X a Read more…..

By: Trevor L. Stapleton Many kinds of accounts and property allow for a beneficiary designation, sometimes calledtransfer-on-death (TOD) or payable-on-death (POD) designations, that allow the account to passdirectly to a beneficiary on your death. Do you know if you have made any beneficiarydesignations on your accounts? Have you reviewed these lately to be sure they Read more…..

We are pleased to congratulate Jason Eldred on his promotion to senior counsel at Wilke Fleury LLP. Jason’s work in service of clients is outstanding. His thoughtfulness and hard work contribute so much to what makes our firm truly special. Jason’s clients include construction companies, real estate companies, and medical professionals. Jason’s practice focuses on Read more…..