Additionally, AB 2743 (Nava) will impose a civil fine of $2500 for each instance of declawing or devocalization as a result of a landlord-tenant agreement. Also, landlords will not be able give preferential treatment to tenants with declawed or debarked animals or advertise in a manner designed to discourage applicants with animals that have not been declawed or devocalized.

According to Debra Carlton, Senior Vice President of Public Affairs for the California Apartment Association (CAA’s), “CAA endorses the humane treatment of animals, and as a result, years ago the association purposely decided to exclude any language about declawing cats and devocalizing dogs in our widely used rental and lease agreements. Instead we recommended to owners that they utilize security deposits when it comes to damage to the rental unit as a result of negative pet behavior.”

Eight local governments have recently banned the practice of cat declawing (Berkeley, Beverly Hills, Burbank, Culver City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Santa Monica, West Hollywood), recognizing the practice as inhumane. A search of rental listings throughout California, however, shows a number of properties with landlords and managers requiring that potential owners will be considered only with declawed cats.

AB 2743 now moves to the Senate for consideration.

“I would like to thank all the Angelenos who joined us over the weekend to take us one step closer to securing a safer City for every family,” Mayor Villaraigosa said.

“By helping us get 2500 dangerous weapons off the streets, this year’s successful turn-out shows that the gifts-for-guns method has been tested and it works.”

An initiative of the Mayor’s Gang Reduction and Youth Development Office, the 2010 Gun Buyback rewarded the voluntary surrender of firearms, while engaging the community towards a common goal of reducing gun violence. The gun buyback initiative included a grassroots outreach campaign-that worked with gang prevention and intervention agencies, community and religious leaders and the LAPD. The comprehensive outreach effort served not only to implore participation in neighborhoods suffering from high levels of gun violence, but also to educate our communities about the risks and dangers of gun and gang violence.

In addition, 100,000 full color flyers and 5000 posters were distributed throughout the City. The interior of the City fleet of DASH buses also contained information on the Gun Buyback program.

At a news conference outside the Police Administration building, the LAPD displayed over 2500 firearms that were surrendered at the daylong gun buyback event.

“The guns displayed today will never be stolen or used in a robbery, assault, or murder; the scope of that success can never be fully measured,” Chief of Police Charles Beck said. “We owe a special thanks to Ralph’s and our media sponsor KCBS 2/ KCAL 9.”

The Gun Buyback Program exchanged gift cards for weapons, awarding a total of $197,400 to participants. In its second year, the Gun Buyback Program took over 800 more firearms off the street this year compared to the previous year’s effort. In its first year in 2009, the Gun Buyback Program collected almost 1700 firearms from across the City in one day. In turn, participants were rewarded 1,302 gift cards that cumulatively amounted to $130,200.

In exchange for the firearm the individual received a gift card to Ralphs or received a VISA pre-paid card. The cost per firearm depended on its type, up to $200 for assault weapons as specified in the State of California and up to $100 for handguns, rifles and shotguns. The LAPD Gun Unit was on site to determine the type of classification of the firearm surrendered.

Individuals may still surrender guns to any Los Angeles Police Department Community Police Station. When bringing a firearm to a police station, the individual should leave the unloaded gun(s) in a locked container or stored in a vehicle trunk. Assistance will be provided after discussing the intent to surrender a weapon with an officer at the police station desk. Until another Gun Buyback event is scheduled, no gift cards will be exchanged. Please visit the LAPD website at www.lapdonline.org to find the nearest community police station.

Nava’s measure is similar to laws in Massachusetts, Ohio, Wisconsin, and Nevada.

“The bill would assist in the investigation of crimes and we thank you (Assemblymember Nava) for your efforts to protect innocent victims,” said Randy Perry representing Peace Officers Research Association of California.

“This vote sends a resounding message that it is not okay to just standby when someone is being violently brutalized. There is a problem with existing law when witnesses to a crime are not held accountable for something as simple as calling the police,” said Nava. “As a society, what kind of message are we sending when we say it is okay to stand by and watch a person being brutally victimized over and over again? I am very happy that the State Assembly sent a strong message today that everyone in the community is entitled to protection.”

Harriet Salarno, Chair, Crime Victims United of California said, “AB 984 removes a senseless provision that limits the reporting requirement by individuals witnessing violent crimes against victims to only those victims under the age of 14. In the case of the Richmond rape, had any one of the witnesses called the police, the two hour attack could have been halted much sooner. Victims of violent crime should be able to expect that regardless of one’s age, witnesses to their crimes will report the atrocities to law enforcement and provide the relevant information to assist in apprehending the victim’s attacker(s). We applaud Mr. Nava for his efforts in supporting victims’ rights.”

A 1999 California law makes it illegal to fail to report a witnessed rape, murder, or crime against a child under the age of 14, and is punishable as a misdemeanor with up to 6 months in jail and a maximum fine of $1500. Nava’s AB 984, the “Witness Responsibility Act,” will remove the victim’s age threshold that requires an observer to report violent crimes.

On October 24th, 2009, a young woman in Richmond, only 16 years old, left her high school dance to get a ride from her father when she joined some young men and began drinking with them. They soon began their assault. Several of the men beat her, robbed her, and began repeatedly raping her while people looked on without taking any action for 2 ½ hours.

Police believe there were up to 10 attackers and anywhere from 15 to 20 people stopping to watch. Additionally, authorities said people took photos, laughed and some joined in as the girl was repeatedly assaulted. People came and went and no one called the police. Because the victim was 16 at the time of the attack, law enforcement could not hold accountable the numerous witnesses to this brutal crime. They could not take them in for questioning.

“AB 984 closes this loophole, protecting innocent crime victims and gives law enforcement the ability to arrest and bring to justice perpetrators of violent crime, such as the Richmond rape case,” said Timothy Yaryan, Legislative Counsel to the Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs.

Nava’s measure is similar to laws in Massachusetts, Ohio, Wisconsin, and Nevada.

“The bill would assist in the investigation of crimes and we thank you (Assemblymember Nava) for your efforts to protect innocent victims,” said Randy Perry representing Peace Officers Research Association of California.

“There is a problem with existing law when witnesses to a crime are not held accountable for something as simple as calling the police,” said Nava. “As a society, what kind of message are we sending when we say it is okay to stand by and watch a person being brutally victimized over and over again? I am very happy that this committee sent a strong message today that everyone in the community is entitled to protection.”

A 1999 California law makes it illegal to fail to report a witnessed rape, murder, or crime against a child under the age of 14, and is punishable as a misdemeanor with up to 6 months in jail and a maximum fine of $1500. Nava’s AB 984, the “Witness Responsibility Act,” will remove the victim’s age threshold that requires an observer to report violent crimes.

On October 24th, 2009, a young woman in Richmond, only 16 years old, left her high school dance to get a ride from her father when she joined some young men and began drinking with them. They soon began their assault. Several of the men beat her, robbed her, and began repeatedly raping her while people looked on without taking any action for 2 ½ hours.

Police believe there were up to 10 attackers and anywhere from 15 to 20 people stopping to watch. Additionally, authorities said people took photos, laughed and some joined in as the girl was repeatedly assaulted. People came and went and no one called the police. Because the victim was 16 at the time of the attack, law enforcement could not hold accountable the numerous witnesses to this brutal crime. They could not take them in for questioning.

“AB 984 closes this loophole, protecting innocent crime victims and gives law enforcement the ability to arrest and bring to justice perpetrators of violent crime, such as the Richmond rape case,” said Timothy Yaryan, Legislative Counsel to the Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs.

“Clearly there is a problem with existing law when witnesses to a crime are not held accountable for something as simple as calling the police,” said Nava. “As a society, what kind of message are we sending when we say it is okay to simply standby and watch a person being brutally victimized over and over again? Something needs to be done.”

A 1999 California law makes it illegal not to report a witnessed crime against a child under the age of 14, and is punishable as a misdemeanor with up to 6 months in jail and a maximum fine of $1500. Nava’s AB 984 will remove the victim’s age threshold that requires an observer to report the act of a murder, rape or other violent crime.

On October 24th, 2009 a young woman in Richmond, only 16 years old, left her high school dance to get a ride from her father when she joined some young men and began drinking with them. They soon began their assault. Several of the men beat her, robbed her, and began repeatedly raping her while people looked on without taking any action for 2 ½ hours.

Police believe there were up to 10 attackers and anywhere from 15 to 20 people stopping to watch. Additionally, authorities said people took photos, laughed and some joined in as the girl was repeatedly assaulted. People came and went and no one called the police.

Because the victim was 16 at the time of the attack, law enforcement could not hold accountable the numerous witnesses to this brutal crime. They could not take them in for questioning. To date, only six individuals have been arrested and charged.

“This tragic incident highlights the need to close a loophole in state law. As a former prosecutor, I know the challenges in some cases for law enforcement to arrest and bring to justice the perpetrators of violent crimes such as the Richmond rape. It is imperative that existing law be changed so that these kinds of witnesses can be held accountable and justice be obtained for victims.”

“I applaud Attorney General Jerry Brown for taking action and launching an investigation of ACORN. I am outraged and deeply concerned by these allegations. If these reports are true, they warrant prosecution under the fullest extent of the law. My administration stands ready to help in any way possible.”

Cedar Boschan, Esq., speaks at CCC Legal Update panel.

The program begins at 6:30 p.m. with a cocktail reception. Dinner follows at 7:00 p.m., with the panel presentation set for 8:00 to 9:45 p.m. at the Courtyard By Marriott, 15433 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks CA 91403.

Special Guest Speakers
Speakers at this event include Cedar Boschan (Hurewitz, Boschan & Co.), Kenneth D. Freundlich (Freundlich Law), Dina LaPolt (LaPolt Law), Michael Perlstein (Fischbach Perlstein Lieberman & Almond), Patrick Ross (Executive Director, Copyright Alliance) and moderator Steve Winogradsky (Winogradsky/Sobel).

About the California Copyright Conference
The California Copyright Conference was established in 1953 for the discussion of copyright-related areas pertaining to music and entertainment. The CCC encourages, fosters and promotes an interest in all materials relating to copyrighting and other protection of intellectual and creative properties.

For more information on The CCC or to register online for the October 13 program, visit www.theccc.org or call 818-379-3312.

Media contact:
Scott G
scott@gmanmarketing.com
Phone: 818-223-8486

Ayers, 51, of Hanford, has served as a deputy district attorney for the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office since 2007. From 1984 to 2007, she served as a senior deputy district attorney for the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office. Prior to that, Ayers was a law clerk and associate for Kahn, Soares and Conway from 1983 to 1984. She earned a Juris Doctorate degree from Santa Clara University School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from University of the Pacific. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Arturo Gutierrez. Ayers is a Republican.

The compensation for this position is $178,789.

Ari Kahan, formerly General Counsel at United Microelectronics Corporation and Prophet Financial Systems, brings to VLP almost twenty years of legal experience representing publicly traded semiconductor companies, internet startups, and everything in between. Prior to going in-house, Ari litigated technology cases at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati in Palo Alto, and, before that, represented The Walt Disney Company and Porsche Cars of North America in intellectual property matters at LeBoeuf, Lamb, Leiby & MacRae, in Los Angeles. Ari earned his JD at UCLA School of Law.

Michael Powlen comes to VLP from Global Law, LLC, a virtual law firm he founded in Silicon Valley and San Francisco. Michael’s legal practice focuses on federal and state taxation. Michael was previously chairman of the tax department at Morrison and Foerster, LLP and is now the chair of VLP’s Tax Group. Michael has handled a wide variety of transactions in the areas of general corporate law, real estate and finance. Michael has taught at Stanford Law School, and has been a lecturer on various topics for the Practicing Law Institute, ALI/ABA, the NYU Tax Institute, the Tax Executives Institute, California CEB, and other professional organizations. Michael has published a number of articles and co-authored the chapter on Series LLCs for the treatise Forming and Operating California Limited Liability Companies published by CEB. Michael is a past co-chair of the Partnership and Pass-through Committee of the California State Bar Section of Taxation. He has served on committees of the Section of Taxation of the American Bar Association.

Andy Toebben comes to VLP from the Silicon Valley office of Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian. He specializes in all areas of corporate and securities law, with a primary focus on the formation and financing of emerging technology start-ups. Last fall, Andy took a leave of absence from the law firm to serve on then Senator Barack Obama’s Campaign for Change. As Deputy Director of Voter Protection, he led the Presidential campaign’s legal efforts to protect the vote in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Andy received his law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law. He received his bachelor’s degrees in economics and sociology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he graduated with highest honors and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.

Brian Swanson brings to VLP over fourteen years of in-house and law firm experience counseling healthcare and technology clients on domestic and international transactions and matters. He focuses his practice on healthcare, commercial and technology transactions and on acting as outsourced in-house counsel for early-stage companies. Immediately prior to joining VLP, Brian spent five years in solo practice. Brian began his career with Shearman & Sterling and, prior to establishing his own practice, served as Vice President, Legal Affairs for Neoforma.com and Senior Corporate Counsel for Varian Medical Systems, Inc. Brian graduated from Dartmouth College and received his J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude and was a member of the Order of the Coif.

Geoff Ossias comes to VLP from Cooley Godward Kronish LLP, where he maintained a general corporate practice focused on venture finance and public securities in the technology, biotechnology and life sciences industries. Prior to joining Cooley, Geoff worked as senior counsel in the SEC’s Division of Corporation Finance in Washington, D.C. From 1997 through 2001, Geoff held senior positions in charge of corporate finance, investor relations and international operations for MyPoints.com, a publicly-traded Internet marketing company based in San Francisco and acquired by an affiliate of United Airlines. Geoff has handled a wide variety of transactions, including public and private offerings, mergers and acquisitions, entity formation and executive compensation, as well as compliance with reporting obligations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. He routinely advises management and boards on matters of corporate governance. Geoff graduated magna cum laude and Order of the Coif from Hastings College of the Law in 1997. He is a member of the bar in Arizona, California and Virginia.

More information: www.VirtualLawPartners.com.

Mr. Wang Sanyong, a corporate officer of GDFII/L&P, comments “This has been a long process but we are very pleased with the outcome and that we have been vindicated after a thorough review by the Commission. The final determination by the ITC continues to reaffirm to our dedicated customers the strength and innovation of our technology and processes, and the integrity of our company. We are pleased that our technological achievements have been recognized in these proceedings before the ITC.”

The U.S. ITC governs investigations into allegations of unfair trade practices and has ruled in its final determination that GDFII/L&P has not violated any of the patents asserted in this Section 337 dispute.

This final ruling confirms the initial determination issued by Administrative Law Judge Charles E. Bullock of the ITC in September 2008 that there is no violation of Section 337 by GDFII/L&P. Judge Bullock found that GDFII/L&P did not infringe any of the asserted T&L patents and that one of the patents was also invalid. T&L appealed that initial ruling and the ITC approved a full review by the Commission.

Roger Matkin, CEO/President of Ingredients Specialties, Inc. (ISI), a strategic marketing and distribution partner to GDFII/L&P, notes “We congratulate GDFII/L&P for this hard fought victory and recognize our attorneys with the Bingham McCutchen firm, led by Washington, D.C. partner Gary Hnath, who have represented GDFII/L&P so skillfully and diligently throughout the proceedings before the ITC. Gary and his team presented the facts to the ITC as fully and completely as possible.” Roger continues, “After 2 years of a careful and thorough review by the ITC, the Commission has now presented its definitive finding on behalf of GDFII/L&P.”

“This is welcome news for us, especially since many potential customers have held back in ordering product until confirmation of the positive ruling by the ITC,” observed Mr. Bassam Faress, Director of Sales & Marketing at ISI and spokesperson for L&P. “We can confidently assure our network of global distributors and customers that GDFII/L&P is one of a few companies whose manufacturing processes have been fully and thoroughly reviewed by the US ITC and that our Zueit(R) brand Sucralose has been determined to be non-infringing. This is very important to keep in mind as it may not be the case with other competitors now in the market”

Mr. Wang Ximin, a corporate officer of GDFII/L&P adds “With this important victory now achieved, we are determined to aggressively expand our production of Sucralose and to position GDFII/L&P to more fully meet the anticipated high market demand for Sucralose globally.”

Guangdong Food Industry Institute/L&P Food Ingredient Co. Ltd. (GDFII/L&P) is a specialty ingredients manufacturer that pioneered the development and manufacturing of Sucralose at its ISO 9001:2000 and HACCP certified facility in China. Its alliance with Ingredient Specialties, Inc. of Exeter, California provides a global distribution network that markets Zueit(R) brand Sucralose (www.Zueit.com) to the food, beverage, nutraceutical and pharmaceutical industries as a Kosher and Halal certified non-caloric high intensity sweetener.