--- title: 2016 April url: https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2016-april --- # [2016 April](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2016-april "2016 April") [![Advocate Apr16 cvr ezine](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/images/issues/2016/04-april/Advocate-Apr16-cvr-ezine.jpg)](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/ezines/2016/April2016/html5/Advocate-Apr16-issue.html) Articles in this issue: ## [Defamation in employment](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2016-april/defamation-in-employment "Defamation in employment") [Chris Whelan](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/chris-whelan "Chris Whelan") ## [Winning market-adjusted damages for investors using the FINRA forum](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2016-april/winning-market-adjusted-damages-for-investors-using-the-finra-forum "Winning market-adjusted damages for investors using the FINRA forum") Market-adjusted damages are an accurate and fair measure of compensation when an investor loses money due to a broker’s strategies that are inconsistent with the client’s objective [Philip M. Aidikoff](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/philip-m-aidikoff "Philip M. Aidikoff") ## [Protecting first-responder plaintiffs from misuse of the firefighters’ rule](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2016-april/protecting-first-responder-plaintiffs-from-misuse-of-the-firefighters-rule "Protecting first-responder plaintiffs from misuse of the firefighters’ rule") To prevent the defense attorney from playing fast and loose with the firefighters’ rule, know the exceptions [Eustace de Saint Phalle](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/eustace-de-saint-phalle "Eustace de Saint Phalle") ## [Appellate Reports and Briefs](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2016-april/appellate-reports-and-briefs-3 "Appellate Reports and Briefs") [[case]]Gaines v. Fidelity National Title Insurance[[/case]] makes avoiding dismissal under the 5-year rule more difficult and analyzes the rules about which periods during a lawsuit are excluded [Jeffrey I. Ehrlich](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/jeffrey-i-ehrlich "Jeffrey I. Ehrlich") ## [Effective use of the California Family Rights Act & Pregnancy Disability Leave laws](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2016-april/effective-use-of-the-california-family-rights-act-pregnancy-disability-leave-laws "Effective use of the California Family Rights Act & Pregnancy Disability Leave laws") Pregnancy Disability Leave applies during and after pregnancy, under limited circumstances [Genie Harrison](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/genie-harrison "Genie Harrison") ## [HOOAH!](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2016-april/hooah "HOOAH!") The Veterans Legal Institute is OCTLA’s 2016 Charity! [Vincent D. Howard](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/vincent-d-howard "Vincent D. Howard") ## [Two cases that have positively impacted employment law for plaintiffs](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2016-april/two-cases-that-have-positively-impacted-employment-law-for-plaintiffs "Two cases that have positively impacted employment law for plaintiffs") [case]Harris v. Santa Monica[/case] changes employment-discrimination law; Williams v. Chino Valley protects plaintiffs in FEHA cases from paying defense’s legal fees [Renuka Jain](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/renuka-jain "Renuka Jain") ## [“My boss is telling lies about me! Can I sue?”](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2016-april/my-boss-is-telling-lies-about-me-can-i-sue "“My boss is telling lies about me! Can I sue?”") Evaluating an employee’s claim of defamation against an employer [John Kelley](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/john-kelley "John Kelley") ## [Investigating and pursuing elder-abuse cases](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2016-april/investigating-and-pursuing-elder-abuse-cases "Investigating and pursuing elder-abuse cases") Reporting is the first step in successfully prosecuting [George R. Kindley](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/george-r-kindley "George R. Kindley") ## [Where have all the mediators gone? Long time passing](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2016-april/where-have-all-the-mediators-gone-long-time-passing "Where have all the mediators gone? Long time passing") Addressing the needs of the legal community, or “making some music with lawyers” [Jeffrey Krivis](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/jeffrey-krivis "Jeffrey Krivis") ## [Available damages in elder-abuse cases](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2016-april/available-damages-in-elder-abuse-cases "Available damages in elder-abuse cases") Understanding the economic and general damages recoverable for elder abuse, as well as the “enhanced remedies” [Louanne Masry](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/louanne-masry "Louanne Masry") ## [Focus groups: Five benefits that can make a real difference at trial](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2016-april/focus-groups-five-benefits-that-can-make-a-real-difference-at-trial "Focus groups: Five benefits that can make a real difference at trial") A focus group is not a mock trial, and mock jurors should not be forced to see a case your way [Noelle C. Nelson](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/noelle-c-nelson "Noelle C. Nelson") ## [CAALA Vegas 2016 to celebrate America’s justice system](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2016-april/caala-vegas-2016-to-celebrate-america-s-justice-system "CAALA Vegas 2016 to celebrate America’s justice system") Let’s support candidates who support the jury system and the principle that individuals deserve access to the courts [David M. Ring](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/david-m-ring "David M. Ring") ## [Settlement issues in employment cases brought under PAGA](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2016-april/settlement-issues-in-employment-cases-brought-under-paga "Settlement issues in employment cases brought under PAGA") PAGA is still an effective way to address labor code violations as traditional wage-and-hour class actions become rarer [Dave Rudy](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/dave-rudy "Dave Rudy") ## [CAALA: It’s really a community](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2016-april/caala-it-s-really-a-community "CAALA: It’s really a community") A trial lawyer’s typical day doesn’t include a lot of communal activity, but they are far from alone when they have CAALA [Stuart Zanville](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/stuart-zanville "Stuart Zanville")