Carl Kanowsky, Esq. As anyone with preteen daughters knows, Barbie, the iconic California doll that ruled the toy empire for years, has been vigorously challenged by Bratz, the line of saucy, spunky dolls, “The Girls With A Passion For Fashion.” Bratz, led by Jade, Sasha and Cloe, ignited a war not...

George and John were partners for 20 years in their aerospace corporation. After George was killed in a car accident, questions arose as to what role George’s widow, June, would play in the company, and if none, how John would buy her out. Unable to agree, the dispute wound up in court where a jury...

Carl Kanowsky, Esq. Jim and Joan Sunset came to see me the other day. It seems they were in a major argument with their neighbors, Kyle and Katy Moonlight. The battle was over exactly where the fence dividing their two properties should be located. A few decades earlier, things were a lot more neighborly...

Carl Kanowsky, Esq. Unfortunately, too many people are still facing possible foreclosure on their homes. If the number of calls to my office is any indication, this trend is not likely to end soon. Perhaps even more unfortunate are the vultures who are trying to take advantage of homeowners who find...

Carl Kanowsky, Esq. My client Jim owns Lubricate This, a local oil and lube shop, which provides super-quick oil changes and free shoe shines to its waiting patrons. Jim called me. He had had enough. He had been stiffed again with a bad check. In the past month, one customer paid with a check obviously...

Carl Kanowsky, Esq. Thank God we have appellate courts. Without them causing confusion and misdirection, we employment attorneys might have to get some real work. Two cases that came down at the end of 2011 illustrate what I mean by befuddling interpretations of the law. If you’re an employee, one...

Carl Kanowsky, Esq. There seems to be no end to these scams. Maybe they’ve always been around, and it’s just that I’m now hearing about them. But I don’t think so. The Internet and email seem like undeniably delicious tools for the con artist.  The criminal doesn’t even have to meet or talk...

Carl Kanowsky, Esq. George and Fred had been friends and neighbors for 18 years. George had a reputation in the ‘hood as the “handy man.” He had worked for a number of years for a general contractor, doing all sorts of jobs, from plumbing to designing and installing outdoor barbecues and decks. So...

Carl Kanowsky, Esq. Wine is big business in California. According to the Wine Institute, during the recessionary 2009 economy, California vintners shipped 467.7 million gallons (196.7 million cases) of wine to the U.S. wine market. The estimated retail value was $17.9 billion. That’s billion with a...

Carl Kanowsky, Esq. George came in for an interview at Hard Bodies, a combo auto body repair/dance revue studio.  Mary, head of human resources, checked out George’s qualifications for both aspects of the job.  In her own words, “He looked good.” After he left, she called some of his past employers. ...