Features

New Technologies Make for a Shifting Definition of 'Technical Competence'
While new and/or improving technologies may be challenging, they likely also present new opportunities which can facilitate delivering the best services at the best cost. Some solutions can be handled directly by law firms — but others will require the courts to approve, and, perhaps, even change of procedures to get with the times.
Features

The Duty and Benefits of Technology Competence
We all have experienced technology's dramatic effect on bankruptcy practice, particularly in the electronic filing of documents and in the electronic communication and sharing of information among parties.
Features

Attorney Competence in Technology Is in the Spotlight. Are You Competent?
In response to widespread changes in the use of technology, and evaluating the potential risks of remote work and the rise of virtual meeting platforms, on March 10, 2021, the ABA Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility issued Formal Opinion 498 making it clear that the Model Rules of Professional Conduct permit lawyers to conduct their practices virtually, but urges caution at all times:
Features

Update on Business Bankruptcy Legal Fees and Professionalism
A review of recent cases shows that poor billing judgment and unreasonable billing have been with us for decades.
Features

California Court of Appeal Rules on Formerly Licensed Attorney Who Continued as Talent Manager
Conflict of interest is a red-flag concern when an attorney becomes a talent manager. But what happens when a formerly licensed attorney continues to provide management services for talent?
Features

Privacy and Ethical Concerns of Vaccine Passports
While the concept of digital vaccine passports might seem like a perfect solution, implementation is muddled not only by administrative feasibility, but the web of legal and business considerations raised if requiring the passport to return to the workplace or enter a business. This article untangles some of these complex legal considerations, including privacy and ethical concerns, offering employers guidance in evaluating their feasibility at the workplace.
Features

Legal Tech: The Ethics of E-Discovery In a Remote Work Environment
Just as the pandemic has challenged every aspect of our lives, the shift to a remote work environment has significantly impacted e-discovery and the ethical obligations of attorneys in this ever-evolving technological and legal landscape.
Features

Lawyer Disbarred Over Mishandling of Investors' Funds for Film Project
The New Jersey Supreme Court disbarred lawyer Gary Mason after finding he knowingly misappropriated $690,000 that investors paid to support the work of a fledgling filmmaker.
Columns & Departments
Bit Parts
Film Clips Included in Talent's Acting Reel Are a Copyright Fair Use Ninth Circuit Finds Judd/Weinstein Meeting Within Scope of California Sexual Harassment Statute Personal Manager's Lawsuit in New York Against Former In-House Counsel Can Move Forward
Features

Data Security Ethics and Best Practices for Court Reporters
The issue of digital security and privacy should be a paramount concern to modern court reporters just as it is to their attorney clients. Yet their biggest risk remains the same as everyone else's: believing it won't happen to them.
Need Help?
- Prefer an IP authenticated environment? Request a transition or call 800-756-8993.
- Need other assistance? email Customer Service or call 1-877-256-2472.
MOST POPULAR STORIES
- When Is a Repair Structural or Nonstructural Under a Commercial Lease?A common question that commercial landlords and tenants face is which of them is responsible for a repair to the subject premises. These disputes often center on whether the repair is "structural" or "nonstructural."Read More ›
- Beach Boys Songs Written Decades Ago Triggered Current Quarrel With LawyersThere's current litigation in the ongoing Beach Boys litigation saga. A lawsuit filed in 2019 against Nevada residents Mike Love and his wife Jacquelyne in the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada that alleges inaccurate payment by the Loves under the retainer agreement and seeks $84.5 million in damages.Read More ›
- Artist Challenges Copyright Office Refusal to Register Award-Winning AI-Assisted WorkCopyright law has long struggled to keep pace with advances in technology, and the debate around the copyrightability of AI-assisted works is no exception. At issue is the human authorship requirement: the principle that a work must have a human author to be eligible for copyright protection. While the Copyright Office has previously cited this "bedrock requirement of copyright" to reject registrations, recent decisions have focused on the role of human authorship in the context of AI.Read More ›
- Supreme Court Rules Rejection of Trademark License Does Not Rescind Rights of LicenseeMission Product Holdings, Inc. v. Tempnology, LLC The question is whether a debtor's rejection of its agreement granting a license "terminates rights of the licensee that would survive the licensor's breach under applicable nonbankruptcy law."Read More ›
- Recently Introduced Bill Would Limit ITC 'Domestic Industry by Subpoena'Patent infringement disputes in the United States are not only heard in district courts. The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) also decides high-stakes intellectual property disputes — with the remedy for the IP rights holder not being damages, but rather an exclusion order that can block a competitor's importation of infringing articles into the U.S. That remedy can be incredibly powerful for companies engaged in stiff competition in the U.S. market.Read More ›