Coping with Socially Networked Jurors
At the office, in the car or anywhere else, we share every detail of our daily existence in real time on Facebook. Most of the time, this is acceptable and constitutionally protected behavior. But what happens in the courtroom when jurors post their opinions about a case online during trial?
Features
New Laws Expand Whistleblower Protections
Federal statutes protecting whistleblowers are on the rise. Most recently, the Dodd-Frank Act, meant to overhaul and strengthen federal oversight of the financial system, included workplace protections for whistleblowers in the financial services industry. But that is not the only new law to include whistleblower protections.
Who Is Dealing With Social Media Policies?
Survey results show that 38% of the 1,700 respondents didn't know who was dealing with social media in their company. The remaining answers were spread across human resources, compliance, marketing, and, at the bottom of the list, the legal department. And while 84% say companies should have policies in place to address social media risks, only 35% say they do have them. But the risks of social media ' legal and reputational ' are real, and companies need to deal with them.
Features
How Private Is Facebook Under the SCA?
Despite huge technological advancements in the 25 years since passage of the SCA, and the ever-increasing prominence of electronic communication in our society, Congress has not amended the SCA to keep pace with changing technology. Rather, courts have had to lead the charge in applying the decades-old statute to modern Internet technology and electronic communication disclosure issues.
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Discrimination Against Employees with Caregiving or Family Responsibilities
Family care issues permeate the workplace, arising in the context of employee recruitment, growth, development and career advancement, and employee requests for time off, flexible schedules and other benefits.
Features
Unmasking Anonymous Online Defamation
The explosion of "Web 2.0" phenomena has brought with it a deluge of published material that is arguably defamatory or otherwise actionable. While some actually welcome this development ' preferring the Web to be, and remain, "a frontier society free from the conventions and constraints that limit discourse in the real world" ' many others do not, especially those worried about the potential impact of disparaging online material on their corporate reputation. But many of those troubled by the threat to corporate reputation from defamatory online content also have discovered that mitigating its effect, or getting it removed, is far from easy.
Inevitable Disclosure Need Not Be Inevitable
The doctrine of inevitable disclosure is a crucial tool to protect companies from perfidious former employees and is no threat to the honest ones ' if properly applied. A look at <i>Bimbo Bakeries USA, Inc. v. Botticella</i>
Data Transfers and the EU
The last couple of months have seen a number of challenges for U.S. corporations doing business in Europe, particularly those that rely on the Safe Harbor scheme to legalize the transfer of customer or employee data to the U.S.
Gradual Rollout Gains Increased Acceptance
Technology can be a very good thing ' especially if people actually use it! After several years in the legal industry, I have learned that the best technology in the world can have virtually no benefit if it is not marketed properly. However, if presented to users in a strategic way, a piece of software can be successful and have a revolutionary impact.
Creating a Law Firm Learning Environment Revisited: Lessons Learned
Now that our "KYL Keeps You Learning" program has been underway for about a year and we have been in the training phase of the program for over six months, we have developed a clear picture of what theories were on point, and what we would have done differently if we were starting over with the knowledge we have today.
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MOST POPULAR STORIES
- The 'Sophisticated Insured' DefenseA majority of courts consider the <i>contra proferentem</i> doctrine to be a pillar of insurance law. The doctrine requires ambiguous terms in an insurance policy to be construed against the insurer and in favor of coverage for the insured. A prominent rationale behind the doctrine is that insurance policies are usually standard-form contracts drafted entirely by insurers.Read More ›
- The Brave New World of Cybersecurity Due Diligence in Mergers and Acquisitions: Pitfalls and OpportunitiesLike poorly-behaved school children, new technologies and intellectual property (IP) are increasingly disrupting the M&A establishment. Cybersecurity has become the latest disruptive newcomer to the M&A party.Read More ›
- A Lawyer's System for Active ReadingActive reading comprises many daily tasks lawyers engage in, including highlighting, annotating, note taking, comparing and searching texts. It demands more than flipping or turning pages.Read More ›
- Abandoned and Unused Cables: A Hidden Liability Under the 2002 National Electric CodeIn an effort to minimize the release of toxic gasses from cables in the event of fire, the 2002 version of the National Electric Code ("NEC"), promulgated by the National Fire Protection Association, sets forth new guidelines requiring that abandoned cables must be removed from buildings unless they are located in metal raceways or tagged "For Future Use." While the NEC is not, in itself, binding law, most jurisdictions in the United States adopt the NEC by reference in their state or local building and fire codes. Thus, noncompliance with the recent NEC guidelines will likely mean that a building is in violation of a building or fire code. If so, the building owner may also be in breach of agreements with tenants and lenders and may be jeopardizing its fire insurance coverage. Even in jurisdictions where the 2002 NEC has not been adopted, it may be argued that the guidelines represent the standard of reasonable care and could result in tort liability for the landlord if toxic gasses from abandoned cables are emitted in a fire. With these potential liabilities in mind, this article discusses: 1) how to address the abandoned wires and cables currently located within the risers, ceilings and other areas of properties, and 2) additional considerations in the placement and removal of telecommunications cables going forward.Read More ›
- The New York Uniform Commercial Code Comes of AgeParties in large non-consumer transactions with no connection whatsoever to New York often choose its law to govern their transactions, and New York statutes permit them to do so. What most people do not know is that the New York Uniform Commercial Code is outdated.Read More ›