During a recent assignment, we were asked to assist a client in evaluating potential litigation involving conspiracy and fraud claims arising out of a complex multi-party transaction. For the task, the client arranged for us to have access to approximately 35 gigabytes of e-mail data restored from a critical time period. With the equivalent of approximately 2 million pages needing review, we immediately faced two contradictory challenges. First, how to effectively review a large body of data in a short time while keeping staffing tight and costs down. Second, and equally important, how to leverage our existing knowledge of the issues to identify and drill down deep into significant documents, test our legal theories and strengthen the strategic recommendation our client was seeking.
- November 30, 2005Kathy McFarland
For many firms there are significant advantages to increased scale. Broader geographical coverage and increased expertise enable firms to provide a more complete offering to their large clients, who operate in an increasingly global world. Given the sometimes difficult task of opening new offices and the competition amongst firms for partners, many firms choose to grow through merging.
November 30, 2005Jan PuzichaThe term "3G" proclaims the next revolution in wireless technology. It refers to the much-ballyhooed third generation cellular network services, currently available in the United States from Verizon, Sprint and Cingular. But after all the hype, is 3G living up to its broadband promise?
November 30, 2005Brett BurneyIn an important win for plaintiffs in ERISA cases, the Third U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that the "doctrine of ratification" cannot be used to justify retroactive application of a change to a pension plan if it would have the effect of reducing a worker's accrued benefits.
November 30, 2005Shannon P. DuffyIn Part One, the author provided an overview of what lawyers (and their firms) were doing about retirement planning, including a discussion on firms that do not use unfunded obligations ' The First Camp. Part Two examines firms that use unfunded retirement obligations, and the current trends in partner retirement planning.
November 30, 2005Bruce JacksonI suggest, for the purpose of this brief column, that law firm leaders begin with the end in mind. Once we know where we want to go as leaders, then we can begin to chart a course that may lead us and others to that legacy destination or to one that exceeds our expectations and takes us into uncharted territory.
November 30, 2005Robert ClaymanTechnology offers employers significant advantages, but it can be a double-edged sword. Technology has created issues that employers have never dealt with before ' and bases for liability employers have never confronted before.
November 30, 2005Jessica BrownSerendipity used to be a popular notion. While the term may have fallen from favor, the concept itself still makes appearances ' often surprising ones (as one would think). And while serendipity is not something you would expect to be associated with the U.S. Supreme Court, that is precisely where it was last sighted, specifically in the June ruling in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer v. Grokster.
November 30, 2005George M. BorkowskiWhat can lawyers do about vile words in a country where freedom of speech is the first order of business according to the Bill of Rights?
November 30, 2005Thomas AdcockAn often-overlooked component of a company's intellectual property portfolio is the company Web site. This is especially true in the fast-paced world of technology firms, whose primary emphasis is usually core technology in the form of patents or trade secrets. The Web site, as a matter of course, is the most innocuous of assets, but it's an asset nonetheless. The job of the general counsel's office is to protect it.
November 30, 2005Michael G. McCoy