A new report from the law firm of Pinsent Masons shows that there has been a high level of GDPR "over-reporting" at the U.K.'s Information Commissioner's Office, but organizations who may think they are playing it safe may actually be opening themselves up to further regulatory scrutiny.
When a company declares bankruptcy, avoidance actions under Chapter 5 of the Bankruptcy Code can assist in securing extra cash for the debtor's dwindling estate. When a debtor-in-possession does not pursue these claims, creditors' committees often seek the bankruptcy court's authorization to pursue them on behalf of the estate. Once granted such authorization through a “standing order,” a creditors' committee is said to “stand in the debtor's shoes” because it has permission to litigate certain claims belonging to the debtor that arose before bankruptcy. However, for parties whose cases advance to discovery, such a standing order may cause issues by leaving undecided the allocation of attorney-client privilege and work product protection between the debtor and committee.
Once again a company has felt the pain that comes when it is caught violating an agreement with the Department of Justice. After taking a tongue lashing from a federal judge for repeatedly violating the law, Carnival Corp. executives have until autumn to hire a chief compliance officer and begin meaningful compliance reforms at the world's largest cruise line.
Forty firms out of the Am Law 200 offered details on the steps they're taking to improve mental health and wellness among attorneys and staff.
In assessing whether or how to employ e-signatures, particularly in higher risk transactions, organizations should be careful to manage the practical issues and potential legal complexities associated with e-signatures through careful assessment and a robust governance program.
To comply with the data side of the Outside Counsel Guidelines, firms must have a clear information governance strategy for which the firm's use of technology systems is foundational.
The amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure in 2015 intended to clarify some of the ambiguities that caused inconsistent rulings in e-discovery matters. One such amendment was to Rule 37(e), which seemed to indicate that courts would not levee punitive sanctions without establishing “intent to deprive.” Despite this language, though, courts continue rely on their inherent authority to issue sanctions, meaning organizations must take their preservation obligations seriously.
Beyond improving efficiency, new advancements in Robotic Process Automation, or RPA, are helping lawyers do more billable work without hiring more people.
