Virtualization and Law Office Computer Systems
July 30, 2008
Virtualization has been getting a significant amount of coverage in the IT press. Open almost any IT trade publication in the last six months and there are numerous articles about virtualization. It brings to mind the movie 'Multiplicity,' or the scientists that are currently involved in 'cloning.' So what is the entire buzz about? And what does it mean to us, the legal community?
<b><i>Software Review:</b></i> The Buzz on Buzzword
July 30, 2008
The livelihood of a lawyer involves a lot of words, which is why practically every lawyer uses a word processor. Traditionally, this means installing and using a software copy of Microsoft Word or Corel WordPerfect. Over the last few years, however, we've seen the emergence of a new delivery method for software.
Web 2.0 Comes to the Legal Profession
July 30, 2008
We now have what many technology experts call 'Web 2.0' and, once again, technology offers new opportunities for members of the legal profession to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their workflow. We believe it is in the interest of technology leads within law firms and corporate counsel groups to consider how they can better incorporate these innovations into their practices, given the benefits they can deliver.
Best Practices for Reducing Errors in e-Discovery
July 30, 2008
e-Discovery is inherently messy and prone to mistakes. The data itself is not always what it appears, the volumes of data are often mind-boggling, and the locations in which the data is stored are not always easy to find. Add to this the fact that we have recently witnessed a lawsuit involving a major law firm and an e-discovery provider, all which revolved around e-discovery mistakes. While the lawsuit was ultimately settled, an environment of mistrust has surfaced. This mistrust, however, can easily be eliminated with a little planning and foresight.
The Role of Tape
July 30, 2008
Information stored on various kinds of electronic media is becoming central to virtually all corporate investigations, whether they are litigation-, regulatory- or audit-driven. The adoption of e-mail as the standard communication and document distribution mechanism, coupled with its exponential growth, has focused attention on electronically stored information.
Movers & Shakers
July 30, 2008
Tech Lawyer Earns Licensing Certification<br>Andrews Kurth Lawyer Named to Association Board<br>Book Offers LawyersCareer-Building Advice
e-Commerce Docket Sheet
July 30, 2008
Unauthorized Source Code Copying Conversion Claim Not Cognizable in PA<br>Satellite Radio Service Is Non-essential Luxury In Unconscionability Test<br>Software License Arbitration Provision Survives Contract With No Other Evidence<br>Parties Settle Charges Over Data Security
Online Pharmacy Ordered to Pay FTC $15.8 Million
July 30, 2008
Saying they 'dispensed deception,' a federal judge in Atlanta has ordered the founders and operators of a now-defunct online pharmacy business to pay the FTC $15.8 million for fraudulent claims associated with the drugs they peddled.
Novel Internet Statute Strategies
July 30, 2008
The Internet presents special regulatory challenges. Any effective statute, for instance, must be prepared by an entity with the authority to draft, implement and, to some extent enforce, the statute. Efficacy, of course, hinges on jurisdiction, but the Internet knows no geography and, so, users leap boundaries with a finger poke or thumb flick. These challenges require novel statutory strategies to meet the Internet's current and future status as a channel and communications domain that requires regulation at various levels of operation and use, including e-commerce.
DIY-ing to e-Plan
July 30, 2008
Professional services requiring insight and judgment ' and application of sophisticated expertise on a case-by-case basis ' seemed immune to the e-commerce onslaught. After all, no one wants to trust the future welfare of one's family and affairs to a device that makes the phrase 'computer problem' a redundancy. And why would people who need to spend thousands of dollars on estate planning even think about trusting an online service just to save a few dollars ' even if only to pass on post-mortem thoughts from the grave?