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A Question Of Copyright
October 06, 2003
When a lawyer writes an article for a journal, newspaper, legal newsletter or other kind of collective work, the publisher typically asks the lawyer/author to assign the copyright in the article to the publisher. On occasion, the lawyer, or his or her firm, will insist that the lawyer retain the copyright in the article and instead will offer the publisher only a one-time license to publish the article. If this gap cannot be closed, the publisher will lose an article that would have benefited its readers (and its subscriber base) while the lawyer/author will lose a valuable marketing opportunity to reach potential new clients. Fortunately, when both sides understand the nature of what they are seeking and what they are giving and getting, and when both sides refuse to stand on ceremony, the copyright question should not be a bar to publication.
PRACTICE TIP
October 05, 2003
Recently a business associate of mine recorded a TV tech spot called 'Death of the Floppy.' When my friend told me the title of his program we laughed, but we started to talk about how far we have come in the type of removable media storage products that are now available to consumers.
The New Wave of Concept Search Tools
October 05, 2003
Although the concept of concept searching has been around for at least 2,000 years in philosophical circles and was first realized in the software world in the 1970s, it is making big news in today's electronic discovery and automated litigation support world. Over the past year, a series of vendors have introduced software solutions they claim can take us far beyond the results we get using tools built around searching full text or coding data using key words, strings of text and Boolean search algorithms. Whether it is through mimicking the thought processes of high-level aquatic mammals, developing libraries of semantically and geographically related words and terms or displaying documents as masses of dots within sprays of bubbles, these software programs, we are told, are the automated litigation support equivalent to Big Blue, the computerized chess champion.
BITS & BYTES
October 05, 2003
Payne Consulting of Seattle has announced the release of Metadata Assistant for Microsoft Excel, which cleans out hidden information from Excel documents. Following the positive response for Metadata Assistant for Word, this new software extends the same functionality to Excel files, which have even more hidden data than Word files.
Product Review: ContactEase ' A Next-Generation Client Relationship Management System
October 05, 2003
Miller Nash is one of the Pacific Northwest's largest multi-service firms and has always been a technology leader in our region.
A Complete Turn-Key Solution for the Small Law Office
October 05, 2003
This is Part Two of a two-part article. Last month, Mr. Pizzolato discused hardware and services and their relevance and significance for implementing a proper technology solution. This month he will continue to discuss the importance of choosing the correct software and utilizing the correct methodology and project plan. Together, these two articles should provide the essential information to make a sound business decision when planning and purchasing legal technology.
GhostFill Continues Its Climb
October 05, 2003
GhostFill Technologies has released version 4.2 of its document assembly software, which adds new power and flexibility to an already impressive product.
Let's Be Careful Out There: E-Mail and Instant Messaging Challenge Security
October 05, 2003
While the very nature of the Internet has made communication fast and easy, it has also opened up personal and private data to opportunistic hackers and white-collar criminals. Many security defenses, such as encryption, firewalls, and authentication, are now in place to protect data and ensure that online communication vehicles are safer than ever. However, these security measures are not entirely foolproof, especially when it comes to complex business networks.
AROUND THE FIRMS
October 02, 2003
In the Face of Economic Hardship, Bay Area Partner Classes Fluctuate. Although the faltering economy has been taking its toll on partner classes at many of the San Francisco Bay firms for 2002-2003, some were nonetheless able to award partner status to litigators. The majority of firms polled by The Recorder, an affiliate of this publication, either increased their class size or stayed the same. Most of the firms' elevations were in the areas of business and litigation.
Professional Development: A Key Tool for Law Firm Management
October 02, 2003
Professional development. Bright-eyed law school graduates who need finely crafted orientation programs; seasoned practitioners who require CLE credits; law firm CFOs who need strategies to control the costs of outside CLE courses. Is this all it is? Absolutely not! Professional efforts and opportunities can be used to pursue many of your firm's most important strategic objectives. You simply need to remember to tap into professional development in order to use it to its full advantage.

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