Guiding Expenditures on Law Firm Videos
November 30, 2007
Videos are popping up increasingly on firm Web sites, but at least one analyst warns that law firms might be paying too much for too little.
Court Ruling Spikes Internet Ministers, Highlights Legal Issue
November 27, 2007
Family law attorneys are urging couples to steer clear of Internet-ordained ministers when seeking an officiate to perform their nuptials. Their warnings follow a recent Pennsylvania court decision in which a judge declared a marriage invalid because the couple had been married by an Internet-ordained minister. The court ruled that the officiate was unauthorized under state law to perform a wedding.
Cyberinsurance for Data Security Risks
November 26, 2007
The harms that can result from computer security breaches are largely uncovered by the types of insurance policies most law firms maintain, and that makes those firms subject to unnecessary risk for theft of client data. Combined with the inadequate security most law firms provide for client data anyway, the resulting exposure risk may well violate legal professional ethics.
Online Sweepstakes And Contests As Promotional Devices
November 26, 2007
Online sweepstakes and contests are well known devices that traditional and e-commerce firms and related operations frequently use to promote their products and services. While these tools of the online-promotions and online-marketing trade offer the promise of a cost-efficient way to target interested consumers and create a great deal of buzz, they are hardly trouble-free, and a myriad of traps await the unwary. The attorneys general of several states closely regulate and monitor sweepstakes and contests, and failure to conduct promotional and marketing campaigns properly can result in enforcement actions and consumer lawsuits, so be sure to operate a sure thing instead of taking a gamble.
When Legal Spam Isn't Spam
November 26, 2007
Demands for consumer 'extra effort' from Web merchants or service providers could become very common after a mid-2007 federal court ruling ' <i>Douglas v. Talk America, Inc.</i> In that case, a federal appeals court considered what it labeled an 'issue ' of some significance, (which) potentially affects the relationship of numerous service providers with millions of customers: ' whether to enforce a modified contract with a customer where the customer claims that the only notice of the changed terms consisted of posting the revised contract on the provider's Web site.'
Is Anyone Out There?
November 26, 2007
The recent flurry of activity in behavioral targeting has privacy advocates sharpening their proverbial claws and ready to enter the fray. Indeed, between Google's merger with DoubleClick, AOL's acquisition of Tacoda, and Facebook's announcement that it may leverage user information to generate advertising revenue, there's plenty to talk about. For e-commerce counsel, the primary issue emerging is whether our jurisprudence can balance privacy interests against the advertisers' business interests, or whether such things are better left to those most vested in the issue. This article delves into the relationship between the quality of the online experience and the extent to which personal information should be shared with commercially interested parties.
Maximizing the Power of Virtual Data Rooms
November 26, 2007
Virtual data rooms ('VDRs') offer legal and financial professionals an array of advantages. Overall, VDRs make it possible for lawyers and other deal advisers to focus more on the substantive work to be done and less on procedural aspects of deal management.
Net News
November 26, 2007
Antitrust Subcommittee Members Call for 'Serious Scrutiny' of Google/DoubleClick Deal<br>U.S. Fights WTO Over Internet Gambling <br>Popular Web Site Craigslist.org Haven for Cyber-Criminals?
Apple Pops Some of Burst's Patent Claims
November 26, 2007
A little bruised, Burst.com will live to fight another day in its dispute with Apple over patents it claims the company infringes on in its popular iPod and iTunes music store. Apple tried to invalidate parts of four of the tiny Santa Rosa, CA, company's patents related to compression; high-speed transmission; and sharing, editing and playing audio and video on computers in a summary judgment motion. In a ruling last month, U.S. District Judge Marilyn Hall Patel invalidated 14 claims, leaving 22 claims remaining.
Online Sweepstakes and Contests As Promotional Devices
November 26, 2007
Online sweepstakes and contests are frequent devices used to promote companies and their products and services. While these tools of the online promotions and marketing trade offer the promise of a cost-efficient way to target interested consumers and create a great deal of buzz, they are hardly trouble-free and myriad traps await the unwary. The Attorney Generals of several states closely regulate and monitor sweepstakes and contests and failure to conduct the campaign properly can result in regulatory enforcement actions and consumer lawsuits.
