Practice Tip: <B>Talk About the Internet ' It's Not Just for Data Anymore</b>
January 01, 2004
Controlling operational costs is a constant challenge and typically a priority for all law firms. Telephones ' phone switch and desk sets as well as local and long distance telephone service ' are a traditionally significant operational cost component, and a chronic administrative headache. Over the past few years, a set of technologies has evolved that offers the potential to take a big bite out of telephone costs, as well as significantly impact attorney and staff productivity. These emerging technologies are referred to as Voice Over Internet Protocol, or VoIP. Developments in speed and reliability of computer technologies combined with dramatic increases of Internet bandwidth have resulted in increasing quality and reliability of service. Since the mid-1990s, VoIP has moved from the virtual back alleys of the techie world to the front office of the enterprise. As a result, voice communication traffic routed over the Internet is rapidly expanding.
What Lies Beneath: Technology That Supports Effective Compliance
January 01, 2004
Much has been written about the reporting requirements mandated by federal laws such as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the Act), the Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act enacted in 1999 (GLBA), but less has been said about the technology that underlies successful efforts to comply. What is clear is that enterprise software and integrated records management are the only viable ways to meet these requirements. The software selected must take into account both changes in these requirements, and the prospect of future state and federal retention and reporting requirements. Since software doesn't exist in a vacuum, hardware and network considerations must be part of the overall system strategy. Law firms with corporate clients and corporate counsel need to be involved in the planning and implementation of such a system.
Bits & Bytes
January 01, 2004
Kroll Inc. has announced that it has acquired Oyez Legal Technologies Limited (OLT), the U.K. market leader in litigation support and legal information…
Peer-to-Peer Downloading Legalized in Canada
January 01, 2004
Before the Canadian Copyright Act was amended in 1998, copying any copyrighted sound recording for almost any purpose infringed copyright in Canada. The 1998 amendment legalized copying of sound recordings for the private use of the person who makes the copy. But it was unclear whether the amendment legalized Internet music downloading. In Dec. 2003, the Canadian Copyright Board determined that downloading music from peer-to-peer file-sharing services is legal as long as the downloaded file is used as a "personal copy." In its recent determination, however, the Board didn't declare uploading to be legal and stopped shy of completely legalizing peer-to-peer music trading.
Bit Parts
January 01, 2004
Recent developments in entertainment law.
Industry Bright Spot: Deals for Licensing Ring Tones For Use in Cell Phones
January 01, 2004
In an industry plagued by shrinking CD sales, the rapid growth in the consumer market for ring tones has been a music business bright spot. In fact, a number of companies have entered the market to provide musical compositions for use by consumers as ring tones for cell phones. The contracts for these companies to license songs from copyright owners vary, and this article touches on many of the issues involved.
News Briefs
January 01, 2004
Highlights of the lastest franchising news from around the country.
Keys to Good Presentations: 15 Rules for Getting Asked Back
January 01, 2004
One of the great keys to business development is the old adage, "Write, speak, sell." If you have figured out how to get into the media often enough to be perceived by your target audiences as an expert, then you will invariably be asked to speak at their conferences and meetings. This is your chance to develop personal relationships that lead to trust and, subsequently, new business. If audiences enjoy a speech, they are far more likely to want to create a relationship with you afterward. From such relationships flow the best business development opportunities. Unfortunately, most speakers, no matter how professionally qualified, focus on the substance and forget about the entertainment value of presentations.
Developments of Note
January 01, 2004
Recent developments in e-commerce law and in the e-commerce industry.
