Preparing Temporary Attorneys For An Online Repository Review
August 03, 2005
Training large document-review teams to consistently apply specified review criteria to millions of pages of often mind-numbingly dull documents has long been a challenge for counsel. The time- and cost-savings offered by online review tools, along with the enhanced automated quality control features of such tools, have made electronic review an increasingly compelling option for large-scale, time-pressured document reviews. While electronic-document review projects have become more common in the last few years, setting up the project and training attorneys in preparation for review remains challenging.
2005 Bankruptcy Act: What Your Company Needs To Know
July 28, 2005
On April 20, 2005, President Bush signed into law the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 (the Act). The Act made significant modifications to the United States Bankruptcy Code (11 U.S.C. Section 101, <i>et seq.</i>) and related federal statutes. While initial focus centered on the Act's consumer bankruptcy provisions, the Act also contains provisions that significantly impact businesses and their representatives, including officers, directors and employees.
FCPA Enforcement In A Sarbanes-Oxley World
July 28, 2005
American companies and their officers and employees doing business overseas are learning the hard way about the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). For many years after its enactment in 1977, the government initiated relatively few investigations and enforcement actions charging violations of the Act. This was largely due to the government's difficulties in evidence gathering. Recently, however, the number of such enforcement actions has increased significantly.
Hotline
July 28, 2005
This month: <p>Second Circuit defines standard for loss causation pleadings<br>SEC liberalizes the Quiet-Period rule<br>Employer recovers legal fees for frivolous portion of discrimination claim<br>D.C. Circuit directs SEC to reconsider mutual fund governance rule<br>
Company E-mail and Employee Privacy: An Ongoing Oxymoron
July 28, 2005
Many observers have noted that e-mail use often replaces personal phone calls and for employers is a more efficient and less disruptive way for employees to maintain the personal and home contacts they need. The military and other agencies recognize that e-mail is a convenient way for troops to stay in touch with their families and have set up "cyber tents" where troops line up to log on. It is also clear, however, that damaging material carried by phone doesn't carry the risk that the same information poses when put in writing and sent electronically.
Rule Changes for Electronic Discovery?
July 28, 2005
Technology has not only changed the way we live, but also the manner in which companies and their employees conduct business in the modern world. Today,…
Time To Check Your D&O Coverage
June 27, 2005
It has become clear that not all D&O insurance coverages are created equal. And, in many instances, your policy may not provide the coverage that you count on. Clearly, in recent years, liability exposure for corporate directors has significantly increased. The erosion of protection not only for outside directors but also directors and officers generally, is a direct result of the corporate scandals that have erupted over the last several years, in one case creating the largest corporate bankruptcy in history, all due in large measure to fraudulent activity on the part of some.
Contingency Fees: A New Option For Complex Business Litigation
June 27, 2005
For many years, there have been qualified attorneys performing contingent fee services in securities class actions, consumer class actions, toxic tort and personal injury cases. But, historically at least, the contingent fee approach has not been a viable option for complex business cases. Why has this been the case? There seem to be three key reasons: Supply, demand, and tradition.
The Dangers of Electronic Discovery: Lessons From Morgan Stanley
June 27, 2005
The Morgan Stanley case is the most recent example of the perils that corporate defendants face in the era of electronic discovery. Electronic evidence, and especially e-mail, now plays a starring role in litigation and investigations involving large corporations, particularly in areas such as employment discrimination, fraud and corporate mismanagement. Judges are increasingly familiar with electronic discovery, and are increasingly willing to impose heavy sanctions on corporations who do not comply with electronic discovery requests. As the Morgan Stanley case shows, the consequences of these sanctions can be dire. Therefore, it is important that companies take heed of the lessons of the Morgan Stanley case, and ensure that they have in place a comprehensive and effective system to recover and produce electronically stored documents.
