Marquez: 3 new formatting features help you ‘Word up’ and ‘Excel in Office’
Microsoft Office has recently released several new features that make formatting a breeze.
Information Technology
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Keeping data safe: Law firms tighten security to protect intellectual property, data
At a law firm, a wrong click on a suspicious email link could result in a cybersecurity breach that exposes a client’s intellectual property or privileged attorney-
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User-friendly data: Lawyer-technologists launch new software to address e-discovery problems
A developer of software that comprehensively tracks e-discovery progress in real time describes his team’s inspiration this way: “What we tried to do was take away some of the barriers because people go to law school to be lawyers not to learn software or how to put together Excel spreadsheets … We wanted to create something that was the path of least resistance for people. They just log in and get all the critical information they need.”
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New firms juggle business challenges, pandemic pressures
Hanging a shingle is always risky. Add a pandemic to the mix and you’ve got a recipe for stress. Most lawyers across Indiana felt the pinch of the COVID-19-induced economic downturn in some fashion. But those who made career moves in the months before the pandemic say the recession has put their business acumen to the test.
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A brave new chapter: AI tackles legal writing
A well-written opinion or brief can change the course of legal thought, but while other parts of the practice of law have been upended by technology, the physical act of writing remains pretty much a job done by humans. However, new artificial intelligence software appears poised to rewrite the definition of writing.
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Articles
Conner Dickerson: Indiana AI laws: A cautious step into a changing landscape
While some states aim to be at the forefront of shaping national conversations around AI law, Indiana has taken a more measured approach, focusing on building a framework for responsible AI use within its own government and specific campaign practices.
Seoul AI summit opens with companies including Google, Meta, OpenAI pledging to develop AI safely
The world’s leading artificial intelligence companies pledged at the start of a mini summit on AI to develop the technology safely, including pulling the plug if they can’t rein in the most extreme risks.
Congress eyes new rules for tech: What’s under consideration
Most Democrats and Republicans agree that the federal government should better regulate the biggest technology companies, particularly social media platforms. But there is very little consensus on how it should be done.
Marquez: Spoofing and impersonation: identifying and addressing the issues
What’s the difference between spoofing and impersonation? These terms are often used interchangeably, but they really are not quite the same.
Marquez: Implementing a secure BYOD policy at your firm
Well before the current pandemic, BYOD policies were already in place for many law firms. BYOD stands for “bring your own device,” which in general terms allows users to access corporate data on their own personal devices.
AGs urge Facebook to drop ‘Instagram for kids’ proposal
A bipartisan group of 44 attorneys general has written to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg urging him to drop company plans for a version of Instagram for children under the age of 13, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey announced Monday.
Facebook board upholds Trump ban, just not an indefinite one
Former President Donald Trump won’t return to Facebook — at least not yet. Four months after Facebook suspended Trump’s accounts for inciting violence that led to the deadly Jan. 6 Capitol riot, the company’s quasi-independent oversight board upheld the bans but told Facebook to specify how long they would last.
Justices to hear in-person arguments next week
The Indiana Supreme Court will hear arguments in person next week in three cases, including a dispute over a missed hepatitis diagnosis and allegations of a breached settlement agreement.
Justices to hear arguments on order for informant to sit for face-to-face interview
An order requiring a confidential informant to sit for a face-to-face interview with defense counsel will be reviewed by the Indiana Supreme Court during oral arguments Thursday. Justices will also hear arguments on petition to transfer in a case where a defendant was erroneously released from prison then reincarcerated.
High court sides with Google in copyright fight with Oracle
The Supreme Court of the United States sided Monday with Google in an $8 billion copyright dispute with Oracle over the internet company’s creation of the Android operating system used on most smartphones worldwide.
SCOTUS dismisses case over Trump and Twitter critics
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a case over former President Donald Trump’s efforts to block critics from his personal Twitter account. The court said there was nothing left to the case after Trump was permanently suspended from Twitter and ended his presidential term in January.
Supreme Court sides with Facebook in text message dispute
The United States Supreme Court on Thursday sided with Facebook in a lawsuit over unwanted text notifications it sent, rejecting a claim that the messages violated the federal ban on robocalls.
Start Page: Digital evidence pilot program clears preflight checklist
The Hamilton County courts have been piloting, in select family law cases, a program for the online submission of trial exhibits through a website called CaseLines, part of Thomson Reuters. Attorneys and their teams can log in to a website, upload their digital exhibits for a hearing and the participants have access to those files for the hearing. The website is one place where the exhibits are stored and all participants can access at the hearing.
Lawmakers press Big Tech CEOs on speech responsibility
The CEOs of tech giants Facebook, Twitter and Google faced a grilling Thursday in Congress as lawmakers tried to draw them into acknowledging their companies’ roles in fueling the January insurrection at the U.S. Capitol and rising COVID-19 vaccine misinformation.
Northern District Court extends virtual proceedings through June 14
As the COVID-19 vaccine rollout continues across Indiana, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana is extending its authorization of video and teleconferencing in court proceedings by three months.
New online court hearing calendar in use by more than 30 counties
The Indiana Supreme Court has launched a new online tool providing information about daily dockets for courts in more than 30 Indiana counties. The tool follows court rules requiring courts to make daily calendars public and permitting courts to livestream proceedings due to COVID-19.
Start Page: Reduce cost of smartphone ownership: Limit interruptions
Over the next few articles, I will share some thoughts on setting your devices up for a “palm practice” (practicing law from the palm of your hand). Most lawyers now have smartphones or devices with us every day. But, with great power comes great responsibility. While these tools are helpful, they can also increase the sense that we should always be working on something.
Attorney-at-paw? Filter during Zoom hearing makes lawyer appear as cat
A West Texas judge has a word of caution to those attending court hearings via Zoom: Always check for filters before logging on. The advice came after a Texas lawyer had difficulty removing the filter during the hearing, assuring the judge, “I’m here live. I’m not a cat.”
Mizzell: You can’t ignore texts and chat messages in e-discovery
Texts and chat messages are informal and fragmented forms of communication that can be hard to address in both written discovery and the technical collection of documents. So here are a few suggestions to help attorneys who are just starting to grapple with this developing area of electronic discovery.