Legal Loop: Maintaining your sanity while working from home
In recent weeks, the world as we know it was turned upside down. Schools closed, businesses, including many law firms, were required to temporarily shut down, and the vast majority of federal and state court proceedings were canceled until further notice. In New York, “shelter in place” has become the new reality as we practice mandated […]
Legal Loop: Gain technology competence: Attend a legal technology conference
If you read my column regularly, you’re no doubt familiar with my repeated mantra: lawyers need to maintain technology competence. Not only is it an ethical obligation in 38 states and counting, it’s simply common sense. We live in a world where technology has impacted nearly all aspects of our lives. Practicing law like it’s […]
Legal Loop: More of my top life hacks and gadgets
Have you noticed how it seems like there’s never enough time to get everything done no matter how hard you try? Rest assured, you’re not alone. In today’s hectic world, balance is a goal often sought but rarely achieved. In other words, the struggle is real. The good news is that there are gadgets and […]
Legal Loop: Save time and aggravation with my top life hacks and gadgets
Usually I write about the intersection of law and technology in this column. One reason I’m so passionate about technology is because it saves lawyers time and money. After all, lawyers’ daily lives can be hectic and stressful, and anything that can be done to reduce some of that stress is well worth the effort. […]
Legal Loop: Make technology competence a priority in 2020
Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, you already know that technology is changing the way that legal services are delivered. No matter what your practice areas, the impact of technology on the legal profession is inescapable, whether it’s digital evidence and e-discovery to data privacy issues and secure electronic communication. Technology is here to […]
Legal Loop: 2019 Gift Guide for Lawyers
It’s already that time of year — time to start shopping for the lawyers on your holiday gift list. Time sure flies, doesn’t it? But good news! I’ve done the work for you. Here’s my curated holiday gift list for the lawyers in your lives. All you have to do is choose which gifts to buy. […]
Legal Loop: Cloud and mobile computing trends for lawyers in 2020
I started writing about cloud and mobile computing and their potential benefits for the legal profession in 2008. Two years later I began to work on a draft of my book “Cloud Computing for Lawyers,” which was published by the American Bar Association in 2012. Back then, convincing lawyers that cloud computing was the future […]
Legal Loop: North Carolina on whether lawyers can accept bitcoin as payment
You may have noticed that you’re hearing more about bitcoin as of late. Its use as a form of payment is becoming increasingly commonplace and, as a result, you’re more likely to encounter it “in the wild.” In other words, it’s entirely possible that one of your clients may soon request to pay legal bills […]
Legal Loop: North Carolina on the ethics of mining social media for evidence
These days, the vast majority of people, including lawyers, interact on social media. For many, social media platforms are a part of their daily lives and are a primary way of communicating with family and friends. That’s why social media sites are a goldmine when it comes to obtaining evidence for pending litigation. So it’s […]
Legal Loop: ABA ethics opinion on judges, social media, friendships and disqualification
Judges are supposed to be neutral arbiters. Unfortunately, in the real world, that’s sometimes easier said than done. Ideally, judges would have no connection to the parties and lawyers appearing before them, and thus would be fully impartial. Judges, however, are human. They have close personal relationships, friendships and many acquaintances. Judges are also lawyers, […]
Legal Loop: Run a 21st-century law firm with these books
Running a small law firm isn’t easy. Practicing law is a full-time job in and of itself, and as a result most small firm lawyers don’t have the luxury of letting others run the back-end of their law firm. Instead, they’re often responsible for many of the day-to-day tasks involved in managing the business end of their practices, […]
Legal Loop: Lawyers and cybersecurity: What are your ethical obligations?
If you’re practicing law in 2019, there’s no escaping technology. One way or another, you’re using technology as part of your day-to-day practice, whether it’s the internet, email, mobile devices or cloud-based legal software. Technology is an unavoidable — and as a result, so too is the possibility of cyberattacks and breaches. In the wake […]
Case Digests
- NYS Advisory Committee on Judicial Ethics – Review of another judge’s actions: Opinion 22-153
- NYS Advisory Committee on Judicial Ethics – Charitable contributions: Opinion 22-150
- Second Circuit – Class action settlement: Moses v. The New York Times Company
- Fourth Department – Breach of contract: Hausrath Landscape Maintenance Inc. v. Caravan Facilities Management LLC
- Second Circuit – New York Child Victim’s Act: Kane v. Mount Pleasant CSD; Coe v. Eastport Union Free School
- NYS Advisory Committee on Judicial Ethics – Appointing law clerk: Opinion 22-149
- Fourth Department – Bill of particulars: Harris v. Rome Memorial Hospital, et al.
- NYS Advisory Committee on Judicial Ethics – Accusations against co-judge: Opinion 22-148
- Fourth Department – Medicaid: Washington Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing Home v. NYS Dept. of Health
- Fourth Department – Criminal possession of a firearm: People v. Wilson
- Fourth Department – Promoting prostitution: People v. Watts
- Second Circuit – Class certification: Arkansas Teachers Retirement System V. Goldman Sachs Group Inc.
Law News
- Fourth Department affirms $400K judgment in contract dispute
- Could legislation limiting non-compete agreements kick off a new era of workplace disputes?
- Fourth Department affirms decision in NY property dispute
- Greenlight Networks selects Buffalo-based attorney as general counsel
- Barclay Damon hires attorney Matt Smith
- Rochester man sues Geneseo police, alleging false arrest, assault
- The Daily Record’s Power List for Intellectual Property 2023
- NY ethics panel says judges can join NRA