A bit off topic of Internet law, the discovery by the Associated Press of an Al Qaida memorandum on how to avoid detection/death from American drones is a technology story worth discussing.  The news coverage on this has been bleak. On the other hand, there has been plenty of coverage …

Special thanks to the Palm Beach County Bar Association for hosting the CLE, 2013 Florida E-Discovery Seminar.   This seminar discusses: 1.  Top Ten Things to Know About E-Discovery (from Chin to Zublake, Litigation Hold Letters to Predictive Coding) 2.  New Florida E-Discovery Rules (SC11-1542) 3.  Sample Litigation Hold, Responses, …

Countless lawyers and HR professionals bravely set out to craft social media policies without having critical tools: a true working knowledge of social media, a clear direction, common sense, and an up-to-date knowledge of what is allowed by law.   Don’t trust the lawyer-with-a-facebook-account nor should you task the youngest …

A New York court has held that, based on a “survey of social media case,” that there is a two prong test for production of Facebook content which includes developing facts before conducting certain discovery.  The court notes that Facebook production is “tantamount to a costly, time consuming fishing expedition…” …

Last year we discussed, “there is no delete.”  This year we add to that: social media is not free; the price of admission is your personal information. A special thanks to Rosarian Academy for allowing me to speak to parents and students in separate sessions so parents can learn tips …

This article discusses the Patreaus affair from the standpoint of practical email privacy tips for lawyers, law firms, their clients, and families. A brief explanation is provided how emails (or even fake email addresses) are traceable with free software and what data exists on the person’s computer to show what …

Want to know how to find (or hide) on a computer what websites were visited, what images were viewed, and what files were deleted?  Even if you are not a computer forensic specialist, you can find this information using basic steps and free software on the Internet.  This is helpful …

There has been criticism that the all-too-familiar cell phone bars on your iPhone are not entirely accurate.  There is a (reversible) trick to show reception in decibels, not bars.   This gives you a number (sadly, for me, usually ranging between -100 and -80) which is a more precise measure …

The federal Stored Communications Act (SCA) does not protect text messages, photos, and video on a cell phone since the phone is not a “facility” nor an “electronic communication service” as defined in the federal statute.  An employee had her phone taken from her work locker and inspected for potential …

A husband discovered that his wife had accessed his email account and, according to him, she also threatened to shoot him.  So he sought a domestic violence injunction.  Ultimately, it appears that there was no evidence that the wife made the threat about the gun however, at the hearing, she …

Both the ABA and the Am Law have come out with recent surveys confirming that nearly half of the lawyers using a smartphone choose iPhone and over 90% of tablet-lawyers are using an iPad.  No surprise.  But are they using their iDevices correctly? Check out this one-page guide for lawyers …

Florida lawyers: a brief request shameless plug to vote for me in the Florida Trend Legal Elite 2013. Thanks for your help. The link is here. Christopher B Hopkins / Akerman Senterfitt / West Palm Beach.

Thanks to the Palm Beach County Bar Association’s Solo & Small Firm Practitioners Committee for the invitation to speak on “How to Effectively Use Technology in Your Practice.” We focused on iPhone/iPad apps for your practice, mediation, and trial as well as general social media discovery and marketing tips. Today’s …

This article from the October 2012 Palm Beach Bar Bulletin will explain that PDF documents are not “fixed” but, instead, can be easily modified on your iPhone or iPad. It gives instructions to learn, in 10 minutes, how to sign documents on the road. Have clients retain you in one …

I recently spoke at the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) South Florida Third Annual CLE Conference, along with fellow Akerman lawyers, Michael Marsh and Brian Miller, about iPhone app development issues for inhouse counsel (more colorfully titled, “CYA (Cover Your Apps).”   Just in time for you to upgrade to …