The top legal stories of 2016

Updated: As the ABA Journal staff looked back over the past year, these were the 10 legal stories that seemed the most important and prominent. A summary of each is below. 1. Trump wins. If someone had told you one year ago that the 45th president of the United States…

Dec 23, 2016 8:30 AM CST

Wife’s unauthorized access to husband’s emails could violate Wiretap Act, 7th Circuit says

Putting an auto-forward on your husband’s email account when you suspect that he’s cheating on you can amount to a violation of the federal Wiretapping and Electronic Surveillance Act, the Chicago-based 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decided on Dec. 14. Paula Epstein, the defendant in the case, was sued…

Dec 21, 2016 4:30 PM CST

Transparency has become part of the NSA mission, its GC says

The old joke about the National Security Agency was that it was so secretive and mysterious that it really stood for “No Such Agency.” So it might be a bit of a shock to the system to see the NSA spearheading a public relations campaign to promote greater transparency—or at…

Dec 21, 2016 7:30 AM CST

Ashley Madison agrees to pay $1.6M in connection with hacking of its network

The Ashley Madison dating website has agreed to pay $1.6 million to resolve allegations by the Federal Trade Commission and more than a dozen states that it failed to protect user data and misled consumers. The Federal Trade Commission announced the settlement on Wednesday, report the Washington Post, USA Today…

Dec 15, 2016 2:37 PM CST

BigLaw partners’ emails were reportedly hacked by people tied to Chinese government

Evidence suggests that hackers with ties to the Chinese government tried to access the emails of partners at several large U.S. law firms last year and sometimes succeeded, according to a Fortune magazine story that relies on unidentified sources. Hackers tried to access data at several law firms, Fortune reports.…

Dec 12, 2016 7:45 AM CST

Unsealed suit targets law firm for alleged lax cybersecurity

A class-action complaint unsealed on Friday claims a Chicago law firm put client information at risk because of lax cybersecurity. The suit claims Johnson & Bell had security holes in its email, time-entry software and virtual private network, the Am Law Daily (sub. req.) reports. The suit does not allege…

Dec 12, 2016 7:00 AM CST

Don’t click! Lawyers get fake emails about a complaint; hyperlink installs malicious software

Lawyers who receive emails about a complaint filed against their business may have a problem—but it’s not because of an angry client.

Dec 5, 2016 7:00 AM CST

FBI director sticks to his original conclusion after new email review: Clinton shouldn’t be charged

After a round-the-clock review of newly found emails, the FBI has found nothing that warrants prosecution of Hillary Clinton, according to FBI director James Comey. Comey revealed his conclusion in a letter to the chairs of several congressional committees, report the New York Times, the Washington Post and the Wall…

Nov 7, 2016 8:58 AM CST

Cybersecurity insurance is a ‘must have’ for law firms

Nearly a quarter of law firms with 500 or more attorneys have experienced a cybersecurity breach, according to those who responded to the ABA’s 2015 Legal Technology Survey Report.

Nov 1, 2016 1:40 AM CDT

Who’s afraid of cybercrime?

Nov 1, 2016 1:30 AM CDT

FBI will review new emails in connection with Hillary Clinton probe

Updated: FBI director James Comey told Congress on Friday that the FBI will investigate new emails that appear to be relevant to its once-closed probe of Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server. Comey said in a letter that the FBI learned of the existence of the emails in…

Oct 28, 2016 12:42 PM CDT

10 Questions Live: Raj De discusses cybersecurity and his White House and NSA experiences

Raj De has a unique background which makes him an expert on national security and cybersecurity issues. At a time when the news is filled with speculation about international hacking attempts and the difficulty of protecting data, we wanted to speak with him about his experiences and career path. After…

Oct 25, 2016 4:15 PM CDT

10 Questions: Raj De’s career has taken him from 9/11 Commission to White House to NSA

Oct 1, 2016 3:40 AM CDT

‘Internet of things’ panel has a thing about security

Panelists for the CLE discussion had a lot of warnings about security and liability.

Oct 1, 2016 1:10 AM CDT

Florida Supreme Court approves mandatory tech CLE classes for lawyers

The Florida Supreme Court has approved a rule requiring state lawyers to take technology-related CLE courses. On Thursday, the court issued a short opinion (PDF) adopting the bar association’s proposal for mandatory technology CLEs. The rule change will go into effect Jan. 1, 2017, and it will require lawyers admitted…

Sep 30, 2016 8:45 AM CDT