From consulting to politics, former Orrick CEO continues to beat the drum for change

When Ralph Baxter joined the inaugural class of Legal Rebels in 2009, he was the CEO and chairman of Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe. Just a year into the biggest recession since the Great Depression, he caught the ABA Journal’s attention through his initiatives that took Orrick from a domestic, California-based firm to an international heavyweight while navigating economic turbulence.

Jan 16, 2019 7:00 AM CST

Are software patents about to make a comeback? Revised guidance may do just that

Revised rules from the U.S. Patent and Trade Office could bolster software patents. Published in early January, the rules would affect subject matter eligibility for patents under 35 USC § 101, which determines whether a product or process is abstract and, thus, not patentable. The updates enumerate what is abstract,…

Jan 11, 2019 4:53 PM CST

The ins and outs of law practice management software

It’s not easy being a lawyer these days. Legal clients expect more from their lawyers than ever before. Because of technological advancements, consumers are used to being provided with instantaneous access to information by their service providers, and as a result, require the same from their lawyers.

Jan 11, 2019 7:00 AM CST

How to redact a PDF and protect your clients

Redacting PDFs incorrectly is a common error. Regardless of software you use, you have to be thorough. Here’s what everyone should be doing to properly redact documents.

Jan 10, 2019 6:00 AM CST

Los Angeles accuses Weather Channel app of deceitful sale of user data

The city of Los Angeles alleges that the Weather Channel app deceptively collected, amassed and sold users’ location data.

Jan 7, 2019 11:58 AM CST

‘The Dark Overlord’ didn’t hack systems, Husch Blackwell says

Husch Blackwell says its systems weren’t hacked after a group calling itself “The Dark Overlord” threatened to release stolen documents relating to insurance litigation over the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center. The Dark Overlord hacker group says it has 18,000 documents that include emails and nondisclosure documents…

Jan 3, 2019 1:36 PM CST

A roadmap for law firm innovation in 2019

Ari Kaplan: How do you see the era of law firm innovation evolving?

Wendy Curtis: The time of talking about lawyers and nonlawyers is over. That distinction as a defining factor in a law firm culture has to stop.

Jan 3, 2019 6:30 AM CST

How are law schools using virtual reality tools in classrooms?

Before virtual reality can take a place in core legal curriculum, VR must clear legal, ethical and financial hurdles. These law school experiments show the way.

Jan 1, 2019 2:00 AM CST

2018’s most important legal tech stories

What were 2018's most important legal tech stories? ABA Journal legal affairs writer Jason Tashea takes a look back on the biggest news in law and technology, including Facebook’s never-ending missteps, the creation of new data privacy standards and the destruction of federal net neutrality.

Dec 21, 2018 6:30 AM CST

Town justice accused of neglecting email for more than 3 years resigns after ethics complaint filed

A town justice in Harmony, New York, has resigned after an ethics complaint accused him of failing to monitor his court email account for more than three years while also eschewing other required technology. Justice Bruce Scolton’s resignation is effective at the end of this month, according to a press…

Dec 17, 2018 7:55 AM CST

New ABA Techreport shows slight decrease in firms that budget for technology

The percentage of firms that budget for technology has undergone a slight decrease, according to survey data from the ABA Techreport 2018, released Wednesday.

Dec 12, 2018 4:34 PM CST

Young lawyers can be technophobes too, says legal tech entrepreneur Monica Goyal

Many lawyers are reluctant to adopt new legal technology, says Monica Goyal, who developed platforms including My Legal Briefcase, which helps parties in the Canadian small claims courts, and Aluvion Law, which uses automation to cut legal services costs for small businesses.

Dec 12, 2018 6:45 AM CST

LSAT will be administered on Microsoft Surface Go tablets in 2019

When the Law School Admission Test is given digitally starting in July 2019, it will be on a Microsoft Surface Go tablet, a device known for its smaller size and adjustable kickstand, which positions the screen how the user wants, the Law School Admission Council said in a news release…

Dec 10, 2018 11:11 AM CST

California imposes new regulations on ‘internet of things’ devices

California has passed a law regulating the security of internet-enabled devices sold in the state. While many see it as a step in the right direction, others think the law doesn’t go far enough to secure these technologies.

Dec 10, 2018 7:00 AM CST

Florida Bar wins dismissal of antitrust suit filed by ticket-fighting startup

A federal judge in Miami has tossed an antitrust suit filed by ticket-fighting startup TIKD that alleged the Florida Bar violated antitrust law by investigating TIKD for the unlicensed practice of law. U.S. District Judge Marcia Cooke granted the bar’s December 2017 motion to dismiss the suit in a brief…

Dec 6, 2018 7:10 AM CST