The Crypto Locker virus strikes again – this time targeting the computers of a law firm in North Carolina. Using a deceptive email, the Crypto Locker virus locked the firm out of all their computer files and demanded a ransom to release the documents, Charlotte’s WSOC 9-TV reports. As if jury and arrest warrant scams weren’t enough, law firms need to be aware of the Crypto Locker virus and what can be done to protect your files....
Regulators worldwide issued more than 14,000 regulatory announcements in 2011, up 16% over 2010 – and the number will likely rise again in 2012, a new report finds. The 14,215 regulations announced worldwide in 2011 amounted to about 60 regulatory changes per workday, according to the “State of Regulatory Reform 2012” report by Thomson Reuters Governance, Risk & Compliance. Global businesses are struggling to keep up with the regulations which affect companies’ bottom lines and the global economic recovery, the report states....
Petitioners-Indonesian citizens’ request for review, BIA’s denial of their application for asylum and related relief is denied as it was supported by substantial evidence in the record. Read Decky v. Holder, No. 08-2118 Appellate Information On Petition for Review of an Order of the Board of Immigration Appeals Decided November 25, 2009 Judges Before: Torruella, Boudin, and Saris, Circuit Judges Opinion by Torruella, Circuit Judge Counsel For Appellant: William A. Hahn and Hahn & Matkov...
The Ninth Circuit has weighed in on a growing circuit split over Dodd-Frank’s whistleblower protections, reading the statute broadly to encompass internal whistleblowers as well as those who work with the SEC. The case stems from a lawsuit brought by Paul Somers, former VP of Digital Realty Trust, Inc., a data center company. Somers suit alleges that he was fired after reporting potential securities law violations to the company’s senior management....
When it comes to making rain, forcing it via illegal means and methods is not a risk worth taking. And while this seems like common sense to the lay and lawyers alike, apparently one politician allegedly doesn’t think like everyone else. A Chicago Alderman allegedly attempted to extort Burger King into steering legal work to his private firm, via using his official powers as a government official. And now, after Burger King let him have it their way, he’s facing federal charges....
Putting together the best team possible can require finding not just candidates that are qualified, but who match the personality of a company, office, or management. In other words, hiring for “culture fit.” Increasingly though, corporate emphasis on culture fit has come under fire, as a spate of lawsuits accuse employers of using culture as a cover for discrimination. So, when does hiring someone who “fits in” cross the line into impermissible employment discrimination?...
Windows 8 was a disaster. It looked like it was made for tablets, but was still slapped on PCs. Its interface was confusing and unintuitive. People hated it. Microsoft got the hint and decided it wouldn’t even bother with a Windows 9 – Gates and friends jumped straight to 10 instead. If Windows 10 has gotten anything right, it’s the price. The operating system comes free to owners of Windows 8 or 7....
Last week we went over the basics of SEO and why you should implement SEO as part of an effective online media strategy. Now, we’re getting into the nitty gritty of SEO: keywords, page tags, links and content. You’re a lawyer so you’ve probably spent some time on Westlaw* and you know a thing or two about research. Think of keywords as the search terms you would use to find your law firm on the Web....
The Rainmaker Institute. With a name like that, and a homepage that reads like a late-night infomercial (we won’t even mention the god-awful color scheme or hideous 90s-era drop-down menus), how could things go wrong? And who would’ve predicted that a law firm, which was billed $49,000 for services that allegedly harmed their Internet marketing campaign, would sue? We blame Google. And the mysterious nature of Search Engine Optimization. Search Google for “pink helicopter octopus law....
Don’t worry, when it comes ordering holiday gifts for legal professionals, you haven’t missed the deadline – but you’re cutting it close. There are just a few days left to buy and deliver some presents before it really is too late. That, of course, means some serious online shopping. Santa’s sleigh is now powered by search engines! 1. A gavel. Every lawyer wishes for a gavel, usually after an unfavorable ruling....
In football, a quarterback usually scores through others – like a running back who takes a handoff and runs the ball into the end zone. Chad Eichenberger might feel a little like a quarterback in his case against ESPN. He sued the sports channel for invasion of privacy when it disclosed his video preferences to an analytics service. A judge dismissed the case, and a federal appeals court affirmed, because nobody could actually identify him from the disclosure....
In Suggs v. McNeil, No. 09-12718, a capital habeas matter, the court of appeals affirmed the denial of petitioner’s petition, holding that the decision of the Florida Supreme Court that petitioner failed to prove prejudice due to allegedly ineffective assistance of counsel under Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 104 S. Ct. 2052 (1984), was neither contrary to nor an unreasonable application of clearly established federal law. As the court wrote: “This appeal from the denial of a petition for a writ of habeas corpus presents the question whether the attorneys who represented Ernest Suggs, a Florida prisoner sentenced to death, deprived Suggs of effective assistance by failing to investigate and present a defense of mental health mitigation for the penalty phase of his trial....
Michelle Kosilek, born as Robert, is a transgender individual who identifies as female and who wishes for her physical sex to match her gender. The problem is, she murdered her wife in 1990. The Massachusetts Department of Correction does not wish to pay for sexual reassignment surgery. Kosilek argues that not doing so amounts to cruel and unusual punishment. She has twice previously attempted suicide and self-castration (all while awaiting trial for murder) and lesser treatments (hormones and psychotherapy) have not relieved her mental anguish over her gender identity disorder....
It’s been one year since the Supreme Court handed down its decision in Windsor, striking down part of the Defense of Marriage Act as an unconstitutional “deprivation of the liberty of the person protected by the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution.” Justice Anthony Kennedy’s legally vague, but passionately worded opinion was expected by many, including the dissenting Justice Antonin Scalia, to have an impact on the ongoing debate over same sex marriage bans....
When President Obama stated, “You don’t want to mess with Mary Jo,” he wasn’t kidding. Sworn into her new position just a few months ago, SEC Chairwoman Mary Jo White is leading the charge against fraudulent SEC filings with a new Accounting Quality Model dubbed “RoboCop”, report Forbes. The completely automated analytical tool flags filings with high risk indicators and high risk inducers. It’s time to cozy up to the accounting department to make sure everyone is on the same page when it comes to compliance....
Retirement isn’t something that’s usually on the minds of most sole practitioners. Well, not for a while anyway. They’re usually wrapped up with trying to grow their firm. However, even a single-lawyer operation needs to think about retirement. And for them, a solo 401(k) might be their best bet. Also known as an individual 401(k), a solo 401(k) is a special retirement plan designed for businesses that have few or no employees....
We’re well into spring, but if you’re like most lawyers, you’ve been busy dealing with your case load and managing your firm, so you’ve let things like spring cleaning pass you by. It’s not too late, it’s still technically spring, and you’ve got almost two more months before it’s officially summer. Here are some tips for you to spring clean your firm. 1. Tech With all of the recent security bugs, many programs have released software updates, so set aside some time to make sure that all your software is up to date....
If there is one thing we should learn from the 1.5 billion email hack at Yahoo, it’s that email is not secure. Many Yahoo users responded by changing their passwords, as the company advised, but it was a bit like closing the barn door after the horse got out. Other subscribers cancelled their accounts, perhaps contributing to the delay in Verizon’s negotiations to purchase Yahoo. In any case, it’s a problem that is not going away because hackers and cyber-terrorists are not going away....
“Consequences. They sure suck, don’t they?” Daniel Muessig, a recent Pitt Law graduate who was admitted to the bar in 2013, set up his shop like many other recent grads, most of whom have no better option. And one of the hardest things about hanging a shingle is getting your name out to potential clients. This ad, which is sure to go viral, should do the trick. It’s also another nominee for lawyer ad of the year....
Did you ever ask someone for a favor, then wait a long, pregnant moment when you just knew Rosemary’s baby was going to appear? No? Then consider yourself lucky – especially if you don’t know that movie. Spoiler alert: Never move into an apartment with cannibals as neighbors. Anyway, if you are afraid of asking for referrals for your law practice because you might appear desperate or something, just don’t go there....
