Futurelawyer

Florida Bar Considers Cloud Ethics Opinion

Florida Bar Cloud Opinion � Forceworks Forceworks. The Florida Bar will be voting on a proposed ethics opinion soon that sets forth the standards for Florida lawyers who want to store confidential client data in the cloud. Florida joins a rapidly increasing group of states that generally support cloud computing, as long as the lawyer takes "reasonable" precautions to ensure the confidentiality of the client information stored with the cloud provider. The closing paragraph of the proposed opinion provides a structure for this determination. In other words, if you feel comfortable with vague standards such as "reasonable precautions" and "adequate security", go for it.:

"In summary, lawyers may use cloud computing if they take reasonable precautions to ensure that confidentiality of client information is maintained. The lawyer should research the service provider to be used, should ensure that the service provider maintains adequate security, should ensure that the lawyer has adequate access to the information stored remotely, and should consider backing up the data elsewhere as a precaution."

 

Google Drive For Lawyers - BoxCryptor

Review: BoxCryptor encrypts data in the cloud | PCWorld. So, Lawyer. You have a shiny new Google Drive that you can access from any device or computer. You have two step authentication set up so it is very difficult to get into your Google Drive. However, you don't want to put client confidential files and data in the cloud without some more security. This free utility, BoxCryptor, will encrypt any file you put into a special folder it creates in Google Drive. I am going to start putting my old client form files in an encrypted Google Drive folder, and I will report the results. In the meantime, you can download and install it yourself, if you want to get a head start. Ready, upload, aim.

Is Google Glass Hospital Ready?

Is Google Glass hospital ready? Advice from a physician to developers - The Washington Post. This article is written from the viewpoint of a Doctor asking whether Google Glass could enhance medical practice for doctors. It might as well have read "Is Google Glass Courtroom Ready?" because many of the same issues apply to the use of the devices in law practice. While it would be less problematic for lawyers to touch the Glass to help with navigation and commands, the security and confidentiality issues are just as important in the courtroom environment. Before lawyers will be able to wear these in a courtroom, the security of confidential client and court information will have to be locked down, and the courts will have to be convinced that they can't be used to pass information out of the courtroom that is not permitted by other means. If a legal version can be created that is limited to giving the lawyer information about case law, pertinent statutes, documents and transcriptions connected to the case at hand, and otherwise become a useful tool for the practicing lawyer, then I predict a healthy market for the devices in the vertical legal field. However, unless the price comes down, and confidentiality and security issues are addressed, I predict that Google Glass will remain a novelty rich geek toy that is banned from hospital operating theaters and courtrooms.

What If Sisyphus Were Hamlet?

The Sisyphean Problem Of Email | TechCrunch. Do you deal with every email you receive in your inbox every day? Do you go to bed with a fresh email slate every night? Do you wake up to another slew of in box emails, each of which requires your attention? Most of us do not crave immortality; but, like Sisyphus, we are faced with a boulder at the bottom of a hill each day. I love the quote in this post that email is a "to do list given to you by other people". Now that Florida has gone to mandatory email service between lawyers, my email box fills up with notices, pleadings and other stuff from other lawyers every day. I can't ignore them. I MUST read and deal with each of them, every day. There are two ways to react to this: 1. Like Hamlet, I could ponder whether it is nobler to endure the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or the nuclear option. 2. Like Sisyphus, I could just roll that rock up the hill again. I suppose there is a third option; just let the inbox fill up with thousands of unanswered emails, and see what happens. Which kind of person are you? Wait, there is a fourth option. Filter the heck out of your email. One of the good things about mandatory email service is that each one has to have "SERVICE OF COURT DOCUMENT" in the subject line. You can filter all emails like that to a single email box. Of course, you still have to deal with them; but, at least, you have corralled the little suckers into one place. 

No Excuses

Execupundit.com: 31 Excuses (Feeble and Otherwise) for Failure. An old lawyer once told me to quit griping about a lost case. His solution to my whining was to say: "Did you get paid? Then, you won your case." That little bit of wisdom didn't make me feel any better; but, I realized then that life is full of wins and losses, and good and bad, and happiness and sadness. The worst thing you can do is react to the bad stuff by making excuses. Blame it on somebody else. Minimize the result. Knock the lack of resources. Etc. Etc. We all have done it. It is a human failing to blame our situation on someone or something else. Analyze it, however, and, like regret and worry, it is a useless emotion. So, quit making excuses, get back up, dust off the tasseled loafers, and start walking. It's a new day. Today is all you've got. Are you going to spend it worrying, feeling regret, or making excuses? Or, are you going to look for good things? Your call.

What Are Bitcoins And Why Should I Care?

Bitcoin. The news that some lawyers are accepting fee payments in bitcoin transactions caused me to investigate this peer-to-peer currency that seems to be popular on the Internet. This encrypted public network verifies payment transactions from anywhere in the world, and is free or low cost. Compared to the other payment networks, which are commercially based it is very inexpensive, and is free from manipulation by any government. Call it the people's currency. This wiki will tell you all you need to know. I am not using it yet, as I need to do some further research. Anyone out there want to share their experiences?

Ubuntu For The Law Office? Sorry, I'm A PC

Highly Recommended: Ubuntu for business. This small business man challenged himself to use Ubuntu in his business for a week, and found that he could duplicate his business functions very well. Unfortunately, many legal specific applications that I use every day are Windows only, so this wouldn't work for me. I do use Ubuntu on my ChromeBook for all the things I do on the web, which is about 80% of what I need to practice law. However, there are some important document assembly, data access, scanning, and other applications that are Windows only, and which I have been using for years. I have the same result when it is suggested that I am uncool because I don't switch to Apple's Mac OS. Please. I am going to replace and retrain on dozens of applications that work just fine, so that I can be a cool Mac user? I don't think so. I hate to revisit the PC versus Mac debate; but, guys and gals, it is all about the applications and software. And please don't tell me I can run the Windows software in a partition or dual boot. That adds unnecessary complication to a simple process. So, sorry, Ubuntu and Apple, I am a PC.

Lawinsider.com Launches Largest Freely Searchable SEC Contract Database in the World.

Lawinsider.com Launches Largest Freely Searchable SEC Contract Database in the World.. This free database includes over six million pages of contracts in the SEC database. It is a rich motherlode of contracts published by the SEC,and is tagged by company, type of contract, and can be searched by keyword. If you want to see what is out there, this is the place.

So Where Is Your Notebook Computer, FutureLawyer?

I am so glad you asked that question. I am using my Chromebook to take notes and do this post in the Assembly seminar room, and following along on my tablet with the written materials. However, what if I need a document or file on my main law practice notebook computer? Again, as proof of concept, I set it up in the hotel room before I came down this afternoon. I secured it with a metal security cable, of course. It will take a determined burglar to get it out of my room. I connected it to the Internet with the host side software from TeamViewer, and protected it with a 12 character alphanumeric password. I could have just as easily left it at home, and locked up in the house. But, again, I made the sacrifice for you, dear reader, and carried it with me. In the future, I will leave the 5 pound behemoth home when I travel. In any event, it is a simple matter to log in, and work on the Windows computer from the Chromebook. Very cool. 

Why Do You Need A Netbook AND A Tablet?

It seems that many pundits these days are discussing whether users need a tablet or a netbook or notebook computer. As this photo shows, sometimes you need both. I am attending the Attorney's Title Fund Seminar for Florida Real Estate Lawyers this week, and, for the first time, all of the Assembly written materials have been made available as PDF files. The written materials are 6 inches thick and contain 722 pages. Just carrying the thing around is like a workout. So, the FutureLawyer, as a proof of concept, has set up my Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet in vertical page mode, and I am following the speakers materials on it. To the left, I have my new Acer Chromebook running Chrubuntu, and keeping up with email, web browsing, taking notes and whatever. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 has a 4G LTE radio in it, which i have in HotSpot mode, so both computers have Internet access through my Verizon Wireless account. In a pinch, I have my Samsung Galaxy Note 2 smartphone, which can also be used as a WiFi Hotspot. Interestingly, when this photo was taken a few minutes ago the speaker was talking about a lawyer's duty to be competent in technology as part of a 21st Century Law Practice.