Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%

Call 855-808-4530 or email [email protected] to receive your discount on a new subscription.

Proactively Tackling Unstructured Data Can Give Competitive Advantage

By Rich Hale
August 01, 2022

Most companies and law firms are in the dark about their data — they've been collecting it for years, since the advent of computers, and don't have a clue what they're holding on to. Most of this data is redundant, obsolete, or trivial digital data they continue to retain even though the information has no business or legal value.

While some of the data is well-organized in structured databases like Oracle or SQL, the vast majority of the accumulated data results from interactions between people and is referred to as unstructured data because it is data that cannot be easily categorized, analyzed or stored in formalized repositories.  It is found in such places as email, websites, instant messages, file shares, mobile applications and more. In the legal world, such unstructured data includes client matters, case files, court filings, deposition transcripts, personnel records, contracts and more.

Research shows that unstructured data comprises 80% of total data volume for legal organizations, which means that on average, only one-fifth of the entirety of the data set is properly secured and actively managed. Although some believe that ignoring unstructured data establishes plausible deniability that relinquishes them from culpability when a breach occurs, it's an untenable position from both a regulatory and brand reputational perspective.

This premium content is locked for Entertainment Law & Finance subscribers only

  • Stay current on the latest information, rulings, regulations, and trends
  • Includes practical, must-have information on copyrights, royalties, AI, and more
  • Tap into expert guidance from top entertainment lawyers and experts

For enterprise-wide or corporate acess, please contact Customer Service at [email protected] or 877-256-2473

Read These Next
Strategy vs. Tactics: Two Sides of a Difficult Coin Image

With each successive large-scale cyber attack, it is slowly becoming clear that ransomware attacks are targeting the critical infrastructure of the most powerful country on the planet. Understanding the strategy, and tactics of our opponents, as well as the strategy and the tactics we implement as a response are vital to victory.

Major Differences In UK, U.S. Copyright Laws Image

This article highlights how copyright law in the United Kingdom differs from U.S. copyright law, and points out differences that may be crucial to entertainment and media businesses familiar with U.S law that are interested in operating in the United Kingdom or under UK law. The article also briefly addresses contrasts in UK and U.S. trademark law.

'Huguenot LLC v. Megalith Capital Group Fund I, L.P.': A Tutorial On Contract Liability for Real Estate Purchasers Image

In June 2024, the First Department decided Huguenot LLC v. Megalith Capital Group Fund I, L.P., which resolved a question of liability for a group of condominium apartment buyers and in so doing, touched on a wide range of issues about how contracts can obligate purchasers of real property.

Fresh Filings Image

Notable recent court filings in entertainment law.

The Article 8 Opt In Image

The Article 8 opt-in election adds an additional layer of complexity to the already labyrinthine rules governing perfection of security interests under the UCC. A lender that is unaware of the nuances created by the opt in (may find its security interest vulnerable to being primed by another party that has taken steps to perfect in a superior manner under the circumstances.