Discovery of Trade Secrets: What Constitutes Protected Information?
January 01, 2004
<i>Part One of a Two-Part Series</i> In a technology-driven economy, the threat to trade secret and propriety information is real and visceral. A recent survey estimated that theft of this information resulted in losses of more than $50 billion to the responding companies, which included Fortune 1000 corporations as well as small and midsized businesses, for the year ending June 30, 2001. The American Society for Industrial Security (ASIS) and PriceWaterhouse Coopers, <i>Trends in Proprietary Information Loss: Survey Report</i> (Sept. 2002). It is perhaps only natural that this threat should find its way into litigation, particularly product liability litigation. Discovery in these cases typically involves the production of some of the product manufacturer's proprietary and technical information. More recently, however, claimants have sought the manufacturer's trade secrets — highly confidential information at the heart of the company's business. The responding manufacturer objects to this discovery as causing irreparable harm if disclosed, and the battle lines are drawn.
Executive Committees' New Role: Focus on Integration
January 01, 2004
Information Resources (formerly called the Library in most firms) and Marketing/Business Development now must form a union to help the firm's senior management with strategic positioning, competitive analysis and revenue generation through firm strategic intelligence. The time for dotting the "I" in Information and crossing the "t" in Marketing has come. It is no longer enough to obtain information about a client.
Road to Large Law Firm Partnerships Getting Longer
January 01, 2004
The fast track at top law firms is slowing down. Facing increasingly complex matters, an active market for lateral partners and greater pressure to improve profitability, major New York law firms are prolonging the period leading up to partnership. At firms where an associate's first shot at partnership once came 7 years after law school graduation, tracks of 8 years or longer are now far more common.
A Records Retention Policy in the Electronic Era
January 01, 2004
Every company should have a records retention policy. Due to increased use of e-mail, this policy must address the changing business world by including a clear directive on the retention and destruction of electronic records. (Companies tend to use the term "document retention policy." However, due to the proliferation of e-mail and other electronic data, "records retention policy" is more appropriate.) Most importantly, the policy must provide a directive that ensures that, when the threat of litigation arises, whether civil or criminal, all relevant documents are preserved.
Product Review: Timeslips 2004
January 01, 2004
Version 2004 has several important new features that should justify upgrades by current Timeslips users, and create interest for new users as well.
Bits & Bytes
January 01, 2004
Kroll Inc. has announced that it has acquired Oyez Legal Technologies Limited (OLT), the U.K. market leader in litigation support and legal information…
News Briefs
January 01, 2004
Highlights of the lastest franchising news from around the country.
Webinar Review: How to Earn Respect and Advance Your Career
January 01, 2004
How does a marketer get respect in a law firm? According to a panel of experts, it starts out with support from the top and comes down to knowing what value your firm perceives from your role. Marketers then must determine whether they possess the right skills and enthusiasm to fulfill the firm's mandate ' or else look for respect elsewhere.
12 Steps to New Business
January 01, 2004
The economy is not good and has been troubled for years. Businesses continue to cut expenses, and more and more individuals and companies enter bankruptcy every day. Large law firms struggle. Does that mean that solo practitioners and small law firms should just give up? No. There is plenty of legal business out there. Lawyers just have to work to get it. And whether you work in a firm's marketing department or consult attorneys on marketing themselves and their firm, here are some methods for getting that business.
