Ethics of Cloud Computing - Part 2 (Ethical Rules)
By Yaacov P. Silberman | Aug 30, 2011
In my previous blog post, I provided a brief overview of cloud computing and how it is used by lawyers. I noted that its use is expanding beyond virtual law firms and alternative law firms to include Big Law, too, even including AmLaw 100 law firms. In this post, I will discuss some of the main ethical issues stemming from lawyers’ use of cloud computing and other virtual law technologies.
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What do Tech Investors Want?
By Bruce Abramson | Aug 22, 2011
Last week, Google announced its plans to acquire Motorola Mobility, effecting a vertical integration from the Android operating system into hardware. Investors responded by shaving roughly 13% off Google’s value—roughly twice as much as the NASDAQ lost and three times as much as the Dow.
Legal Ethics of Cloud Computing - Part 1 (What is Cloud Computing?)
By Yaacov P. Silberman | Aug 19, 2011
Understanding Cloud Computing and It's Use by Lawyers
The use of cloud-computing technologies and other virtual law tech by lawyers and law firms is on an upward trend. Not only are alternative law firms or virtual law firms leveraging this technology, but Big Law is also jumping into the fray, with many conventional law firms including AmLaw 100 firms taking advantage.
Have an Idea? What about a Patent?
By John Boyd | Aug 17, 2011
I’m a patent attorney. As a result, I get a lot of questions from people about patents. Questions like: "Do you think this idea is patentable?"; "Do I need to hire an attorney?"; or "How much will it cost to file a patent?"
I’ve always enjoyed interacting with inventors. They are often very excited about their ideas and love teaching others about their innovations. When inventors come to me with a great idea that has potential commercial value, I often encourage them to look into pursuing a patent.
Google and Motorola: Concentrating Attention on Concentrated Power
By Bruce Abramson | Aug 16, 2011
Google is one of the worlds most intriguing companies. From its humble beginnings as a search engine company, Google has leveraged its mastery of the elusive formula for monetizing web traffic into a force capable of tangling with China—making it considerably stronger than our own State Department by some measures. Its recent announcement that it plans to acquire Motorola Mobile makes it heir to a grand tradition of American manufacturing—not to mention possessor of a valuable trove of intellectual property, and a sudden direct competitor to stylish hardware king, Apple.
The Policy-Driven Gold Rush
By Bruce Abramson | Aug 13, 2011
Gold has a long history of being many things to many people. To some, it is a shiny bauble, to others a commodity, and to still others a currency. To financial economists, gold is the traditional hedge against inflation. This month, however, it appears to have assumed a new role: The gold market is now the mirror image of the broad equity markets. And while the tight inverse correlation in day-to-day trading is unlikely to persist for long, this general relationship may be around for quite some time. Why? Because headlines notwithstanding, the rapid rise in gold prices is not a short-term speculative bubble, but rather a necessary consequence of our previous bubbles and an appropriate response to the shakiness of sovereign debt.
Repercussions of the S&P U.S. Credit Rating Downgrade for OTC Market Participants
By Robin Powers | Aug 11, 2011
On August 5, Standard & Poor’s (S&P) announced that it downgraded the United States to a AA+ rating from its longstanding AAA status. The immediate effects of S&P's downgrade are likely to be modest, largely because it was expected and at least partly discounted in advance. But for participants in the derivatives markets, the downgrade is another source of potential stress on top of the unknowns under Dodd-Frank.
Dodd-Frank: Highlights & Implications
By Robin Powers | Aug 02, 2011
When Dodd-Frank was signed into law on July 21, 2010, it was the just the beginning of a very long process. The Act came in at over 2,000 pages, but left the majority of the work - roughly 400 rules or studies - to 30 different federal agencies. Only 49 of the mandated rules have been finalized, and the deadline has passed for finalizing another 131. An additional 200 rules have deadlines approaching. On Tuesday, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) unanimously approved three new derivatives rules, bringing the number of final rules it is required to implement under Dodd-Frank law to 10, out of over 50 proposed rules assigned to that agency.