Archive for December, 2011
December 2011 – Social Media
Highlights from the December 2011 Social Media issue include All “Atwitter” with the Internet Juror: New Legislation Addresses the Wired Public by Karen Fleming-Ginn, Ph.D; Discovery of Social Media by Audrey Gee; Blogging Strategy – Raise Your Profile, Get Noticed byRocky Laber; Computer Forensics in the Social Media Age by Myra O. Santos; Search Engine Optimization for the Solo Practitioner and Small Law Firms by Ken Matejka; Legal Issues When Marketing Your Business on the Internet by Richard E. Korb
November 2011 – Giving Back
Highlights from the November 2011 Giving Back issue include Giving Back – Lawyer-Style; Judge Steve K. Austin – An Extraordinary Example of Giving Back by Craig Nevin; Free Legal Workshop All-Stars by Theresa Hurley; Give and You Shall Receive by Todd Friedman; Helping Out During the Holidays and Beyond; Giving Made Easy by Paul Saad
October 2011 – Same Sex
Highlights from the October 2011 Same Sex issue include Same Sex Marriage: The Long Road to Equality by Gary Watt; Taxation of Same Sex Employee Benefits by Rita Holder; Ownership of Real Property by Same-Sex Couples in California by Steven J. Mehlman; Immigration Challenges of Bi-National Same-Sex Couples by Erika Portillo; Assistance After Losing a Domestic Partner by Melanie Kay; Joint Bankruptcies For Same-Sex Married Couples by Marlene G. Weinstein
Share your Experience: Effects of Judicial Branch Budget Reductions on Legal Practitioners, Their Clients, and Court Users
The Judicial Council’s Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) is seeking your immediate assistance in gathering information on how the reductions to the judicial branch budget have impacted you, your clients, and members of the …
Further Reading: Editors’ Picks
Below is a selection of articles picked by our editors, on topics including the GPS Surveillance currently in front of the U.S. Supreme Court, Millenial Jurors and Social Media, and the Media Habits of different generations. …
Inside: Editor’s Column
Wow. I cannot believe it is December already. It seems like just yesterday that we were launching our new magazine format- a hybrid online/print publication with 6 print issues and 12 online editions. This year has been full of changes for the Contra Costa Lawyer and I hope that you are enjoying the new and improved magazine. Brining the Contra Costa Lawyer fully into the Technology Age has been both exciting and challenging and it has been a privilege to do so. On behalf of the whole Editorial Board, we are very proud of the online format, the improved print issues and the overall content of the magazine.
All “Atwitter” with the Internet Juror: New Legislation Addresses the Wired Public
The Internet’s instantaneous availability of information poses a direct threat to the integrity of the judicial process, and presents a king-sized bear trap to lawyers in voir dire. This article addresses the resources available for juror investigation, the pitfalls of employing social media in trial, and new legislation designed to dissuade jurors from Googling during trial.
Discovery of Social Media – The Treasure Hunt
Facebook lists 800 million active users who visited the site in the last month, according to its “About” page. Rumor has it that Twitter has somewhere in the neighborhood of 200 million registered users or 230 million tweets per day. Think of it. A veritable treasure trove for discovery: Photos of a personal injury plaintiff salsa dancing a week after the car accident. An unavailable witness tweeting that he is in town. A supposedly bankrupt defendant posting details about his newly purchased boat. Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, LinkedIn, Habbo, Orkut, Badoo, Qzone – the list of social media sites are rich with possible impeachment evidence.
Blogging: Raise Your Profile, Get Noticed
Among the factors in achieving a high page rank on search engine results pages are the age of the content and how frequently a website’s content is refreshed. Now, if you’re like the majority of legal professionals and looking to take care of your core activities – namely, billable work – it can sound like another task that may slip down the priority scale. However, it can be approached in a manageable, timely and efficient manner that will enhance to your ability to be found on Google, Yahoo, Bing and other search engines.
Computer Forensics: What Valuable Information Do You Leave Behind?
It is probably safe to assume you have a Facebook profile, and let’s say you just received a friend request from someone you know. Nice, but not so fast. Unless you have taken the time to review all of Facebook’s privacy settings, I would not accept the friend request just yet. Protect yourself first.
Search Engine Optimization for the Solo Practitioner and Small Law Firms
It is widely known that Google’s U.S. market share for searches is dominant (over 70% by some estimates), but what isn’t as widely known is that for law-related searches, Google’s market share is overwhelming (over 90% by some estimates). Even if a client finds a lawyer in a major directory, there’s a strong likelihood that he or she found those directories through a Google search initially. Consequently, this article focuses primarily on optimization for the Google search engine.
Legal Issues When Marketing Your Business On The Internet
As the 21st century progresses, consumers are transitioning to the Internet as a means of accessing goods and businesses. The benefits of marketing your business online are numerous and include: targeting consumers outside your local area, marketing your products in a very accessible manner for potential customers and staying on par with competitors who offer products similar to your own.
Realignment: What Is It, and Why Do I Care?
You may have heard politicians, newscasters, and government honchos talk about “realignment” and wondered what they are taking about. It sounds like something your chiropractor would do. This is different; it is much less painful.
Recent Developments in the Law of Lawyering
The last year has brought numerous developments in legal ethics and the law of lawyering. This article will help attorneys stay abreast of major developments and spot ethical and other practice issues.
2011 MCLE Spectacular [Photos & Videos]
Thank you to all of our speakers, presenters, panelists, sponsors, volunteers and attendees who made the 2011 MCLE Spectacular extra special! Below are some pictures and video of our plenary speakers: Professor Jesse Choper, California Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye in conversation with CCCBA President Kathy Schofield, and Judge Vaughn Walker (ret.).
The Color of Justice: Judges, Attorneys Encourage Students to Consider Legal Career
On November 4, 2011, judges and attorneys, including Richmond’s own Christopher Darden, hosted an informal, interactive program aimed at encouraging students to become the new face of justice. As part of the program, students met and talked with legal assistants, attorneys and judges of color in an informal setting where they learned about their backgrounds and how they succeeded.
“Saving Face” – Social Networking Pitfalls for Judges and Attorneys
Earn one hour of Legal Ethics MCLE credit by reading the article below and answering the questions of the Self-Study MCLE test. Send your answers, along with a check for $20, to the address on the test form.
The 12 Days of Christmas (Slightly Modified)
On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me a smartphone with an app for TV
Build Your Practice with LRIS – Client Comments
Here’s what clients have to say about attorneys they were referred to through our Lawyer Referral & Information Service (LRIS) :
About David Hermelin:
“He was GREAT – knowledgeable, patient, kind, and really helpful! I would definitely …
How is your expectation of privacy changing in the face of new and emerging technology?
An interesting way of stating the issue. I think we have a higher expectation of privacy than we actually have. We have clearly moved out of any type of society where we expect privacy concerns …
