Sports

Expert Analysis

• Series

  Judging A Book: Kopf Reviews Posner's 'Federal Judiciary'

  

  There is a wonderful sketch of Seventh Circuit Judge Richard Posner dressed in a black robe with arms outstretched as if they were the billowing wings of a lean vulture. He is kicking a human brain down a hallway and wearing a half-smile that looks for all the world like a sneer. That sketch is the perfect metaphor for both Judge Posner and his new book, "The Federal Judiciary: Strengths and Weaknesses," says U.S. District Judge Ri... (continued)

• The Use Of Special Masters In Complex Cases

  

  Special master appointments can be very beneficial in resolving disputes quickly, streamlining discovery, handling delicate settlement negotiations, and — somewhat surprisingly — reducing cost and delay, says retired U.S. District Judge Shira Scheindlin, now with JAMS.

• A Plaintiff’s Guide To Discovery Proportionality: Part 2

  

  Proportionality is often a question of whether discovery production has reached a point of diminishing returns, and about the marginal utility of additional discovery once the core discovery in the case has been completed. In other words, proportionality is a method to avoid going in circles or getting sidetracked, not an excuse for cutting corners, says Max Kennerly of Kennerly Loutey LLC.

• Roundup

  Notes From A Law Firm Chief Privacy Officer

  

  As more law firms become the targets of major cyberattacks, more firms may consider appointing a chief privacy officer. In this series, CPOs at four firms discuss various aspects of this new role.

• A Plaintiff’s Guide To Discovery Proportionality: Part 1

  

  In December 2015, the parts of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure concerning proportionality in discovery were amended. The amendments changed the language defining the scope of relevance, but substantively, this remains the same as it has been for nearly 40 years, says Max Kennerly of Kennerly Loutey LLC.

• Pepperdine Gay Bias Case — A Loss And A Win For Plaintiffs

  

  On Friday, two lesbian basketball players lost their discrimination case against Pepperdine University. However, the fact that the case was permitted to go to trial represented a major blow against sexual stereotyping in sport, says Ronald Katz of GCA Law Partners LLP.

• Series

  Notes From A Law Firm Chief Privacy Officer: New Demands

  

  For outside counsel, oftentimes efficiency and responsiveness collide with security measures as clients are increasingly requiring their law firms to comply with third-party risk management programs. To meet these challenges, law firms are focusing more on the roles of chief privacy officer and chief information security officer, says Phyllis Sumner, chief privacy officer for King & Spalding LLP.

• Opinion

  It's Time To Improve Voir Dire In Federal Court

  

  During the jury selection process, many times parties submit proposed voir dire questions, but the court ultimately chooses the questions to be asked and does all of the questioning of the jury panel. While this approach is judicially efficient, rarely do we learn anything meaningful from the panel members, say Lisa Blue of Baron and Blue and Robert Hirschhorn of Cathy E. Bennett & Associates.

• Series

  Notes From A Law Firm Chief Privacy Officer: Insider Risks

  

  As law firms hold sensitive information not only related to the firm but to the firm’s clients, an insider threat — whether it's a "bad actor employee" or inadvertent activity — poses a particular concern. There are steps that privacy officers can initiate to help minimize these threats, says Patricia Wagner, chief privacy officer for Epstein Becker Green.

• Series

  Notes From A Law Firm Chief Privacy Officer: Balancing Act

  

  As the role of law firm chief privacy officer becomes more prevalent and expansive, many CPOs are finding themselves in the midst of a delicate balancing act — weighing compliance with government regulations and client requirements on one side with the needs of firm business on the other, says Kristin Jones, chief privacy officer for Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young LLP.