Blog Archives
Are Facebook Photos More Discoverable In Litigation Than Other Social Media Content?
March 7, 2015
Social media posts often play an important part in litigation. Posts can provide more insight into the truth than a litigant’s “official” story in court. A 2009 case stands out: a woman was accused of illegally racing on a freeway and causing the other driver’s death. She claimed that she wasn’t racing but merely sped up to get out of the driver’s way. However, just the day before, she posted to MySpace: “If you find me on the freeway and you can keep up I have a really bad habit of racing...
March 7, 2015
Social media posts often play an important part in litigation. Posts can provide more insight into the truth than a litigant’s “official” story in court. A 2009 case stands out: a woman was accused of illegally racing on a freeway and causing the other driver’s death. She claimed that she wasn’t racing but merely sped up to get out of the driver’s way. However, just the day before, she posted to MySpace: “If you find me on the freeway and you can keep up I have a really bad habit of racing...
A Breath of Fresh Air: The 10 CodeX Stanford Legal Startups at LegalTech
March 7, 2015
LegalTech NY rolled around again with its usual E-Discovery heavyweights, software vendors for large firms, and great keynotes. New this year, was an aisle dedicated to legal tech startups, the result of a collaboration between ALM and CodeX: The Stanford Center for Legal Informatics that brings industry-changing legal technology companies and key thought leaders to ALM Events. It was as if Silicone Alley had moved uptown and occupied aisle 1700. And it was exciting, engaging, and energizing. I...
March 7, 2015
LegalTech NY rolled around again with its usual E-Discovery heavyweights, software vendors for large firms, and great keynotes. New this year, was an aisle dedicated to legal tech startups, the result of a collaboration between ALM and CodeX: The Stanford Center for Legal Informatics that brings industry-changing legal technology companies and key thought leaders to ALM Events. It was as if Silicone Alley had moved uptown and occupied aisle 1700. And it was exciting, engaging, and energizing. I...
Self-Driving Cars: The Future of Motoring [Infographic]
March 7, 2015
Google is well on its way to producing a commercially available self-driving vehicle. Apple has a similar vehicle in design, so realistically, two of the biggest names in technology are throwing their weight into making autonomous vehicles a reality. Of course, there will be plenty of uproar — or perhaps salivating — from the plaintiff’s bar about the legality and safety of these vehicles. And while there are some obvious concerns, arguably, self-driving vehicles add one more element into...
March 7, 2015
Google is well on its way to producing a commercially available self-driving vehicle. Apple has a similar vehicle in design, so realistically, two of the biggest names in technology are throwing their weight into making autonomous vehicles a reality. Of course, there will be plenty of uproar — or perhaps salivating — from the plaintiff’s bar about the legality and safety of these vehicles. And while there are some obvious concerns, arguably, self-driving vehicles add one more element into...
McGinnis on Computational Jurisprudence
March 6, 2015
Video has been posted of John O. McGinnis‘s presentation entitled Computational Jurisprudence, given 29 January 2015 at Stanford Law School, as part of the Stanford CodeX Speaker Series. Here is the description from the event announcement: Professor John O. McGinnis will discuss two issues. First, he will describe how machines are coming to disrupt the legal profession. Superstars and specialists in fast changing areas of the law will prosper — and litigators and counselors will continue...
March 6, 2015
Video has been posted of John O. McGinnis‘s presentation entitled Computational Jurisprudence, given 29 January 2015 at Stanford Law School, as part of the Stanford CodeX Speaker Series. Here is the description from the event announcement: Professor John O. McGinnis will discuss two issues. First, he will describe how machines are coming to disrupt the legal profession. Superstars and specialists in fast changing areas of the law will prosper — and litigators and counselors will continue...
LegalAnalyticsCourse.com — Now Online (but still in beta)
March 6, 2015
This intro class is designed to train students to efficiently manage, collect, explore, analyze, and communicate in a legal profession that is increasingly being driven by data. Our goal is to imbue our students with the capability to understand the process of extracting actionable knowledge from data, to distinguish themselves in legal proceedings involving data or analysis, and assist in firm and in-house management, including billing, case forecasting, process improvement, resource management,...
March 6, 2015
This intro class is designed to train students to efficiently manage, collect, explore, analyze, and communicate in a legal profession that is increasingly being driven by data. Our goal is to imbue our students with the capability to understand the process of extracting actionable knowledge from data, to distinguish themselves in legal proceedings involving data or analysis, and assist in firm and in-house management, including billing, case forecasting, process improvement, resource management,...
Everything You Know About Lawyer Selection is Wrong
March 6, 2015
Big data uncovers surprising facts about litigation. How do attorneys and law firms compare? Do some lawyers drag out cases? Are partners really better than associates ? Do you get what you pay for in law? Artificial Intelligence takes a revealing look at a hidden profession. The Brad Pitt film, Moneyball, portrays Billy Beane baseball team manager of the Oakland A’s struggling against accepted dogma in player selection. Beane’s insight was to use already available player data to pick athletes....
March 6, 2015
Big data uncovers surprising facts about litigation. How do attorneys and law firms compare? Do some lawyers drag out cases? Are partners really better than associates ? Do you get what you pay for in law? Artificial Intelligence takes a revealing look at a hidden profession. The Brad Pitt film, Moneyball, portrays Billy Beane baseball team manager of the Oakland A’s struggling against accepted dogma in player selection. Beane’s insight was to use already available player data to pick athletes....
Benefit vs. Purpose
March 5, 2015
I read a blog on the Program on Negotiation Harvard Law School’s website entitled “Dealing with Difficult People and Negotiation: When Should You Give up the Fight” It notes that in every dispute lies the danger of irrational escalation. The parties simply to do not know when to “give up the ghost.” The blog then notes three reasons why such irrational escalation occurs; “Fixating on Fairness”. A party wants a “fair” outcome (however the party defines “fairness”). What a plaintiff...
March 5, 2015
I read a blog on the Program on Negotiation Harvard Law School’s website entitled “Dealing with Difficult People and Negotiation: When Should You Give up the Fight” It notes that in every dispute lies the danger of irrational escalation. The parties simply to do not know when to “give up the ghost.” The blog then notes three reasons why such irrational escalation occurs; “Fixating on Fairness”. A party wants a “fair” outcome (however the party defines “fairness”). What a plaintiff...
Second Circuit Refuses to Enjoin a Second Arbitration of the Same Claims
March 5, 2015
The Second Circuit recently affirmed a district court’s refusal to enjoin an arbitration proceeding under the All Writs Act. The parties to the dispute had been involved in a prior arbitration that resulted in an award confirmed by the district court. While the confirmation judgment was on appeal, one of the parties instituted a second arbitration raising claims similar to those asserted in the first arbitration. The respondent, Citigroup, Inc., filed suit in the Southern District of New York,...
March 5, 2015
The Second Circuit recently affirmed a district court’s refusal to enjoin an arbitration proceeding under the All Writs Act. The parties to the dispute had been involved in a prior arbitration that resulted in an award confirmed by the district court. While the confirmation judgment was on appeal, one of the parties instituted a second arbitration raising claims similar to those asserted in the first arbitration. The respondent, Citigroup, Inc., filed suit in the Southern District of New York,...
What Caused the Williams Estate Battle Despite His Careful Planning?
March 5, 2015
As I have previously discussed, a battle has erupted regarding trust terms between the widow of Robin Williams, Susan Schneider Williams, and Williams' children from previous marriages. The lawsuit is surprising considering Williams seemed to follow many estate planning 'dos', such as discussing his plan with his family, leaving his estate in trusts, and having a prenuptial agreement with his third wife. One possible explanation for the family feud despite Williams' careful estate planning may be that...
March 5, 2015
As I have previously discussed, a battle has erupted regarding trust terms between the widow of Robin Williams, Susan Schneider Williams, and Williams' children from previous marriages. The lawsuit is surprising considering Williams seemed to follow many estate planning 'dos', such as discussing his plan with his family, leaving his estate in trusts, and having a prenuptial agreement with his third wife. One possible explanation for the family feud despite Williams' careful estate planning may be that...
Chen: Modeling Citation and Download Data in Legal Scholarship
March 4, 2015
James Ming Chen of Michigan State University has posted a newly revised version of Modeling Citation and Download Data in Legal Scholarship. This revised version of the paper covers data through 2014. Here is the abstract: Impact factors among law reviews provide a measure of influence among these journals and the schools that publish them. Downloads from the Social Science Research Network (SSRN) serve a similar function. Bibliometrics is rapidly emerging as a preferred alternative to more...
March 4, 2015
James Ming Chen of Michigan State University has posted a newly revised version of Modeling Citation and Download Data in Legal Scholarship. This revised version of the paper covers data through 2014. Here is the abstract: Impact factors among law reviews provide a measure of influence among these journals and the schools that publish them. Downloads from the Social Science Research Network (SSRN) serve a similar function. Bibliometrics is rapidly emerging as a preferred alternative to more...
