Exterro has posted an online quiz to quickly find out how mature an e-discovery process is when compared to EDRM Duke Law’s e-discovery maturity scale. The complimentary quiz takes about 10 minutes to complete.

The quiz consists of 20 multiple choice questions based on best practices ranging across the Electronic Discovery Reference Model (EDRM) from information governance through matter closing.

It will help participants:

• Understand your organization’s e-discovery maturity
• Improve your in-house e-discovery process
• Learn more about what mature e-discovery operations look like

Take the quiz.

A new article published by the National Association of Corporate Directors discusses the steps a company needs to take before deciding to embark upon a board-led investigation, and provides insight into essential actions the company should take to “weather the storm of an investigation,” like assigning committee responsibilities and having disinterested directors.

Based on best practices discussed at this spring’s AC Committee Chair Advisory Council meeting, this article outlines the key considerations for boards beginning an investigation:

• Early decisions have far-reaching impacts
• Keep the external auditor informed, while maintaining privilege
• Take a proactive approach to remediation
• Get ahead of reputational damage
• Discuss whether the circumstances warrant self-reporting

The company said this article helps directors develop an internal investigation protocol to follow should an issue arise, and equips directors with a framework to mitigate the effects of an investigation both internally and externally.

Download the article.

The U.S. Department of Education’s deadline for institutions to comply with the Annual Security Report is Oct. 1, 2018, points out Canopy Programs by United Educators.

Canopy Programs is offering assistance with its Clery Compliance Toolset, which can generate reports that include policies and procedures, as well as statistics for the past three calendar years.

The online tool will allow users to effectively:

• Develop policies and procedures
• Log crime and fire incidents
• Request and log crime statistics from local law enforcement
• Generate daily crime logs

Request a demo or download a white paper.

Texas law firm Chamblee Ryan is observing its 20 years of litigation by compiling a long list of victories.

The firm has offices in Dallas and Tyler. Name partners are Bill Chamblee and Jeff Ryan.

“Some firms say they focus on effective client representation,” the firm says on its website. “But our record and reputation in trial litigation compares favorably to any other firm in North Texas, large or small. Since 1998 our attorneys have tried hundreds of cases in the court room, as well as secured favorable results through effective negotiation involving many industries and in many areas of the law.”

See the list of victories.

NAVEX Global will present the online master class “Herding Big Cats: Improving Executive & Board Engagement” on Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018, beginning at 10:30 a.m. Central time.

Getting positive buy-in needed from an organization’s executives and board members is a common issue for most businesses, NAVEX says on its website. “And, it can be especially difficult for compliance professionals needing to demonstrate the true ROI of their programs. In this Master Class, you’ll learn how to wrangle top-level decision-makers to ensure all executives and board members understand their responsibilities for compliance oversight. Effectively protect your organization from compliance and behavioral risk, and learn why active board engagement is critical for establishing a strong ethical culture from the top down.”

This master class will cover:

• How to contribute to the goals of the board
• Rules of engagement for difficult board discussions
• Common communication mistakes to avoid
• Meaningful board training methods
• How to position compliance to get critical program buy-in

Register or get more information.

Registration has begun for the 2018 Eastern District of Texas Bench Bar Conference, which is being held in conjunction with The Center for American and International Law’s Patent Trial and Appeal Board Bench Bar Conference.

Hosted by the Eastern District of Texas Bar Association, the annual event is one of the largest of its kind nationally, bringing together practicing lawyers, general counsels, in-house counsels, respected judges, and industry experts from across the globe to discuss the latest issues in patent law and intellectual property litigation. Topics will also include Corporate Cyber Threats, Qui Tam litigation, Trade Secret Theft and Protection, and many others.

The Honorable Andrei Iancu, U.S. Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), will be the keynote speaker.

The 22nd annual EDTX Bench Bar Conference is set for October 17-19 at the Marriott Legacy Town Center in Plano, and registration information is available here.

Contact Andrea Williams-McCoy for more information on conference programs, registration and lodging at 903-870-0070 or andrea@siebman.com.

The Association of Corporate Counsel has published an in-depth, self-reported compensation survey for in-house counsel and legal operations professionals.

For companies seeking to stay competitive in the marketplace and lawyers considering career moves, access to detailed compensation data for in-house counsel and legal operations professionals is essential, the ACC says on its website.

Based on responses from more than 5,000 lawyers in corporate legal departments from 65 countries and 39 different industry sectors, this first-ever ACC Global Compensation Report is available from the organization.

Download the report.

Black Duck Software has posted the “451 Research Business Impact Brief: Don’t Leave Open Source Risk Analysis Out of M&A Due Diligence” to help readers learn why an open source audit is crucial for firms acquiring companies, undergoing mergers, or entering joint ventures.

The report is available for downloading from the Black Duck website at no charge.

The growing use of open source in software development exposes companies to potential security vulnerabilities and license compliance issues that must be managed, the company says on its website. To mitigate these risks, 451 Research urges companies to make Software Composition Analysis (SCA) part of their M&A due diligence.

In this Business Impact Brief, 451 Research assesses the growth of open source components in software development, its serious security and license risks for potential acquirers of software IP and looks ahead to the future of why these trends aren’t slowing down anytime soon.

Download the report.

Loewinsohn Flegle Deary Simon has earned a place on the 2018 Elite Trial Lawyers finalist list for Business Torts as selected by editors and reporters of American Lawyer Media’s National Law Journal.

The publication’s research staff selected the Dallas-based firm for its lawyers’ “exemplary performance in cutting-edge work on behalf of plaintiffs over the last 18 months.” Finalists were chosen from 300 submissions across 23 categories.  The selection process is designed to identify firms “that have achieved exemplary results for their clients.”

Earlier this year, the firm was honored as a Tier 1 Law Firm, the highest-possible ranking, by U.S. News – Best Lawyers in America based on confidential feedback from clients and other lawyers. All six of the firm’s principals are listed in The Best Lawyers in America.

Read about the honor.

Canopy Programs’ new white paper, “An Update on the U.S. Department of Education’s Clery Enforcement Measures,” provides an overview of the Clery review process and cases involving institutions that were fined for Clery Act violations in 2017.

Despite the change in federal administration, the U.S. Department of Education has continued to aggressively enforce the Clery Act. Specifically, the department issued fines against 10 institutions in 2017 based on program reviews that were conducted in the past several years totaling $800,000, or an average of $80,000 per institution.

The complimentary white paper offers insight into these cases, including:

• A review of the institutional demographics by type and enrollment size
• What caused the program reviews to take place
• An analysis of the length of time for the program reviews
• Which categories of violations resulted in fines

Download the white paper.

ContractWorks has published a new guide designed to show how to reassign appropriate tasks and simplify workflows by tapping into the skills and experience of non-legal staff in ways that will optimize the legal department’s time without introducing additional risk or oversight.

“A Guide to Delegating Legal Contract Responsibility” is available at ContractWorks’ website at no charge.

“Delegating contract management activities to your non-lawyer professionals has a variety of advantages, but it needs to be planned deliberately and strategically,” the company says on its website. “Make sure that you understand the strengths of the different personnel on your roster, and collaborate with the other areas of your business to make sure that everyone is committed to this new process change.”

The guide discusses:

• How Delegating Tasks Will Benefit Your Entire Team
• Ways to Maintain Control Without and Mitigate Risks
• Best Methods for Building Dedicated Teams
• How to Assign Ownership to Individual Business Units

Download the guide.

NAVEX Global has published the 2018 Ethics & Compliance Training Benchmark Report to show how companies are using their training program to change employee behavior, positively impact corporate culture and decrease legal exposure.

The report, which can be downloaded at no charge, includes guidance on how to use the most important compliance training benchmarks when measuring program effectiveness.

“Your employees are your biggest asset—and your biggest risk. Poor decisions made by employees or lack of awareness around the law can expose your organization to workplace harassment fines, wage & hour violations, and international bribery and corruption charges—to name just a few,” NAVEX says on its website.

Download the report.

Estes Thorne & Carr PLLC is celebrating its 10th year as one of the largest women-owned law firms in North Texas. The Dallas Business Journal has ranked the firm among North Texas’ 100 largest women-owned businesses. And for six consecutive years, the firm has made the list of Best Law Firms by U.S. News – Best Lawyers in America.

Name partners are  Dawn Estes, Jessica Thorne and Lori Carr.

In a release, the firm said its partners bring decades of big firm experience to the litigation boutique. Their varied practice includes commercial litigation, labor and employment matters, family law, construction, energy litigation, ERISA litigation, professional liability, and alternative dispute resolution. The firm also often serves as Texas local counsel.

“We seized an opportunity 10 years ago to create a firm that allowed us to unite our strengths, and we’ve never looked back,” said Estes, who was selected a Top 100 commercial litigator in Texas in 2017 by Super Lawyers. “We said we always wanted to swim in the deep end. By creating the right environment for us and our clients, we’ve never been out of our depth.”

Read the firm’s release.

Canopy Programs by United Educators has published “Annual Security Report: 10 Questions to Ensure Compliance,” designed to help protect educational institutions and ensure an accurate and compliant Annual Security Report (ASR) by considering 10 important questions.

“Preparing your institution’s Annual Security Report (ASR) is critical in demonstrating your school’s compliance with the Clery Act,” Canopy Programs says on its website. “Inaccuracies in the ASR—which must contain crime statistics and numerous statements of policy and procedure—and other Clery compliance deficiencies can result in review and oversight by the U.S. Department of Education (ED), fines (currently $55,907 per violation), and reputational damage.”

The publication discusses such questions as:

1. Have we requested crime statistics from local law enforcement agencies with jurisdiction over our Clery geography?
2. Is our Daily Crime Log up to date and available upon request?
3. If we are a multiple campus institution, do we publish an ASR for each campus?

Continue reading “10 Questions to Ensure Compliance.”

The Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics has announced the lineup of keynote speakers for the 17th Annual Compliance & Ethics Conference. The event will be Oct. 21-24, 2018, at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.

Scott Eblin, author of The Next Level and Overworked and Overwhelmed, will speak on Monday, Oct. 22, 8:30-9:30 a.m.

Amber Mac, a TV/radio host of Internet of Things, will speak on Tuesday, Oct. 23, 8:15-9:15 a.m.

Ty Francis, MBE, a global governance and ethics advisor, will speak on Monday, Oct. 22, 3:15-4:15 p.m.

On Tuesday afternoon, a panel discussion will consider “What We Need to Know About #MeToo.”

Panelists will be Jenny O’Brien, JD, CHC, CHPC, Chief Compliance Officer, UnitedHealthcare; Rebecca Walker, Partner, Kaplan & Walker; Paul E. Fiorelli, JD, MBA, Director, Cintas Institute for Business Ethics and Professor of Legal Studies, Xavier University; and Robin H. Everhart, Senior Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer, Cintas Corporation.

Register for the conference.

Exterro has published the second edition of its Basics of E-Discovery Guide and made it available for downloading at no charge.

The company says the guide is designed to quickly teach the basics of e-discovery without all the technical jargon. More than 5,000 legal professionals have already downloaded the first edition of this guide.

The second edition provides:

• Content updates based on the FRCP Amendments and subsequent case law
• Video introductions to each chapter from expert e-discovery practitioners
• Updated links to newer in-depth educational resources, including checklists, white papers, infographics, and e-books

Download the guide.

In a new video, lawyers from Tyler, Texas-based Martin Walker PC discuss a recent medical malpractice case that yielded their client a $43.32 million verdict, including $25 million in exemplary damages.

Jurors found the hospital grossly negligent in its retention and supervision of a doctor on probation whose abandonment and improper care led to a patient’s complete loss of his quality of life and ability to provide for his family, plaintiff’s lawyers said.

A statement from the firm continued: “In reaching the gross negligence verdict, jurors agreed that the hospital had put its patients in extreme risk by allowing Dr. Gary Boyd to treat them even though the Texas Medical Board had placed him on probation which automatically suspended his hospital privileges pursuant to the hospital’s bylaws and policies.”

After the jury’s verdict, the case settled for $9 million, with the defendants agreeing not to appeal, according to the firm’s video.

Watch the video.

Flexera will present a webinar titled “Risk Management & IP Value Protection for Software Suppliers” on Tuesday, July 31, at 10 a.m. Central time.

In this webinar, Christian Bartsch, partner at international law firm Bird & Bird, will give an overview of legal issues software suppliers must be aware of and the ramifications of leaving them unmanaged.

Martin Callinan, founder of Open Source Software consultancy, Source Code Control, will explain the simple and effective management principles your organization needs to adopt to manage these open source software risks appropriately.

“Whether your organization supplies software alone or embedded in devices or machinery, you need it to be robust, secure and legally compliant,” Flexera says on its website. “Security vulnerabilities or licensing loopholes stemming from open source software can result in product recalls, the loss of valuable IP and terrible damage to your reputation and bottom line.

“These risks can be successfully mitigated by understanding how they arise and the key management principles you need to put in place to manage them.”

Register for the webinar.

Concord will present a complimentary webinar titled “From Cost Center to Profit Center: Leveraging the Data in Your Contracts to Prove the Value of Legal.”

The event will be Thursday, July 26, 2018, at 10 a.m. Pacific time.

Legal’s new role as a strategic business function has forced legal teams to evolve, shifting from cost-center to profit-center, Concord says on its website. This shift has transformed the overall value legal provides—moving well beyond risk management and cost savings—increasing the pressure on legal teams to become a source of revenue for their organization.

The webinar will equip participants to:

• Identify the crucial KPIs for Legal when it comes to spend
• Uncover strategies to take your legal team from cost center to profit center
• Discover how Leverage the data in your contracts to prove the value of Legal

The webinar is presented in partnership with General Counsel News.

Register for the webinar.

NAVEX Global will present a complimentary webinar titled “Deep Dive: State of Ethics & Compliance Training in 2018” on Thursday, July 19, 2018, at 10 a.m. PDT / 1 p.m. EDT.

The event is designed to show how companies are using their training programs to change employee behavior and positively impact corporate culture. Participants will discuss the most important compliance training benchmarks to use when measuring a program and offer best practices to improve efforts and show ROI to management.

Some of the questions to be explored include:

• How do I maximize the impact of my (limited) available training hours?
• How do I gain leadership and audience buy-in, participation and comprehension?
• What elements and topics are necessary to my training program?

Register for the webinar.