April 27, 2009
Richmond Journal of Law & Technology
University of Richmond School of Law
28 Westhampton Way
University of Richmond, Virginia 23173
Dear Readers,
The Richmond Journal of Law and Technology is proud to present the fourth issue of the 2008–2009 academic school year. Our authors analyze a variety of controversial legal topics that are at the forefront of debates regarding the intersection of technology and law.
The first article, “Corporate Privacy Trend: The ‘Value’ of Personally Identifiable Information (‘PII’) Equals the ‘Value’ of Financial Assets” is co-authored by John Soma, J. Zachary Courson, and John Cadkin. In today’s electronic age, personally identifiable information is readily available and can be used for illicit purposes if not adequately protected. The authors analyze the importance of upholding privacy rights in light of technological advancements and provide suggestions for securing personally identifiable information. They emphasize the need for companies to use technology to their advantage, relying on encryption, spyware, and virus detection in order to prevent identity fraud and data breaches.
Thomas E. Spahn’s article, “The Ethics of E-Mail” discusses the increasingly common use of e-mail by attorneys and clients. He examines this trend in light of various ethics opinions and model rules which address the challenge of preserving attorney-client privilege when communicating by e-mail. Mr. Spahn also discusses the implications on litigation when attorneys transfer documents electronically with accompanying metadata or “invisible ‘data about data’” and the surprisingly broad range of opinions on metadata held by state bar associations.
Timothy L. Coggins’ article, “Legal, Factual and Other Internet Sites for Attorneys and Legal Professionals” provides a wide array of legal research sources. Dean Coggins lists key sources for case and statute research and makes helpful suggestions for complex research in areas such as international law. He even provides sources that enable researchers to find materials that have disappeared from other websites. It is a must read for anyone conducting online legal research.
The Journal is especially grateful for the continuing support and assistance of the faculty and staff at the University of Richmond, most especially the guidance we receive on a regular basis from our advisors, Professors Melanie Holloway and Jim Gibson.
We hope you enjoy Issue Four. On behalf of the entire 2008-2009 Richmond Journal of Law and Technology staff, I extend our deepest gratitude and sincerest thanks for your readership and support. Thank you for visiting the Journal’s website, and as always, comments and suggestions are welcome from our readers at jolt@richmond.edu.
Sincerely,
Bridget Murray
Editor-in-Chief
