The Aspire to Lead Conference was recently held in Minneapolis.  Hundreds of omen and men from around the region met for a day full of speakers and networking that seeks to empower women to take more active leadership roles in their careers, communities and day-to-day lives.

Matt Wallaert is a behavioral scientist working at the intersection of technology and human behavior.  He spoke about where the diversity and the role of gender in the workplace. 

Do you store your family pictures and videos in the Cloud?  Would your family be able to access those files if you passed away?  Federal and state governments are scrambling to update estate laws to protect all your selfies and family cat videos against legal fights that could develop over rights to digital assets.

Tyler Newby of Fenwick & West discusses who actually has the rights to your selfies (and more) when you die.

Since passage of the Dodd-Frank Act overhauling federal securities laws, the Securities and Exchange Commission's whistleblower program has been gradually growing in scope and significance. In 2015, the SEC received more than 4,000 tips.

But some recent developments may be “blowing the whistle” on the whistleblower program itself.  Jonathan Shapiro of Baker Botts LLP discusses some recent developments with the whistleblower program.

Happy National Customer Service Week!

Customer Support is an important connection between Thomson Reuters and its customers.  Thomson Reuters has a long history of commitment to provide outstanding customer service.

Lea Harpster, vice president of customer support, discusses the Thomson Reuters philosophy and approach to customer support, and the many dedicated team members who provide it.

Intellectual property have become somewhat of a staple for the US Supreme Court in recent years.  Two particular cases that are waiting to hear if they will make the docket for the 2016-17 court docket have the potential to break new ground for intellectual property rights.

Wayne Stacy of Baker Botts discusses the cases.

A bicycle is fun, but how can it help global poverty, economic development and health care?

The day two keynote at Vantage EMEA in London for Elite had little to do with legal technology and practice management.  Or did it?

It had everything to do with the importance of listening to customers, of applying sound business principles, and how sometimes the simplest solutions can be the most impactful.

F.K. Day is founder of SRAM Corporation, one of the world's largest bicycle component suppliers, including to Tour de France teams.

He is also co-founder and president of World Bicycle Relief and explains how business principles are helping some of the world's most pressing needs.

The Vantage EMEA 2016 User Conference is underway in London.

The two-day conference bring together Thomson Reuters Elite users from across Europe, Africa and the Middle East.  

Elizabet Hardy, Vice President of Product Management and Eric Sugden, Chief Technology Officer discuss what will take place at Vantage, including the release of Elite 3E version 2.8

Keeping track of information by business name can quickly become a difficult exercise. Business name changes or mergers can permanently alter how information is tied to a particular business name, complicating how to identify and store information.

Thomson Reuters has created PermID -- or Permanent Identification -- which creates a unique reference —which will never change over time—to a piece of information. It can be thought of as a permnanent "bar code" for information that  helps customers and partners handle data management challenges, eliminate mapping inconsistencies, reduce operational risk, and streamline end-to-end workflow processes across various platforms. 

Thomson Reuters is providing an open license to PermID, providing any organization or enterprise with descriptive metadata and tools for working with PermID.

This year, more than half of Americans will use Facebook.  More than 360 million people are members of LinkedIn.  If you're not using social media to help promote your practice, you may be missing on an important channel for reaching prospective clients. 

A new white paper from FindLaw, "From Novelty to Necessity: Pragmatic Social Media for Law Firms". discusses the real impact that social media can have on an attorney's brand.  A recent FindLaw survey found that consumers are likely to hire an attorney who has an active presence on social media.

Sean Sands, a digital marketing experts, discusses how social media can benefit solo and small law firms.

In discussions with firms at ILTACON 2016, one thing stands out in the world of knowledge management: in an era of Big Data and Artificial Intelligence, knowledge management can help firms gain a competitive advantage.

Where is Knowledge Management headed?  How will AI and Big Data impact Knowledge Management? 

In this edition of "KM with Kim," Kim Stein, national KM manager for Thomson Reuters explores the future of Knowledge Management.

Thomson Reuters Elite has been engaging its customer base to glean input and feedback to help improve its products.  Elizabet Hardy, vice president, product management at Elite, discusses what Elite is hearing from its customers through ILTACON and other customer engagements.

Knowledge Management, like any solution, is only as effective as an organization's ability to get people to use it. 

In this episode of "KM with Kim", Thomson Reuters national manager of knowledge management, Kim Stein discusses how firms can get the most out of the KM systems

A white paper on "Knowledge Management Software Has Come of Age" can be downloaded here:
http://blog.legalsolutions.thomsonreuters.com/law-and-techology/knowledge-management-software-has-come-of-age-now-what/

Knowledge Management, like any solution, is only as effective as an organization's ability to get people to use it. 

In this episode of "KM with Kim", Thomson Reuters national manager of knowledge management, Kim Stein discusses how firms can get the most out of the KM systems.

A white paper on "Knowledge Management Software Has Come of Age" can be downloaded here:
http://blog.legalsolutions.thomsonreuters.com/law-and-techology/knowledge-management-software-has-come-of-age-now-what/

What are some of the disruptive technologies facing the legal industry?  Ron Friedman of Fireman & Co. led a session on “When Will Blockchains and Smart Contracts Be Important in Legal?”  He and Eric Laughlin, managing director, Legal Managed Services, Thomson Reuters, sat down to discuss,

Advances in legal technology -- both the present and future -- will be front and center at ILTACON 2016.

Charlotte Rushton, managing director large and midsize law firms, and innovation leader for the Legal business of Thomson Reuters, discusses the state of innovation in the legal industry.

ILTACON 2016 is an excellent opportunity for people working in legal technology to learn, share and discuss what works, what doesn't and the tools to face challenges now and in the future.

ILTA executive director Randi Mayes, who has led ILTA for more than twenty years, discusses how ILTA has helped shape the legal technology landscape.

Knowledge management can be a powerful way for firms to increase their efficiency.  

In our first "KM with Kim," we discuss how knowledge management improves productivity, with Kim Stein, national manager of knowledge management at Thomson Reuters.

In upcoming episodes, we'll discuss how firms can get the most out of their knowledge management systems, and what lies ahead in KM.  

Are you ready for some football...in Las Vegas?

The NFL regular season kicks off in Denver with a rematch of Super Bowl 50 between the Broncos and Panthers.  But football fans are wondering if the NFL's newest hot ticket might be in Las Vegas, where the Oakland Raiders have been making overtures to city officials about moving the franchise.

The National Hockey League has already broken the ice, so to speak, and is ending the four major professional sports leagues' (NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL) long-standing avoidance of placing a franchise in Las Vegas to avoid association with gambling.

But will football be next?  Glen Rothstein of Greenburg Glusker discusses whether legal issues should potentially stop the Raiders from moving.

Pokemon Go is an unquestioned cultural phenomenon -- the most successful video game launch in history.  But the sudden success of Pokemon Go has spawned a slew of questions about safety, privacy and liability issues. 

Brian Markovitz from Joseph Greenwald & Lake tries to catch 'em all when it comes to legal issues around Pokemon Go.

The New York City Anti-Violence Project empowers lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and HIV-affected communities and allies to end all forms of violence through organizing and education, and supports survivors through counseling and advocacy. 

The AVP’s work has taken on additional significance in the wake of the Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando

Sharon Sayles-Belton, vice president, government affairs & community relations for Thomson Reuters, talked with Nishan Bhaumik, Equal Justice Works Fellow, about the importance of the Anti-Violence Project’s work.

The Games of the XXXI Olympiad will draw the world’s attention to Rio. But the familiar Olympic rings are also part of one of the world’s best known trademark, one whose intellectual property right the International Olympic Committee and the US Olympic Committee are staunchly defending .

So everyone from local car dealers to Chinese knockoff manufacturers who are thinking about cashing in on Olympic trademarks may want to think twice.

Rod Berman with  Jeffers Mangels Butler & Mitchell discusses the IOC & USOC’s long history of shutting down trademark infringers.

Super Lawyers has gone through a complete redesign of its award-winning magazine and website. Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The patented selection process includes independent research, peer nominations and peer evaluations.

Cindy Larson, publisher of Super Lawyers, spoke with Alex Cook about the new redesign and what it means for Super Lawyer attorneys, readers, and others who use the Super Lawyers profiles.

Dorsey & Whitney law offices in Minneapolis were recently the venue for an exhibition, presentation and book signing by B. Proud for her phot book, “First Comes Love:  Portraits of Enduring LGBTQ Relationships”. Proud was joined by Justice Margaret Chutich, Minnesota’s first openly gay Supreme Court Justice.

Gretchen DeSutter of Thomson Reuters talked with Proud about the significance and impact of her work, particularly in light of the recent Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando.

The 6th Annual Law Firm CFO/CIO/COO Forum conducted by the Thomson Reuters Legal Executive Institute marks a return to the forum’s roots with a comprehensive examination of collaborative strategies across the law firm C-suite on a number of timely topics impacting law firm operations, finance and technology.

One of the key topics will be law firm staffing models and how firms are recalibrating their ranks to form a new foundation for profitability.how law firm leadership is recalibrating their ranks to form a new foundation for profitabilityhow law firm leadership is recalibrating their ranks to form a new foundation for profitability

William Josten, senior analyst, Client Relations and Thought Leadership, Thomson Reuters, is moderating a panel discussion and shares some of the factors that panelists will analyze.

The death of Justice Antonin Scalia has clearly had an impact on the workings of the U.S. Supreme Court as it continues to work through its current term.

Joan Biskupic, editor in charge of legal affairs for Reuters, has been covering the Supreme Court since 1989, and discusses the impact on Justice Scalia’s death on the Court

The 2016 Elite VANTAGE Worldwide User Conference saw record attendance, with 1100 users, 300 sessions and numerous customer panels, demos, sharing best practices, and talking about industry trends.

Eric Ruud, Managing Director for Legal Enterprise Solutions, discusses this year’s VANTAGE conference, and how users can continue to keep up with developments at Elite throughout the year.

What does it take to turn a business with more than 4400 customers in 40 countries into a customer-focused community. Patrick Hurley, Elite vice president of customer advocacy discusses Elite’s effort to put the customer at the forefront of everything it does, and how that plays into the VANTAGE 2016 Worldwide User Conference underway in Nashville this week. 

VANTAGE 2016 Worldwide User Conferenc e is being held in Nashville this week.  More than 1100 Elite users will take in presentations, user group meetings, exhibits, demos and a learning lab.

Elizabet Hardy, vice president of product management for Elite, discusses today’s keynote that kicked off the conference.

How will we use virtual reality, wearable technologies and voice-controlled virtual assistants in the years ahead? In this edition of Mind Your Business, an interview with Kate Boeckman, Manager, Strategic Product Development in the Applied Innovation Group at Thomson Reuters Kate is currently tracking wearable and other emerging product technologies, generating innovative opportunities for their use, and leading efforts to develop proof-of-concepts, partnerships, and products based on these technologies.

Thanks to the Internet, it seems as though your firm’s hard-earned reputation is in the hands of people who can hurt you with just one smart-aleck comment or a harsh online review. But even when you’re not in complete control of your firm’s reputation, you can still manage it.

A new white paper, You Can’t Control Your Firm’s Reputation (But You Can Manage It). features research from FindLaw and paints a rosier picture of the online rating and review process than most attorneys imagine.

It examines some of the strategies your firm can use to put ratings, rankings and social media comments to work for you.

Ever since MySpace came on to the scene, social media such as Facebook, and YouTube Instagram has enabled emerging bands to build a following in hopes of breaking out without the aid of record labels and promoters. But are there legal pitfalls that aspiring musicians should be aware of in an era of social media, Pandora and Spotify?

William Hochberg of Greenberg Glusker discusses.

What does a prosecutor do when they have a bad case? Maybe use the "liar's plea."  This option allows a defendant to plead guilty to a different charge they did not commit in order for the prosecution to

move the case forward. By using a liar's plea, a defendant can plead guilty to a much lesser charge or different charge that would be much more favorable to them, but still allow for some kind of conviction.

And, it's more common than you would think.

Some feel that the liar's plea is simply manipulation of the system; however, there is some attractiveness to pleading to a lesser charge that you did not commit rather than spending all your money to go to trial.

John Mitchell of Thompson Hine says people may be surprised how commonly the liar’s plea is used, as well as the pros and cons of this practice.

European Union privacy officials are expected to announce next week whether they plan to approve a new "Data Privacy Shield" arrangement with the US that would uphold privacy rights for Europeans and limit US government surveillance involving their data.

The previous EU-U.S. “Safe Harbor” agreement was rejected by the European Court of Justice, thanks to U.S. mass surveillance programs.

Michael Whitener of VLP Law Group discusses the many complex issues involved.

You know that choosing the right attorney is no small decision.

Yet surprisingly, people looking for a legal representative don’t exactly take it slow. Once they understand that they’re facing a legal need, today’s legal consumers get right to work finding a firm.

Why the need for speed?

FindLaw’s new white paper on legal consumer behavior examines how the power of emotion and the fear of loss often lead to these urgent behaviors. Legal consumers typically recognize that they’re facing potentially major risks – perhaps financial, perhaps penal – and they worry accordingly. They’re anxious to stave off any future legal or financial difficulties that they or their loved ones could be facing.

Logically, to avoid the negative outcomes they fear, legal consumers urgently seek competent, skilled representation. They want an attorney whom they can trust to deal with those potential consequences as soon as possible.

The bottom line for your practice: If you can convince them that you have the credentials and experience to keep them safe, your firm becomes a very attractive choice to today’s legal consumers.

http://www.lawyermarketing.com/white-papers/your-next-client-wants-to-hire-you-now/

An interview with Debbie Foster, co-CEO of Apps for Good, whose mission is to transform the way technology is taught in schools; to empower students from all backgrounds to seize the opportunities of our digital age and create solutions to the problems they care about, using technology.

If you're looking for ONES and ZEROS this is not the episode for you, this episode is all about popular culture!!  The show talks at length about the latest installment of Star Wars (SPOILERS IN PODCAST).  The guys tell stories of their immediate reactions and emotional responses to the key events of the film -which included some tears.  There are even some great Wookie impressions done as well.

After the initial discussion about the actual movie, the guys go on a ride that asks some tough questions, such as:  "How does Chewbacca work on such small instruments with so much fur on his hands?" and "How does Rey master "The Force" in such a short time in the movie?"

So, buckle you seat-belts and get ready for an entertainment-heavy version on "Wait, What!?"

What do you think about the topic in this episode? Do you love us? Hate us? Got some great ideas? Please send your thoughts, feedback and show ideas to our NEW email address: waitwhatshow@thomsonreuters.com (or waitwhatshow@tr.com). Also, you can reach the team on Twitter: Matt Angelicola (@MattAngelicola), Joe Harris (@Jwh37), Rob Russell (@batogato) and Jason Thomas (@jasonthomas). We’re also on iTunes – just enter “Legal Current” in the search box.

-

iamjasonthomas.com

@jasonthomas

The nomination of Merrick Garland as U.S. Supreme Court justice is raising numerous questions – both legal and political. Both aspects are discussed with Prof. Ronald Rotunda, Professor, Doy and Dee Henley Chair and Distinguished Professor of Jurisprudence at Dale E. Fowler School of Law, Chapman University

Justice Antonin Scalia made his mark in jurisprudence as a Supreme Court Justice, but he also touched people's lives as a law professor.

Justice Scalia served on the faculty of both the University of Virginia Law School and the University of Chicago Law School.

Michael Whitener of VLP Law Group studied under Justice Scalia and reflects on Antonin Scalia the law professor.

The U.S. Supreme Court is back in session with eight seated justices, following the death of Justice Antonin Scalia,  And Justice Scalia's absence from the bench is already impacting significant class action cases that are coming before the Court.

Reuters legal columnist Alison Frankel discusses how this is affecting these key cases.  In a recent column, Frankel noted that Dow Chemical last week settled a class action case and dropped its petition for Supreme Court review, citing "“increased likelihood for unfavorable outcomes for businesses involved in class action suits.”

After a prolonged absence due to holidays, vacations and two feet of snow in the Washington, D.C. area, the guys are back!!

The show starts out with the show recounting the story of two Virgina Tech college students (male and female) who were involved in the disappearance of a teenage girl.  The guy discuss how the use of the app "Kik" was used by the perpetrators of this crime to ultimately lure the young girl to her death.  This then leads to a discussion about mobile apps and the dangers that they pose to teens and young children and potentially adults as well.  

Moving on deeper into the show, the discussion transitions into a discussion surrounding inappropriate photos and text messages sent via cell phone or other mobile devices.

What do you think about the topic in this episode? Do you love us? Hate us? Got some great ideas? Please send your thoughts, feedback and show ideas to our NEW email address: waitwhatshow@thomsonreuters.com (or waitwhatshow@tr.com). Also, you can reach the team on Twitter: Matt Angelicola (@MattAngelicola), Joe Harris (@Jwh37), Rob Russell (@batogato) and Jason Thomas (@jasonthomas). We’re also on iTunes – just enter “Legal Current” in the search box.

What impact did Justice Antonin Scalia have on the Supreme Court? And what lies ahead for the Court? 

Legal Current explores these questions with Prof. Ronald D. Rotunda, The Doy & Dee Henley Chair and Distinguished Professor of Jurisprudence at Chapman University, and co-author of Nowak and Rotunda's Treatise on Constitutional Law: Substance and Procedure.

Last summer, in the case of HM Electronics Inc.v. R.F. Technologies Inc., a federal judge ordered severe sanctions because of e-discovery failures. How do new rules on proportionality and spoliation impact how e-discovery is handled? Robert Brownstone with Fenwick & West discusses.

As more states move towards legalized marijuana, business entities such as medical marijuana dispensaries or other marijuana-related businesses are starting to bump up against patent and trademark issues that may prevent them from enjoying many of the intellectual property protections that other businesses use.  

Doug Sorocco of Dunlap Codding looks at some of the "grassroot" IP obstacles facing businesses in the cannabis trade.

Law firms invest significant effort and finances developing savvy marketing campaigns that drive traffic to their websites or phone calls to their law firms, only to drop the ball when it comes time to turn that prospective client into a paying one.

It all comes down to intake – the processes a law firm uses to collect and manage leads, with the goal of converting them into clients. Intake is an essential function of any successful legal business, and one that is often mismanaged or underdeveloped. What’s worse, our research shows that most attorneys think they’re actually doing a good job at intake. The sad truth is that their perceptions simply don’t match the reality.

FindLaw’s white paper, “Failing At The Finish Line: How Law Firms Lose Prospective Clients At The Front Door” examines how firms can improve their intake practices.

 James W. Jones, senior fellow at the Center for the Study of the Legal Profession, discusses the "2016 State of the Legal Market" report by the Center for the Study of the Legal Profession at Georgetown University Law Center and Thomson Reuters Peer Monitor

Michael Hawes of Baker Botts discusses patent law cases coming up before the U.S. Supreme Court

It wasn’t that long ago that every Presidential campaign had its own theme song. Even George Washington had one. Thomas Jefferson. Abraham Lincoln. Even Jimmy Carter.

But in recent decades, the music stopped. Or at least went Top 40. Presidential campaigns switched from original campaign themes to using hit pop songs, which has sparked a flurry of lawsuits from artists.

Whatever happened to the original campaign theme song?

Folk music historian Oscar Brand has recorded many historical Presidential campaign theme songs with a record for Smithsonian Folkways

William Hochberg of Greenberg Glusker discusses the long history of President campaign theme songs from the days of Washington to modern era of artist lawsuits.

The 2015 amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure took effect on December 1, 2015.

Some of the amendments apply even to cases that were filed prior to that date.

The authors of the Federal Civil Rules Handbook, 2016 edition, William M. Janssen and Steven Baicker-McKee discuss the treatise and the new 2015 amendments.

William Janssen also has a series of articles on Federal Rules of Civil Procedure on the Legal Solutions Blog.

A monthly look at reputation management in the era of social media & the 24 hour news cycle

- United Airlines: Should you disclose when your CEO suffers a heart attack?

- Blame it on Paris. Will the tragedy in Paris affect the Rio Olympics?

- Gawker Media & "Layoff Slack Bingo"

Patsy Doerr interviews Deirdre Stanley, Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Board Secretary, Thomson Reuters on diversity inclusion, its role in corporate strategies and managing your career.

Jason Thomas is on the Ashley Madison list! Wait, What?

Oh, it turns out there's more than one Jason Thomas in Arlington, Virginia. And one of them may have been outed in the infamous Ashley Madison case. And it wasn’t this Jason Thomas, it turns out.

But it begs the question, what are the ethics of Doxing -- publishing private or identifying information about a particular individual on the Internet, typically with malicious intent.

Jason, Joe and Matt join the doxing debate.

What do you think about the topic in this episode? Do you love us? Hate us? Got some great ideas? Please send your thoughts, feedback and show ideas to our NEW email address: waitwhatshow@thomsonreuters.com. Also, you can reach the team on Twitter: Matt Angelicola (@MattAngelicola), Joe Harris (@Jwh37), Rob Russell (@batogato) and Jason Thomas (@jasonthomas). We’re also on iTunes – just enter “Legal Current” in the search box.

What really happened in the tumultuous month that led to the sale of the LA Clippers by Donald Sterling?

Shelly Sterling’s attorney Pierce O¹Donnell of Greenberg Glusker reveals the inside story that led to the sale of the Clippers.

Wait, What? Unplugged Edition

They’re back! After a rather extended summer break, Wait, What? Returns.

Jason, Joe, Rob and Matt are back at, this time taking a break from the world of legal technology to discuss alien superstructures, the demise of a publishing icon, and, of course, the new Star Wars movie.

Does intelligent life exist on other worlds in galaxies far, far away? It certainly exists on Wait, What?

What do you think about the topics in this episode? Do you love us? Hate us? Got some great ideas? Please send your thoughts, feedback and show ideas to our NEW email address: waitwhatshow@thomsonreuters.com. Also, you can reach the team on Twitter: Matt Angelicola (@MattAngelicola), Joe Harris (@Jwh37), Rob Russell (@batogato) and Jason Thomas (@jasonthomas). We’re also on iTunes – just enter “Legal Current” in the search box.

Patsy Doerr interviews Nicole Hansen, manager, community relations for the Thomson Reuters legal business on the role of corporate responsibility.

You can listen to Mind Your Business by clicking the play button on the built-in player below, or to download, right-click here.

All of our Legal Current podcasts can also be found on iTunes – just enter “Legal Current” in the search box. And if you have ideas for future topics, please let us know by commenting on this post or emailing legal.current@thomsonreuters.com.

Thomson Reuters has released Commercial Litigation in New York State Courts, Fourth Edition as part of a joint venture with the New York County Lawyers’ Association.

Commercial Litigation in New York State Courts, Fourth Edition includes 22 new chapters, two new volumes and expanded content across a range of topics that engage the interplay between rules of procedure and substantive law, outline strategies for representation of plaintiff and defendant, and consider ramifications of various actions.

Robert L. Haig, partner at Kelley Drye & Warren LLP in New York, served as editor-in-chief of the publication, which includes the work of 182 expert authors, investing, by his estimates, more than $40 million of billable time developing this treatise.

Although women make up 36 percent of attorneys, a recent study by the ABA’s Commission on Women in the Profession found that only male lead counsels in civil cases outnumber their female counterparts by more than 3 to 1.

Angela Agrusa of Liner LLP discusses both the progress that has been made, and the progress that has yet to be made on gender equality in the legal profession.

Volkswagen, Pope Francis, Steve Jobs and the Art of Reputation Management.

Google still has not announced whether it will appeal a ruling earlier this year by the Court of Appeal for British Columbia ordering the Internet giant to remove certain links from its search engine – not just in British Columbia, but worldwide, because of a trademark infringement lawsuit brought by tech company Equustek.

The ruling have broad implications regarding jurisdiction over Internet disputes. Doug Sorocco of Dunlop Fielding discusses the closely-watched case.

This edition of Ill Repute discusses the following current events in the world of reputation management and the forces in the 24-hour news cycle and social media that impact it.

- Ashley Madison: The New HR Wild Card?

- The Summer of Discontent in Major Universities

- Women in Sports: Not Just On the Field

- What's up with North Korea's New Time Zone?

Mind Your Business returns with Patsy Doerr, head of Diversity and Inclusion at Thomson Reuters.

How will we feed 9 billion people in 2050? If we are to meet the hungry demands of our future, we need a revolution in the way we produce and deliver food. Access the full report at 9billionbowls.com

Patsy Doerr interviews

Hear the word “brand,” and you might think of that apple with an oval bite taken out of it, or Target’s famous red bull’s-eye. In other words, you might think that branding doesn’t have much to do with running a law firm.

If that describes your outlook on branding, you’re missing out on one of the best tools for building business.

A new white paper from FindLaw explains the importance of brand for law firms. “Marginalizing Your Most Important Asset; What Most Attorneys Don’t Understand About Brands” can be downloaded here: http://www.lawyermarketing.com/white-papers/marginalizing-your-most-valuable-asset/

Mark Jacobsen and Christi Krautbauer discuss some tips for law firms in building an effective brand that drives new business.

Is Your Car Really a Transformer?

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla Motors once described the Tesla Model S as a sophisticated computer on wheels.  These days, that description actually applies to most cars, which are equipped with an increasing array of sensors, relays and connective equipment that control, monitor and report numerous systems and data. 

Tesla recently patched its software after hackers announced that they had figured out a way to hack into Teslas.  And class-action suits have been filed against Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Harman International,after hackers showed that a Jeep Cherokee could be hijacked remotely, three car owners have filed a lawsuit seeking the maker of the Uconnect onboard infotainment system.

Michael Whitener of VLP Law Group LLP talks about the many legal issues involved with today’s “connected cars” such as privacy and consent.

Welcome to Ill Repute, a podcast about reputation and the forces in the 24 hour news cycle and social media that inpact them. In this edition, Susan Martin is joined by Thomson Reuters resident PR consultant, Leonard Lee, as well as Alex Cook, sr. communications specialist. This week, they discuss how the Daily Show with Jon Stewart transformed political and cultural discussions of the news and the downfall of Subway spokesman Jared Fogle and how the company is handling that.

Legal Solutions from Thomson Reuters are all about delivering legal content, technology and expertise. The site has thousands of products for sale, including numerous books from Thomson Reuters key authors.

One of those authors is Dennis J. Wall, an experienced litigator, mediator, and expert witness in Florida and Federal Trial and Appellate Courts, and an elected member of the American Law Institute.

His first book, “Litigation and Prevention of Insurer Bad Faith, 3d” (Third Edition; 2015 Supplement, Thomson Reuters West), has been called “the Bible of Bad Faith,” addressing over 5,000 cases, statutes and other legal authorities. He was also co-author of “Catastrophe Claims: Insurance Coverage for Natural and Man-Made Disasters” (Thomson Reuters West; 2015 Supplements).

In this podcast, Wall reads an excerpt from "Litigation and Prevention of Insurer Bad Faith, 3d."

After all the oral arguments, deliberations, briefs and decisions, it’s official.  Drew Farmer is the winner of this year’s FantasySCOTUS competition. 

Mind Your Business returns, and in this installment, Patsy Doerr, head of Diversity and Inclusion at Thomson Reuters, is joined by Pat David, managing director and global head of Diversity for JP Morgan Chase. Among the topics they cover include diversity in the financial sector and how diversity and inclusion have evolved over the years.

The latest installment of Wait, What? has the guys taking the show into the realm of video. No, you didn't read that wrong; Jason, Joe and Matt had their latest podcast recorded in an actual news studio in Washington, D.C. After the initial shock of being on camera wore off, the guys settle into a discussion on the use of Magic Bands at Walt Disney World and how the theme park uses these to enhance the visitor experience. At the same time, they talk about the privacy implications of these devices and just how willing a park-goer is to relinquish elements of their Personally Identifiable Information (PII) for ease of access to certain amenities.

On a related topic, the guys discuss the advent of Amazon's voice activated system known as "Alexa." The guys give Jason a pretty hard time about his "relationship" with Alexa, which makes for a great segment.

Welcome to Ill Repute, a podcast about reputation and the forces in the 24 hour news cycle and social media that inpact them. In this edition, Susan Martin is joined by Thomson Reuters resident PR consultant, Leonard Lee, as well as Communications Lead Gretchen DeSutter. This week, they discuss the reputation management of Donald Trump's presidential campaign, KFC's fried rat scandal, and the latest social media food fight between Sprint CEO Marcelo Claure and T-Mobile CEO John Legere.

Trade Secret Misappropriation and Employment Contracts

With a hot technology sector and an improving economy all around,

workforce mobility has been on the rise in Silicon Valley, along with

efforts by companies to acquire premium talent from competitors. New

words like "acqui-hire" have even been invented to describe start-up

acquisitions by larger companies that target a start-up's employees,

rather than its businesses.

Warren Wayne of Bird & Bird in London discusses the changing landscape in protecting trade secrets in the US and Europe.

In the 11th edition of Wait, What? the guys talk about government surveillance programs, particularly as they have been executed in the United States. The show looks at the USA Patriot and USA Freedom Acts and discusses what responsibilities and rights any government has or should have when it comes to data collection on its citizenry. The conversation covers a broad slice of government data collection programs, but each of the guys has a different spin, which makes for a great discussion. One of the questions coming out of the discussion, is whether or not citizens should be prepared to accept certain risks to their civil liberties for the protection of their nation from its enemies. The discussion also touches on the revelations brought to light by groups like Wiki-leaks and individuals like (former NSA contractor) Edward Snowden. The group also discusses the difference between corporate versus government use of data and whether or not people even care.

China intellectual property rights have undergone significant reform in recent years.  But is it enough?  What more needs to be done?

Elizabeth Chien-Hale is a U.S. patent attorney who has extensive experience in intellectual property issues in China. Chien-Hale is a contributing author on intellectual property for “Corporate Counsel’s Guide to Doing Business in China, 3d, 2012-2013 edition”, published by Thomson Reuters. She operates a website, www.institute-ip-asia.org, where readers can find up-to-date information and articles about IP issues relating to China and other countries.

Welcome to Ill Repute, a podcast about reputation and the forces in the 24 hour news cycle and social media that inpact them. In this edition, Susan Martin is joined by Thomson Reuters resident PR consultant, Leonard Lee, as well as John Shaughnessy, vice president of Business Communications at Thomson Reuters. This week, they discuss the reputation management of the transition from Bruce to Caitlyn Jenner, how the NAACP is handling the Rachel Dolezal scandal, and how no one is safe in an age where cameras are everywhere.

AMC's Comic Book Men at AwesomeCon 2015

Gotham villians and Star Wars at AwesomeCon 2015

The male Rogue at AwesomeCon 2015

Superman and Batman at AwesomeCon 2015

A clip from Wait What's trip to AwesomeCon 2015. "We are what you'd call professionals.

In a very special episode of "Wait, What?!," the guys travel to AwesomeCon in Washington, D.C. to take in all the sights and sounds. Additionally, the show wanted to get up close and personal with the comic book/science fiction industry to see what people think about the technology and culture associated with these genres. One of the takeaways from the hours spent at the convention was that there are so many different ways to ingest media. The guys saw everything from folks buying physical comic books to people reading them on their tablets. The conversation that follows is one that questions the actual need for physical books and magazines at all, and whether or not we're in for a paperless future.

One of the other topics that the guys explore is the idea of "creativity" and whether or not drawing your own version of an established comic book, video game or movie character is actually being creative, or if it’s just copying someone else's work.

The guys had a great time interviewing people on the floor of the convention which you either listen to at the end of the show, or listening individually below.

The highlight of the convention for the show was their interview with Ming Chen (@MingChen37) and Bryan Johnson (@TellEmSteveDave) from AMC's Comic Book Men. You can listen to Matt become a complete fanboy and botch his portion of the interview.

Keep listening as we're going to have some great folks sitting in with us in the near future.

Increasingly, people are dropping their cable providers and opting instead for streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime, as well as new standalone services like HBO Go. But even these services would see dwindling subscribers, as value-added taxes have taken effect based on location. Jason Roberts, attorney and legal analyst with the Tax & Accounting business of Thomson Reuters, talked with us about the legal and economic approaches to taxing online content, and specifically, what is being referred to as the Netflix tax rolling out in countries around the world over the last year or so.

Welcome to Ill Repute, a podcast about reputation and the forces in the 24 hour news cycle and social media that inpact them. In this edition, Susan Martin is joined by Thomson Reuters resident PR consultant, Leonard Lee, as well as Social Media Specialist Joel Leeman. This week, they discuss the reputation management of the Josh Duggar scandal, the implications of Barack Obama and other politicians being more active on social media, and the growing disdain for pedal pubs due to online community hate groups.

The potential reopening of ties between the US and Cuba has people excited about the possibility of Cuban treasures reaching US shores, such as cigars, rum and….baseball players? 

Cuba has the birthplace of many major league stars over the years, and baseball fans – as well as basketball and football fans – are imagining which Cuban stars their favorite team might land.

But Glen Rothstein with Greenberg Glusker says don’t pencil those names into your lineup cards just yet.

In this episode of "Wait, What?" the guys discuss the impact technology has on medicine and medical procedures. Jason starts off the talk by discussing his grandmother's heart surgery, using a pig valve. This sparks a discussion about the advent of drones as a first responders and whether or not it is actually feasible.  The guys then talk about their comfort level with a robot or artificial intelligence diagnosing a disease or performing a surgery versus interaction with a human doctor. A couple of other interesting technologies discussed include: Glucose sensing contact lenses for diabetics and wireless insulin pens.

The show is still going to attend Awesome Con in Washington, D.C. at the end of May and we're hoping to wrangle some of our favorite celebrities for interviews. Our next show will air on June 5. We'd LOVE for our audience to drive what we talk about on our next episode, so feel free to reach out to us with some ideas!

“Deflategate” did more than just deflate the hopes of Patriots fans.  The NFL investigation raised some interesting questions about the rights of employees when it comes to ESI (electronically stored information) on their personal cellphones. 

John Martin, partner and practice leader of the Nelson Mullins Encompass e-discovery group, says both employers and employers should take note of how Tom Brady’s text messages were treated during the investigation.

Welcome to Ill Repute, a podcast about reputation and the forces in the 24 hour news cycle and social media that inpact it. In this episode, Susan Martin speaks with resident PR consultant, Leonard Lee, and Senior Communications Specialist Alex Cook, about the latest Deflate-gate drama, the recent Amtrak crash, and the public relations issues facing the airline industry.

In the eighth episode of "Wait, What?", the show delves into the unintended consequences of technology. Jason starts off with an example of the dual uses of an everyday hammer. The guys start talking about the misuse of things like the Tor - which are intended for good, but are used for nefarious things as well. Another unintended consequence of technological progress is the jack-hammering in the background of the podcast (if you're listening at home, take a shot every time Jason brings this up during the podcast). The guys then attempt to answer the question of whether or not we (as creators of technology) have an obligation to think about the unintended uses of it. Jason, Matt and Joe each point out that children's chemistry sets used to contain radioactive materials and poisons that otherwise intelligent adults didn't think were bad for kids.

The show is attending Awesome Con in Washington, D.C. at the end of May and the guys are hoping to wrangle some of their favorite celebrities for interviews. The next show will air on May 21, where the discussion will focus on the rapid advances in medical technology.

The new Thomson Reuters Practical Law Deal Protections and Remedies Report is now available and was recently presented at a recent ABA Business Section Meeting.

The report analyzes deal-protection measures binding target companies and for the first time also reviews the deal protections negotiated by buyers who require their own stockholder approval before closing.  In this podcast, Dan Rubin, Senior Legal Editor, Corporate and M&A Service at Practical Law recaps the high points of the report.

The 2014-15 Supreme Court term is getting into high gear, with oral arguments last week in Obergefell v. Hodges, dealing with gay marriage bans.  Decisions in Obergefell and several other high-profile cases have yet to be announced. FantasySCOTUS participants still have plenty of opportunity to get their selections in before the High Court issues many of its major decisions.

Josh Blackman, creator of FantasySCOTUS, gives us a “half-time” update on the current FantasySCOTUS season. 

Welcome to Ill Repute, a podcast about reputation and the forces in the 24 hour news cycle and social media that inpact it. In this episode, Leonard Lee, John Shaughnessy and Jeff McCoy discuss the NFL draft, activist and celebrity CEOs.

Welcome to Mind Your Business, a podcast on corporate responsibility and inclusion, hosted by Patsy Doerr, global head of corporate responsibility and inclusion at Thomson Reuters

Today's guest is James White with the Diversity & Inclusion team for the Americas at Credit Suisse.

This episode starts out with the show's reaction and discussion of the latest movie trailer for the Star Wars - The Force Awakens. For the non-nerds in our listening audience, you can fast forward a couple minutes to get to the meat of the podcast. The guys jump into a discussion about a non-government related collection of Personally Identifying Information (PII) and how that differs from government sanctioned collection of data, and where it differs (if it does at all). The guys also discuss "opting-in" to PII collection ("Little Brother") versus the Orwellian version of Big Brother and how our choices effect this (or if we even have a choice anymore).

The discussion then evolves into a productive debate - with typical Wait, What? humor - over the importance, need for, and ramifications of collecting a person's data. This rolls nicely into a discussion about the apparent acceptance of video/audio surveillance in modern society and how people seem to simply to not care that they are being recorded.

The show is very pleased to announce that we will be attending Awesome Con in Washington, D.C. at the end of May. We hope to get some on-the-spot interviews with some celebrities and other attendees. Our next show will air on May 8, when we discuss the unintended consequences of technology.

You can now speed through store checkout lanes just by waving your smartphone.  New mobile payment systems purport to be fast, convenient and secure.  Well, maybe not that last part.  Bob Benjy, an attorney with Frandzel Robins Bloom & Csato, who works with financial institutions, says mobile payment systems such as Apple Pay, Google Wallet and CurrentC may present potentially serious security loopholes.

Meanwhile, the IP & Science business of Thomson Reuters has just issued a patent analysis examining all facets of smartphone security and finds that smartphone manufacturers are dramatically stepping up their global patent filings related to protecting the privacy of cellular callers.

Net neutrality is the principle that Internet service providers and governments should treat all data on the Internet equally, not discriminating or charging differentially by user, content, site, platform, application, type of attached equipment, or mode of communication. Examples of net neutrality violations include when the Internet service provider Comcast intentionally slowed peer-to-peer communications.

On February 26, the FCC ruled in favor of net neutrality by reclassifying broadband access as a telecommunications service and thus applying Title II (common carrier) of the Communications Act of 1934 to Internet service providers.

We spoke with Judge Daniel Brenner, who serves on the Los Angeles County Superior Court, about net neutrality and the legal issues surrounding it. Previously Brenner was a partner in the communications, media and entertainment group of Hogan Lovells US LLP in its Washington and Los Angeles offices. His practice concentrated on matters involving cable operators, programmers, and suppliers with a focus on policy, intellectual property, and regulation before the Federal Communications Commission, the U.S. Copyright Office, and Congress.  Judge Brenner is the author of the book Cable Television and Other Nonbroadcast Video, published by Thomson Reuters.

Welcome to a new edition of Ill Repute, a bi-weekly podcast on reputation and the forces in a 24 hour news cycle and social media that impact it. This week, Susan Martin is joined by colleague in Corporate Affairs, Gretchen DeSutter, as well as resident PR consultant, Leonard Lee. Listen as they discuss ramifications around the Rolling Stone retracted article, "A Rape on Campus," as well as their thoughts on brand management at the 2015 Masters Tournament.

With the Annual Bar Association’s (ABA) Techshow 2015 coming up next week, we talked with WestlawNext-sponsored keynote speaker Nicholas Carr to get a preview on what he will be discussing. In this podcast, Carr also talks with us about the consequences surrounding our dependence on computers, how our relationship with technology has changed the practice of law, and his take on the Right To Be Forgotten.

This episode starts off with a question regarding whether or not any of the guys have any embarrassing photos on the internet. This quickly leads into a conversation about the "Right To Be Forgotten" and whether or not people have a fundamental right to have their mistakes removed (or at least suppressed) from the internet. The guys talk about the expectation of privacy in personal life versus what someone should expect to have happen to them in a public setting; they also talk about whether or not it is disingenuous for a company or hotel to suppress negative reviews from search engines. The conversation evolves into a discussion of ownership of one's face, when consent is not given by one or more parties and the desperate need for the guys to find a lawyer to answer these questions for them.

Tune into the next show (April 24) when we hope to have our first guest.

The second episode of Ill Repute, a podcast about reputation and the forces in the 24 hour news cycle and social media that impact it, is now available. In this episode, Susan Martin talks with Alex Cook, senior communications specialist, and Leonard Lee, Thomson Reuters resident PR consultant. They discuss election year reputation management, Ted Cruz, issuing a public apology and Guiliana Rancic. There's something for everyone!