Over the weekend, we learned that the California State Bar “suspend[ed] 1,600 attorneys for violating rules set up after Tom Girardi allegedly stole millions.” At first blush, this sounds horrible—this many attorneys did what now? However, what that really means is that these lawyers neglected to comply with new trust account requirements (including registering their trust accounts with the State Bar, completing an annual self-assessment, and certifying that they understand and comply with trust account rules). As
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Trio of Articles Explore Questions about the Use of AI in Legal Writing
Here’s a trio of articles about the use of generative artificial intelligence in legal writing:
- State Bar of Wisconsin president and ethics expert, Dean Dietrich answers the question: “Are there ethical issues if a lawyer uses software such as ChatGPT to write a brief or a legal memo?” in the latest issue of the Wisconsin Lawyer.
Using AI to assist in the representation of a client is neither new nor an automatic violation of the Rules of Professional
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Wisconsin Court of Appeals Allows Negligence Claims for Cybersecurity Attacks, Holds that Invasion of Privacy Claims Require Intentional Conduct
The Wisconsin Court of Appeals allows negligence claims against businesses for cybersecurity attacks to move forward but holds that invasion of privacy claims require intentional conduct.
In the age of technology, more businesses are choosing to store their records in electronic databases for a variety of reasons, such as reducing paper files or to centrally locate information. It is likely that those electronically stored records contain personally identifiable information (PII) such as bank account records, social security numbers, driver’s
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Spell It Out For Me
We as attorneys are described in many ways. Sometimes flattering, sometimes not. But one way to describe us that will always fit is “constant learners.” The law is notorious for moving slowly, but it is always moving. Occasionally, there is a sea change, but often it is through constant tweaks. There are the laws (we like to call them statutes or ordinances depending on who passed them) created by legislatures. There are regulations created by administrative bodies. Then there
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New Podcast: ‘Bottom Up’ Focuses on Issues of Interest to Young Lawyers
A new WisLawNOW podcast called “Bottom Up,” produced by the State Bar of Wisconsin, features frank discussions and relatable stories that highlight the interests, challenges, and opportunities for attorneys in their first decade of practice.
Hosted by Emil Ovbiagele, founder of a small law firm based in Milwaukee and immediate past president of the State Bar’s Young Lawyer Division, the Bottom Up podcast is an extension of the WisLawNOW community of legal bloggers in Wisconsin.
Why the
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What ‘Caddyshack’ Taught Me About Practicing Law
I thoroughly enjoyed Emily S. Kelchen’s article What ‘The Godfather’ Taught Me About Practicing Law. I have to admit it generated a great deal of discussion at our firm. However, allow me to respectfully suggest that the source of all practical legal knowledge derives not from The Godfather, but rather from the 1980 hit comedy Caddyshack.
Here are a few movie quotes to illustrate my point.
‘So I jump ship in Hong Kong …’
In this scene, greenskeeper
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