The Jacksonville chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators held its monthly meeting on the 39th floor of the Bank of America tower Tuesday to hear a discussion about concerns over emerging technology.
A representative from Administrative Partners, Inc. gave a presentation on the latest high-tech equipment they offer to the legal community, including the newest personal digital assistants, productivity software, storage, security and “spam” reduction options, knowledge management, computer forensics and remote connectivity.
Specific to the legal profession is the use of computer forensics to obtain discovery documents by tracking an individual’s e-mails or websites visited.
“Improper evaluation renders the material unusable,” warned Greg Pierce of Administrative Partners, Inc. He suggests leaving that process to experts who are certified by the court.
Data storage is another topic of particular interest to attorneys. One of the freshest storage methods uses multiple servers that mirror each other’s data in case one of the servers fail. This method, called clustering, is especially recommended for offices with more than one location.
Security is another issue of ongoing concern. Pierce mentioned an option that does not work on “patches” or anti-virus software but instead uses a firewall to screen e-mail attachments. If the attachment is contaminated, it is stripped before it gets to the server. The same concept works in another fashion by preventing a connection if there is a virus on the personal computer.
The ALA and the Jacksonville Bar Association are hosting a seminar Sept. 18 from 1:30-4:30 p.m. at the Omni.