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Corporate Counsel Connect collection

July 2014 edition

In this issue

Featured insight


Susan HackettWho's getting the most and least from the RFP process? Part 2
In my last column, I focused on common reasons and objectives that drive legal departments to consider an RFP process in order to identify outside counsel for a particular matter or portfolio of matters. I also detailed the many shortcomings of a legal department's RFP process. After taking this critical look at the RFP process, the question remains: Is it possible to improve the RFP process and create generally better results for corporate legal departments and their firms, and support stronger relationships?
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Best practices


Jeffrey Huron5 Unbreakable rules for successfully managing litigation counsel
The role of corporate counsel today is very different from not that long ago when corporate counsel selected outside counsel and then effectively delegated the litigation to them. Now corporate counsel is responsible for the expense and outcome of litigation. As such, corporate counsel must budget and control litigation expense, oversee the litigation, and take steps to ensure the objectives for the litigation are met.
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cloud computingDoes the survival of your business depend on your choice of "cloud computing" service provider?
As more businesses recognize the commercial value of "cloud computing" services, they increasingly turn to companies such as Amazon® Web Services to manage those operations. Not many companies recognize, however, that the survival of their business may depend on their choice of cloud service provider. This point was dramatically illustrated by the recent experience of the company Code Spaces.
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Patrick JohnsonNew GC? Making a successful transition in your first six months
The first months in any new role has a tremendous effect on how an employee is perceived and can determine that employee's success. For a leader in a company, this effect is amplified. For a new General Counsel that reports to the board of directors, the pressure can be enormous. Following are some key actions a GC can take in the first few months on the job to ensure success.
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In-house perspectives


Timothy O'TooleThe intersection of whistleblowing, ethics, and in-house counsel
Due to recent changes in the laws and monetary bounties for "whistleblowers," more companies have found themselves confronting employees with whistleblower complaints. But what happens when it's the company's corporate counsel who identifies potential illegal activity by the company and brings a whistleblower allegation to light? Timothy O'Toole of Miller & Chevalier has been working on cases of whistleblowing and discusses the history of whistleblowing and the ethical responsibilities of lawyers.
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Legal insights


Jeremy ByellinAereo ruling stifles technological innovation
Aereo is an online service provider that allows subscribers to view live and time-shifted streams of broadcast television on Internet-enabled devices. According to Aereo, all it does is rent equipment to its subscribers and provides no content as a video-on-demand service would. According to the group of television networks that sued Aereo, the company's practices violate their exclusive right to "publicly perform" their copyright-protected work. The ruling on this case will create an uncertainty that will stifle technological innovation going forward.
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Know-how corner


Internet privacy; Windsor guidance for retirement plans; SOX whistleblower coverage
Why your company must understand what information they are collecting, sharing and enabling third parties to collect about their users and take precautions against liability for privacy violations. Plus, why private employers that perform work for public companies should review their policies and practices regarding whistleblower claims, and what Windsor advises on retirement plans for same-sex married couples.
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This month's top 10


laptop in useTop 10 considerations when using social media in the hiring process
A promising application for a job opening at your company comes in the door. What is one of the first steps in evaluating the candidate? For many employers, it is exploring the candidate's social media presence. Although it is common practice, it is not without legal risks. Here are the top ten issues related to using social media in hiring that in-house counsel should consider.
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