December 2005 Issue

Cover Story

The Top 10 in Tech

Dominating the news like the world-changer it is, technology was a major character in many of the year’s top news stories, from the subpoenaed e-mails and digital forensics that underlie many headline-grabbing court cases to the hacking of celebrity cell phones. New programs, old problems—technology remains be­hind them all.

Technology continues to work its way into and through the traditional practice of law. Since digital communications have taken over legal practice, lawyers can no longer assume that the old rules regarding issues like attorney-client privilege or document destruction apply.

This year’s top 10 list provides some snapshots of the challenges lawyers face and the technology that can help. Many changes are incremental, not enormous, but they still make a difference in how law is practiced today.

Feature Section

Taking Control

Norwood, Ohio, already was bleeding in 1987 when General Motors Corp. pulled the plug on its plant in the Cincinnati suburb, idling more than 4,000 workers and sucking away 35 percent of the city’s tax base.

Battle of the Expert

District Attorney Michael Dugan says his office has but one agenda: to hold accountable those it has probable cause to believe have violated the law.