California law requires Web sites to "conspicuously" display a privacy-policy link
May 30, 2008
Saul Hansell at the NY Times concludes that Google is in violation of the California Online Privacy Protection Act of 2003 because it doesn’t "conspicuously" display a link to its privacy policy.
Excerpt: "… a 2004 analysis by law firm Cooley Godward Kronish doesn’t list any other option for conspicuous notice other than placing the privacy policy itself or a link to it on a site’s home page. And the California Office of Information Security and Data Protection offers this recommendation to Web sites:
Use a conspicuous link on your home page containing the word “privacy.” Make the link conspicuous by using larger type than the surrounding text, contrasting color, or symbols that call attention to it.
Lawyers’ outsourcing of client data may jeopardize attorney-client privilege
May 24, 2008
Some lawyers are concerned that if they outsource legal work to non-U.S. firms, they could be jeopardizing the attorney-client privilege because of the U.S. Government’s position that it is free to monitor communications with foreigners. See this Legal Times article about a lawyer suing for a ruling on that point. (Pedro Ruz Gutierrez, Law Firm Files Suit to Bar Outsourcing of Client Data [sic], Legal Times, May 27, 2008)