Recent media attention has highlighted a disturbing trend: information security breaches are on the rise. These breaches can cost a business a lot of time and money. They can also result in a loss of customer trust and brand reputation – valuable commodities that are easier to lose than to earn back. While most businesses try to mitigate the risk of a security breach, many may not be aware of their requirements under Maine law in the event that a breach occurs. Read on after the jump for more information.
Monthly Archives: January 2014
The Recorded Statement: An Invaluable Resource
Research has shown that human memory deteriorates over time. The more time passes between the moment a memory is made and the time it needs to be remembered, the less accurate recall is likely to be. Unfortunately for defense lawyers, by the time a file appears on our desk, months if not years have likely passed since the event that gave rise to the claim. By the time we have a chance to interview witnesses or ask the plaintiff questions under oath, the answer “I can’t recall” becomes all too common.
Fortunately, there is a solution to this problem: Continue reading
Maine’s Judges, Among the Lowest-Paid in the Nation, May Soon See a Cost-of-Living Increase
Maine’s Supreme Court ranks 50th in the nation for judicial compensation.
On Tuesday, January 14, the Judiciary Committee voted to support a measure granting all 60 Maine judges a 4 percent cost-of-living increase for both the current and prior fiscal year. Although the judiciary received a pay raise in July 2013 (the first since 1998), the statute also provides for annual cost-of-living increases, and the Maine bench has not received a cost-of-living increase since 2008. Even with the proposed increases, Maine’s judiciary would still be among the lowest paid in the nation. Read on for more about the proposal, and why Maine’s flagging judicial compensation should matter to Maine companies.
Mixing Business with Vodka: Questioning the Sobriety of Witnesses
One of the most common questions lawyers ask at depositions is some form of the following: “Are you under the influence of alcohol or any other substance that would prevent you from testifying truthfully and accurately?” Law schools teach us to ask this question to prevent witnesses from claiming later that their memory had been obscured by alcohol or drugs. In many settings though, this question is not asked of witnesses. What follows is a short (and true) story about what happened in one such instance.
Don’t Get Snowed Under by Legal Costs this Slip-and-Fall Season
Most Mainers know the old adage that Maine has only two seasons: winter and mud season. The joke has a grain of truth, however, and the dangers and costs of ice and snow are no laughing matter. According to the Maine Department of Labor, since 2011, slips and falls on ice and snow have cost Maine workers, employers, and insurers more than $2.3 million annually in lost time and medical expenses. When winter weather hits, Maine businesses need to be prepared, or potentially face slip and fall suits and workers’ compensation claims. Maine law can shield a business exercising best practices from slip and fall suits, but it can also create pitfalls for the unprepared. Read on after the break for some tips to protect your business and your bottom line.
Your First Report 