As the practice of law continues to evolve, lawyers are looking for new ways to serve clients and expand their businesses. One area of legal practice that has gained a lot of momentum is the concept of “law new.” This term can be difficult to define, but it generally refers to an innovative approach to legal services. This can include focusing on underserved communities, using technology and creating strategies that are different from standard practice.
Governing ourselves and our institutions is the responsibility of all of us. It is fundamental that we have access to the process by which decisions are made and to the records pertaining to those decisions. This is the bedrock principle of our Constitutional system.
In order to achieve this, Congress has enacted numerous laws to guarantee the people their right to know. These laws, known as the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), provide a framework for providing citizens with the information they need to participate in their government.
The FOIA allows individuals to request access to records from federal agencies. A request must be in writing and describe the specific information requested. The agency is required to respond within 30 days with the information requested or explain why access is denied. The request may be amended. If access is denied, the individual has the option to appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.
State & Local Law News focuses on current developments in the law of interest to state and local government attorneys, news about Section activities and other information of professional interest to Section members. It is available on the web and in PDF format for Section members.
International Law News is published quarterly for the Section, containing brief articles on international legal news and development of professional concern to Section members. It is available on the Internet and in PDF format for Section members.
A split appeals court opinion cleared the government’s acquisition of users’ mobile device location data from Google of constitutional scrutiny, likely to increase friction between emerging technologies and law enforcement authorities over data privacy. The ruling reflects an increasing trend in the law that privacy concerns can be weighed in favor of national security needs. It also highlights the need to ensure that privacy protections are incorporated into legislation. This requires lawyers to be on top of the latest legal developments.