
Digital Detectives
Welcome to Digital Detectives. We'll discuss computer forensics, electronic discovery and information security issues and what's really happening in the trenches. It's not theory, but practical information that you can use in your law practice on the Legal Talk Network.
Latest episodes

Jan 20, 2023 • 28min
It’s a Good Time for a Cybersecurity Checkup
There’s no “set it and forget it” for your law firm’s cybersecurity. Effective security is a continuing process, and the start of a new year is a great time to see how your firm is doing. Sharon Nelson and John Simek talk with David Ries about how to give your firm a cybersecurity checkup. They outline what lawyers need to include in their assessment and where to find reliable information on the latest security tools, training, resources, and statistics. David G. Ries is Of Counsel in the Pittsburgh PA office of Clark Hill, PLC, where he practices in the firm’s Cybersecurity, Data Protection and Privacy Group. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 15, 2022 • 29min
Holidays and Weekends: Prime Time for Cyberattacks
Cyber criminals aren’t taking time off for the holidays. In fact, Sharon and John had a surprise Thanksgiving morning when they learned that hackers had attacked their own company over 400 times throughout the night. Thankfully, their security wasn’t breached, but this experience highlighted for them once again the increased risk we all face as the holiday season approaches. To keep you from getting the gift of ransomware for Christmas, Sharon and John give a comprehensive overview of ways to recognize suspicious activity and combat cyber attacks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nov 17, 2022 • 32min
The Ethics of Communicating with Your Clients and Using Your Smartphone
Communicating with clients is essential to good lawyering, but doing so without proper precautions could set you up for trouble. Sharon Nelson and John Simek discuss the ethics of lawyer communications with Daniel Siegel, an attorney and current chair of the Pennsylvania Bar Association Committee on Legal Ethics and Professional Responsibility. They talk through the new guidance issued by this committee and best practices for secure communications through email, smartphones, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 20, 2022 • 34min
What Constitutes Ethical Cybersecurity for Law Firms Today?
Rapid changes in cybercrime and the security that keeps it at bay have left many lawyers’ heads spinning. With so much continuous change, how do you keep up with ethical cybersecurity needs for your firm? To help lawyers understand current best practices, Sharon Nelson and John Simek talk through the must-have measures legal ethicists deem essential for all law firms and offer tips for finding cyber-insurance at an affordable price. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sep 29, 2022 • 30min
ILTACON Roars Back in 2022 – Here’s What You Missed
ILTACON’s peer-driven approach strives to provide a unique experience for the legal industry with its heavy focus on education and attendee involvement. Sharon Nelson and John Simek welcome Doug Austin to debrief on ILTACON 2022. They cover highlights, lowlights, and how the conference stacks up against other legal tech events.Doug Austin is an established eDiscovery thought leader with over 30 years of experience providing eDiscovery best practices, legal technology consulting, and technical project management services to numerous commercial and government clients. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aug 18, 2022 • 39min
Ripped From the Headlines: Alex Jones and Inadvertent Waiver
In the midst of Alex Jones’ defamation trial, the whole world found out that an almost unthinkable blunder had been committed by his attorneys, resulting in an inadvertent waiver of privilege that majorly impacted his case. How did this happen? What do legal professionals need to learn from this high-profile gaffe? Digital Detectives hosts Sharon Nelson and John Simek welcome Craig Ball to talk listeners through events in the Jones trial, the actions of the lawyers involved and Texas’ unique rule regarding inadvertent production, and the systems and tools all attorneys must employ to avoid such an egregious error in their own practice.Read Craig’s full blog post on the subject: Ripped From the Headlines: Alex Jones and Inadvertent Waiver. Craig Ball practices as a Special Master in electronic evidence and discovery, is a longtime adjunct professor at Texas School of Law and Tulane Law School, and writes and speaks around the world on e-discovery and computer forensics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jul 28, 2022 • 34min
Advice for Law Firms from a Data Breach/Privacy Lawyer
Studies show that over 70% of people haven’t the foggiest idea who to call first when they discover a data breach. If you’ve just realized you’re one of them, tune in! John Simek and Sharon Nelson talk with cybersecurity lawyer Beth Waller about what lawyers need to know about data breach response and how to have a proactive, compliant cybersecurity plan.Beth Waller is chair of the Cybersecurity and Data Privacy Practice at Woods Rogers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 23, 2022 • 35min
How Secure is Your Law Firm’s Data?
Unfortunately, data breaches are becoming a ‘when’, not ‘if’, scenario, but a proactive data protection strategy will definitely help! Sharon Nelson and John Simek talk with Peter Baumann about what businesses should do to get ahead of threat actors and develop effective responses to breaches. They discuss the risk distinctions between structured and unstructured data, talk about lawyer-specific data considerations, and explain how to assess your security needs and get the right tools for the job.Peter Baumann is CEO and founder of ActiveNav, a leading data privacy and governance software provider. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 19, 2022 • 26min
Revealing Stats from the 8th Annual BakerHostetler Data Security Incident Response Report
Avoiding a data breach should be amongst your top priorities, and understanding threats and causes helps you improve your preventative measures. Sharon Nelson and John Simek welcome back Craig Hoffman to unpack the findings of BakerHostetler’s 2022 DSIR Report. They outline the security mishaps that just won’t go away; talk about ransomware and companies’ interactions with “reliable” vs. “unreliable” threat actors; discuss the enhancement of security through training, training, training; and much more. Craig Hoffman is a sought-after digital risk advisor who co-leads the Digital Risk Advisory and Cybersecurity team at law firm BakerHostetler. Special thanks to our sponsors CaseFleet, Clio, Embroker, and PInow. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 21, 2022 • 29min
Russia’s Digital Iron Curtain
The online space for Russia’s civil society has been slowly closing for nearly a decade, but after the invasion in Ukraine, governmental powers quickly seized control of internet freedoms—banning and blocking at will. What does this mean for the flow of information and the future of the internet both in Russia and internationally? Digital Detectives hosts Sharon Nelson and John Simek welcome Eva Galperin to discuss perspectives on the effects of censorship, Russia’s ways and means of accomplishing its internet restrictions, and how some Russians still find ways to access independent news. Eva Galperin is Electronic Frontier Foundation's director of cybersecurity. Special thanks to our sponsors CaseFleet, Clio, and PInow. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices