We love Amazon Alexa, Google, Siri and all those listening devices. They are fun, great at home, but an absolute no around offices. Lawyers, and any other profession handling confidential or sensitive information, simply can't have them around. In this episode of the Legal Tech Podcast, Attorney and privacy expert Daniel J. Siegel explains why those devices are simply not for use in an office.

Pennsylvanians should  purchase more than the minimum $5,000 medical coverage in their auto insurance policies for several important reasons: When you buy auto insurance, you buy medical coverage to pay for your medical bills. Most people buy the minimum, yet if you are seriously hurt, or even just need a few tests, you may use up/exhaust your medical coverage quickly. Then, you have to pay the bills, typically from your private health insurance. Unlike auto policies, private health coverage...

Oh my God, the Martians are invading the legal world. Have you heard? There is this new thing called "Artificial Intelligence," and lawyers apparently have it do all of their work, including filing court documents. Or so it seems. Talk about AI is everywhere. At its core, this podcast is a plea for rationality and calmness. At another level, it points out that many lawyers and judges really don't understand artificial intelligence and are reacting to it in ways that are neither appropriate...

The constant mantra that injured workers in Pennsylvania must treat with a "company doctor" for 90 days, or they won't receive their workers' compensation benefits, is a myth, albeit one that many attorneys who represent injured workers erroneously accept as gospel. This podcast, by Pennsylvania workers' compensation attorney Daniel J. Siegel, shreds the myth that injured workers are required to treat with a designated physician, often called the company doctor. Attorney Daniel J. Siegel...

One of the great mistakes people make is not having a Will, because they assume their spouse will get everything anyway. If you don't have a Will and live in Pennsylvania, you are wrong. If you don't have a Will, and you have kids, your spouse doesn't get everything, and your kids may end up inheriting a lot of your estate. But if you draft a Will, then you don't have to worry because you can leave everything to your spouse and be comfortable that your wishes will be honored. On the other...

If you eat food past its expiration date and it has spoiled, you could suffer a fever, chills, stomach cramps, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. Or if it is really bad, you could contract E.coli, listeria, or salmonella. Now, imagine if your computer contracted the electronic versions of these conditions and got sick. Computer software also has “use by” dates, commonly known as the end-of-life  (EOL) date. These are dates after which a software developer, such as Microsoft or Apple, no longer...

Social Security Disability Benefits Attorney Christa Frank High of the Law Offices of Daniel J. Siegel, LLC discusses the basics of applying for Social Security Disability Benefits. She addresses the requirements for Social Security Disability (SSD) as well as Supplemental Security Income (SSI). For both SSD and SSI, you must show the Social Security Administration that you are disabled. This means that you have a physical or mental condition(s) that causes severe limitations so you cannot...

Lawyers, paralegals, legal support staff, and other businesses that must maintain the confidentiality of client and other information must be careful not to allow devices such as Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple's Siri to listen to and record conversations with this type of sensitive information. This podcast focuses on a recent episode of NCIS in which Forensic Scientist Kasie Hines is speaking to and getting information from an Alexa in her criminal investigatory lab. What Kasie...

When Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker celebrated his team’s victory in game 1 of the 2022 World Series, he did so before the game was over, bragging to the TV announcer how rare it is to joke and laugh during a game. Dusty Baker was convinced his invincible team had won the game. But the last laugh went to the Philadelphia Phillies, who roared back from the 5-0 deficit and won, removing the smile and the happiness from Dusty Baker’s face.  The manager’s shortlived joy is an allegory for...

Spear phishing and other forms of cybercrime are targeting law firms and businesses, and these firms need to be prepared, and need to prepare clients and customers to avoid being victims of cybercriminals who just want to steal their money. For lawyers, who are required to have technological competence, that means far more than just using antivirus software. In this edition of The Legal Tech Podcast, Attorney & Techno-Ethics Expert Daniel J. Siegel explains some of the latest criminal...

One of the scariest moments an attorney has is when he or she receives a letter from the Pennsylvania Supreme Court Office of Disciplinary Counsel (ODC) advising the lawyer that it is investigating a complaint and that it has passed its initial review stage. The notice letter, called a DB-7 or Request for Statement of Respondent's Position, is important, and you must act promptly to address whatever is in the DB-7. Most attorneys are not familiar with the disciplinary process in...

In this episode, techno-ethics attorney and cybersecurity expert Daniel J. Siegel provides practical information and tips how to keep all of your devices, including cellphones, tablets, and so many other items, safe while you are away from home.  It is easy to let down your guard while relaxing or away on business, and cybercriminals know this, and they are ready and want to take advantage of these moments. In this Legal Tech Podcast, Dan Siegel emphasizes that cybersecurity should not be...

Buying automobile insurance in Pennsylvania can be very confusing. The insurance can cost a lot, and it isn't always easy to know what all the coverages are and which coverages you should buy. At times, insurance salespeople will try to steer you toward coverage that doesn't protect you. In this podcast, Attorney Daniel J. Siegel provides an easy-to-understand explanation of what coverages are available, along with recommendations for purchasing car insurance that (1) protects you in case...

Lawyers, like everyone else, want to believe they will live forever. Or at the least, they believe that they will work until they make the decision to retire, and then transition smoothly into retirement. For solo attorneys, and many others, this dream is often just a dream. Instead of smooth transitions, they may face sudden illnesses, periods of disability, along with uncertainty that can often overtake the hopeful dreams. Just search for “lawyers who suddenly died from covid” in Google and...

There is no more important set of documents than your Last Will and Testament, Living Will, Advanced Healthcare Directive and Power of Attorney, which assure that your wishes are honored if you become ill and when you die. A qualified lawyer, familiar with the issues and nuances of estate planning can perform those services, focusing on your needs, while an online service will merely robotically prepare documents that they emphasize are not legal advice and not protected by any...

Phishing and Spear-Phishing are two methods used by cyberattackers to obtain personal information from clients, staff and family, and to gain access to computers and office networks in order to install malware and ransomware. In this episode of the Legal Tech Podcast, attorney and technologist Daniel J. Siegel, a pioneer in the field of Techno-Ethics, provides an introduction to the world of phishing, offering background information and providing practical solutions that law offices and...

For years, legal ethics attorneys and many other experts have warned about the dangers of using free Wi-Fi, and Starbucks has become the poster child for the dangers of logging into unsecured and unprotected computer networks. With its recent Opinion in Commonwealth v. Dunkins, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has issued clear advice and a clear warning that users, including criminals, have no privacy rights when they check the box and log into a free unsecure network. For criminals, this...

Almost everyone has a car, and every car and truck registered in Pennsylvania must have auto insurance under the Pa. Motor Vehicle Financial Responsibility Law. But what many people don't realize is that when you buy insurance, you are protecting yourself in the case of claims against you and protecting yourself if you are injured by the negligence of someone else. YOUR MOTOR VEHICLE INSURANCE COVERAGE DETERMINES YOUR RIGHT TO BE COMPENSATED FOR PAIN AND SUFFERING, THE INJURIES AND LOSSES YOU...

When it comes to social media, and the impact of Facebook, Twitter and other sites on the practice of law, lawyers can no longer merely stick their heads in the sand and feign ignorance. As the New Jersey Supreme Court recently ruled, "Attorneys must acquaint themselves with the nature of social media to guide themselves and their non-lawyer staff and agents in the permissible uses of online research. At this point, attorneys cannot take refuge in the defense of ignorance." This conclusion is...

Did you know that the Model Rules of Professional Conduct, which govern attorney ethics, were created in 1983, the same year that Microsoft introduced Word? In fact, the rules, which have been adopted in every state, have not been modified significantly since 1983 to address the massive impact of technology on the practice of law. Attorney Daniel J. Siegel, Chair of Pennsylvania Bar Association Committee on Legal Ethics and Professional Responsibility, discusses why the Rules need to be...