Nine great industry news stories from this week you may have missed.
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How lawyers are choosing tech tools in the COVID-19 era
From Zoom to DocuSign, lawyers are on the search for innovative tools that will maximize the efficiency of their new work-from-home setup. According to Law Times, the Ontario Bar Association's recent law practice management meeting generated so much excitement about the available legal tech tools, the team decided to launch a two-part series. The first session will focus on "Virtual verification of client identity: What tools are you using?" and the second will cover "What digital programs are people currently using?" Learn the full story, plus details on how some Ontario lawyers are perceiving the mainstream tools, here.
Why it's time to realize the business community is stronger as one
Nicola Downing, COO of Ricoh Europe, penned an article on LinkedIn that's worth reading. In the post she explains, "Businesses are having to cut their cloth accordingly as they juggle fluctuating demands, supply chains and workloads. Yet as opening hours and headcounts reduce in some quarters, there is absolutely no reason why businesses can’t help each other." Learn Nicola's three tips on how (and why we should) be helping fellow businesses during this difficult time here.
Law Society of N.L. hosts first ever virtual call to the bar
A big day for five lawyers in Newfoundland almost didn't happen because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Historically, the law society and the Supreme Court have required that articling lawyers be present when they are called to the bar. Because of social distancing protocols, the lawyers, their families and friends weren't able to fill a courtroom at Supreme Court in St. John's last week. While it swayed from tradition, the courts allowed the law society to conduct the ceremony via Zoom. Read the full story on CBC.
Coronavirus pandemic is proving to be a boon for cybercriminals
During this time of uncertainty and increased online activity, anti-social elements seek to exploit this pandemic for personal gains. ICANN, the global internet registry has issued a communication stating that there has been a barrage of new domain registrations in the last three months, especially those related to the theme ‘corona’ or ‘COVID-19’. In one month, more than 100,000 new web domain names were registered containing terms like corona, covid and virus. While some of the domains were legitimate government and health websites, others were not. According to The Quint, corona-themed lures range from run-of-the-mill scams to non-targeted spam campaigns which are primarily used for credential harvesting. Read all the details here.
Google could eliminate VPNs for millions with this new tool
As the number of remote workers has surged as a result of the global pandemic, Google Cloud has launched a new security tool designed to allow users to access their company networks remotely without using a VPN. The company's new cloud-based security solution is called BeyondCorp Remote Access which is based on the zero-trust approach that the search giant has used internally for almost a decade. Get all the details on Tech Radar Pro.
Machine learning could check if you’re social distancing properly at work
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A new startup called "Landing AI" has created a new workplace monitoring tool that issues an alert when anyone is less than the desired distance from a colleague. Last week, Landing AI posted a blog with the video above illustrating the new social distancing detector. On the left is a feed of people walking around on the street. On the right, a bird’s-eye diagram represents each one as a dot and turns them bright red when they move too close to someone else. The company says the tool is meant to be used in work settings like factory floors and was developed in response to the request of its customers. It also says the tool can be easily integrated into existing security camera systems. Learn all the details of this new machine-learning tool on the MIT Technology Review.
Moving forward with innovation: countering the red queen effect
Annual spending on legal technology more than quadrupled from the prior year to $1 billion in 2018, with $362 million spent acquiring emerging technology based on artificial intelligence. This, the Harvard Law Record reports, amplifies the Red Queen Effect: the notion that law firms (and any business for that matter) must constantly adapt to survive, and vendors likewise compete through innovation. This means a never ending flow of new features, new approaches and new business models. While invigorating, this self-feeding tech frenzi creates a petri dish ideal for the growth of misuse and abuse of these emerging solutions. Learn everything you need to know regarding adopting new technologies here.
COVID-19 roundup: Made-in-Canada solutions
As we deal with the heavy realities of COVID-19, The Logic is sharing the good-news stories coming from Canada. This "look for the helpers"-themed article breaks down all the different ways Canadians are coming together to unite in business, technology and on a human level to support one another. From provincial leaders declaring the Easter Bunny as an essential worker to developing a robotic system that can process mass testing to determine who has already had the virus and is now immune, the is a lot of good work coming out of Canada. Find the top stories here.
Zoom releases 5.0 update with security and privacy improvements
Zoom has been under fire for the past several weeks for security and privacy issues with their video-conferencing software. The Verge reports Zoom promised a 90-day feature freeze to fix privacy and security issues, and the company is delivering on some of those promises. A new Zoom 5.0 update is rolling out this week that’s designed to address some of the many complaints that Zoom has faced recently. Read about all the updates and what you can to come expect here.
