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Technology law Section Chairs : JohnMullen – PhelpsDunbar , LLP & KurtSanger – IntegratedCybersecurityPartners
The HCBA Technology Law Section ’ s focus for 2023-2024 will be driven by the rapid growth of information technology ( IT ) communities in our region and throughout Florida . The growing communities include IT service providers and product developers , cybersecurity and compliance businesses , state and local government organizations empowered by additional IT funding , and many more — all with unique operational challenges and legal issues . The Tech Section ’ s agenda this year will address a broad set of technologies and sectors but will prioritize two categories : attorneys ’ use of technologies to advance the practice of law ( and protection of those technologies ), and the pervasive , complex IT legal issues facing clients today .
Hillsborough County has earned a national if not global reputation as an innovation incubator and its attorneys should expect increased demand for legal services . Contributing to this increase are the growing number of local companies developing advanced technologies , the growing number of users of those diverse technologies , the increased scrutiny of social media and other IT companies by federal and state government officials , and the
complexity born of IT ’ s enmeshment with almost every aspect of personal and professional life .
To support the growing demand for attorneys ’ expertise and innovative legal solutions , the Tech Section will highlight technologies that facilitate the business of running a law office as well as help prepare attorneys for substantive aspects of their legal practices . Available tools support everything from assistance with the dreaded obligations of billing to inspecting millions of pages of documents for information relevant to class action suits . These capabilities normally interact with the most sensitive categories of personal information , the handling of which is often subject to regulation or contract . Cyber and data security are essential elements of working with these tools .
As IT-related legal services and litigation needs multiply , HCBA attorneys will have additional opportunities to serve clients . The Tech Section plans to present subject matter experts to identify emerging practice areas and discuss the latest statutes , regulations , and cases addressing technology . In addition to attorneys , the Section
thetechsection ’ s agendathisyearwill prioritizetwocategories : attorneys ’ useof technologiestoadvance thepracticeoflaw ( andprotectionofthose technologies ), andthe pervasive , complexitlegalissuesfacing clientstoday .
will host leaders from technical professions to share their perspectives regarding law ’ s impact on their products and services , how to ensure data and system security , and compliance and reporting regimes .
In the Summer 2021 edition of the HCBA Lawyer magazine , Judge Thomas N . Palermo noted , “ Technology continues to revolutionize the practice of law .” This statement is similarly accurate today . In the past two years the revolution has accelerated , and attorneys must aggressively educate themselves on technology matters if they hope to maintain pace . The aspiration for the upcoming Bar year is that members of the HCBA Technology Law Section and participants in the Section ’ s events will be aware of options to improve their practices through technology , prepared to protect their devices , systems , capabilities and data from unauthorized access , and armed with the substantive knowledge necessary to provide outstanding legal advice to clients in this dynamic field . n
Authors : John Mullen – Phelps Dunbar , LLP & Kurt Sanger – Integrated Cybersecurity Partners
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