When a Lawyer’s Identity Becomes Attack Infrastructure: What the PHP Cyber Emergency Means for Florida Lawyers
By Jay Lewis Farrow, Contributor, TheFloridaBarNews.Org A fake hearing built around a real Miami lawyer’s credentials shows why the October PHP cyber emergency cannot be treated as a website-only problem. Editorial image: legal-sector cybersecurity in Florida. Original publication image prepared for this article. October 26, 2026 – FORT LAUDERDALE, MIAMI, JACKSONVILLE, ORLANDO, PALM BEACH, TALLAHASSEE, […]
Massive PACER Court Records Hack Exposes Sealed Cases, Informants and National Security Secrets
DataBreach.com Team · · August 10th 2025, 8:32 am EDT In early August 2025, the digital backbone of the U.S. federal court system suffered one of its most serious breaches in history. Hackers infiltrated the Case Management/Electronic Case Files (CM/ECF) system and PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records)-platforms used by judges, attorneys, journalists, and the public to access […]
How Should You Respond to a Dishonest Client Who Writes a Scathing Yelp Review? Find Out at Decorum.law
The Florida Bar News November 7, 2023 Tom Scarritt of Tampa prepares for his appearance in an ethics video demonstrating “How to respond ethically to a dishonest client who writes a scathing Yelp review” in a new video produced by the Henry Latimer Center for Professionalism and the Bar’s Young Lawyers Division.Tom Scarritt, a board-certified […]
Mindfulness and Secondary Trauma
The role mindfulness practices can play in fostering stability and wellbeing in a profession that often engages with clients immersed in conflict and trauma The practice of law is a noble profession. One of the hallmarks of this nobility is the willingness of legal professionals to help clients navigate conflicts that often take a significant […]
Florida Bar Urges Law Firms to Adopt Incident Response Plans: A Call to Action for Legal Professionals
In late March 2025, the Florida Bar Board of Governors unanimously endorsed the recommendation of its Special Committee on Cybersecurity and Privacy Law that law firms should adopt written incident response plans (IRPs) to better prepare for and respond to data security incidents. The recommendation reflects a growing recognition across professional service industries—particularly law firms—of the serious […]
A New Era of Litigation: TheFlorida Supreme Court’s 2025Amendments to the Rules ofCivil Procedure
Amendments Align Florida Rules with Federal Standards and Attempt Greater Efficiency On January 1, 2025, the Florida Rules of Civil Procedure changed dramatically. The new rules and amendments are designed to enhance efficiency, impact the setting of cases for trial, case management, discovery practice, summary judgment and more. Broadly speaking, the new rules attempt to […]
Florida Supreme Court Approves CLE Credit for Pro Bono Work
Florida Bar News November 1, 2024 In a significant step to promote pro bono legal work, the Florida Supreme Court has approved an amendment to Bar rules that will, for the first time, allow lawyers to earn continuing legal education (CLE) credit for providing pro bono services. Acting October 31 in In Re: Amendments to Rules […]
Florida teacher loses job for using student’s chosen name in violation of state law
VIERA, Fla. (AP) — School district officials on Florida’s Space Coast aren’t renewing the contract of a teacher who used a student’s chosen name without getting permission from the student’s parents in violation of Florida law. Dozens of students and parents showed up in support of teacher Melissa Calhoun at a Brevard Public Schools board […]
Artificial Intelligence May Assist, but Can Never Replace, the Judicial Decision-Making Process of Human Judges
Artificial intelligence, in its many forms and applications, has become the “latest technological frontier” available to the legal profession.[1] As defined by U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, in his 2023 Year-End Report on the Federal Judiciary, “At its core, AI combines algorithms and enormous data sets to solve problems.”[2] Although this technological innovation may assist the […]
Integrating AI Tools: What Is on the Horizon for Florida Lawyers?
As artificial intelligence (AI) evolves, its potential to reshape the legal profession is undeniable. AI-powered tools are beginning to change the way lawyers work, from drafting complex letters and documents to conducting research. But as AI becomes more integrated into our practices, it raises ethical and regulatory questions that demand careful consideration. How can lawyers […]