Attorney Matthews Bark of Orlando - Why You Should Care About Legal Tech

Source     : Above The Law
By           : Zach Abramowitz
Category : Attorney Matthews Bark of Orlando, Matthews Bark Criminal Defense

Why You Should Care About Legal Tech

Last week, I published an exchange with Monica Enand, CEO and founder of Zapproved. One of the commenters left me a note that I responded to in the comments section but would like to address right here as well:

In what way is it relevant to people who practice law?

In other words: why should I care? It’s a good question: why should you care about legal technology? Shouldn’t you care more about doing whatever it takes to advance in your firm, make partner or move in-house? You’re not a software developer, you’re a lawyer. Why should you give a sh!t about legal tech? It’s a fair question. It’s funny because the same day I published that conversation I got the following email from an associate at a big law firm which read (in part):

I just feel like it’s important for me as a young lawyer to keep abreast of legal tech developments, because I suspect they will play an increasing role in the practice of law moving forward.

Well put.

I remember when I was in high school, one of my friends was learning to write code and, as some friends and I were giving him a hard time about spending his free time reading about Java for Dummies (or something like that), he said, “Technology is going to change everything, you’ll see.” Said friend now makes a lot of money (much more than Biglaw money) working for Google. What was preventing me or my friends from learning how to code? Cynicism. The exact kind of cynicism that asks the question, “Why should I care about legal technology?” Young lawyers, who are probably more adept with technology than partners and senior associates, are missing out on huge opportunities because of cynicism. It’s going to be the lawyers who figure out how to harness and build new technology who are going to own the future.

I realize that I could publish articles and conversations on more spicy topics than ediscovery or contract management. But I honestly believe that technology is going to “change everything” for lawyers. That’s why I’m here for the Legaltech show this week, that’s why I’ll continue to bring you insights from the people who are building the next generation of software and legal technology.

What’s in it for you? Everything.
Ignore at your own peril.

Read more : abovethelaw.com/2016/02/why-you-should-care-about-legal-tech/

Matthew Bark - Armed Oregon Militia Creates Kangaroo Court To Indict Government

Source    :  Think Progress
By           :  Casey Quinlan
Category :  DUI Attorney Matthews Bark of SeminoleCounty,  Matthew Bark

Armed Oregon Militia Creates Kangaroo Court To Indict Government

An armed group that has taken over a national wildlife refuge to protest federal land use policies continues to escalate the situation by introducing a common law grand jury, which has no actual legal standing. They have chosen Joaquin Mariano DeMoreta-Folch, St. Augustine Tea Party government accountability chairman and a longtime proponent of convening secret citizens’ panels to indict government officials to be their common law judge and at a recent event held at the refuge a New Mexico rancher, Adrian Sewell of Grant County, New Mexico, renounced his federal grazing contract from the U.S. Forest Service. 

Oregon officials want the militia to leave, saying it’s been far past time for the occupation to end. But it doesn’t look like the leader of the militia, Ammon Bundy, is ready to end the stand-off. Bundy walked out of a private meeting with a federal agent on Friday after the agent refused to speak in the presence of media, according to the Associated Press. Bundy also questioned the FBI authority, telling an agent, “If you haven’t got sanction from the sheriff, there’s no reason to be talking to you.”

On Wednesday, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown said the occupation was costly to taxpayers and sent a letter to FBI Director James Comey and U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch telling them to end the occupation of federal land “as safely and as quickly as possible.” Earlier this month, Oregon Sheriff Dave Ward met Ammon Bundy in a near the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge and Ward encouraged Bundy to leave town and told Bundy he would offer “safe escort out.” Bundy and the group of armed men he leads have treated to kill law enforcement if they try to intervene, so this offer, while intended to spare human lives, is fairly extraordinary when compared to other protests.

Yet, Bundy lectured the sheriff on the constitution and said the armed men would stay there indefinitely. According to OregonLive, Bundy told the sheriff, “Until we can see that there is a great momentum and the people can get doing that themselves, then we will remain … That could be a week, that could be a year.” After their discussion, the group bulldozed a fence that divided private ranchlands from public land and damaged Native American archeological sites. Last week, two members of the militia were arrested after driving two federal vehicles to a local Safeway.

It doesn’t look like the situation will deescalate soon considering what the armed group that has been occupying federal land for a few weeks are asking for. The militia, which has partnered with a well-known conspiracy theorist, wants to create an alternative legal system in the region that would replace Harney County’s elected leaders and sheriff with those who support the sovereign citizen movement. The movement is a group of people who believe they are not subject to the laws and orders of the federal government. If local officials govern closely to federal government rules their authority is moot, according to the movement’s ideology.

Read more : thinkprogress.org/justice/2016/01/24/3742263/common-law-tea-party-activist/

Attorney Matthews Bark of Orlando - Federal Government wants to Lower Legal Alcohol Limit

Source    :  FOX 8
By           :  Matt Wright
Category : DUI attorney Matthews Bark of Seminole County, Attorney Matthews Bark of Orlando

Federal Government wants to Lower Legal Alcohol Limit

The federal government says the legal alcohol limit should be lowered and wants states to change their impaired driving laws. In its 2016 Most Wanted List of Transportation Safety Improvements unveiled last week, The National Transportation Safety Board called on states to lower blood alcohol concentration, or BAC limits from .08 to .05. The change could mean some people are over the legal limit after just one or two drinks.

“Impairment is a multifaceted problem, and it will take stricter laws better enforcement of those laws and improved education,” NTSB Chairman Christopher Hart said.The federal agency cites data from the last 15 years showing one-third of highway deaths involved an alcohol impaired driver. The NTSB said impairment begins before someone's BAC reaches .08, and by that time, the risk of a fatal crash has more than doubled. Law enforcement officials said the legal limit can provide a false sense of security for drivers.

“There's a lot of conversation about how much can I drink and still be ok. I think that's flirting with danger, and we should just avoid that if at all possible,” said Sergeant Robert E. Gable, and Ohio State Highway Patrol trooper certified as a drug recognition expert.

Gable said a variety of factors affect BAC including metabolism, body weight and food consumption. He said drivers showing signs of impairment can be cited even if they are below the legal limit. “There're too many factors at play there to have a cookie cutter system of how much you should drink or how much you would be able to drink without becoming impaired,” Gable said. Any changes would require action from the Ohio state legislature, which determines the state’s BAC limit. The federal government could potentially use the power of the purse strings with grants to encourage a change, as happened with the legal drinking age.

Read more :  fox8.com/2016/01/18/federal-government-wants-to-lower-legal-alcohol-limit/