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Robotic Risk—but Is the Ultimate Answer Still a Human One?
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May 26, 2026
Robotic Risk—but Is the Ultimate Answer Still a Human One?
By: Lauren Scribner
It now goes without saying that Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be a convenient solution for accomplishing certain tedious tasks, such as planning an upcoming trip, figuring out what to make for dinner with ingredients already on hand, or adding some professional flare to an email. But when it comes to some of the more high-stakes areas of life, such as obtaining financial, medical, or legal advice, the convenience of instantaneous feedback available at the push of the button may not be the be-all and end-all. OpenAI just implemented a new personal finance feature on ChatGPT where users can link their accounts to the application and “get more personalized advice.”[1] The company has advertised a demonstrated need for this feature, stating…
Murdaugh She Wrote
May 21, 2026
Murdaugh She Wrote
By: James Trusty
As the information regarding Alex Murdaugh’s conniving, murderous ways began to spread far beyond the Lowcountry of South Carolina and into the cable and social media airwaves, a curious and ominous thing took root. The temptation of star power and riches slumped stealthily behind the public face of the proceedings, causing a low-level bureaucrat to destroy the notion of an impartial jury in one of…
SPLC’s Informant Program – is Dangerously Unwise the Same as Unlawful?
May 11, 2026
SPLC’s Informant Program – is Dangerously Unwise the Same as Unlawful?
By: Lauren Scribner
THE INDICTMENT On April 21, 2026, the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), a nonprofit civil rights organization that works to “create a multiracial democracy” by “fight[ing] white supremacy and various forms of injustice”[1] was charged in an 11-count indictment[2] in the Middle District of Alabama. The indictment alleges that the SPLC operated “a covert network of informants who were either associated with violent extremist groups…
Zealous Counsel or Unethical Social Media Maven – How Far Can a Lawyer Go?
May 9, 2014
Zealous Counsel or Unethical Social Media Maven – How Far Can a Lawyer Go?
By: Michelle Cohen
Social media has opened a Pandora’s box of information about just about everyone today, including jurors, witnesses, opposing counsel, defendants and plaintiffs. As lawyers we want to leave no stone unturned in pursuing a client’s interest, but just how far can we go without jeopardizing our case? For instance, can counsel (or someone acting at counsel’s direction, such as a paralegal) review a publicly available…
Ifrah Law Report: Johns Hopkins Symposium on Social Costs of Mass Incarceration
May 8, 2014
Ifrah Law Report: Johns Hopkins Symposium on Social Costs of Mass Incarceration
By: Jeffrey Hamlin
On April 28, 2014, Ifrah Law attorneys Jeff Hamlin and Casselle Smith attended a symposium on incarceration presented by The Johns Hopkins University and its Urban Health Institute. The day–long program focused on adverse impacts of mass incarceration and potential strategies for mitigating them and reversing trends toward continued prison growth. Throughout the day, panels comprised of medical professionals, sociologists, legal scholars, and ex–offenders took…
Another SDNY Judge Finds the U.S. Federal Sentencing Guidelines Wanting
April 30, 2014
Another SDNY Judge Finds the U.S. Federal Sentencing Guidelines Wanting
By: Ifrah Law
In a sentencing hearing yesterday in the Southern District of New York, yet another judge reached the conclusion that the quasi-mathematical formulaic approach of the United States Sentencing Guidelines fails to account adequately for differences between criminal defendants. But, in this case, the result was to the detriment of the individual being sentenced in that case. Judge Jed Rakoff made headlines in October 2012 when…
Are High Frequency Traders Playing Fast and Loose With the Rules?
April 18, 2014
Are High Frequency Traders Playing Fast and Loose With the Rules?
By: Ifrah Law
When high frequency trading (HFT) first crept into the public consciousness, it related to primarily to the question of whether rapid, computer driven trading posed risks to the safety and stability of the trading markets. Now it appears that HFT may have also been a means for some traders to gain a possible illegal advantage. High frequency trading involves the use of sophisticated technological tools…
Offshore Accounts? IRS is Watching
April 16, 2014
Offshore Accounts? IRS is Watching
By: Michelle Cohen
If you have unreported income from offshore accounts, now may be the best time to come forward and report those earnings; otherwise, you may be susceptible to criminal prosecution. The IRS initially began this open-ended Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Program (OVDP) in 2009 and later renewed it in 2011. Due to strong interest from previous years, the IRS rolled the 2012 Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Program back…
