Over the last few years, a functioning web site has gone from a technological luxury to a business necessity. And yet the process of building a web site remains frightening to many lawyers for a variety of reasons ranging from bad past experiences to the fear of wasting money to a simple unfamiliarity with the web.

To help guide law firms and legal organizations of all types through the process of launching their web site (or rebuilding an existing site), the LTRC has assembled a new guide: FYI: Starting a Web Site. Whether you’re planning on building your site in-house or contracting it out, this guide will provide you with a broad overview of the process and the steps you need to take to build a web site that works for your organization.

Once an executive perk, mobile phones have evolved from being a wireless means of making and receiving phone calls to becoming "smartphones," extensions of the modern office. A smartphone with Internet connectivity, email send and receive capabilities and the functionality of a complete personal organizer is becoming the de facto standard for an increasing number of attorneys.

However, mobile phones have unique security challenges that must be understood and addressed. The Legal Technology Resource Center has prepared a new FYI: Security on the Go. Check it out for some helpful tips and links for your mobile phone.

A PC World article revealed that almost half of the 100 IRS laptop computers that were tested by the IRS' regulatory agency had unencrypted sensitive data, relating to both IRS employees and taxpayers. This same agency reports that nearly 500 IRS laptops went missing in a three year period between 2003 and 2006. Are you concerned?

PC thefts have been making front page news for more than a year now. To avoid this type of media attention, take a look at the FYI: Playing it Safe - Using Encryption. When your clients ask you how you are keeping their sensitive data safe from prying eyes, you'll be able to tell them.