Corporate Access to Keys (CAK) Considered Harmful

[Paul Pomes]

At 9:50 PDT on Friday, October 10, 1997, Tim May wrote:

|I don't think we've yet seen a good example of massive amounts of e-mail
|being examined in a "discovery" process, yet, but we saw the effects on IBM
|during its antitrust issues in the 70s. Basically, every scrap of paper,
|every desk calendar, every internal memo, everything, had to be turned over
|to opposing counsel.
|
|We will almost certainly see some examples of where lawyers demand access
|to all company e-mail.

Several lawsuits about discriminatory denial of tenure have been won partly
based on the contents of email.  The University of Illinois periodically
reminds all staff that email is considered a public record and that they
should conduct their business with that in mind.

/pbp