Metadata by definition is data about data. It leaves an electronic trail of all the changes to an electronic document: the edits, authors, times and dates of access and changes, as well as routing information. Meta data can tell you:
• Who said what?
• Who knew what?
• Who did what?
• How much time was spent editing the document?
• Who created the document?
• Where the document has been?
• How many times the document was edited?
• If and by whom the document has been printed?
• Private comments and prior drafts of the document
Metadata is hidden information embedded in many electronic applications, including WordPerfect, Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. This data can contain sensitive information, which you would not want disclosed to third parties. Much of this information is invisible to routine users, is created automatically and cannot be prevented.
Even if a document is password-protected, a significant amount of metadata can be discerned even though the document itself cannot be opened. A civil litigation lawyer can use metadata as an effective cross examination tool.
Why civil litigation lawyers and accountants want to know about metadata:
Civil litigators are increasingly sending documents by e-mail during negotiations and discovery. More civil litigation lawyers are realizing the vulnerability of sharing electronic data with clients, opposing counsel and courts.
Your firm can aggressively use metadata on opposing counsel and their clients and others can use it against you. This puts your client relations in danger. By inadvertently revealing private information contained in metadata, you would breach attorney client privilege.
The most common way to protect against metadata is to not copy and paste from one document to the next. Make sure "turn off fast saves" is selected in Microsoft products. Make sure to either accept or reject all changes to a document, if "track changes are turned on." It is also a good idea once your document is complete, that it be converted into a PDF document. PDF files retain much less metadata than other document forms, especially those created by Microsoft. You can convert a document to a PDF by using either the Adobe Acrobat software, or any number of free online and stand-alone applications that can be found on the web, such as http://www.expresspdf.com/.
Related Articles
Your Home Business Legal Points
By: James Lowe | 31/08/2006 | Home Business
Critical legal factors that need to be considered when starting or running a home business
Hampshire Solicitor Gives Top 8 Legal New Year Resolutions
By: Ian Robinson | 24/01/2008 | Law
As well as the usual personal New Year resolutions to lose weight, get fit or whatever, we suggest that you should also consider making some Legal New Year resolutions which are likely to be more enduring than most New Year resolutions tend to be. The 8 suggestions include updating your personal will, property advice, business agreements and getting up to date with the new employment laws.
Outsourcing-a Way to the Future
By: Seema Sharma | 20/09/2007 | Outsourcing
With the legal industry gaining momentum and striving to stay ahead in the highly competitive and global marketplace, legal process outsourcing has been recognized as a compelling business strategy to achieve the business objectives. The increasing drift towards outsourcing of legal work has been triggered by the endeavour of the legal entities to concentrate on their key areas and delegate the back office work to skilled and expert workforce thus preventing the diversion of their human .....
Southern California is Full of Drunk Drivers
By: lazyurl | 14/12/2007 | National, State, Local
DUI lawyers in Southern California have dramatically increased in number over the last 5 years, reaching a record level.
Courtroom FEA: But how does FEA work?
By: Steve Roensch | 29/12/2005 | Law
Many legal professionals are exposed to Finite Element Analysis (FEA) in the courtroom. But how does it work?
The Criminal Lawyer And The Law
By: Hege Crowton | 26/04/2006 | Law
We've all seen them, the TV crime programs in which a suspect is caught and brought first to jail, and later to trial. She or he is interrogated by the District Attorney and then counter-interrogated by his or her own criminal lawyer. Yet is this all there is to being a criminal lawyer?
Xbox Murder
By: Jake Truman | 06/07/2006 | Law
At approximately 1am, six individuals were stabbed and then beaten to their deaths. What in the world could have caused the heartless criminals to violently kill six people and two small dogs? The shocking answer is a Xbox game.
By: | 31/12/1969 |
Got a Question? Ask.
Ask the community a question about this article:
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I learn to make good comments in class?
By: Conrad_III | 11-10-2007
How can I learn to make good comments in class?
How to add Clinical Certification to School Psych License
By: wigglypups | 11-10-2007
what do i need to do to add a clinical psychology license to my school psychology license? (I will soon be APA certified in school psych)
What is the type or source of law passed by the ...
By: Fatso | 11-10-2007
What is the type or source of law passed by the state senate? Also, who makes legislative statute law at the local city or county level. Give name of specific organization?
Kiefer Sutherland DUI
By: Dustbin | 10-10-2007
Kiefer Sutherland was sentenced to 48 days in jail for DUI, but the judge agreed to let him serve 18 days in December-January and then 30 more days in the summer. How unusual is this decision? Do judges tend to be as considerate of people who are not as famous?
Do you fund cases with mother and minor child in ...
By: coolshe | 08-10-2007
do you fund cases with mother and minor child in suit?
Woman Sues Apple For iPhone Price Cut
By: zxcvb | 07-10-2007
Here's a great headline: Woman sues Apple for $1 million over iPhone price cut. She lost $200 but she wants $1 million in damages. What are her chances to get more than $200?
Q&A Powered by:
Latest Affiliate Programs Articles
Should Beginners Invest In A Home Based Affiliate Business
By: David Ogden | 21/08/2008
If you are like millions of other people around the world you may be tired of getting up and going to work every day. Perhaps you are looking for a way to stay at home and make money on the Internet! In this article let's take a look at whether you should invest in a home based affiliate business as a new person looking for a way to get started online.
Some Distinctive Advantages of Publishing Ebooks
By: sandeep | 21/08/2008
Electronic books have certain attributes and qualities that other mediums do not possess. When it comes to publishing ebooks there's no comparison to the traditional channels one would encounter with physical books.
Few Steps to Compose an Ebook
By: sandeep | 21/08/2008
To compose an ebook or just about anything from a letter to an article the first few lines always seem to be the most difficult.
Secrets to Quadrupling Your Profits: Google Adsense
By: sandeep | 21/08/2008
I've been reading a few forums and blogs about Google Adsense tips lately, and thought it would be helpful to consolidate as many as possible in one place without the comments.
The Most Amazing and Profitable Home Business That You Can Have Affiliate Marketing
By: Kanwaljit Kaur | 21/08/2008
Making money online is extremely simple and easy if you have the right tools, resources and approach. Primarily the idea of making money online is attractive to many people, as it offers many benefits to people. One way that people are making money online is by having several different streams of income.
Search Engine Optimization Services
By: Gen Wright | 21/08/2008
Online marketing has been booming these days. Almost every section of market is now occupied by internet. People do prefer to trade online rather than being confined to their own dwelling place. Globalization has been made possible with the use of this internet.
The Internet Marketing Strategies to Making Money Online
By: Mukeshh Kumarr | 21/08/2008
Researching the best Internet marketing strategies is a bit of a task. The biggest businesses have already realized that integrating online and offline marketing strategies is the best way to tap into a larger customer base as well as make customers spend more.
Tips to Finding the Best Affiliate Program
By: Donald Whitehead | 20/08/2008
Although Finding the best affiliate program can be a daunting task there are ways to key in on genuine programs that do live up to there reputations of providing life changing instruction on how to proceed and being successful in affiliate marketing.
More from Michael Goldstein, Esq.
The Pitfalls Of Online Wills
By: Michael Goldstein, Esq. | 30/11/2006 | Affiliate Programs
There comes a point in every person's life where it is appropriate and prudent to begin planning for the post death division of property and assets. It is necessary to anticipate and plan for the quagmire that is probate.
A New Lawyers Best Friend - Pre Drafted Legal Forms:
By: Michael Goldstein, Esq. | 02/11/2006 | Affiliate Programs
A newly admitted lawyer to the Massachusetts Bar, has several options upon receiving his or her license to practice law.
Can You Hear Me Now? How About Now?
By: Michael Goldstein, Esq. | 14/10/2006 | Affiliate Programs
Did you know that misuse of your cell phone can land you in jail? Well it is true. David, Yas of Massachusetts Lawyer's weekly reported in his "From the publisher" column this past week that a man dialed the wrong number on his cell phone by accident.
Google And Yahoo To Settle Click Fraud Cases
By: Michael Goldstein, Esq. | 22/07/2006 | Affiliate Programs
In an article appearing in USA Today on Monday July, 16th, 2006, speaks to the fact that click fraud has hit a peak where the advertisers of Google adwords and Yahoo sponsored listings are paying far more money for illegitimate clicks than ever before.
Why Google Should Not Make It Into The Dictionary As A Verb.
By: Michael Goldstein, Esq. | 18/07/2006 | Affiliate Programs
There have been several articles recently discussing the strong possibility that the term "Google" will make it into the 11th edition of the Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary as a verb.
Internet 
