The Washington Times
  • Subscribe
  • Times News Services
  • RSS
  • Mobile Headlines
  • e-edition
  • E-MAIL ALERTS
  • REGISTER
  • LOG IN
  • E-MAIL ALERTS
  • WELCOME
  • Your Profile
  • Log Out
  • Front Page Image
  • Classifieds
  • Autos
  • Real Estate
  • Jobs
  • Special Sections
  • Customer Service
  • Home
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Sports
    • NFL
    • NBA/WNBA
    • MLB
    • NHL
    • Tennis
    • Golf
    • Motorsports
    • Soccer
    • NCAA
    • Olympics
    • Outdoors
    • Other
  • Culture
    • Home & Living
    • Family & Kids
    • Fashion
    • Food
    • Travel
    • Health
    • Washington Visitors
    • Books
    • Military History
    • Life
    • Auto
    • TV Listings
    • Movie Listings
    • Death Notices
    • Entertainment
  • Themes
  • Communities
  • Shopping
    • Stores
    • Coupons
    • Daily Double
    • Promotion
    • How It Works
  • Videos
    • Two Guys
    • Birnbaum on Washington
    • Liz Glover
    • Amanda Carpenter
    • Morning Briefing
    • Documentaries
    • Joe Giganti
    • Video Game Minute
  • Podcasts
    • About Headlines
    • Audio and Radio
    • America's Morning News
  • Sports

    KNOTT: Pollin honored as a D.C. treasure

  • Sports

    Jamison lights fire under Wizards

  • Politics

    Uninvited White House guests met Obama in line

  • Sports

    Wife aids Woods after SUV crash

  • National

    Volunteers for drug trials hard to find

  • Business

    Dubai debt crisis rocks U.S., Asia markets

  • World

    Piracy threatens fishermen in Yemen

Home » Blogs

Saturday, May 31, 2008

Legal outsourcing suit spotlights surveillance fears

Rate this story

Average 0.00
after 0 votes
Login or register to rate this story

  • Font Size -+
  • Print
  • Email
  • Comment
  • Tweet this!
  • Share
  • Article
  • Comments ()
  • Click-2-Listen
  • Videos
Please stand by, images loading!
  • Allison Shelley/The Washington Times
Attorney Joseph Hennessey, a partner in the Bethesda firm of Newman, McIntosh & Hennessey, is suing to protect client confidentiality from government surveillance of international communications between legal firms.

More Blogs Stories

    By Tom Ramstack THE WASHINGTON TIMES

    Some lawyers are worried that the growing practice of outsourcing legal work to overseas companies is undermining the constitutional guarantees that protect the privacy of lawyer-client communications, leaving them vulnerable to electronic spying by the federal government.

    Paralegal firms in India are doing a booming business handling the routine legal work of American law firms, such as drafting contracts, writing patents, indexing documents or researching laws.

    These so-called legal process outsourcing firms charge an average of about $40 an hour for their work, about one-quarter to one-third of what the work would cost in the United States.

    But a lawsuit filed this month by the Bethesda firm of Newman, McIntosh & Hennessey argues that the constitutional guarantees that protect confidential communications between lawyers and clients may not apply when legal work is transmitted abroad - typically by e-mail, fax or telephone.

    The lawsuit seeks to prevent such outsourcing until clients can be assured that their privacy will be protected against electronic monitoring by the National Security Agency and other government agencies.

    Government officials would not say whether they are monitoring such legal communications, which could include documents about clients' criminal, marital or financial problems.

    "We have no comment for you on the hypothetical scenario you describe involving India," said Dean Boyd, spokesman for the Justice Department's national security division.

    Law-enforcement agencies that intercept electronic communications in the United States are limited by Title III of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Street Act of 1968 and by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). Title III is used to gather evidence for criminal investigations. FISA is used to collect foreign intelligence information.

    Both of them require court orders based on a likelihood the evidence law-enforcement agencies seek will be found through the intercepts.

    "The FBI does not tap electronic communications without court orders," said FBI spokesman Rich Kolko.

    [Get Copyright Permissions] Click here for reprint permissions!
    Copyright 2009 The Washington Times, LLC

    123Next »

    Post a comment

    There are comments on this article, submit your opinion!

    Please login or register to post a comment

    Ask a Question

    You Report

    Do you have another point of view, photos, audio, video or more information about a story?

    Top Stories

    Most Read

    1. EDITORIAL: Hiding evidence of global cooling
    2. EDITORIAL: The global-cooling cover-up
    3. Climate 'czar' says hacked e-mails don't change anything
    4. Wife aids Woods after SUV crash
    5. PRUDEN: Trouble afoot for high priests
    More Top Stories »
    1. In tobacco-loving Virginia, bars give up the habit
    2. Grade-schooler unearths fossil at dinosaur park
    3. Robotic hamster holiday craze
    4. Climate czar rejects doctored data claims
    5. Fenty's approval in D.C. divided by race

    Most Shared

    1. EDITORIAL: The global-cooling cover-up
    2. PRUDEN: Trouble afoot for high priests
    3. EDITORIAL: Hiding evidence of global cooling
    4. University bubble bursting?
    5. In tobacco-loving Virginia, bars give up the habit
    More Top Stories »
    1. The United Socialist States of America
    2. Robotic hamster holiday craze
    3. We ain't seen nothing yet
    4. Dubai debt crisis rocks U.S., Asia markets
    5. Finance mavens gloomy

    Most Commented

    1. EDITORIAL: The global-cooling cover-up
    2. Climate 'czar' says hacked e-mails don't change anything
    3. PRUDEN: Trouble afoot for high priests
    4. Crashers probe may become criminal investigation
    5. Fenty's approval in D.C. divided by race
    More Top Stories »
    1. Ads add heat to health care debate
    2. Grayson's Senate filibuster petition faulted
    3. EDITORIAL: Hiding evidence of global cooling
    4. Health, climate bills seen to stifle hiring
    5. Climate czar rejects doctored data claims

    Listen to Washington Times Radio

    • America's Morning News

      with John McCaslin and Melanie Morgan

    Blogs & Columns

    • Hot Button Blog

      RNC: Breast cancer recommendations may lead to 'rationing'

    • Belief Blog

      Evangelicals OK civil disobedience

    • Out of Context

      Foods that might kill libido

    • On the Fly

      United lifts some 'award' blocking

    • Technology

      Facebook wins round against phishing spammer

    • Redskins 360

      Grimm a semifinalist

    • SNOBlog

      Beyond 'Woody'

    Videos

    Advertising Links
    TWT Store
    • e-edition
    • Print Edition
    • Weekly Washington Times
    TWT Affiliates
    • Middle East Times
    • Golf
    • UPI
    • Arbor Ballroom
    • Washington Times Global
    • About TWT
    • Press Room
    • F.A.Q.
    • Work for TWT
    • Advertise
    • Sponsors
    • Contact Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Site Map

    All site contents © Copyright 2009 The Washington Times, LLC.