FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND CLOUD COMPUTING

The U.S. government has significantly embraced cloud computing.  The $19 Billion allocated for the health care industry under the Stimulus Plan demonstrates significance of the government's comittment to cloud computing.  The implications and opportunities that are available for large and small businesses are staggering.  However, there are many legal issues that have not fully been explored in application.

Aneesh Chopra, Federal CTO Discusses Cloud Computing

LEWIS K. HARLEY JOINS HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE AS ADJUNCT ETHICS PROFESSOR

The Harley Law Group managing attorney, Lewis K. Harley has been appointed as an adjunct professor to lecture on corporate ethics and professionalism.  This course is designed to develop the thought process regarding ethical issues and professionalism encountered in business.  It is intended to help students recognize and manage ethical issues and to formulate their own standards of integrity and professionalism. HOME PAGE

Details of the course may be found at:

http://northeast.hccs.edu/College-Northeast/College_Home/Departments/Career_Technical %28Workforce%29/WF_ScienceTech/Process Technology/PTAC 1350- Syllabus.pdf

WHAT IS THE VALUE OF AN EFFECTIVE COMPLIANCE PROGRAM?

All too often many businesses value a compliance program based on an assessment of the cost of staffing and other expenses incurred in implementation and operation.  However, the true value of an effective compliance program is in terms of the cost for non-compliance.  About one year ago Swiss bank, UBS AG, faced allegations of attempt to defraud U.S. taxing authorities.  UBS was fined $780 million and ordered to hand over the names of some U.S. customers to the U.S. Justice Department to resolve criminal sanctions and other legal issues.  In addition to the fines, UBS suffered additional losses as a result of some of its wealthy clients withdrawing about $179 Billion in deposits.  What would have been the cost for UBS to implement changes to its business policies and good practices to avoid the problems it ran into in the first place? It would appear the answer to that question would be close to what it cost UBS to prepare and implement an 11 page code of conduct which required employees to comply with tax reporting rules. PRACTICE  http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-01-12/ubs-asks-workers-to-sign-code-pledging-tax-compliance-secrecy.html 

Big Bank Alternatives

Most people are fuming about the bonus pay to bank executives and employees and with good reason at least from an ethics standpoint. Most likely consumers may get stuck paying for any assessed fees that the government imposes. But consumers have other options. They can join a credit union or band together and form their own credit union.

Who coined the phrase "Virtual Office"