If you're thinking about retirement, you probably have a lot of questions: When should I retire? How do I retire? Do I retire altogether or just cut back my practice? What's next? Here, a few lawyers' stories may help you choose a good route as you ponder shifting gears.

Think again. Here is a look at law firms and their unique obligations to keep client information confidential in a world in which ID theft is committed on both the high end and the low end of the technology spectrum, and by random strangers and trusted employees – even in law firms.

Employers that hire independent contractors generally are not liable for injuries to the contractor's employees, unless the injury was caused by the hiring party's affirmative act of negligence or occurred while the employee was engaged in an extrahazardous activity. Tatera v. FMC Corp. makes clear that plaintiffs face high barriers to satisfying either of these prerequisites to recovery.