Putting the crypt into encryption

Last week a group of intrepid lawyers joined us for a foray into the fascinating worlds of computer forensic investigations and fine wine.  Entitled the Gigabyte and the Grape, the event was designed to stimulate both the mind and the palate. However, the event proved to be so popular that we quickly outgrew the capacity of the original venue! We are always pleasantly surprised when our events exceed anticipated demand but given the growing importance of electronic evidence in legal proceedings, it is perhaps less surprising that brushing up on computer forensics knowledge is becoming a greater training priority for lawyers across practice areas.

Thankfully we were able to upgrade our venue to the historic St Andrew Holborn, dividing our time between the beautiful beamed Court House room for the presentation and the atmospheric crypts for the wine tasting segment of the evening.

The Gigabytes…After a welcome drink, Lead Forensic Consultant  Tony Dearsley led our guests through our ‘Forensics for Lawyers’ presentation.

As the title might suggest, the purpose of the presentation is educating lawyers and although there is technical information and explanations, we focus on providing information that can be used in practice, covering key topics such as:

• The types of data that can be extracted
• The types of device which can contain evidence
• Digital forensics methods
• How digital forensic evidence can be used in cases

The Grapes…

After the presentation, we entered the candle-lit crypts for the second part of this educational event; a wine tasting hosted by renowned sommelier Gilbert Winfield. Gilbert guided our guests through a flight of fine wines, starting with a Nicholas Feuillatte champagne and ending with a rare Madeira.

Accompanied by canapes specially-selected to match the wines on offer, it was a very convivial evening and one which we hope has given our guests useful insights on the power of computer forensics.