The standard recommendation for strong passwords has been a minimum of 12 to 15 characters, including capital and small letters, numbers, and symbols, and periodic changes in passwords. The National Institute for Standards and Technology has recently updated requirements to a minimum of 15 characters, no required complexity, and no periodic changes (only if there has been a compromise). Many law firms, and other businesses and organizations, continue to follow the earlier recommendation.

Passphrases are secure and easier to remember than random passwords. For the new approach, NIST gives “cassette lava baby” as an example. Password managers (like 1Password, Keeper, and Dashlane) can be very helpful to balance security and ease of use.

Passkeys are an emerging technology designed to replace passwords for logging onto networks, apps, services, and websites. They are faster, easier to use, and more secure than passwords.

For more information, click here. 

For current NIST recommendations, click here.

The ACBA issued a news release last week regarding Thomas C. Petropoulos becoming the new Executive Director of the Allegheny County Bar Association and Allegheny County Bar Foundation on July 1. He will replace David A. Blaner, who retires on June 30, concluding a historic 35-year career with the ACBA and ACBF. Resulting media coverage is listed below.

In addition to the hard copy edition that is sent to members through the mail, the May 29 edition of the Lawyers Journal — the ACBA’s flagship publication featuring substantive legal articles and stories of interest to the legal community — is available digitally on the ACBA website and at the button below.

Today is the final day to vote in the ACBA Membership Elections. Eligible members are encouraged to cast ballots to elect the ACBA’s next President-Elect, Treasurer, and new members of both the Board of Governors and the Judiciary Committee. Members in the active and honorary membership classes as of April 1, 2026, are eligible to vote.

Voting is conducted exclusively online. On May 12, eligible members received an email containing voting instructions and unique login credentials. Members who do not receive the voting email should reach out to Jennifer Pulice at jpulice@acba.org for assistance.

Longtime ACBA Executive Director David A. Blaner is retiring on June 30, concluding a long and historic career. The impact he has made on the Pittsburgh Legal Community – from individual members to entire firms – is undeniable. As a way to bid farewell to Dave, the ACBA will be publishing a commemorative edition of the Lawyers Journal newspaper on July 10. This edition will be filled with content on his impact, memories, and coverage of the 2026 Bench-Bar Conference, which doubles as his going away party.

Firms wishing to congratulate Dave on his retirement are invited to purchase an ad in this farewell edition. Advertising commitments are due by June 1, and all artwork must be submitted by June 8. Pricing information is available at the below link. For more information, contact Jennifer Pulice at jpulice@acba.org or 412-402-6623.

Wonder if your decisions, legal advice or other professional actions are ethical? ACBA members can get confidential consultation on their legal actions and/or potential actions through the bar association’s Professional Ethics Hotline.

Through the hotline, members of the ACBA Professional Ethics Committee are available to give their opinion on the proper interpretation of the Code of Judicial Conduct and/or Rules of Professional Conduct. They are available to address ethics questions from any ACBA member, but they advise only about the member's own conduct; they will not give opinions about the conduct of other lawyers or judicial officials.

ACBA members, colleagues, friends and allies are invited to join the LGBTQ+ Rights Committee and march in the Pittsburgh Pride Parade in downtown Pittsburgh on Sunday, June 7 beginning at 10 a.m. By participating, you are showing support for the LGBTQIA+ community, and highlighting the Pittsburgh Legal Community’s commitment to equality, inclusion and justice. Following the parade, participants are invited to join the committee for a casual fellowship gathering to continue the celebration.

The Pittsburgh Legal Journal – the official legal journal of the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas containing trial lists, legal notices, sheriff sales and more – is published five days per week and is available only to subscribers. It is delivered via email as an easy-to-print, 8.5x11-inch pdf. For an informational video on the PLJ, click here.

Checked out the Attorney Resources page on the ACBA website lately? This page contains everything from links to health and wellness services to a compilation of ACBA publications to practice management services and more. Bookmark the ACBA Attorney Resources page today and ensure you’re getting access to all of the resources that come with your membership.

The ACBA Knowledge Center is the premier resource library for legal professionals. Explore this library of content and resources from the ACBA, as well as experts and providers across the legal industry. These resources include timely, actionable research from the ACBA as well as third-party resources that are designed to be helpful to your organization. Please note that the ACBA does not endorse third-party content.