Summary:
Open-source intelligence (OSINT) is now embedded in modern litigation—whether lawyers realize it or not. From routine background investigations to witness due diligence and evidentiary authentication, attorney use of publicly available online information continues to raise new legal, ethical, and strategic questions. This one-hour CLE will break down how OSINT is being used in Ohio litigation, the case law that governs its admissibility, and the constitutional limits that shape criminal and civil practice. Attendees will learn how to distinguish lawful collection from risky conduct, oversee investigators and vendors, and manage the practical challenges that arise when screenshots, social media, geofence data, or other digital artifacts become part of a case.
Understanding OSINT is no longer optional—courts expect competence, clients assume it, and missteps can jeopardize evidence, create suppression issues, or expose attorneys to ethical and supervisory problems. This program gives Ohio lawyers the legal framework and practical tools they need to use OSINT safely and effectively in litigation.
Agenda
I. Introduction & Learning Objectives
A. Why OSINT Matters to Ohio Lawyers
OSINT as a routine component of:
litigation support
background investigations
witness and party due diligence
B. CLE Learning Objectives
By the end of the program, attendees will be able to:
Distinguish lawful OSINT collection from legally risky conduct
Understand Ohio and federal case law governing OSINT use
Understand OSINT evidence admissibility in Ohio courts
Understand collection boundaries when supervising investigators and paralegals
II. Open-Source Intelligence Terminology and Review of OSINT Part 1
A. Practical Definition for Lawyers
Information that is:
publicly accessible
lawfully obtained
B. What OSINT Is Not
Private information
Illegally obtained by third parties and posted – “hack and leak”
C. How OSINT Is Collected
Tools
Techniques
Training
III. Criminal Law: Suppression & Constitutional Limits
A. Ohio Criminal Case Law
Privacy issues
Ohio appellate trends
B. Federal Constitutional Framework (as Applied in Ohio)
Relevant cases
Federal trends
C. Geofence Issues
Geofence data
Geofence warrants
IV. Civil Law: Admissibility of OSINT Evidence
A. Ohio Evidence Rule 901 – Authentication
Threshold standards
Screenshots
B. Ohio Courts’ Practical Approach
Standards
State trends
C. Federal Civil Cases as Persuasive Authority
Case law overview
V. Collection Methods & Legal Risk
A. OSINT Risk Overview
Understanding collection methods and risks
B. Vendor & Investigator Oversight
Lawyer responsibility for third-party conduct
Due diligence questions for investigators and vendors
Risk-reduction strategies
VII. Practical Takeaways for Ohio Lawyers
A. What Courts Expect
B. What Actually Causes Problems
C. Best Practices
Presenter
Shafi Saiduddin, Esq., CEO, Legalis Intelligence Advisor
Shafi Saiduddin is CEO of Legalis Intelligence Advisors is a high-end boutique of highly skilled advisors and strategists providing comprehensive intelligence and litigation consulting from a 360-degree perspective. Formerly operating as Pineland Investigations LLC.
With over 30 years of national security experience from the Intelligence Community to Army Special Operations Forces, Shafi Saiduddin retired from the Army and started his own intelligence and litigation consulting firm, Legalis Intelligence Advisors.
With an active law degree of his own, Shafi understands what is required in high-stakes business deals and legal matters and focuses on the facts so lawyers can focus on the law.?The company serves as an extension of your legal team by analyzing the problem from a 360-degree view—your clients’, your opponents’, and the third side—and provide intelligence analysis and reports that inform your trial strategy.
1.0 CLE Hours