This somewhat alarmist article urges caution when using instant messaging ('IM') in a legal environment:
As the use of instant messaging becomes more widespread, companies must grapple with how to handle it. In some cases IM can legally be considered a document, subject to the same retention policies as other business records. Because there is a functionality that allows all IM to be preserved, a company potentially is subject to a claim of spoliation if it doesn't save all chat messages. Instant messaging is fun, casual and quick -- but it can be dangerous.
The author seems to miss the fact that almost all good messaging clients have built-in (or add-on) logging, and in some cases, encryption support. It's actually easier to store and search through chat logs than emails, since all text is stored in conversation threads sorted by date and conversants.
IM is quick, transactional, and free from the social and grammatical pleasantries that we heap upon our email. Oh, and there's no spam. What's not to like?
Originally by Law.com Legal Technology, 2:38 PM