- does legal ownership of the computer mean the company has carte blanche rights to all its contents?
Yes!!!
- if the contents will become important in a legal dispute does special care need to be taken that its contents are not tampered with after access is achieved?
Yes!!!
The last thing I want to do is open myself up to getting sued by the former employee for making this PC accessible to the company (which will likely be his legal adversary).
He doesn't have legal ground.
Work as if you don't need money
Love as if you've never been hurt before
Live as if this is your last day to live
Dance as if no one's watching