E-Discovery Experts

Searching is a core e-discovery skill that has been a part of the legal case landscape for about two decades now. Throughout that time, the fundamental capabilities for keyword searching have not changed much. However, my experience has shown that crafting a good, effective search a core e-discovery technical (and artistic!) skill. This blog offers insight into how to do just that.

Picture this: Your team has completed the first level and quality control reviews. Your documents have been produced, your privilege log is out the door and you have just received the incoming document production from the opposing party. Now you have a universe of documents with the potential to be used as deposition exhibits, in expert reports, and as trial exhibits. It would be nice if there was a way to take advantage of your previous work identifying hot documents during first level and quality control reviews by using them to identify documents with similar issues or themes in the opposing parties production. You and your team spent days, weeks, or even months reviewing documents for production. Leveraging this time (and costs) would be greatly appreciated by your client. But is that even possible? Yes it is! 

Given that data processing is a technical activity, how involved should legal teams be in this phase of discovery? In my opinion, case teams do not need to be experts about document processing tool mechanics (that’s what WE are for!). However, in my experience, legal teams that spend the effort to develop four specific skills end up with robust document databases, efficient reviewers and happy clients. 

Mobile devices are an absolute necessity in our everyday life. When it comes to litigation (or potential litigation), our beloved devices are usually subject to discovery as they may contain information that is relevant to proving or disproving a case. As a result, when developing a data collection strategy, mobile devices must be considered. Mobile devices may now be as valuable as the more typical sources of information, namely personal computers and network locations, and with this newly-recognized discovery relevance comes a potential for trouble.

In one sense, “proportionality” is about balance: weighing the pros and cons of an action in order to decide if that action is justified. For example: Is the cost worth the potential benefit? When applied to law, the concept of proportionality is central to the extent, limits and reasonableness of discovery in litigation. In this article, I’ve included some tips and tricks of the trade that your e-discovery professional (whether that be a project manager, e-discovery attorney or other specialist) can offer to help you work towards that elusive notion of proportionality.

In January, I wrote a blog about the landmark case of United States v. Microsoft Corp. pending before the United States Supreme Court. Following publication of that blog, the Court heard oral arguments on February 27, 2018. On April 17, 2018, the Court dismissed the case as moot after Congress passed an amendment to the SCA and the Government obtained a new warrant pursuant to the amended Act. I have mixed feelings on this one.