eDiscovery Doesn’t Need To Be As Complicated As You Think

If you’re on a big case, the discovery process can eat up massive resources. Research run amok can suck your firm into a financial black hole. Law firms often error on the side of too much data, casting a wide net for fear of missing crucial information. This can make the entire discovery process more cumbersome than it needs to be.

For attorneys struggling with eDiscovery, there are a few different ways to streamline the research phase, avoid over-collection and ultimately make the whole eDiscovery process a lot less painful.

Focus on Better Data Collection

With eDiscovery, much of the time, money and effort involved is directly impacted by how well the data was collected. The problem is that a single file can potentially make or break a case. In order to ensure that every relevant file is extracted, firms will usually error on the side of over collecting.  

Sifting through a mountain of data in order to find key files can obviously be a bit of a headache and require many man-hours. Hosting that data, whether it’s on your own servers or in a cloud-based solution can further complicates the matter. Anything that shrinks that mountain of data down to something more manageable is obviously beneficial.

Thankfully, the latest data collection platforms can do much of this work before data capture by providing better, more sophisticated search parameters. Collection tools such as iConect’s Xplorer allow firms to be more targeted with data collection, helping them to weed out irrelevant files. These platforms can also identify duplicate data, allowing your firm to collect what it needs with the least amount of effort.

Embrace the Cloud

The process of eDiscovery is moving to the cloud as a way to lessen the pain of a lengthy discovery process. Here’s why:

1. The flexibility and scalability of the digital landscape naturally lends itself to collaboration and analysis.

2. Integrated cloud-based products avoid the interoperability issues created by piecing together multiple technology platforms.

3. Centralizing eDiscovery under one vendor allows standardization and uniformity in data management.

Seek Out Litigation Support

With data preparation and review accounting for up to a quarter of the costs associated with the discovery process, a firm must establish up front what is the right data. Companies like Platinum IDS have solid tools that help law firms collect and segment the data they’re seeking.

Finding the right eDiscovery solutions team can equal cost savings for attorneys. They can help you establish the right data subsets, then help collate and disseminate it, potentially saving you a lot of time – and money. From managing data collection to transmitting data in a variety of formats, you’re looking for a vendor-partner with a track record of data reduction and coordination strategies that will really take the sting out of discovery.

With the right team in place, who knows — perhaps even a litigator can learn to love all the data found in the digital cloud. To find out more, download our eDiscovery eBook.

ebook How to use ediscovery to compete with the big boys

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