E-Discovery Project Management Fees included in Recoverable Costs for Prevailing Party

Created on January 5, 2012

By Mike Hamilton
Vice President, E-Discovery

In e-discovery, collaboration between multiple teams for tracking, monitoring and ensuring a defensible and comprehensive e-discovery process is essential. Project managers play the vital role of coordinating and managing this process so that matters stay on track and important information does not fall through the cracks. Courts are also beginning to recognize the importance of e-discovery project management, as seen in Jardin v. Datallegro, Inc. (S.D.Cal. Oct. 2011). In Jardin, it was ruled by the court that the project management costs used “exclusively to the process of converting data to .TIFF format"... Read More

E-Discovery Search Terms: What Are Reasonable E-Discovery Search Parameters?

Created on December 28, 2011

By Mike Hamilton
Vice President, E-Discovery

Can you guess what is wrong with the following keyword search parameters listed below for an e-discovery request? 58 predefined keywords with different searching variations (Boolean, etc.) No specific time periods or employees Inclusive of non-active and active files Inclusive of all unallocated computer space If you guessed that they create an overly broad and burdensome production request, then you are right. Amazingly, these were the search terms agreed upon between the parties in I-Med Pharma, Inc. v. Biomatrix, Inc. (D.N.J. Dec. 9, 2011). Here is what the search turned up:Total Number... Read More

On-Demand Webcast - Implementing Effective E-Discovery Workflows Between Inside & Outside Counsel

Created on December 27, 2011

E-discovery is a complicated, time-consuming process involving resources from inside and outside the organization. Effective e-discovery management requires collaboration and communication between all parties to ensure the effective exchange of information around timelines, budgets and technical requirements. Communication breakdowns can result in lost evidence, missed deadlines and potential sanctions. Having defined, automated e-discovery workflows can prevent these breakdowns and allow the legal teams to manage internal and external activities through one unified, transparent and defensible process. This webcast explored: E-discovery roles and workflows between inside and outside counsel Common e-discovery pitfalls often... Read More

Guidance from the Court: How to Adequately Preserve, Search, Collect Potentially Relevant ESI

Created on December 15, 2011

By Mike Hamilton
Vice President, E-Discovery

Five years after the 2006 FRCP changes, the e-discovery world is still awaiting a concrete answer on when and how to defensibly preserve potentially relevant electronically stored information (ESI). E-discovery blogs, magazines and websites have all debated whether the FRCP should be modified to clarify when the duty to preserve is triggered and what really constitutes a reasonable preservation process. However without these changes, people should look for guidance from the courts to help answer their outstanding preservation questions/concerns. In Naaco Materials Handling Group, Inc. v. Lilly Co. (W.D. Tenn. Nov. 2011)... Read More

Litigants Beware: Create Reasonable Document Requests or Else You Might Be Paying for it in the Future

Created on December 8, 2011

By Mike Hamilton
Vice President, E-Discovery

In legal discovery, document requests have been used as a weapon to drive up costs and/or prevent parties from pursuing further litigation. Fortunately, the ruling in Race Tires II, which awarded e-discovery costs for the prevailing party, has sent the message that those who practice such an approach are to be punished by the courts.Under FRCP 54(d)(1), “costs – other than attorney's fees – should be allowed to the prevailing party." To break down this rule: Costs = “the fees for exemplification and the costs of making copies of any materials where... Read More

Patent Litigation Brings Unique E-Discovery Challenges

Created on December 6, 2011

With his recently issued Model Order, Federal Chief Judge Randall Rader has set off a firestorm of talk surrounding e-discovery rule changes and efforts by the courts to minimize the costs and burdens of e-discovery. Judge Rader's proposals also highlight some of the specific challenges associated with conducting e-discovery in patent litigation. Here are some general characteristics of patent litigation and why they present unique e-discovery hurdles:Large Volumes of ESI: Patent cases usually involve large volumes of electronically stored information (ESI). For starters, the process of obtaining a patent requires companies to produce and... Read More

How Early is Too Early to Serve Subpoenas for E-Discovery to Third Party Service Providers?

Created on December 1, 2011

By Mike Hamilton
Vice President, E-Discovery

In today's digital age, text messages, cell phones and email are the primary form of an average person's daily communications. Often then during tort cases, such as personal injury or wrongful action claims, these type of communication records can be vital for a party to prove or defend against liability. To safeguard and protect against the destruction of evidence, parties must take measures to ensure that potentially relevant records, including those generated on electronic communication services providers, are preserved. Questions have arisen before the courts as to when parties can serve subpoenas... Read More

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