The Light that Shone One Dim Winter Afternoon: The Story of the First E-Discovery Day Celebration

People are already gearing up for a great lineup of webcasts with speakers from across the industry, as well as live events in various cities across the US. December 1st is the day we all come together—attorneys, paralegals, litigation support and IT personnel, third-party vendors, consultants, and bloggers—to celebrate e-discovery.

But why? What is the story behind this celebration?

No one is really sure at this point, but the story goes that years ago, an in-house legal team at a large Midwestern corporation—maybe it was a manufacturer, a retail giant, or an insurance company—no one can really remember now. But that isn’t what matters. What’s important is that this team faced a daunting discovery deadline for a matter that had been worrying them for months. Adding to their concern was the fact that Thanksgiving had fallen the week before, tightening the time crunch.

This team was prophetic in their approach during a time when e-discovery was in its infancy, and there were no best practices to follow. People were simply trying to piece together processes to meet the new standards in the Federal Rules. This team became a beacon shining in a world of e-discovery darkness.

They used project management ideas taken from other industries to optimize their process, ensuring that no step was missed, no piece of data was deleted, and no outcome was left undocumented or unanalyzed.

They sought out the best technology available at the time to automate what could be automated and streamline what could be streamlined.

And more than anything else, they worked well together. They ensured communication and transparency among every member of the team—legal, IT, and technology vendors—because every piece of the puzzle was vital to success.

And succeed they did.

On December 1st, with the deadline met, a late afternoon snow began to fall. Knowing that snowplows and salt trucks would soon clear the roads, they gathered together to celebrate their e-discovery success. They shared donuts left in the lunchroom from an earlier board meeting, praised each member’s contribution, and reflected on what they had learned so they could be even more efficient next time.

It was a time of high spirits and camaraderie.

Soon, they walked to their cars and drove off into the wintry night with a surprising sense of patience and goodwill toward fellow commuters. That feeling carried into the next day and through the weekend, uplifted further by the holiday season.

So, as you celebrate E-Discovery Day this December 1st, remember that nameless team that led the way years ago. Let their example shape your process, while continuing to seek new ways to improve efficiency and success—so that your work may guide future generations of e-discovery professionals.