Industry Trends

Thursday LTNY 2015 Sessions: eDiscovery Trends

As noted yesterday and Tuesday, LegalTech® New York 2015 (LTNY) is happening this week and eDiscoveryDaily is here to report about the latest eDiscovery trends being discussed at the show. This is the last day to check out the show if you’re in the New York area with a number of sessions (both paid and free) available and over 199 exhibitors providing information on their products and services.

While at the show, we will (also for the fifth year in a row!) be interviewing several industry thought leaders to see what they think are the significant trends for 2015 and, which of those are evident at LTNY. After the show, we will announce the series of thought leader interviews and identify when each will be published. Mark your calendars!

Perform a “find” on today’s LTNY conference schedule for “discovery” or “information governance” and you’ll get 33 hits. So, there is plenty to talk about! Sessions in the main conference tracks include:

10:30 – 11:45 AM:

Information Governance in the Now

According to the Information Governance Initiative’s Annual Report, Information Governance (IG) practitioners “are taking action on a wide variety of IG projects right now. On average, SMBs have four IG projects under way, and large organizations have six.” This session will explore where IG stands today as a concept, as a practice and as a market; uncovering the projects that are getting funding, the technologies that are enabling action and the governance structures that are getting the most attention.

At the end of this session you will have a clear picture of where the IG market really is so you can catch the wave and get started delivering value to your clients and organizations right now.

Speakers to include: Julie Colgan (Discussion Leader), Head of Information Governance Solutions, Nuix; James Arnold, Managing Director of Forensic Services, KPMG; Lauren Barnes, VP Records and Information Management, Credit Suisse; Jay Brudz, Partner, Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP; Fred Pulzello, President, ARMA International.

Transforming Discovery Through Data Management

With data growing exponentially, legal counsel is struggling to control eDiscovery costs. However, they can now effectively find potentially relevant documents earlier in the process with greater accuracy than ever before.   By combining technology and analytical expertise, it is now possible to gather early stage legal intelligence to develop case strategy and limit that amount of data promoted to review.

Speakers to include: Dave Deppe, President, UnitedLex Corporation; Jacob J. Herstek, Vice President and Senior Legal Counsel, HSBC Bank USA, NA; Lynn S. Looby, Managing Counsel for Litigation, Regulatory & U.S. Operations, The Dow Chemical Company; Farrah Pepper, Executive Counsel – Discovery, General Electric Company.

12:15 – 1:30 PM:

The Convergence of Information Security and IG

Gartner analysts Ted Friedman and Tom Scholtz have forecast that “by 2017, 40% of Global 1000 organizations will have aligned their information management governance and information security governance programs.” However, this prediction raises a variety of questions about how and why such a convergence might occur.

Nuix engaged Ari Kaplan Advisors to interview Fortune 1000 IS leaders to answer some of these questions for a benchmarking report and, among other conclusions, found that organizations know they must adopt a new set of information security disciplines to protect high-value and high-risk data. IG professionals must also play a critical role in helping to identify where important data is stored, understanding what it’s worth and making sure it’s protected.

Information security disciplines are at the heart of a good information governance framework. And failing to implement a robust information governance framework can be costly if it fails to prevent a data breach or minimize its consequences.

Speakers to include: Ari Kaplan (Discussion Leader), Principal, Ari Kaplan Advisors; Jim Kent, Global Head of Investigations & Cybersecurity, Nuix; Andre McGregor, Special Agent, Federal Bureau of Investigation; Alison North, Director, ARMA International Board of Directors, CEO, AN Information Ltd.; Amie Taal, Vice President, Security and Investigations Deutsche Bank.

Protecting Employee and Customer Privacy in an Era of ‘Big Data’ Monitoring

Corporations and governments are accelerating the collection and analysis of data about our personal and professional lives. The Internet of Things has not only enhanced consumer convenience, but also spawned a vast network of data collection mechanisms, such as smart phones, computer operating systems, websites, point-of-sale terminals, email accounts, social media postings, watches, automobile navigation systems and even asthma inhalers. One of the greatest challenges to an organization is balancing the benefits—such as product development, sales and marketing—of this data avalanche with the need to protect the privacy of its employees and customers.

In this session, panelists will review the myriad ways in which we are monitored and how that information is used, and share best practices in policy and security controls to protect employees and customers. The panelists will address the following:

  • How and why we are monitored — and how that information is used
  • Best practices in policy and security controls to protect employees and customers
  • Effective privacy, computer, BYOD and network usage policies
  • Reasonable expectations of privacy
  • The evolution of U.S. privacy laws and their effects on employees and consumers

Speakers to include: Jason R. Baron (Discussion Leader), Of Counsel, Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP; Alan Friel, Partner, BakerHostetler; Julia Horwitz, Consumer Protection Counsel, Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC); Heidi Wachs, Special Counsel, Jenner & Block; Sheryl Ann Yamuder, Senior Managing Counsel, Privacy & Data Protection, MasterCard.

2:00 – 3:00 PM:

Information Governance 2020 and Beyond

Over the next decade, technological and economic changes will challenge businesses; new data consumers, types, sources and endpoints will require businesses to continually adapt their information governance and security policies or risk losing data integrity. But what does the future really hold for Information Governance (IG)?

This panel of IG visionaries will look into their crystal balls and deliver predictions about IG of the future, considering topics such as cloud, mobility and the Internet of Things (IoT).

This is a must-attend session that will get your creativity flowing and inspire you to embrace the future to deliver best-in-class governance to your organizations and clients.

Speakers to include: Julie Colgan (Discussion Leader), Head of Information Governance Solutions, Nuix; Barclay Blair, Founder and Executive Director, IG Initiative, Principal and Founder, ViaLumina LLC; Chris Dale, The eDisclosure Information Project; Leigh Isaacs, Director of Records and Information Governance, Orrick, Herrington and Sutcliffe LLP, Advisory Board Member, IG Initiative.

In addition to these, there are other eDiscovery-related sessions today. For a complete description for all sessions today, click here.

eDiscoveryDaily will also be “tweeting” periodically throughout LTNY, so feel free to check out our updates at twitter.com/Cloud9Discovery.

So, what do you think? Are you planning to attend LTNY this year? Please share any comments you might have or if you’d like to know more about a particular topic.

Disclaimer: The views represented herein are exclusively the views of the author, and do not necessarily represent the views held by CloudNine. eDiscoveryDaily is made available by CloudNine solely for educational purposes to provide general information about general eDiscovery principles and not to provide specific legal advice applicable to any particular circumstance. eDiscoveryDaily should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a lawyer you have retained and who has agreed to represent you.

Wednesday LTNY 2015 Sessions: eDiscovery Trends

As noted yesterday, LegalTech® New York 2015 (LTNY) is happening this week and eDiscoveryDaily is here to report about the latest eDiscovery trends being discussed at the show. There’s still time to check out the show if you’re in the New York area with a number of sessions (both paid and free) available and over 199 exhibitors providing information on their products and services.

While at the show, we will (also for the fifth year in a row!) be interviewing several industry thought leaders to see what they think are the significant trends for 2015 and, which of those are evident at LTNY. After the show, we will announce the series of thought leader interviews and identify when each will be published. Mark your calendars!

Perform a “find” on today’s LTNY conference schedule for “discovery” or “information governance” and you’ll get 66 hits. So, there is plenty to talk about! Sessions in the main conference tracks include:

10:30 – 11:45 AM:

Data Preservation in a User-Centric Mobile, Social and Cloud World

The cloud is no longer a novelty, social is not just for social, and mobile is fast becoming central, yet for eDiscovery professionals these environments are still often seen as unavoidable annoyances. Learn how successful corporations are implementing proactive litigation readiness plans for cloud solutions, social networks, and mobile endpoints — saving time, cost, risk, and hassles while letting their users work the way they want to.

Speakers to include: Neil Etheridge (Discussion Leader), Vice President, Product Marketing, Recommind; Robert Owen, Partner , Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP; Dave Packer, Sr. Director, Product Marketing, Druva; Alex Ponce de Leon, Discovery Counsel, Google; Justin Somaini , Chief Trust Officer, Box, Inc..

Analytics and Information Governance

As information proliferates, organizations need to adopt enterprise-wide Information Governance practices and make proactive policy decisions about what information is important to the organization, how to keep and manage it, and how to defensibly dispose of it. Data analytics are a smart way to gain an understanding of an organization’s information, both broadly and specifically, and to analyze or categorize it in order to facilitate business decisions, support defensible disposition, and more. This interactive panel discussion will address the information governance challenges organizations face and how analytics can help, including specific examples such as defensible destruction.

Speakers to include: Laurie Fischer (Discussion Leader) , Managing Director, Huron Legal; Jon M. Talotta , Partner, Hogan Lovells; Brett Tarr, Counsel Litigation & E-Discovery , Caesars Entertainment; Kurt Wilhelm , Director – Information Governance, NBCUniversal.

Predictive Coding: Succeed or Screw Up? How to Evaluate (and Validate) Results in Your Next Predictive Coding Project

It is no longer a matter of “if” you use predictive coding; “how” you conduct predictive coding is the critical question. With the training, prediction, and evaluation stages being an iterative process, how do you validate results and know when to stop review? This session will help you understand the methods and key metrics for evaluating effectiveness in your next predictive coding project.

Speakers to include: Jonathan Sachs (Discussion Leader), Senior Account Executive, Kroll Ontrack; Cliff Dutton, Senior Vice President & Director of eDiscovery and Vendor Management , AIG; Shannon Kirk, E-Discovery Counsel, Ropes & Gray; Ralph Losey, Shareholder, Jackson Lewis P.C.

12:30 – 1:30 PM:

Future-Proof Your eDiscovery Practices – OPEN TO ALL

It’s clear that the eDiscovery landscape is constantly changing. Trends and vendors often come and go, leaving organizations in a constant state of reacting to what’s next. Those organizations that are prepared for evolving conditions can better balance value and risk – thus future proofing their eDiscovery practices. In this panel, learn from proven eDiscovery experience and historical perspective on how the market has evolved in the past two decades – and how previous trends and market forces will help determine where the industry may be headed. You’ll leave knowing what your organizations can do now to minimize future risk and how to take full advantage of the value that emerging technologies will offer.

Speakers to include: George Tziahanas (Discussion Leader) , VP, Legal and Compliance Solutions, HP; Patrick Collins, Partner, Perkins Coie; Dr. Bruce V. Hartley, CISSP, VP, Celerity Consulting Group, Inc.; Jessica Watts, Associate General Counsel,, eDiscovery HP.

2:00 – 3:15 PM:

User-Defined Predictive Coding for Fact Finding and Prioritized Review

It’s easy to think of machine learning only when reviewing for large productions, however, forward-thinking users are applying it to drive internal investigations, analyze government-seized data stores, quality-check manual review, and much more. Come learn creative strategies for combining search and analytics for powerful fact finding and cost savings across a range of real-world use cases.

Speakers to include: Hal Marcus (Discussion Leader), Product Marketing Manager, Recommind; Florinda Baldridge, Global Director of Practice Support, Norton Rose Fulbright; Jay Brudz, Partner, Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP; David L. Stanton, Partner, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP.

Analytics to Enhance Litigation and Discovery Strategy

The “buzz” in the past few years has been about predictive coding as an analytical tool to facilitate document review. Predictive coding is just one of many analytical tools that can aid the discovery process, however, and document production is just one use for discovery analytics. This panel will discuss the range of analytical tools for discovery and creative ways they can be used to assist with early case assessment, litigation strategy, and discovery strategy, allowing counsel to better focus on developing the legal case and clients to make more informed decisions about case disposition. As an added bonus, their effective use can result in significant cost savings.

Speakers to include: Nathalie Hofman (Discussion Leader) , Managing Director, Huron Legal; Ignatius Grande, Senior Discovery Attorney/Director of PracticeSupport, Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP; Mollie C. Nichols , Partner, Redgrave LLP; Glenn O’Brien , Director, Electronic Discovery, Liberty Mutual Insurance; Farrah Short, Associate , Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C..

Machine Learning from Pre-Discovery to eDiscovery and Everything In-between

Find out how machine learning is impacting all areas of information governance, realizing the promises of knowledge management, records management, and eDiscovery.

  • How can machine learning enable organizations to get ahead of the curve in eDiscovery and be better prepared for a matter?
  • How does machine learning facilitate areas of information governance such as defensible deletion, surveillance and compliance, records management and applying retention policies to electronic archiving?
  • How do corporate counsel and attorneys apply machine learning capabilities to unstructured content to better address information governance requirements?

Hear our expert panelists share ways machine learning technology is being applied throughout all areas of the information governance spectrum, with compelling, pragmatic examples and case studies demonstrating an entirely new paradigm with unstructured corporate content.

Speakers to include: Ari Kaplan (Discussion Leader), Principal, Ari Kaplan Advisors; Jeff Fehrman, Chief Strategy Officer, Mindseye; Constantine Pappas, Product Specialist, Computer-assisted Review, kCura; Rick Wilson, Vice President of Strategy and Solutions, Sherpa Software.

Global: Around the World in Less than 80 Minutes – Delivering Successful eDiscovery Projects Across the Globe

EDiscovery is approached differently in almost every country around the world, and international eDiscovery best practices are evolving quickly in response to international litigation and investigations. Knowing the country’s approach to eDiscovery is integral to ensuring that a multi-national eDiscovery project goes smoothly. This panel, comprised of eDiscovery experts from around the world, will discuss:

  • The biggest differences in approaches to eDiscovery in the US, EU and APAC
  • How the extraterritorial effect of US regulation affects global companies’ eDiscovery tactics
  • Why eDiscovery is on the rise in European countries like Germany and France and how to handle local requirements
  • Political, cultural and legislative sensitivities towards eDiscovery in China, Japan, Singapore and other countries in the APAC region – and how to deal with them

Techniques for managing eDiscovery in international cases and on multiple fronts.

Speakers to include: Andrew Szczech (Discussion Leader) , Director of Legal Technologies Services, EMEA, Legal Technologies, Kroll Ontrack UK; Brian Calla, Member, Eckert Seamans; Kate Chan, Managing Director, Kroll Ontrack APAC; Emily A. Cobb, Associate, Ropes & Gray; Jerami D. Kemnitz, Senior Discovery Counsel – Global Head of eDiscovery, Wells Fargo.

3:45 – 5:00 PM:

User-Centric Protocols for Advanced Review

Recent noteworthy judicial opinions have a lot to say about practical aspects of predictive coding-enabled review – such as search term culling, seed set sharing, workflow transparency, ESI orders, and the timing of discovery challenges. Come learn what these opinions do (and don’t yet) tell us, and how the new CTRL Initiative’s open-source guidelines can help users chart a flexible course for advanced review.

Speakers to include: Philip Favro (Discussion Leader), Senior Discovery Counsel, Recommind; Honorable James C. Francis IV, U.S. Magistrate Judge , U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York; Dawson Horn, III, Esq., Associate General Counsel, AIG; Darin Sands, Shareholder, Lane Powell.

Information Governance: Applying Technology to Information Governance: Data Management, Litigation Holds, Records Retention and Destruction

This panel will help attendees understand how information governance maturity can be developed from much of what we have learned in eDiscovery. The panel will talk about what information governance (IG) is, how to develop IG programs, and what IG projects companies are undertaking today, such as defensible data remediation, intelligent migration, and using eDiscovery and analytics technology for information governance purposes.

Speakers to include: Cathleen Peterson (Discussion Leader), Senior Vice President, Consulting and Advanced Review Services, Kroll Ontrack; Bennett Borden, Partner, Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP; Jessica Escalera, Global Head of Legal Discovery Operations, Barclays; D. Casey Flaherty, Corporate Counsel, Kia Motors America, Inc.; David L. Stanton, Partner, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP.

In addition to these, there are other eDiscovery-related sessions today. For a complete description for all sessions today, click here.

eDiscoveryDaily will also be “tweeting” periodically throughout LTNY, so feel free to check out our updates at twitter.com/Cloud9Discovery.

So, what do you think? Are you planning to attend LTNY this year? Please share any comments you might have or if you’d like to know more about a particular topic.

Disclaimer: The views represented herein are exclusively the views of the author, and do not necessarily represent the views held by CloudNine. eDiscoveryDaily is made available by CloudNine solely for educational purposes to provide general information about general eDiscovery principles and not to provide specific legal advice applicable to any particular circumstance. eDiscoveryDaily should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a lawyer you have retained and who has agreed to represent you.

Welcome to LegalTech New York 2015!: eDiscovery Trends

Today is the start of LegalTech® New York 2015 (LTNY) and, for the fifth year in a row, eDiscoveryDaily is here to report about the latest eDiscovery trends being discussed at the show. Over the next three days, we will provide a description each day of some of the sessions related to eDiscovery to give you a sense of the topics being covered. If you’re in the New York area, I encourage you to check out the show – there are a number of sessions (both paid and free) available and over 199 exhibitors providing information on their products and services.

While at the show, we will (also for the fifth year in a row!) be interviewing several industry thought leaders to see what they think are the significant trends for 2015 and, which of those are evident at LTNY. After the show, we will announce the series of thought leader interviews and identify when each will be published. Mark your calendars!

Perform a “find” on today’s LTNY conference schedule for “discovery” or “information governance” and you’ll get 84 hits. So, there is plenty to talk about! Sessions in the main conference tracks include:

10:30 – 11:45 AM:

Information Management in the Age of the New Attorney

Some of the biggest changes currently in the legal IT environment are coming from the changing expectations and methods by which today’s attorneys want to work. As a new generation of attorneys rises to firm management, how does traditional information management need to change to accommodate the always-on, mobile, social, attorney? How can firms take advantage of new approaches to gain greater agility and better meet attorney – and client – demands for access to key information?

In this panel discussion, we will explore these topics with a panel of CIOs and IT Directors, and review what their organizations are doing to meet attorney and client expectations today as well as plans and ideas for the (near) future.

Speakers to include: Dan Carmel (Discussion Leader), Head of ECM Strategy and Solutions, HP Big Data; Marat Borodovskiy, IS Director, Prudential; Bill Koch, Director of Technology Services, Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, LLP; Glenn O’Brien, Director, Electronic Discovery, Liberty Mutual Insurance; Usman Nayyar, Director of Applications and Technology Solutions, Proskauer.

Information Governance and E-Discovery – Working Across Disciplines to Improve Outcomes and Add Value

In conversations among thought-leading legal professionals and technologists, the subject of “information governance” features prominently. But how do these leaders define information governance, and why has the topic become so important? And what is the relationship to e-discovery?

In this program, panelists at the forefront of information governance will discuss the various ways in which their discipline relates to e-discovery. They will explain how a sound information governance initiative can help make e-discovery more efficient and effective, and less expensive. And they will help us understand how, in turn, a thoughtful and strategic e-discovery program can contribute back to the organization’s information governance. The panel will offer practical advice on breaking down silos and working across disciplines to create and enhance that information value loop.

Speakers to include: Maureen O’Neill (Discussion Leader), Senior Vice President, Discovery Strategy, DiscoverReady; Lauren Barnes, VP Records and Information Management, Credit Suisse; Juliet M. Hanna, Associate General Counsel, Fannie Mae; Julie Heller, VP & Global Head of eDiscovery Programs, Legal Operations Center, AIG.

Advice from Counsel: Case Studies of What’s Working in E-Discovery Today

Forget the theoretical. This is pure brass tacks. E-discovery practitioners are streamlining their processes, using advanced technology, and dramatically reducing the cost of e-discovery. In-house counsel, litigation support, outside counsel and service providers are all playing a part in transforming chaotic e-discovery procedures into a regular business process. This case study session will showcase what’s working today for corporations and law firms handling e-discovery matters large and small. Results from the 6th annual Advice from Counsel study on in-house e-discovery trends will supplement the case study discussions.

Speakers to include: Sophie Ross (Discussion Leader), Senior Managing Director, FTI Technology; Shari Aberle, Partner, Dorsey; Ari Kaplan, Principal, Ari Kaplan Advisors; Nicole Schaefer, Litigation Support Director, Janney Montgomery Scott.

Data Analytics for eDiscovery and Investigations – A Practical Approach

Data analytics on structured information (Oracle/SQL databases, mainframe data, etc.) is a specialized discipline that can help companies address issues related to litigation and sophisticated fraud and white collar crime. Forensic data analytics professionals must understand issues particular to the review of data contained in a structured format (i.e., enterprise financial systems and operational data stores). As with traditional computer forensic analysis on unstructured data, successful structured data eDiscovery is comprised of key work steps including identification, preservation, collection, processing, hosting, review, and production of structured data. This discussion will provide an overview and practical approach detailing the processes related to the analysis of structured data for eDiscovery and investigations.

Speakers to include: Tom Keegan (Discussion Leader), Principal Forensic Advisory Services, KPMG LLP; Elizabeth Asali, Litigation Counsel, GlaxoSmithKline; Jeffrey Greene, Shareholder, Greenberg Traurig; Wendy Predescu, Principal, KPMG LLP.

12:30 – 1:30 PM:

Taking TAR to the Next Level: Recent Research and the Promise of Continuous Active Learning — OPEN TO ALL

Three years ago, panelists Judge Andrew J. Peck and Maura R. Grossman introduced Technology-Assisted Review (TAR) to a standing-room-only crowd at LegalTech 2012. Since then, TAR—with its promise of substantial reduction in review costs—has entered the mainstream of high-volume discovery, both in the U.S. and around the world.

In 2015, the grand challenge is to make TAR even more accessible and more effective while addressing the real-world limitations of first-generation TAR products. Our panel will talk about the latest research on TAR protocols, focusing on newer methods like Continuous Active Learning, which have been shown to identify relevant documents more quickly, and to further reduce review costs. Discussion topics include:

  • How does Continuous Active Learning work, and how does it differ from earlier TAR protocols?
  • Which kinds of seed are most effective in TAR training, random or judgmental and why?
  • Are subject-matter experts required for TAR training, or can review teams do the job just as well?
  • How will the courts evaluate TAR and Continuous Active Learning? What kind of evidence is required to move best practices forward?
  • What kinds of savings can you expect from Continuous Active Learning versus other protocols? Should different protocols be used for different types of cases?

Join us for an informative hour focusing on the future of TAR for 2015 and beyond. Learn about the first peer-reviewed study comparing TAR protocols and how its findings may be applied in judicial and corporate settings. Pick up your free guide to Continuous Active Learning so you can learn more about this powerful new option for TAR review.

Speakers to include: John Tredennick (Discussion Leader), CEO and Founder, Catalyst Repository Systems, Inc.; Gordon V. Cormack, Professor, David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science, University of Waterloo; Maura R. Grossman, Of Counsel, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz; Susan Nielsen Hammond, Records, eDiscovery & Forensics Counsel, Regions Financial Corporation; Honorable Andrew J. Peck, Magistrate Judge, United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.

2:00 – 3:15 PM:

Counsel’s Secret Weapon in the Information Wars: Governance Strategies and Tactics

Organizations face increasing pressure when responding to litigation, investigations, and regulatory compliance demands. Factors adding to this pressure are shortened time frames, increasingly disparate information, and tight budgets. It is essential to proactively prepare for these challenges with an information governance strategy that ensures your data can be accessed, analyzed, and understood quickly and cost effectively.

In this session, learn how to evaluate technology solutions, best practices for deploying these solutions in conjunction with IG policies, and how you can gain strategic insight from your data.

Speakers to include: Matt Levy (Discussion Leader), eDiscovery Subject Matter Expert, HP; Jason R. Baron, Of Counsel, Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP; Gareth Evans, Partner, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP; Marty Provin, Executive VP, Jordan Lawrence; Jason Van Volkenburgh, Associate General Counsel, Hunter Douglas.

E-Discovery Insourcing vs Outsourcing

This session will focus on the key issues attorneys, paralegals and litigation support staff should consider when deciding whether to insource or outsource e-discovery. While they may seem elementary, time, cost and complexity continue to be some of the greatest challenges e-discovery practitioners face today. Join us as our panel discusses some of the key elements to consider when deciding on an e-discovery solution.

Speakers to include: Edward Sohn (Discussion Leader), Global Director, Legal Managed Services, Thomson Reuters; Anthony J. Diana, Partner, Reed Smith; Glen McFarlane, Managing Director, JPMorgan Chase; Karin Scholz Jenson, Partner and National Co-Leader, E-Discovery Advocacy and Management Team, BakerHostetler.

The Predictive Coding Soundtrack: Rewind, Play, Fast-Forward

Over the last several years, predictive coding dominated conversations among e-discovery practitioners. But as we move into 2015, it seems the hype about predictive coding – and the too-good-to-be-true marketing promises – have quieted down. So what are we talking about now? What are organizations actually doing today with predictive coding? And how have these conversations about predictive coding impacted other aspects of e-discovery?

This program will take a look back at the promises made about predictive coding as these powerful tools came to the e-discovery market. And then our panel of experts – including corporate practitioners who actively use predictive coding – will discuss how the tools are being deployed today. They will explain what they have learned about the most effective ways to “train” predictive coding software; how to combine predictive coding with keyword terms and other methods of narrowing and searching data sets; the importance of statistical testing and validation in e-discovery generally; and developing a strategy for involving the other side (or not) in an e-discovery process. Finally, the panel will take a look towards the future, and explore how they expect to use predictive coding and other analytics tools going forward.

Speakers to include: Amy Hinzmann (Discussion Leader), Senior Vice President, Managed Review, DiscoverReady; Marla Bergman, Vice President, Associate General Counsel, Goldman Sachs; Elizabeth A. Jaworski, Director, Legal Operations, Motorola a Lenovo Company; Daniel S. Pariser, Partner, Arnold & Porter.

3:45 – 5:00 PM:

How to Take Advantage of the Cloud for eDiscovery

Today’s eDiscovery professionals must be able to quickly respond to requests and investigations, while reducing costs at the same time. But technology can be the stumbling block that prevents many from achieving these goals—especially when legal teams spend more time and money managing hardware and software than they spend on their litigation process. Fortunately, cloud environments offer a more secure and cost-effective way.

Join this panel session to learn how emerging cloud-based, self-service deployments can empower legal professionals to focus on managing the eDiscovery process while allowing the experts to manage the technology operations and security.

Speakers to include: Eric Crespolini (Discussion Leader), eDiscovery Subject Matter Expert, HP; Johnny Lee, MD, Forensic, Investigations & Dispute Services, Grant Thornton LLP; Robert Levy, Counsel, Civil Justice Reform and Law Technology, Exxon Mobil Corporation; Alan M. Winchester, Partner, Harris Beach PLLC.

E-Discovery Challenges in Government Investigations and Regulatory Matters

When dealing with the government in an investigation or regulatory matter, organizations face unique challenges around e-discovery. The lack of e-discovery expertise among many government legal professionals, and the lack of technical support and resources available to them, can make it difficult for companies to work with the government in connection with discovery requests. Other issues that compound this difficulty include:

  • The “cooperative” posture often associated with governmental investigations;
  • the increased transparency requested by the government;
  • the broad breadth and compressed timelines associated with many government requests; and
  • the government’s increasing tendency to request the use of specific discovery protocols, including technology assisted review.

In this program, the panelists will explore how organizations can overcome these challenges and more effectively handle discovery in government matters. They will discuss how to identify the scope of the government’s request and work to appropriately tailor a discovery solution that is reasonable, cost efficient, and defensive – and if necessary, educate the agency about e-discovery along the way. The program will also explain the obligations to preserve information relevant to a government matter, and the ramifications – including criminal liability – for spoliation of evidence. Finally, the panelists will discuss the role of predictive coding and other advanced analytics in government discovery.

Speakers to include: Matt Miller (Discussion Leader), Senior Vice President, Discovery Strategy; DiscoverReady, Josh Durham, Partner, Poyner Spruill LLP; Jill Griset, Partner, McGuire Woods; Allan Hsu, Director, Fannie Mae; Jerami D. Kemnitz, Senior Discovery Counsel – Global Head of eDiscovery, Wells Fargo; Michelle Spak, Associate General Counsel, Duke Energy Corporation.

Killing Two Birds With One Stone: Optimizing Information Governance for Easier E-Discovery

From protecting sensitive customer data from cyber threats, to complying with data privacy laws, corporate information governance projects are quickly becoming “must do” projects. How can legal teams leverage these information governance projects for their own e-discovery needs? What are some of the practical steps corporations can take to produce measurable benefits from information governance? How do these information governance projects impact the role of outside counsel?

Attend this session to hear corporate practitioners discuss best practices for implementing practical information governance programs and their impact on e-discovery.

Speakers to include: Jake Frazier (Discussion Leader), Senior Managing Director, FTI Technology; Michael Lisi, Director of Litigation Support, Fidelity Investments; Rachel Rubenson, Vice President-Global eDiscovery Counsel, Barclays; Joseph Steffan, Chief Privacy Compliance Officer, Morgan Stanley.

Achieving Global Consistency Across your eDiscovery Processes

As multi-national companies continue to manage a portfolio of litigation and investigations, it has become a priority for organizations to achieve global consistency in their eDiscovery processes. Key elements in putting in place a global approach to eDiscovery include defensible processes, predictable outcomes, reduced cost and gain in efficiencies.

This presentation will detail how to achieve global consistency and ideas on areas of focus including use of discovery playbooks, standard operating procedures, checklists, using a consistent technology workflow, and the role of outside service providers.

Speakers to include: Lucie Miller (Discussion Leader), Director, KPMG LLP; Denise Backhouse, Shareholder, Littler Mendelson; Kelly Clay, Senior Counsel and Director of Information Management, GlaxoSmithKline; Michelle Mattei, Associate Director, Healthcare Compliance, Medivation, Inc.; Jeff Sharer, Partner, Sidley Austin LLP.

In addition to these, there are other eDiscovery-related sessions today. For a complete description for all sessions today, click here.

eDiscoveryDaily will also be “tweeting” periodically throughout LTNY, so feel free to check out our updates at twitter.com/Cloud9Discovery.

So, what do you think? Are you planning to attend LTNY this year? Please share any comments you might have or if you’d like to know more about a particular topic.

Disclaimer: The views represented herein are exclusively the views of the author, and do not necessarily represent the views held by CloudNine. eDiscoveryDaily is made available by CloudNine solely for educational purposes to provide general information about general eDiscovery principles and not to provide specific legal advice applicable to any particular circumstance. eDiscoveryDaily should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a lawyer you have retained and who has agreed to represent you.

EDRM and ACEDS Partner Up: eDiscovery Trends

A couple of days ago, two of the most recognized organizations for promoting standards within the eDiscovery industry announced an alliance. EDRM and the Association of Certified E-Discovery Specialists (ACEDS) have announced a new “affinity” partnership. Among other things, that could mean savings to you if you want to be a member of both organizations.

As mentioned in the announcement, effective March 1, individuals have the option to purchase a combined membership in both EDRM and ACEDS at a reduced rate compared to joining each organization separately. Individual members of one group may now also renew their memberships for a prorated fee when they join the other at a discounted rate. Those who are organizational members of EDRM or Affiliate Members of ACEDS are eligible for special rates as well.

EDRM and ACEDS are also working together on educational content for the 6th Annual ACEDS E-Discovery Conference & Exhibition (slated this year for September 28-30 at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, MD), with the conference featuring a session and member workshop presented by EDRM. The two organizations also will co-host four joint webcasts this year and a member of each organization will be joining the other’s Advisory Board. More potential additional member benefits and opportunities to come!

Seems like a natural fit. As part of our annual thought leader interview series, I’m scheduled to meet with both organizations next week at LegalTech® New York, so I’m sure each will have more to say about the new “affinity” partnership. Stay tuned!

So, what do you think? Is an alliance between EDRM and ACEDS good for the eDiscovery industry? Please share any comments you might have or if you’d like to know more about a particular topic.

Disclaimer: The views represented herein are exclusively the views of the author, and do not necessarily represent the views held by CloudNine. eDiscoveryDaily is made available by CloudNine solely for educational purposes to provide general information about general eDiscovery principles and not to provide specific legal advice applicable to any particular circumstance. eDiscoveryDaily should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a lawyer you have retained and who has agreed to represent you.

Get a Jump on Information Governance Best Practices at LegalTech with this Boot Camp: eDiscovery Trends

Last year, the Information Governance Initiative (IGI), a cross-disciplinary consortium and think tank focused on advancing information governance was launched (we covered it here and here). Now, for New Yorkers and early birds to next week’s LegalTech® show, the IGI has partnered with Cardozo School of Law, in association with LegalTech New York, to bring you a one-day information governance boot camp next Monday, February 2.

The boot camp is designed exclusively for corporate legal, IT, RIM, and compliance professionals to help them begin implementing information governance (IG) programs in their organizations. The workshop will provide a forum for IG practitioners to exchange experiences, best practices, and ideas related to current and emerging issues with planning and executing an IG strategy while gaining knowledge from the IGI Executive Team. The boot camp runs from 9:30am to 3:00pm, with a cocktail hour afterward – the first of many cocktail hours that will happen next week at the show, no doubt. 🙂

Here are titles of the sessions during the boot camp (interspersed with networking/bio breaks and lunch at 12:15):

  • 10 – 11 a.m.: Identifying and Coordinating the Facets of IG
  • 11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.: Forming & Running an IG Steering Committee
  • 1 – 2 p.m.: Taking Action: Quick & Dirty or Big Bang?
  • 2:15 – 2:45 p.m.: Technology Presentation

The boot camp is being held at Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, 55 Fifth Avenue (at 12th Street), Room 1008, New York, New York 10003. Registration starts at 9:00am, with an initial “Setting the Stage” session starting at 9:30am. The workshop registration fee is $795. Registration includes meeting materials; a reception following the boot camp; lunch; and breaks while the workshop is in session. The deadline for workshop registration is tomorrow – to register, click here. Hurry if you want to attend!

So, what do you think? Has Information Governance become a big focus in your organization? Please share any comments you might have or if you’d like to know more about a particular topic.

Disclaimer: The views represented herein are exclusively the views of the author, and do not necessarily represent the views held by CloudNine. eDiscoveryDaily is made available by CloudNine solely for educational purposes to provide general information about general eDiscovery principles and not to provide specific legal advice applicable to any particular circumstance. eDiscoveryDaily should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a lawyer you have retained and who has agreed to represent you.

Guide for Making the Most of LegalTech: eDiscovery Trends

Editor’s Note: Believe it or not, LegalTech® New York (LTNY) starts in one week. The show can be overwhelming if you’re not prepared. A couple of weeks ago, Monica Bay wrote a terrific article in Law Technology News (Tips for Newbies to Survive LegalTech New York) which provides suggestions from several show veterans on how to get the most out of the show. That reminded me that Jane Gennarelli wrote a post on this blog three years ago with her own suggestions, so I’ve revisited it below. For best results, check out both articles and make your game plan from there! 🙂

It’s that time of year… LegalTech® New York is right around the corner. People are talking about it, making plans to get together, scheduling demos and meetings, and deciding which parties to attend. Newbies to the show are excited to go. More seasoned attendees are looking forward to seeing peers. It’s a great time to catch up with people and it offers a great opportunity to keep abreast of new industry trends and technology advancements.

Is there a downside? Well, yes, there is. Attending the show costs money (travel expenses, lost billings, or both). And more significantly, it eats up one of our scarcest resources: time. Some years I’ve questioned whether it was worth it. Other years, it’s been obviously valuable. Interestingly, the difference has not had anything to do with the show itself, but rather with my approach to it. So let me suggest an approach for making the most out of your next LegalTech show.

  1. Establish one or two primary objectives: Determine what you want to accomplish or what you want to learn, and make those your objectives. For example, maybe you don’t have experience with predictive coding and want to learn more about it. Or maybe it’s been awhile since you’ve looked at document review tools and it’s time to re-evaluate them. Identify specific objectives to focus on.
  2. Identify conference sessions to attend: Look at the conference schedule and identify sessions aimed at the objectives you’ve established. Put them on your calendar.
  3. Identify vendors with products and/or services aimed at your areas of interest: Review the exhibitor list, go to vendor web sites, and make a list of vendors of interest. Identify the exhibit booths you’d like to visit, and identify the vendors with whom you’d like to meet.
  4. Schedule demos and meetings: To ensure you meet your objectives, schedule meetings and/or demos with a few vendors.
  5. Prepare lists of questions: You will get the most out of meetings/demos with vendors if you are armed with a list of specific questions. For each of your objectives, identify the questions you should be asking.
  6. Keep good records: At the show, take good notes and collect contact information. You will be meeting a lot of people and it will be very difficult to remember everything you’ve learned if you’re not taking good notes!
  7. Take advantage of the networking opportunities: Get together with peers and talk about what they are doing, what tools they are using, and what approaches they’ve implemented. Introduce yourself to people you don’t know. Casual conversations in social situations can be invaluable!
  8. Commit to reporting on what you’ve learned: Before the show, commit to preparing a report on your findings. You are more likely to stay focused on your objectives if you’ve committed to reporting on them.

If you haven’t approached LegalTech with this type of plan yet, you may be surprised at what a difference it can make! Do the up-front leg work, enjoy the show, and make it a good use of your time!

So, what do you think? Are you ready for LegalTech? Please share any comments you might have or if you’d like to know more about a particular topic.

Disclaimer: The views represented herein are exclusively the views of the author, and do not necessarily represent the views held by CloudNine. eDiscoveryDaily is made available by CloudNine solely for educational purposes to provide general information about general eDiscovery principles and not to provide specific legal advice applicable to any particular circumstance. eDiscoveryDaily should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a lawyer you have retained and who has agreed to represent you.

DESI Wants Your Input! – eDiscovery Trends

It’s not Desi Arnaz who wants it, but the Discovery of Electronically Stored Information (DESI) VI workshop, which is being held at the University of San Diego on June 8 as part of the 15th International Conference on Artificial Intelligence & Law (ICAIL 2015).

The DESI VI workshop aims to bring together researchers and practitioners to explore innovation and the development of best practices for application of search, classification, language processing, data management, visualization, and related techniques to institutional and organizational records in eDiscovery, information governance, public records access, and other legal settings. Ideally, the aim of the DESI workshop series has been to foster a continuing dialogue leading to the adoption of further best practice guidelines or standards in using machine learning, most notably in the eDiscovery space. Organizing committee members include Jason R. Baron of Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP and Douglas W. Oard of the University of Maryland.

Previous DESI workshops were held in places like Palo Alto, London, Barcelona, Rome and Pittsburgh (maybe not as exciting as the other locales, but they don’t have six Super Bowl championships 🙂 ).

DESI VI invites “refereed” papers (due by April 10 and limited to 4-10 pages) describing research or practice. After peer review, accepted papers will be posted on the DESI VI website and distributed to workshop participants. Authors of accepted refereed papers will be invited to present their work either as an oral or a poster presentation. They also invite “unrefereed” position papers (due by May 1and typically 2-3 pages) describing individual interests for inclusion (without review) on the DESI VI Web site and distribution to workshop participants.  Submissions should be sent by email to Doug Oard (oard@umd.edu) with the subject line DESI VI POSITION PAPER or DESI VI RESEARCH PAPER. All submissions received will be acknowledged within 3 days.

Participation in the DESI VI workshop is open. Submission of papers is encouraged, but not required.

For more information about the workshop, click the Call for Submissions here (or here for the PDF version). The Call for Submissions also includes a References section which includes papers and cases useful as background reading for the focus of the workshop – even if you don’t plan to go, it’s a good list to check out. I’m happy to say that most of the cases on the list have been covered by this blog (including Da Silva Moore, EORHB v. HOA Holdings, Global Aerospace Inc., et al. v. Landow Aviation, L.P. and others.

So, what do you think? Are you going to attend? Submit a paper? Please share any comments you might have or if you’d like to know more about a particular topic.

Disclaimer: The views represented herein are exclusively the views of the author, and do not necessarily represent the views held by CloudNine. eDiscoveryDaily is made available by CloudNine solely for educational purposes to provide general information about general eDiscovery principles and not to provide specific legal advice applicable to any particular circumstance. eDiscoveryDaily should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a lawyer you have retained and who has agreed to represent you.

Expanded Sources of ESI May Leave You “Fit” to be Tied – eDiscovery Trends

One of the items that I bought my wife for Christmas (which she really wanted) was an UP 24™ Fitness Tracker, which is a wristband that tracks a variety of fitness metrics, including steps taken, workouts logged and calories burned (not to mention sleep cycles) and enables you to share and compare your stats with your friends via an app on your mobile device. Another example of a similar device is a Fitbit®. Based on a recent case, these devices are just another example of new devices from which relevant ESI may be collected for discovery.

In the recent Forbes article (Fitbit Data Now Being Used In The Courtroom, written by Parmy Olson), a law firm in Calgary is working on the first known personal injury case that will use activity data from a Fitbit to help show the effects of an accident on their client.

As the article notes, “The young woman in question was injured in an accident four years ago. Back then, Fitbits weren’t even on the market, but given that she was a personal trainer, her lawyers at McLeod Law believe they can say with confidence that she led an active lifestyle. A week from now, they will start processing data from her Fitbit to show that her activity levels are now under a baseline for someone of her age and profession.

It will ‘back up what she’s been saying,’ says her lawyer, Simon Muller of McLeod Law.

The lawyers aren’t using Fitbit’s data directly, but pumping it through analytics platform Vivametrica, which uses public research to compare a person’s activity data with that of the general population.”

More and more, everyday objects are able to connect to the Internet and these devices are gathering, sending and receiving data. Glasses, fitness wristbands, even your thermostat is sending and receiving data. On one hand, the “Internet of Things” is making our lives easier by enabling us to access more information than ever, but, it also increases data security and privacy risks, not to mention potentially complicates discovery from an information governance, collection and preservation standpoint. Now, in certain types of cases, we may need to collect or request data from devices never before considered as discoverable.

So, what do you think? What’s the most unusual device that you have ever had to collect potentially responsive ESI? Please share any comments you might have or if you’d like to know more about a particular topic.

Disclaimer: The views represented herein are exclusively the views of the author, and do not necessarily represent the views held by CloudNine. eDiscoveryDaily is made available by CloudNine solely for educational purposes to provide general information about general eDiscovery principles and not to provide specific legal advice applicable to any particular circumstance. eDiscoveryDaily should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a lawyer you have retained and who has agreed to represent you.

EDRM Publishes Clarification to its Model Code of Conduct – eDiscovery Trends

Yesterday, we discussed an update to the Cooperation Proclamation: Resources for the Judiciary from The Sedona Conference®. Today, another titan of eDiscovery standards and best practices, EDRM, has an update of its own.

The EDRM Model Code of Conduct (MCoC) (previously covered by this blog here and here) focuses on the ethical duties of service providers associated with five key principles and also provides a corollary for each principle to illustrate ethical duties of their clients. Yesterday, EDRM announced a proposed clarification to the language in Principle 3 – Conflicts of Interest of the MCoC as well as a clarification to the language in the corollary to Principle 3.

As noted in their press release, the “clarification distinguishes between (a) entities that are “members of the team,” i.e., participants in shaping legal strategy; and (b) technology providers that, while delivering capabilities to the team, are not on the team; i.e., they are not privy to or helping to shape case strategy. Principle 3 of the MCoC is intended to apply to the former, not the latter.”

The revised Principle 3 now reads:

“When (a) a Service Provider is engaged primarily to provide consulting services in connection with the broad range of activities covered by the EDRM and (b) as a material part of that engagement the Service Provider receives information about case strategy or assists in developing case strategy, then the Service Provider should employ reasonable proactive measures to identify potential conflicts of interest, as defined and discussed below. In the event that an actual or potential conflict of interest is identified, the Service Provider should disclose any such conflict and take immediate steps to resolve it in accordance with the Guidelines set forth below.”

The revised corollary to Principle 3 now reads:

“Clients should furnish Service Providers subject to Principle 3 with sufficient information at the commencement of each engagement to enable each Service Provider to identify potential conflicts of interest. If an actual or potential conflict of interest is identified and disclosed and the Client elects to proceed with the engagement, the Client should work in good faith with the Service Provider and other parties to facilitate a resolution to any such conflict in accordance with the Guidelines set forth below.”

You can read the full code, download it, comment on the proposed changes or subscribe to the code here. You can also see all the subscribing organizations and individuals (CloudNine has been a subscriber to the MCoC since it was officially released in 2012).

So, what do you think? Is this a necessary revision to the code? Please share any comments you might have or if you’d like to know more about a particular topic.

Disclaimer: The views represented herein are exclusively the views of the author, and do not necessarily represent the views held by CloudNine. eDiscoveryDaily is made available by CloudNine solely for educational purposes to provide general information about general eDiscovery principles and not to provide specific legal advice applicable to any particular circumstance. eDiscoveryDaily should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a lawyer you have retained and who has agreed to represent you.

Sedona Conference Updates Guide for Judges Again – eDiscovery Trends

In 2011, The Sedona Conference® made a public comments version of the Cooperation Proclamation: Resources for the Judiciary available on the Sedona Conference website. As the Preface states, “The Resources are intended to aid State and federal judges in the management of electronically stored information (“ESI”) in civil actions for which the judges are responsible”. In 2012, the Resources guide was updated. Last month, the Resources guide was updated again and the free version is available on the Sedona Conference web site.

As noted in the Preface, “Whatever the judge’s role, the Resources offer a framework for the management of ESI. This December 2014 edition expands that framework and again focuses on the “stages of litigation from the judge’s perspective,” starting with the preservation of ESI through the initial case management order (whatever that may be called in a specific jurisdiction), the resolution of discovery disputes, trial, and post-trial awards of costs.”

Also new is updated case law and other sources of information. And articles that have not been peer-reviewed, but “which are noteworthy in the opinion of the Senior Editors”, have been included in a new “Addendum.” Finally, this December 2014 edition also “includes a new, separate section on judicial ethics in the context of ESI and presents timely matters for judges to consider.” As noted in the Preface, “The Senior Editors trust that this new section will be the beginning of what will be a continuing—and evolving—dialogue on judicial ethics in the ‘Age of the Internet.’”

In addition to the Preface, the guide includes the same four sections as the 2012 version (Introduction, Review of Existing Literature on E-Discovery for Judges, General Recommendations for Judges and The Stages of Litigation from a Judge’s Perspective), as well as the new ESI-Related Ethics for Judges section and the aforementioned new Addendum.

Once again, creation of the new edition was led by senior editors Ronald Hedges and Kenneth Withers with Karen Van Allen once again serving as editorial coordinator. Judicial Reviewers were:

  • Hon. Gill S. Freeman, Circuit Judge, 11th Judicial Circuit Court, Florida
  • Hon. Elizabeth M. Schwabedissen, General Magistrate, 11th Judicial Circuit Court, Florida
  • Hon. Craig B. Shaffer, U.S. Magistrate Judge, District of Colorado
  • Hon. Thomas J. Shields, U.S. Magistrate Judge, Southern District of Iowa
  • Hon. Stephen J. Smith, Administrative Law Judge, State of California

All three versions of the Cooperation Proclamation: Resources for the Judiciary are available here. You’ll have to provide your information to download, but that will get you added to the Sedona Conference email announcement list, which is always a good thing.  You can submit comments or proposed changes by emailing to the co-editors at kjw@sedonaconference.org or r_hedges@live.com.

So, what do you think? Is this an improved guide over the one from two years ago? Please share any comments you might have or if you’d like to know more about a particular topic.

Disclaimer: The views represented herein are exclusively the views of the author, and do not necessarily represent the views held by CloudNine. eDiscoveryDaily is made available by CloudNine solely for educational purposes to provide general information about general eDiscovery principles and not to provide specific legal advice applicable to any particular circumstance. eDiscoveryDaily should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a lawyer you have retained and who has agreed to represent you.