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OVERVIEW. E-discovery: What is it?The E-discovery TimelineThe Litigation
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1. E-discovery:The Basics or How to Avoid $8 million in Sanctions
2. OVERVIEW E-discovery: What is it?
The E-discovery Timeline
The Litigation Mousetrap: The Case Within a Case
Worst Case Scenarios
3. Worst Case Scenarios, orScared Straight Qualcomm Inc. v. Broadcom Corp., No. 05-cv-1958-B, slip op. (S.D. Cal. Jan. 7, 2008)
Qualcomm: $8.5 Million dollar sanction
6 attorneys referred to California State Bar for investigation and possible sanctions
Court ordered CREDO program for Qualcomm and Sanctioned Attorneys to prevent such failures in the future.
Broadcom may attend with Qualcomm and sanctioned attorneys to cover attorneys reasonable costs and fees.
4. E-discovery: What is it? The process of searching, collecting, culling, filtering, processing, reviewing, managing and producing evidence that exists in an electronic form.
ESI: Electronically Stored Information
5. E-discovery: How Much is It?
6. E-Discovery: How Much Is It? 2004 Average gigs/custodian 1-3 gigs
1 gig 70,000 pages ( 30 boxes)
Now, average gigs/custodian 3.5 to 5+
Printed documents = less than 5% of documents
7. E-Discovery: How Much is It? Typical e-mail system
500 employees X
25 e-mail messages/employee/day X
250 working days/year
= 3,125,000 E-mail messages
(does not include additional copies of e-mails found on back-up and recovery systems)
8. E-discovery: Where is It? Databases
Networks
Computer Systems
Legacy systems
Servers
Archives
Backup or Disaster Recovery Systems
Tapes, Discs, other Storage Media
9. Why E-Discovery is Different: Paper vs. Electronic Documents
10. E-discovery Timeline You cannot take the same approach from one case to another, there is a basic flow to all e-discovery practice. There are 5 basic e-discovery phases:
Strategy
Collection
Processing
Review
Production
All 5 of these phases should be addressed. Well go through the checklist for each phase ?
You cannot take the same approach from one case to another, there is a basic flow to all e-discovery practice. There are 5 basic e-discovery phases:
Strategy
Collection
Processing
Review
Production
All 5 of these phases should be addressed. Well go through the checklist for each phase ?
11. E-discovery Checklist Define the time!
Designate an e-discovery project manager
Prepare e-discovery plan
Prepare list of relevant custodians
Implement litigation hold
Prepare for 30(b)(6) of IT personnel
Select ESI service provider(s)
Project Manager:
Maintain log(s) of e-discovery procedures and activities in a case book
Communicating with service providers and internal litigation support
Training users in effective use of the review platform
Providing regular quality and productivity reports
Identifying issues and solutions
Ensuring the project stays on schedule and within the budget
Meet with client: (I didnt want to bury you all in paper today, but I do have a handy cheat sheet for this one)
Scope of e-discovery
Data types hardware and software
Accessible and inaccessible data
Identify relevant time periods and custodians
Document retention/destruction procedures
Preservation duties
Determine preferred form of production
IT dept structure
Meet with opposing counsel:
Scope of production
Data types
Data sources
Content: key dates and custodians, search terms
Form of production
Inadvertent disclosure of privileged and confidential information
Metadata
Cost shifting for inaccessible data
Select ESI vendors: In a few minutes, well go into more detail about what types of service providers exist and what kinds of e-discovery services each can provide.
Project Manager:
Maintain log(s) of e-discovery procedures and activities in a case book
Communicating with service providers and internal litigation support
Training users in effective use of the review platform
Providing regular quality and productivity reports
Identifying issues and solutions
Ensuring the project stays on schedule and within the budget
Meet with client: (I didnt want to bury you all in paper today, but I do have a handy cheat sheet for this one)
Scope of e-discovery
Data types hardware and software
Accessible and inaccessible data
Identify relevant time periods and custodians
Document retention/destruction procedures
Preservation duties
Determine preferred form of production
IT dept structure
Meet with opposing counsel:
Scope of production
Data types
Data sources
Content: key dates and custodians, search terms
Form of production
Inadvertent disclosure of privileged and confidential information
Metadata
Cost shifting for inaccessible data
Select ESI vendors: In a few minutes, well go into more detail about what types of service providers exist and what kinds of e-discovery services each can provide.
12. Need to Know Your IT
Zubulake v. UBS, 229 F.R.D. 422 (S.D.N.Y. 2004) (Zubulake V)
Counsel must become familiar with her clients document retention policies, as well as the clients data retention architecture.
This will invariably involve speaking with [IT] personnel, who can explain system-wide backup procedures.
It will also involve communicating with the key players in the litigation, in order to understand how they stored information.
New Jersey L.Civ.R. 26.1(d) Prior to a [Rule] 26(f) conference
Counsel shall review with the client the clients information management systems
in order to understand how information is stored and how it can be retrieved
Counsel shall identify a person
with knowledge about the clients information management systems
with the ability to facilitate, through counsel reasonably anticipated discovery.
13. Dont Get Caught
14. E-discovery Checklist Data collection plan: Determine where data exists, data types, how it will be collected, and by whom. Youll want to develop a collection strategy that will minimize the disruption to clients normal business activity ?
Record data collection chain of custody in case book ?
Data collection plan: Determine where data exists, data types, how it will be collected, and by whom. Youll want to develop a collection strategy that will minimize the disruption to clients normal business activity ?
Record data collection chain of custody in case book ?
15. E-discovery Checklist Select a review tool: web-hosted review, internal document management system
Process data: During the processing phase
Conversion to common format for review: You have a few options
TIF, PDF, native format reviewed as text in review tool
Culling to minimize the size of the collection: keyword searches, date searches
De-duplication: Many of the electronic discovery processing programs have mechanisms for identifying potential duplicates and grouping them together to facilitate reviews. Every electronic file has a unique hash number. During the de-duplication process, duplicate files are identified and eliminated from processing by comparing their hash numbers. This process reduces cost and protects you from inconsistent determinations of responsiveness and saves time. ?
Record all processing info: Who did it, date, description of files and process, whether de-duping was done, what key words were used for culling, original format ?
Design and create review database: If using a service provider or in-house tool, work with them to customize the review database to fit the needs of your case. ?
Select a review tool: web-hosted review, internal document management system
Process data: During the processing phase
Conversion to common format for review: You have a few options
TIF, PDF, native format reviewed as text in review tool
Culling to minimize the size of the collection: keyword searches, date searches
De-duplication: Many of the electronic discovery processing programs have mechanisms for identifying potential duplicates and grouping them together to facilitate reviews. Every electronic file has a unique hash number. During the de-duplication process, duplicate files are identified and eliminated from processing by comparing their hash numbers. This process reduces cost and protects you from inconsistent determinations of responsiveness and saves time. ?
Record all processing info: Who did it, date, description of files and process, whether de-duping was done, what key words were used for culling, original format ?
Design and create review database: If using a service provider or in-house tool, work with them to customize the review database to fit the needs of your case. ?
16. E-discovery Checklist Create and document a review plan
Determine deadlines
Estimate a budget
Create a review orientation binder for reviewers:
complaint or summary of the case
Copies of discovery requests
List of core team members and litigation support resources
Whats a hot doc memo
Chart of relevant custodians
List of attorney names for privilege screening
Keywords for determining responsiveness
Relevant issues
Copy of review form
Glossary of case-specific or industry-specific terms ?
Organize the review team and train them on how to use the review tool
Review and code the data ?
Screen for privilege and responsiveness ?
Create and document a review plan
Determine deadlines
Estimate a budget
Create a review orientation binder for reviewers:
complaint or summary of the case
Copies of discovery requests
List of core team members and litigation support resources
Whats a hot doc memo
Chart of relevant custodians
List of attorney names for privilege screening
Keywords for determining responsiveness
Relevant issues
Copy of review form
Glossary of case-specific or industry-specific terms ?
Organize the review team and train them on how to use the review tool
Review and code the data ?
Screen for privilege and responsiveness ?
17. E-discovery Checklist Filter the database for responsive, non-privileged documents and any other criteria (ex. if you have a field for which to indicate the discovery request to which doc is responsive, you can filter down to only docs responsive to a particular request, issue, etc.) ?
Convert ESI to agreed-upon production format: ?
Number the production ?
Produce documents ?
Record production dates, document ranges ?Filter the database for responsive, non-privileged documents and any other criteria (ex. if you have a field for which to indicate the discovery request to which doc is responsive, you can filter down to only docs responsive to a particular request, issue, etc.) ?
Convert ESI to agreed-upon production format: ?
Number the production ?
Produce documents ?
Record production dates, document ranges ?
18. E-discovery Timeline
19. E-discovery Resources Case Planning
Assist with client and client IT discussions about e-discovery; prep for meet and confer with opposing counsel; help create e-discovery plan ?
Assist with database design and management; creating production sets ?
Help find service providers, and help assess whether internal or outsourced resources are more appropriate for your case. ?
Training and support for e-discovery technology ?
Case Planning
Assist with client and client IT discussions about e-discovery; prep for meet and confer with opposing counsel; help create e-discovery plan ?
Assist with database design and management; creating production sets ?
Help find service providers, and help assess whether internal or outsourced resources are more appropriate for your case. ?
Training and support for e-discovery technology ?
20. E-discovery Resources There a 4 basic kinds of e-discovery service providers. Determine what services you need for your case, and then determine which can and/or should be handled internally, and which are more efficiently handled by a service provider
Consulting
Help assess client IT infrastructure and preservation issues ?
Data collection:
Filtering
Data management
Forensic data recovery: recovery of archived or deleted, compressed files
Mirror-imaging of hard drives ?
Data processing:
objective coding
Conversion to review format
E-mail processing
De-duplication
Redaction, electronic numbering, and OCR ?
Web-hosted review
Review services and software
Production
Web-hosted review, internal database. Each has its advantages
Web hosted review by a third-party: on-line tool available through internet; password to login; chain of custody becomes the third-party vendors responsibility (if anyone is called to testify re chain of custody issues), some vendors can handle everything for you from collection, processing, review tool, production, numbering
it is costly: most charge an up front fee for set up, then theres processing, creating production sets, electronic numbering, de-duplication, etc. all extra costs. PLUS a monthly fee. Not the best option for smaller volumes of docs or if you only have 1 or 2 reviewers. You have to think about production sets, etc. very early to give the vendor time. Many have standard deadlines for each process. Most beneficial for larger volumes that will be reviewed and produced over long period of time.
Internal document management systems (Summation, Case Map): Best for smaller, more manageable volumes of data or larger volumes received over long periods of time. Much of the processing still has to be conducted by a third party
?There a 4 basic kinds of e-discovery service providers. Determine what services you need for your case, and then determine which can and/or should be handled internally, and which are more efficiently handled by a service provider
Consulting
Help assess client IT infrastructure and preservation issues ?
Data collection:
Filtering
Data management
Forensic data recovery: recovery of archived or deleted, compressed files
Mirror-imaging of hard drives ?
Data processing:
objective coding
Conversion to review format
E-mail processing
De-duplication
Redaction, electronic numbering, and OCR ?
Web-hosted review
Review services and software
Production
Web-hosted review, internal database. Each has its advantages
Web hosted review by a third-party: on-line tool available through internet; password to login; chain of custody becomes the third-party vendors responsibility (if anyone is called to testify re chain of custody issues), some vendors can handle everything for you from collection, processing, review tool, production, numbering
it is costly: most charge an up front fee for set up, then theres processing, creating production sets, electronic numbering, de-duplication, etc. all extra costs. PLUS a monthly fee. Not the best option for smaller volumes of docs or if you only have 1 or 2 reviewers. You have to think about production sets, etc. very early to give the vendor time. Many have standard deadlines for each process. Most beneficial for larger volumes that will be reviewed and produced over long period of time.
Internal document management systems (Summation, Case Map): Best for smaller, more manageable volumes of data or larger volumes received over long periods of time. Much of the processing still has to be conducted by a third party
?
21. When To Use a Vendor Processing image files
Scanning hard copies
Large e-mail store files
Large volumes of native file that need TIFF images
Large volume OCR
Processing MSG e-mail format
22. Volume
Form of Production
File Formats: Microsoft Project; Primavera; CAD drawings; drafting software
Issues
Maintenance
Vendors Issues to Consider Things to consider before using Summation for your e-discovery
Volume
Work with your client to assess the estimated potential volume of relevant documents and their formats.
If you have over 300,000 documents, consider using an outside vendor to house and maintain your documents. OR manage the docs in more than one Summation case.
Images loaded into Summation are actually housed on the firms internal network. Make sure there is enough memory space on the server to house your images and/or electronic documents. IT can help you determine the best location for your documents.
Form of Production
During initial discovery conference, work with opposing counsel to ensure that they can deliver docs in a Summation-friendly format or at least in a format easily converted for Summation.
Decide whether you want to load opposition docs into Summation or even create a separate db for their docs
File Formats
What do you have most of? Hard copies, images, PDF, electronic documents, e-mail? Does opposing counsel request docs in native format?
Issues
Determine the issues relevant to your case.
Maintenance
Make sure you have a paralegal on your team who can manage your database: there are several functions that should be conducted on a routine basis (check, pack, blaze, backup) to ensure that you do not lose any data
Who will load your images?
Vendors
Make sure you have an e-discovery vendor who understands Summation and how you plan to use it
Find court reporters who can deliver transcripts in the appropriate format
Things to consider before using Summation for your e-discovery
Volume
Work with your client to assess the estimated potential volume of relevant documents and their formats.
If you have over 300,000 documents, consider using an outside vendor to house and maintain your documents. OR manage the docs in more than one Summation case.
Images loaded into Summation are actually housed on the firms internal network. Make sure there is enough memory space on the server to house your images and/or electronic documents. IT can help you determine the best location for your documents.
Form of Production
During initial discovery conference, work with opposing counsel to ensure that they can deliver docs in a Summation-friendly format or at least in a format easily converted for Summation.
Decide whether you want to load opposition docs into Summation or even create a separate db for their docs
File Formats
What do you have most of? Hard copies, images, PDF, electronic documents, e-mail? Does opposing counsel request docs in native format?
Issues
Determine the issues relevant to your case.
Maintenance
Make sure you have a paralegal on your team who can manage your database: there are several functions that should be conducted on a routine basis (check, pack, blaze, backup) to ensure that you do not lose any data
Who will load your images?
Vendors
Make sure you have an e-discovery vendor who understands Summation and how you plan to use it
Find court reporters who can deliver transcripts in the appropriate format
23. E-Discovery: The Case within a Case Duty to Preserve
Scope of Discovery
How to produce e-Discovery
Inadvertent Disclosure
Sanctions
24. Preservation Parties discussion should balance competing needs to preserve relevant evidence and to continue routine operations critical to ongoing activities with the goal of agreeing on reasonable preservation steps.
Source: Amended Fed. R. Civ. P. 26(f) advisory committee note Issue Legal Hold Notice
Suspend auto delete
Mirror-image Hard Drives
Preserve
Back Up Media
Preserve E-mail
Preserve Instant Messages & Voicemails
Thumb Drives
PDAs
Information on Network
Put 3d parties on notice of preservation duties
25. Scope of Discovery Rule 26(a)(1)(A)(ii): initial disclosures to include a description by category and location all electronically stored information
Identify data source with enough detail to enable the requesting party to evaluate the burdens and costs of providing the discovery and the likelihood of finding responsive information on the identified source
(Cmte Notes, Rule 26(b)(2)).
Defend the assessment of undue burden or cost; and
Defend the determination of the preservation obligations that apply
Martin v. Northwestern Mut., 2006 WL 148991 (M.D. Fla. Jan. 19, 2006): monetary sanctions imposed on plaintiff for failing to produce electronic documents, calling plaintiff attorneys claim that he was computer illiterate frankly ludicrous.
26. Form(s) of Production Rule 34(b): absent agreement otherwise, party is to produce electronically stored information in one of two so-called default forms:
The form in which it is ordinarily maintained;
A form that is reasonably usable.
Must be ready to address at 26(f), or
Kentucky Speedway v. NASCAR, 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 92028 (E.D. Ky. Dec. 18, 2006)
The issue of whether metadata is relevant or should be produced is one which ordinarily should be addressed by the parties in a Rule 26(f) conference.
Plaintiff made late request for metadata, w/o showing a particularized need
Ordered to identify particular documents rather than blanket request for metadata
27. Privilege Required to be addressed at Rule 26(f)
Rule 16: scheduling order may include parties agreement
Rule 26(b)(5)(B): clawback Possible Provisions:
Exempt from logging requirements or use group designations
No assertion of waiver
Time Limit for Retrieval
Initial designation until producing party can complete review
Quick Peek
28. Five Takeaways Define the time
If in doubt, preserve
Designate a person to be the Project Manager of ESI for your case
Prepare for Rule 26 conference early or risk a blown opportunity
Buy in to discovery process.
31. PROJECT RECORDS DOCUMENT RETENTION: DOES IT MATTER?
32. What does YOUR company do? Keep hard copy and electronic documents forever in a storage facility
Archive documents to pdf and store forever
Follow a written document retention policy
I have no idea
33. What is the construction industry doing? Not a leader in document retention but should be
Efficiency advantages
Consistency advantages
No longer someones secondary duty
34. Why hasnt the construction industry led others in document retention policies? Controlling cases and law do not originate from the construction industry
Changes in Federal Rules are recent
Sanctions imposed vary widely
Electronic storage continues to rise
35. Why implement now? Enough notice from courts to establish risk
Volume will only increase and make the transition more difficult
36. How to get started Will require senior management support
Form a committee of senior level employees
Assess current paper and electronic volume file
Assess current records management policy and procedures (if there is one)
Consider a consultant
37. Next Steps Senior level committee develops policies and procedures
Develop a records retention schedule
How long are certain documents legally required to be kept?
What about contractual requirements?
Provisions for Litigation Hold?
38. Personnel/Staffing Depends, of course, on size
Director of Records Management
Each department should have a records coordinator
Department Records Coordinators report to Director
39. Next Steps Implementation and Training
Scheduled future training refreshers
Test policy and procedures
Modify business processes as appropriate
40. How is the Document Retention Policy Maintained? Department Records Coordinators are all on the front line
Records Manager and staff work with Coordinators
Senior level committee assesses and recommends
41. Recommendations for Best Practices for Document Retention and Management Make sure your document retention policy correlates with your business practices
That it takes into account any statutory or regulatory obligations
That it accommodates contracted requirements
42. Make sure someone is REALLY in charge of Records Retention Consult counsel regarding the policy
Ensure that staff is aware of the importance and significance of a Litigation Hold
Set up a response team for litigation holds
Consider an outside vendor or consultant (Sometimes employees tend to over or under preserve data)
43. Senior Level Committee
Should include:
General counsel
Senior executive(s)
Head of IT Department
Records Retention Manager
44. Educate yourself and general counsel about the companys records:
- available technology -- choices for storing records
- the accessibility of stored records
- cost to retrieve documents from that kind of storage
Be particularly careful to avoid the destruction of documents:
- Once its clear that a duty to preserve has attached
- Avoid the risk of sanctions if documents are destroyed after you have a duty to preserve them
47. E-Discovery:Cost-ShiftingCost-Avoidance, andDispute Resolution
48. The Golden Rule Precaution Studies indicate that over 90% of all documents are generated and stored electronically.
The push towards Paperless Projects
Computerized data is discoverable even if hard copies have already been produced.
Deleted records are discoverable.
Be careful what you ask for.
Attorneys and clients should discuss the advantages and disadvantages of E Discovery.
What goes around comes around.
Whatever is furnished by one will be furnished by all
49. Cost Shifting Rebuttable Presumption: the responding party pays
If the ESI is accessible, there is no reason for cost shifting.
Undue burden or expense on the responding party. F. R. Civ. P. 26(c).
Undue: expense outweighs benefit
Factors for balancing expense and benefit:
Needs of the case
Amount in controversy
Resources of the parties
Importance of issues
Importance of discovery
The less specific the request, the more likely costs will be reallocated
50. Cost-Shifting Analysis Is the request tailored to discovery relevant information?
Is the information available from other sources?
How does the cost of production compare with the amount in controversy?
How does the cost compare to the resources of the parties?
What are the abilities of the parties to control costs?
What is the importance of the issues for which discovery is sought?
What are the relative benefits of the discovery?
SUMMARY:
Good cause trumps inaccessibility.
Cost shifting defeats good cause.
The Judges Role
Judges have broad discretion in discovery disputes
Tough standard for appeal.
Most civil cases settle.
51. Addressing Cost-Shifting Arguments Understand the responding partys computer systems and the way active and archived information is stored.
Added Benefits:
Knowing what to ask for.
Measuring adequacy of responses.
Ask For
Project Manuals describing IT system
Project and IT personnel
Determine what information may be found on inaccessible media.
The Federal Rules do not define inaccessible
Use sample backup tapes, tracking time and expense.
Consider mutually beneficial shortcuts and cost saving measures and agreements.
Will documents be produced in print or electronic form?
How will the format of electronic documents be determined?
Search terms?
How will production costs be shared?
Inadvertent disclosure/Clawback Arguments
E-Discovery leads to E-Evidence
E-Avoidance
Agreements to limit or avoid E-Discovery.
Loss of Evidence v. Cost.
Get the Court to sign off on the agreement.
52. Grabbing a Tiger by the Tail, or the Bull by the Horns? If you do not control the E-Discovery process, it will control you.
The key to E-Discovery is focusing on obtaining, organizing and analyzing available information.
53. ESI Questions for Your Adversary Use of Interrogatories
System Profile
Computer Systems
Software
IT Personnel
Backup and Retention
Backup programs
Backup procedures
Creation and maintenance of archiver
Maintenance and Access
Use of utility programs
Are files wiped?
Upgrades to hardware or software?
Chain of Custody and Authentication
Changes in personnel, passwords, work stations
Equipment disposal
Use of outside contractors
Preserve your ability to see how ESI was manipulated or changed
54. Cost-Savings Through Retention Policies Regulate computer usage and email.
Be aware of potential record losses due to the project-by-project nature of the construction business.
Projects conclude.
Personnel move.
Computers are discarded or redistributed.
Paper files are moved.
Electronic documents are erased.
Temporary website data is lost.
Reasonable access when needed is the goal.
Arthur Anderson : Document destruction is permissible and expected in the ordinary course of business.
Documents/ESI purged on a regular basis under a set policy at set intervals in the normal course of business.
STOP when litigation becomes likely.
Regularly audit your IT policies.
Enhance protection of privileged and proprietary information by coding communications.
Beware the spoliation negatives.
Monetary Sanctions
Adverse Inference Instructions
Dismissal
55. Dispute Resolution E-Discovery and E-Evidence: The new battleground for expert witnesses
What is your Companys dispute resolution policy?
Do you favor Alternative Dispute Resolution?
Litigation or Arbitration?
Mediation and Arbitration Service Providers
Dispute Resolution Under Standard Form Contract Documents: AIA, Consensus Docs, EJCDC
Disapportionment with arbitration
Increased emphasis on litigation
Will E-Discovery renew interest in arbitration?
Will state courts follow the federal rules?
Client and Counsel: Were in it together