by Clinton Sanko | Nov 20, 2020
On October 28, I sat down via WebEx with Mandi Ross, the CEO of both Prism Litigation Technology and Insight Optix. Mandi and I covered a broad range of topics relevant to modern litigation, specifically proportionality, remote work during the pandemic, and staying up to date on technology.
Mandi has about 35 years of experience in the eDiscovery space. She started as a paralegal, and has worked as an expert and consultant. She previously served as the Vice President of Ciara Inc. and Jurist Systems Group. (more…)
by Clinton Sanko | Oct 2, 2020
On September 10, I sat down with Ian Campbell, the President and CEO of iCONECT, via Webex. Ian and I covered a variety of issues surrounding iCONECT’s proprietary Xera review application, including its applicability to non-eDiscovery business problems, key issues with Information Governance (IG), and how to overcome transition concerns when considering a change of eDiscovery technology.
Ian has a design background and, prior to founding iCONECT, he worked in advertising and founded his own agency. In 2012 iCONECT launched its flagship review product, Xera, which Ian reported was designed from the ground up for the end users of the product. He took over as CEO in 2014 and has focused on innovation and growth in other sectors outside of legal. (more…)
by Clinton Sanko | Sep 25, 2020
On September 4, I sat down with Hal Blackman, the founder and CEO of IST Management Services, via WebEx. IST calls itself the “Company with Passion,” and Hal and I covered lessons learned in technology adoption, electronic records retention, and considerations for outsourcing eDiscovery.
Hal has a business background and was hired by Marriott in 1981, where he learned the importance of employee empowerment. Hal founded IST in 1997, and states that the company is “obsessed in everything we do, from technology and process management, to people programs, and we will stop at nothing to make sure that we exceed the expectations of our clients.” (more…)
by Clinton Sanko | May 20, 2020
One of the last trips that my wife and I made prior to the social distancing guidelines was to Franklin, Tennessee. We had lunch at The Grilled Cheeserie, a restaurant devoted to gourmet grilled cheese melts. The components and options for a grilled cheese—bread, cheese and add-ons—are not complex. Depending on your preferences, mood and dietary restrictions, execution will be the difference between an adequate and excellent experience. (Our experience was excellent!) A production protocol is very similar. The component parts are simple, but how you put them together in a matter makes a big difference.
Document productions are a culmination of the various steps taken to that point throughout your eDiscovery processes. This is a key point in any lawsuit. For the larger matters, with a significant volume of ESI, the keys to a document production are stability and a good overall fit in how you match the ESI Stipulation to the actual matter requirements. (more…)
by Clinton Sanko | May 15, 2020
While the focus of our blog recently has been to identify immediate large matter cost reductions in response to the “new normal” brought on by COVID-19, we wanted to take a quick detour and address an important topic. Specifically, we do not want any reader to think that we focus only on the large data matters, or that we are not in touch with the more standard cases that practitioners must manage. In fact, the vast majority of all discovery matters are fairly routine in terms of their size and complexity.
Managing eDiscovery, then, is not a one-size-fits-all proposal. However, the goal is always the same: get to the merits through a final, defensible production. How you accomplish that goal varies depending on many factors. The average eDiscovery case has minimalistic support needs. While substantial immediate cost savings are best found in cases with more expansive eDiscovery needs, the long-term opportunity for cost savings and efficiencies can also come from incremental cost reduction on the “everyday” cases. (more…)
by Clinton Sanko | May 8, 2020
Success in eDiscovery is determined largely by the ability to synergize “people, process and technology.” Okay, we hear your collective groan. The phrase is trite, tired and overused, which is what it is. Since it works so well for eDiscovery, however, this blog will lean in on buzzwords. Many of the “26 Annoying Phrases You Should Stop Using at Work” are included—with a few additional ones thrown in for good measure. Can you find them all? Happy searching!
The COVID-19-related changes are innumerable, as courts have been out of pocket for many weeks and litigation budget cuts are par for the course. The global pandemic will require a clear paradigm shift, requiring many teams to think outside the box on the go-forward eDiscovery case strategy and, ultimately, do more with less. (more…)
