how to work with the it & litigation support departments – a manager’s guide to strategic...
TRANSCRIPT
How to Work with the IT & How to Work with the IT & Litigation Support Departments – Litigation Support Departments – A Manager’s Guide to Strategic A Manager’s Guide to Strategic
Team BuildingTeam Building
Andrew Hall, MBAAndrew Hall, MBAPractice Technology ManagerPractice Technology Manager
Working with IT/Lit Sup
What is Litigation Support? Automation of traditional legal work
Document Review Databases Electronic Productions High-Tech Court Room Presentations
Where do these people come from? Former legal staff (paralegals, legal secretaries, etc.) Former Attorneys Former IT personnel
Where do they work? Practice Support Litigation Support Department Information Technology
Working with IT/Lit Sup
Residence of Litigation Support Practice Support
Separate Division or part of ParalegalsTimekeeper Quotas
Information Technology DepartmentNot the Help Desk/Networking/AppsTimekeeper Goals
Litigation Practice Group Is it Litigation or Practice Technology? Works with all Practice Groups
Working with IT/Lit Sup
Residence of Litigation Support Answer: Depends on Firm Setup
Large Firm Considerations Size of Litigation Practice Do you have a Litigation Practice Group? Does Lit Sup work with all Practice Groups routinely
Small Firm Considerations Do you have resources for dedicated staff? If not, who will do this?
Most often the “techy” paralegal IT person/consultant may not understand litigation Outsource to specialized consultant
Example: Crowell & Moring LLP
Practice Technology Department
Project Management Technical Services
Project Managers
Chair - eDiscovery Practice Group
Analysts/Specialists
TS Manager
IT Director
PM Manager
Data Flow
eDiscovery Practice Group
Working with IT/Lit Sup
Strategy to Working with IT and/or Litigation Support
Identify and know your needsWhat do you need from themWhat do they need from you
Understand your SoftwareDon’t need to be an expertJust know what is needed to get requests done
Reach out to Department Director/ManagerDiscuss commonality
Look for ways to collaborate What can you do to support them How can they support you
Working with IT/Lit Sup
Practice Support Challenges Electronic discovery changes role Paralegals managing more ESI – less paper Older processing models do not necessarily apply Many matters with little or no paper discovery Cases may involve 100’s of millions of pages Many complex pitfall to avoid Review and productions options changing Greater risks – and much greater costs
Working with IT/Lit Sup
How Can Litigation Support Help?Transcript ManagementConsultingProject ManagementPaper Document Databases
Scanning, coding, OCRElectronic document (ESI) databases
Conversion to searchable depositoryElectronic ProductionsData analysisASP services and outsourcing
Working with IT/Lit Sup
Partnering Together Ensure Relevance in changing world Understand the issues, risks, costs,
options Advocate best practices to attorneys Manage, store, and retrieve data
Litigation Support Help? Training programs and presentations Project management and technical skills Work with Records and PSP to
manage/archive data