wrestling common litigation issues to the mat
DESCRIPTION
This session is for in-house counsel who want to control and minimize the uncertainty and risks of litigation. Learn how to work with external counsel to effectively manage data, budgets, people and projects to be in command of each litigation matter and your bottom line. Topics in this presentation include: • Sources of complexity in modern litigation • Efficient document retention and review processes, including using document management systems, predictive coding and other tools. • Legal project management (LPM); key concepts and a simple framework. • Roles and responsibilities for in-house and external counsel. • Making effective use of LPM in litigation (case study). Speakers: • Rick Kathuria, National Director, Project Management and Legal Logistics, Gowlings Toronto • David T. Woodfield, Partner, Gowlings Toronto • Laura Van Soelen, Associate, Gowlings Toronto • Lynn Mahoney, Assistant General Counsel, Bruce PowerTRANSCRIPT
November 19, 2014
Wrestling Common
Litigation Issues to the Mat
Panelists
Lynn Mahoney
• Assistant General Counsel, Bruce Power
David T. Woodfield
• Partner, Toronto
Laura Van Soelen
• Associate, Toronto
Rick Kathuria
• National Director, Project Management and Legal
Logistics, Toronto
2
Outline
1. Complexity in modern litigation
2. Document management for litigation
3. Legal Project Management (LPM)
4. Case Study – Lessons Learned
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4
Part I: Complexity in Modern Litigation
What do we Mean by Complex Litigation?
Complex (adjective)
1. composed of many interconnected parts; compound; composite: a complex highway system.
2. characterized by a very complicated or involved arrangement of parts, units, etc.
3. so complicated or intricate as to be hard to understand or deal with: a complex problem
Source: dictionary.com
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Complex Litigation Can be Like a Bowl of Spaghetti
6
Sources of Complexity in Modern Litigation
Multiple jurisdictions (and
possibly multiple counsel)
Parallel proceedings (e.g.,
regulatory and civil)
Various defendants
7
Sources of Complexity in Modern Litigation
High stakes
Thousands, sometimes
millions of documents
Highly technical issues
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Dealing with Complexity
9
Dealing with Complexity
• All of the moving parts in the big picture should
be co-ordinated.
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Co-ordination
• Co-ordinate:
Resource use
Schedules
Budgets
Messaging
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Part II: Document Management for Litigation
Once Upon a Time….
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Now: The Age of Electronically Stored Information (“ESI”)
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The ESI Revolution
• Data is rarely stored in banker’s boxes.
• Now it’s stored digitally – and not just on
computers.
15
HOST
The ESI Revolution
• Some statistics:
Over 99% of all documents are created or stored
electronically.
60 billion emails are being created and sent each
day around the world.
Enterprise data is doubling every three years.
Source: Lexisnexis: Elements of a Document Retention Policy,
Proliferation of ESI
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The ESI Revolution
• ESI differs from hard copy documents
Volume
Variety of sources
Dynamic quality
Hidden Information
Dependent on the system that created it
Hard to delete
Source: Managing Discovery of Electronic Information
http://www.fjc.gov/public/pdf.nsf/lookup/eldscpkt.pdf/$file/eldscpkt
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The Impact of the ESI Revolution
More information is
accessible than ever before.
Information can be altered or
disseminated rapidly.
Storage is a massive issue.
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ESI has Increased Production Volumes
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Meeting the Challenge
You can help your organization
by being:
Ready
Flexible
Proactive
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Be Ready
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Be ready:
develop a
comprehensive
document
retention policy
Document Retention Policies
Explain the organization’s document storage system
Set retention standards
Take steps to protect privilege
Enforce and audit the policy
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Document Retention Policies
• Consider
Special rules that apply in
different proceedings
(e.g., litigation vs.
arbitration)
Legal principles and best
practices
Efficiencies
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Be Flexible
• A document retention policy should be flexible.
Suspend regular destruction of documents that are
relevant to actual or threatened litigation
Litigation hold policies can be developed separately
or as part of the same policy
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Why is this Important?
• There are consequences for
failing to retain documents:
Tort of spoliation
Striking of pleading
Adverse inference
Contempt of Court
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Be Proactive
• Plan for document production early on
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Document Management for Litigation
• Steps in an efficient e-discovery project:
1. Preserve documents
2. Plan
3. Meet and Confer
4. Review
5. Produce
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Preserve Documents
Identify custodians
Identify date de-limiters
Implement a litigation hold
Assess the document pool
Gather potentially relevant documents
Engage IT personnel
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Plan
Early case assessment
Determine appropriate review
platform
Design a review process (e.g.,
manual vs. technology-
assisted review)
Consider retaining an e-
discovery specialist and other
external providers, if
appropriate
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Plan
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Review the
smallest
appropriate
data set
Meet and Confer
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Review
Train review team
Monitor quality of review team’s work
Review team’s output regularly
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Produce
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Production
formats
Timetables
Inadvertent
disclosure
In accordance
with obligations
(e.g., discovery
plan, affidavit of
documents)
Document Management for Litigation
• New development:
1. OBA E-Implementation Committee model
affidavit of documents (Ontario)
More reflective of modern document review
practices
Incorporates proportionality
Appends a discovery plan
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Part III: Project Management
Objectives
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Overview of Legal Project Management1
Review basic LPM principles2
3 A 4-stage LPM Framework
4 Roles and Responsibilities
Overview of (Legal) Project Management
37*Source: PMI / PMBOK
Definitions
Project Management: the application of knowledge, skills, tools,
and techniques to meet the project requirements
Project: A temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique
product, service or result
What is the difference between “Project Management”
and “Legal Project Management”?
Benefits of Legal Project Management
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value knowledge market differentiator
appropriate workefficiency
get paid for the hours workedpredictable cost
clarity on each matter
enhance trust/relationships/teamwork
client satisfaction
clients participants law firm
Iron Triangle – Triple Constraints
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Every project has three key constraints that must be considered
together
Iron Triangle – Triple Constraints
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The consequences of changes should be thought through proactively
RACI Matrix
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People responsible to complete
the tasks
The one (and only one) person
accountable for the outcome
People who add knowledge
and expertise
People affected by the outcome
– Stakeholders
R
A
C
I
Roles on a Legal Matter (Overall)
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Client Sponsor
Client Team
Client Team
Relationship Lawyer
Lead Lawyer
Matter Team
Legal Project Manager
Law Firm Team
Third Party
Note: A person can play multiple roles a matter.
Gowlings PracticalTM Framework
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A four step-framework
making LPM easy for
us and our clients
Gowlings PracticalTM Framework – Define
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1 Define
Matter goals
Client objectives
Scope of work
Timing
Staffing
Value
Understand client expectations
Key Law Firm Responsibilities
Clearly articulate expectations and a
definition of success
Key Client Responsibilities
R
A
C
I
Lead Lawyer
Relationship Lawyer
Client Sponsor
Matter/Client Team, LPM
Gowlings PracticalTM Framework – Plan
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2 Plan
Agree scope; assumptions
Establish plan; key milestones
Allocate resources
Identify baseline fee estimate
R
A
C
I
LPM
Lead Lawyer
Client Sponsor
Relationship lawyer,
Matter/Client Team
Engagement Letter outlining plan with
scope, fees and assumptions
Key Law Firm Responsibilities
Review, validation and feedback on
scope, fees and assumptions
Key Client Responsibilities
Sample Project Plan Template
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Sample Project Plan Template – Task View
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Assumptions
Links to precedents
Progress
Status
Gowlings PracticalTM Framework – Monitor and Manage
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3 Monitor & Manage
Track progress (dockets)
Identify variations
(scope, schedule, estimates)
Take corrective actions
Identify and track risks
Communicate status
R
A
C
I
LPM
Lead Lawyer
Client Sponsor, Matter/Client
Team
Client Sponsor, Matter/Client
Team, Relationship Manager
Status reports
Addendums to engagement letter
Key Law Firm Responsibilities
Provide direction on new circumstances
Provide feedback
Key Client Responsibilities
Gowlings PracticalTM Framework – Review and Improve
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3 Review & Improve
Lessons learned
Client satisfaction
R
A
C
I
LPM
Lead Lawyer
Client Sponsor, Matter/Client
Team
Relationship Lawyer
New and updated precedents
Historic matter data for comparison
Key Law Firm Responsibilities
Provide feedback
Historic matter data for comparison
Key Client Responsibilities
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4. Case Study – Lessons Learned
Case Study
• Complex case involving:
One named claimant and defendant, but several
other interested parties
Millions of documents
Dozens of witnesses
Many highly-technical issues
No defined set of procedural rules
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Lesson 1: Be Flexible and Adaptable
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Lesson 2: Regular Monitoring is Important
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DO NOT DO
Lesson 3: Work as a Team
Communicate
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Thank You
montréal ottawa toronto hamilton waterloo region calgary vancouver beijing moscow london
Lynn Mahoney: Bruce Power
David Woodfield: Gowlings
Laura Van Soelen: Gowlings
Rick Kathuria: Gowlings
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