Washington, D.C., partners Frederick ("Fritz") Chockley and Elizabeth Scully, with associate Rebcca Barnes, co-authored an article, "Yes, That E-discovery Can Be Done on the Cheap," for the April 27, 2009, edition of the Legal Times' "Litigation Technology: Special Report."
According to the authors, "With the economy down, the new mantra for clients is 'more for less.' As litigation budgets shrink, litigation teams are forced to deal with the enormous volume of documents produced in e-discovery without the benefit of large teams of paralegals or expensive outside vendors. The good news for lawyers is, less can be more. Through strategic planning, careful organization, and technological savvy, costs can be cut significantly by improving efficiency. Many of the biggest budget-busters in e-discovery can be eliminated by maximizing the potential of a lean litigation team."
Chockley, Scully and Barnes continue: "The key to maximizing cost-effectiveness is structure and planning through a project-based approach. Experienced litigators know the textbook discovery process strategies, but going 'back to basics' is essential to cost-effective compliance in a down economy. The three building blocks of every e-discovery project should be: (1) planning at the outset, (2) selecting appropriate tools for document management, and (3) communicating and defining roles."
The authors go on to detail the three building blocks, cautioning that "simply setting up such a structure achieves little unless it is constantly maintained and updated," and offering advice on steps that can be taken to ensure that maintenance.
Chockley, Scully and Barnes conclude: "Even lean discovery teams can be equally or more effective than larger groups at meeting discovery obligations if given the correct structure and appropriate tools. The key to maximizing the potential of an e-discovery team is not taking shortcuts, but focusing on value, efficiency, and information retention. By consistently reverting to the basic good habits of e-discovery, even a lean discovery team can ensure cost-effective compliance in a down economy."
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