Preparing for a trial is an extensive, laborious process. And sometimes attorneys do not have the time it takes to handle every aspect. This is when a team of litigation specialists comes in very handy. A case would have no substance without evidence, but digging up useful evidence is what can sometimes be the most time-consuming part of the preparation process. So while the legal team prepares the claims/defenses of a matter, the litigation review-team will be culling and isolating the data that best promotes the attorney’s litigation position. This preparatory process begins with document review.
Litigation offices will usually offer a wide range of support services, but maybe you only need help in one department. That’s perfectly fine. Perhaps document review is the only thing you need assistance with. Find out how exactly your litigation support services will help you in this department.
What documents will you be reviewing?
Nowadays there are a lot more potential documents that could be up available for review. And much more than simply physical documents. The legal system must stay current with newer communication to access the most evidence for your claim(s) or defense(s). When data is properly proceeded pre-review, document review can now include investigation of social media and information in the “cloud.” Although, privacy protection laws are always consulted prior to this type of document review. Despite this switch toward a digital world, sorting through paper records is also a primary service of litigation support professionals.
Emails constitute a vast percentage of digital documents to be reviewed. Certain e-mail analytic systems can provide reviewers with information pertaining to the writer, the reader, the content, the thread, duplication, and timeline of the email-thread. Bulk coding is also used to determine similarities among many, many emails to show patterns, and to more easily group related e-mail evidence together.
How will you expedite the process?
The litigation support service team is fluent in document review. They are trained intensively to know what to look for and to be able to sift through unrelated, unimportant documents quickly and effectively. Luckily, in this day and age, litigators also have the advantage of various software tools to making organizing and perusing documents much easier. The technology not only helps organize, but also helps with predictive coding, text analysis, and tracking of keywords. It has the ability to be geared toward each individual case, personalizing it to your specific needs. The litigation support team will help you analyze your side of a case and prepare documents for production and use at the trial or hearing. Document review also extends to anticipating the case of the opposing side. What documents may the other side be producing? How valid is the evidence and how can we counter it? The same analytical technology can be applied to these document as well. Staying prepared from all sides is a smart legal move.
How Important is Communication?
Clear communication between the client, the attorney, and the litigation support team is very important. Everyone needs to be on the same page and to have a clear understanding of their requirements in the litigation process. This is mostly in the hands of the lawyer and the litigation support team. To effectively review necessary documents, litigators have to be fully informed what are the appropriate actions to take. What is permitted so that all evidence dug-up can be of use? An ESI database will allow the team certain advantages to do any of the following: discover e-mail chains and attachment links, annotate corresponding notes to various documents, classify documents in folders, delete identical copies of documents, allow search results to all funnel into one folder, and so many more.
Document review can be a tedious process, but with the right staff and the right software it can be done efficiently and effectively. For any document review or other litigation service questions contact us today.
