Ad Litem Consulting, Inc.

Phase 1 through Phase 3

Supporting Files

Strategy is best when it combines both hindsight and planning. Because the litigation case lifecycle is a given and repeats with every new matter, it is possible to create a litigation support strategy applicable to every case. Process management works for all cases, regardless of size and complexity. Project management is where planning meets execution. The following strategies and results are fully documented, along with a task list, in the book. The attorney, paralegal, litigation support professionals and preferred vendors all benefit from the consistency of experience across cases.

Phase 1: Preliminary

Results:

The Litigation Support Department and attorney create an estimated litigation technology budget, preliminary list of discovery caches, list of key names, and key terms.

Strategy:

Use this information throughout the case. Put the important names, dates and collection information into the Case Fact Management Software. Use this information to identify, cull and create the preproduction discovery databases. Court reporters use these names and terms to provide a better transcript. Bibliographic coding companies, manual and automated, use these words to provide better product, as well.  These strategies should work for every case.

Phase 2: Discovery Planning

Results:

Litigation Support and the attorney update the technology budget, list of collections, and agreements regarding production format and ways to limit discovery formalized with opposing counsel.

Strategy:

If both sides can agree to limit all potentially productive discovery to those documents which where authored or received by key individuals, that contain a key word and also falls within a date range, it may be possible dramatically reduce the size of the database, number of hours of review and cost to the clients of both firms. The attorney can now be confident that his team will be technically capable of producing to the required format of opposing. Additionally, the legal team knows that they will receive productions in a format their Litigation Support Department prefers. Again, this saves time and cost to all parties.

Phase 3: Finalize and Execute Discovery Plan

Results:

A qualified technician, employed by firm or vendor, begins collecting and processing discovery per the matrix, schedule and culling preferences. As the Litigation Support Department has prequalified the vendor, the technical aspect of their goods and services will match the department needs.

Strategy:

This minimizes turnaround times on the parts of both the vendor and the department. The strategy is to get all materials in front of the review team in the least amount of time. On a large project with a rolling production, the Litigation Support Department can update the budget to reflect actual costs and deadlines as pertain to each collection. In this manner, the Litigation Support Department can keep the legal team informed as to total cost and schedule.

Phase 1 through Phase 3

Supporting Files