Discovery Resources

By Laura Webster, Solution Design Architect, Fios, Inc.

Data processing for e-discovery requires expertise in various technologies. Electronically stored information (ESI) populations generally contain large volumes of disparate file types. For an e-discovery project to be successful, this data must be processed and aggregated quickly and reliably.

Your e-discovery partner should be able to help you:

• Fully inventory and uniquely identify each file in the data population for file accountability.
• Collaborate with the response team to address security and encryption methods used in email, container and other file types to ensure all appropriate decryption methods are attempted.
• Extract file content and metadata from the files, such as e-mail routing data, file property data continue…

by Joe Aakre, Product Manager, Fios, Inc.

Earlier this month, at LegalTech New York 2010, Fios announced its partnership with kCura and debuted our newest offering: Relativity® powered by Fios.

As you may already know from numerous blogs, tweets and articles (or from your personal experience at the show), attendance and excitement were very high. Over the course of the three days, I provided many product tours for people who stopped by our booth to demonstrate how Fios’ implementation (and 10 years of e-discovery expertise) takes all of the advanced search and workflow features in Relativity to the next level. What became most apparent from conversations and feedback with our customers and prospects continue…

As part of our their new series “’Data! Data! Data!’ — Cures for a General Counsel’s ESI Nightmares,” The Posse List interviewed Mary Mack and Dennis Kiker. They discuss collaboration and documentation for defensibility among inside and outside counsel, between IT and legal, among joint defense groups and during productions… how to get control of the discovery process. Here’s the interview on the Posse List site: An interview with Mary Mack and Dennis Kiker of Fios: collaborative e-discovery technology and services, and putting it all in perspective.

by Dennis Kiker, Director of Professional Services, Fios, Inc.

I am fortunate in that I work out of my home, which has decided advantages at times, particularly at this time of year when I can look out my window on the neighborhood and enjoy the autumn colors.  In Virginia, as in much of the Southeastern United States, we have a tree we call the “gumball” tree.  Properly, it is the American Sweetgum tree, and it is a beautiful hardwood with glossy, deep green foliage in the summer that turns brilliant shades of yellow, red and even purple in the fall.  These absolutely gorgeous trees have only one flaw (assuming you have continue…

By Aaron Pippin, Senior Project Manager, Fios, Inc.

In our industry, individuals often want to provide value by delivering more than what was actually asked for.  In the Project Management world, this is known as “Gold Plating.”  Providing value is always a good thing; however, gold plating can lead to undesirable issues.

For example, if a client asks for a specific report, they know what they are looking for and hope the report will give them the needed information.  If the PM takes the time to include information he or she thinks is relevant but was not requested, the report could end up being convoluted and/or raise new concerns.  It may also continue…

by Dennis Kiker, Esq., Director, Professional Services, Fios, Inc.

Cost containment continued to be the most recurrent theme on day two of the Georgetown Advanced E-Discovery Institute.  And by a pretty wide margin (with no disrespect to any of the other excellent speakers), Ralph Losey and Jason Baron’s presentation on advanced search had to be the most entertaining of the day.  The message was simple: the volume of data created and stored on computers continues to increase exponentially, and traditional methods of identifying, collecting and reviewing that data are becoming impractical.  Indeed, they are impractical already in many cases.

As a result of the work being done by TREC Legal Track, the continue…

by Dennis Kiker, Esq., Director, Professional Services, Fios, Inc.

I’ve often heard colleagues ask prospective clients, “What keeps you up at night?”  Or, “What worries you about e-discovery?”  After all, that is what we, as vendors, want to know: how can our products or services ease your concerns, so that you’ll purchase our products or services.  Thus, it was very interesting to hear, in U.S. District Judge Lee Rosenthal’s keynote address at the Georgetown Advanced E-Discovery Institute that the circle of those wandering through the e-discovery woods watching for ESI monsters might be smaller than we think.

Much of Judge Rosenthal’s talk reviewed the results of a Federal Judicial Center draft report continue…

by Dennis Kiker, Esq., Director, Professional Services, Fios Inc.

Last night was cold, rainy, and rather gloomy here in Washington, D.C.  It was also Veteran’s Day, so sensible people had chosen to join their government colleagues and stay home or retire early for the day.  So what else would someone facing a two-day e-discovery marathon choose to do on such a night?  Of course.  Attend an e-discovery roundtable dinner, what else?  And it was great.

Really, it was great.  Here’s why: As you might expect when a group voluntarily gathers on Veteran’s Day in the rain and gloom to talk about e-discovery, the discussion turned to cooperation.  We were happily basking in continue…

John Wooden, the famous UCLA basketball coach, had many famous quotes as part of his pyramid of success.  One of my favorites is “Be quick but don’t hurry.”  The quote means (1) do the right things, (2) learn to do them quickly, but (3) never be out of control.  This quote also has application for project managers facing a crisis.

As project managers, we all recognize basic issue management versus crisis moments.  They are the moments that result in sudden flop sweat, the feeling of a thumb pressing against the temple, the crowd of executives lined up at your door expecting action – now.  There is a tremendous urge to make continue…

by Dennis Kiker - Director, Professional Services, Fios, Inc.

I’ve noticed a theme in many of my conversations with outside counsel recently when the topic of the Sedona Cooperation Proclamation comes up.  First there is a tightening around the mouth and the eyes narrow just a bit.  It is not dissimilar to the look my daughters would give me when I asked whether they had tried talking it over with the person that was mad at them.  Just a momentary thing, but there was that flash that said, “Yes, I know this is what I should be doing, but you really don’t understand what my life is like, do you?”  Cooperation in continue…