Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%

Call 855-808-4530 or email [email protected] to receive your discount on a new subscription.

Combating Big Data with a 'Facts First' Approach to e-Discovery

By Scott Giordano
October 02, 2013

One of the most pressing challenges for legal teams is the ability to quickly identify relevant electronically stored information (ESI) when litigation or regulatory action arises. This challenge has been significantly exacerbated by the arrival of “Big Data,” which refers to data sets that are so large and complex that mining and obtaining useful intelligence about them is impossible using conventional analytical methods and tools. Concerned with maintaining defensibility, many organizations take a “preserve everything” approach, which results in data sets so large that it becomes extremely difficult to identify the most relevant ESI early enough to potentially change the direction of the matter. This problem cannot be overcome by hiring more people, installing more servers or hiring outside service providers. It must be addressed holistically and aggressively with a combination of human intelligence, legal process and advanced information retrieval technology. Taken together, this approach represents a “Facts First” intelligence-gathering methodology that allows legal teams to identify, analyze and defensibly reduce ESI volumes.

The e-Discovery Risks of Big Data

Read These Next
The DOJ's Corporate Enforcement Policy: One Year Later Image

The DOJ's Criminal Division issued three declinations since the issuance of the revised CEP a year ago. Review of these cases gives insight into DOJ's implementation of the new policy in practice.

The Bankruptcy Hotline Image

Recent cases of importance to your practice.

Use of Deferred Prosecution Agreements In White Collar Investigations Image

This article discusses the practical and policy reasons for the use of DPAs and NPAs in white-collar criminal investigations, and considers the NDAA's new reporting provision and its relationship with other efforts to enhance transparency in DOJ decision-making.

How AI Has Affected PR Image

When we consider how the use of AI affects legal PR and communications, we have to look at it as an industrywide global phenomenon. A recent online conference provided an overview of the latest AI trends in public relations, and specifically, the impact of AI on communications. Here are some of the key points and takeaways from several of the speakers, who provided current best practices, tips, concerns and case studies.

New York's Latest Cybersecurity Commitment Image

On Aug. 9, 2023, Gov. Kathy Hochul introduced New York's inaugural comprehensive cybersecurity strategy. In sum, the plan aims to update government networks, bolster county-level digital defenses, and regulate critical infrastructure.