Getting and Staying Defense-Ready

More and more corporate legal departments are taking control of their own e-discovery process, reflecting new concerns about spiraling costs and information control. And numerous other factors combine to make in-house data management and discovery a good alternative. Many of our corporate legal clients already have a wealth of technology talent in-house – plenty to handle most of the technical tasks required to become – and stay – defense-ready.

But the knowledge of how best to organize that talent belongs to a different job description. Litigation support leadership should not only have thorough understanding of current technology but also be able to coordinate in-house tech pros with a range of outside vendors. Effective litigation support leadership must also stay abreast of constantly evolving industry regulations, and be able to keep a clear channel of meaningful communication open between the in-house legal team and outside counsel. Effective lit support directors must have law firm experience.

Recent e-discovery debacles have heightened awareness of this pivotal position. But locating the right lit support professional for your particular environment can be a daunting undertaking. Many corporations remain exposed and vulnerable to unforeseen costs and liabilities, even with all systems "go" for in-house defense-readiness.