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A Practical Guide to A Practical Guide to eDiscovery in LitigationeDiscovery in Litigation

Presented by:

Christopher N. WeissAric H. Jarrett

Stoel Rives LLP

Public Risk Management Association (PRIMA), Washington ChapterSeptember 2011

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eDiscovery – The OutlineeDiscovery – The Outline

1. Overview

2. eDiscovery Paradigm

a. Preservation

b. Collection

c. Production

3. Spoliation Sanctions

4. Preparing Your Defense

5. eDiscovery in Practice

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Examples of ESIExamples of ESI

Email messages and attachments

Word processing documents

Graphic images

Spreadsheets

Plus other data created and stored on computers and networks.

Web logs

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Assumptions: Average banker’s box holds 2,500 sheets of paper. 1 page of information on average = (.02 megabytes)

Megabytes

1 2,500 50

File Sizes= =

Terabytes

Gigabytes

10 25,000 500

20 50,000 1

1,000 2,500,000 50

___________________________________________

5,000 12,500,000 250

20,000 50,000,000 1

60,000 150,000,000 3

Boxes of Bytes:Boxes of Bytes:Putting It All In PerspectivePutting It All In Perspective

Typical PC

Hard DiskServer

Attached Network

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Mining for MetadataMining for Metadata

• Why would you want it?• What does it look like?• Do you have to be a

computer geek to understand it?

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Metadata: Metadata: Cautionary TalesCautionary Tales

• A Case of Sunspots (2010)– Evidence authentication and admissibility– Witness credibility

• Nat’l Day Laborer Org. Net. v. United States I.C.E.– Production of metadata under FOIA– Citation: 2011 WL 381625 (S.D.N.Y. Feb. 7, 2011)

(Scheindlin, J.), withdrawn June 17, 2011

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Discovery ParadigmDiscovery Paradigm

Preservation Collection Production

________________

▲ ▼

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Analysis Presentation

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The Duty to PreserveThe Duty to Preserve

• Various bases for the duty to preserve

• When the duty to preserve arises is case-specific

• What must be preserved?

– Hardcopy and ESI

– But also…

• USB flash drives

• Instant messages & text messages

• Skype messages

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Litigation HoldsLitigation Holds

• Recipients• Contents

– Preserve documents & ESI– Suspend any destruction policy– Describe dispute, date range– Identify contact person– Methods of collection, if known– Duration

• Follow-up

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Litigation Holds: Litigation Holds: Cautionary TalesCautionary Tales

• The Boiler Case (2009)• Pension Comm. of the Univ. of

Montreal Pension Plan v. Banc of Am. Sec., LLC– Failure to issue written litigation hold:

gross negligence– Citation: 685 F. Supp. 2d 456

(S.D.N.Y. 2010) (Scheindlin, J.)

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Discovery ParadigmDiscovery Paradigm

Preservation Collection Production

________________

▲ ▼

________________

Analysis Presentation

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Locating & Mapping ESILocating & Mapping ESI

• Two Issues:– Where is potentially-relevant ESI

located?– Who are the custodians?

• Mapping ESI– Detail systems– Develop custodian list– Determine information flow(s)– Understand email storage– Identify network collaboration tools– Locate off-site storage

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ESI Collection (Continued)ESI Collection (Continued)

• Teamwork– In-house counsel– Outside counsel– IT– Management

• Vendors• Analytical Software

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Discovery ParadigmDiscovery Paradigm

Preservation Collection Production

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▲ ▼

________________

Analysis Presentation

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The Duty to ProduceThe Duty to Produce

• Traditional “Eyes On” Review • Key Word Search• Analytical Software• Fed. R. Ev. 502(b)

– Inadvertent disclosure of privileged material

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Spoliation – What Is It?Spoliation – What Is It?

• Destruction

• Material alteration

• Failure to preserve

• Shredding documents

• Altering documents or metadata

• Deleting, wiping ESI

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Spoliation – Sanctions & RemediesSpoliation – Sanctions & Remedies

• Additional discovery

• Monetary sanctions

• Rebuttable or mandatory inferences

• Exclusion of evidence

• Striking defenses

• Dismissal or default

• Civil contempt, jail time

Image: © Miguel Fernandez (All Rights Reserved)

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Spoliation – Game Over?Spoliation – Game Over?

• Two Factors:– Potential importance or relevance of

missing evidence

– Culpability or fault of spoliating party

• In Washington:– Bad faith is not a prerequisite

– Only requires “improper” actions

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Preservation & Production:Preservation & Production:Preparing Your DefensePreparing Your Defense

• Understand your ESI ecosystem– Types of ESI– Custodians– Locations

• Document preservation & production efforts– Written litigation hold– Search methods, mechanics– Search locations (e.g., active, backup, archive data)– List any search terms, date ranges– Note date(s) of preservation & production efforts

• Teamwork

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Discovery ParadigmDiscovery Paradigm

Preservation Collection Production

________________

▲ ▼

________________

Analysis Presentation

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eDiscovery in PracticeeDiscovery in Practice

• Libraries– Summation

– Concordance

– Ipro

• Notebooks– Case Map

– eBinder

• Presentation Software– PowerPoint, Sanction, Trial Director, Adobe Flash

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eDiscovery ResourceseDiscovery Resources

• Sedona Conference (thesedonaconference.org)

• Discovery Resources (discoveryresources.org)

• Record retention programs (ironmountain.com)

• IT perspective eDiscovery (kahnconsultinginc.com)

• Managing Discovery of Electronically Stored Information:A Pocket Guide for Judges (Hon. Barbara Rothstein, et al.)

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A Practical Guide to A Practical Guide to eDiscovery in LitigationeDiscovery in Litigation

QUESTIONS?