e-Discovery for Dummies - Paperback

by Carol Pollard (Author), Ian Redpath (Author)

Discover the process of e-discovery and put good practices in place.

Electronic information involved in a lawsuit requires a completely different process for management and archiving than paper information. With the recent change to Federal Rules of Civil Procedure making all lawsuits subject to e-discovery as soon as they are filed, it is more important than ever to make sure that good e-discovery practices are in place.

e-Discovery For Dummies is an ideal beginner resource for anyone looking to understand the rules and implications of e-discovery policy and procedures. This helpful guide introduces you to all the most important information for incorporating legal, technical, and judicial issues when dealing with the e-discovery process. You'll learn the various risks and best practices for a company that is facing litigation and you'll see how to develop an e-discovery strategy if a company does not already have one in place.

• E-discovery is the process by which electronically stored information sought, located, secured, preserved, searched, filtered, authenticated, and produced with the intent of using it as evidence
• Addresses the rules and process of e-discovery and the implications of not having good e-discovery practices in place
• Explains how to develop an e-discovery strategy if a company does not have one in place

e-Discovery For Dummies will help you discover the process and best practices of managing electronic information for lawsuits.

Back Jacket

Learn to:

• Follow the correct steps in the e-discovery process
• Anticipate potential risks
• Develop an e-discovery strategy for your company
• Identify best practices in the event of litigation

Be prepared for legal action! Learn about e-discovery rules, protections, and vulnerabilities

Here are the issues, challenges, strengths, and limitations of e-discovery in an easy-to-understand guide. Find out how to identify, protect, and produce electronically stored information, prepare for litigation, avoid tainting evidence, and much more. It's a much better (and cheaper) way to learn about this hot legal issue than through experience!

• What happened -- explore the legal changes that made e-discovery an issue and what they mean to you
• Your ESI IQ -- get a comprehensive look at your electronically stored information (ESI) and how to manage it effectively
• Set up a team -- assemble a team of employees from your IT and Legal departments and establish how to work together on important e-discovery projects
• Make a plan -- identify potentially relevant ESI and how to comply with litigation holds
• Put the plan into action -- preserve ESI, redact privileged info, and produce ESI in its native format, including metadata
• If you're challenged -- find out how to evaluate admissibility and document your evidence
• Be prepared -- build an electronic records management program and policy and monitor compliance
• Call for backup -- know when to bring in outside vendors and computer forensics specialists

Open the book and find:

• Why you can't ignore e-discovery
• How to prepare for litigation
• Ten essential e-discovery rules
• How to create a data map
• What data to keep
• How to set up a document repository
• Suggestions for controlling your e-discovery costs
• How to review, process, and filter information

Author Biography

Linda Volonino is an e-discovery consultant and computer forensics expert who aids lawyers and judges in preparing for e-discovery. She is coauthor of Computer Forensics For Dummies. Ian Redpath is an attorney with 32 years of litigation experience in federal courts. He consults on e-discovery.