According to Google's former CEO, Eric Schmidt, the world creates as much information every two days as we did in all the years between 2003 and the dawn of humankind. Today, the ability to navigate these large electronically-held sets of data is critical to the success of a legal matter.
Using appropriate data analytics and processing tools, we can provide our clients with in-depth insights into complex datasets quickly. Effective keyword searches, data extraction, data de-duplication and visualisation features help with early case assessment which, in turn, enables our lawyers to focus their efforts on the areas that matter most.
Case study
legal technology
+ legal project management
+ legal process improvement
In a matter involving cross-border litigation for a global transport and logistics company, we received an external hard drive containing an estimated 255,000 emails for urgent review. With no predetermined list of keywords or date ranges, the Legal Services Centre worked with the legal team to develop a methodology to assess the information strategically and efficiently, assisting them to build the client's case.
Solution
We proposed a two-phase approach. First, we used a robust, early case assessment tool to identify potentially relevant documents. We transferred the 30GB of data onto a cloud-based platform and used interactive technology to highlight potentially relevant information with the data sets drawing out key dates, authors, recipients, potential keywords and concept groupings. This allowed us to exclude certain documents that did not meet certain criteria.
Second, the results of the early case assessment process were uploaded into a document review platform for review and categorisation. Complex searches could also be performed, confidential information could be redacted, and trial and witness bundles easily collated.
Outcomes
The early case assessment process reduced the data from 30GB (255,000 emails) to 1GB (7,000 emails). Combined with the use of the document review platform, we were able to reduce the review from an estimated 8,500 hours to 140 hours, resulting in a 60% cost saving for the client. The turnaround time for the review was also reduced from 36 weeks to four weeks.
