High volume or complex data sets and the potential for a lengthy period awaiting a trial or decision, can make eDiscovery costs mount up. Traditional pricing models are priced per Gigabyte (GB) or Terabyte (TB) ingested into the platform and the costs then continue, month in, month out for the duration of the case. But what if there were another way? An eDiscovery service for long cases that actively seeks to reduce the data volumes ahead of processing, recognises that the majority of the value in an eDiscovery platform is realised earlier on in the timeline, during the processing, analysis and review stages and then scales the cost down when the data is being preserved awaiting court processes, rather than being actively worked on?
What are the most important elements of an eDiscovery service for a long case?
When it comes to complex litigation, multi-jurisdictional investigations, or a regulatory compliance matter, the sheer volume and variety of data involved can be overwhelming and costly to manage. When it comes to large datasets or long duration cases, Salient has the total solution for our clients: a skilled team of forensic data analysts and eDiscovery experts, a technologically advanced platform that won’t buckle under the stress and specifically tuned pricing with economies for both scale and most importantly, duration, which recognise the often court-influenced long timescales.
Advanced technology to accelerate the investigation
Over the years, Salient has reviewed many tools and platforms in the eDiscovery and forensic data analytics space and we have a suite of technologies that, along with our expertise, comprise our solution.
For forensic data analytics we typically use the Microsoft Power BI tool, with which many clients are already familiar. Be it standard CAATs (Computer Assisted Audit Techniques) or more bespoke tests across diverse structured datasets, the visualisations we provide help clients rapidly focus in on the pertinent transactional or structured data, which often informs where and who to explore further within the unstructured data, in the search for supporting evidence.
And when it comes to an eDiscovery platform, we have found none better than Reveal-Brainspace, which couples hugely scalable architecture and all the benefits of a SaaS based system, with cutting edge application of AI technologies, which when applied intelligently, can truly accelerate the investigation journey.
Easy to say, but less easy to do in practical terms. Which components should be applied and when? At Salient we don’t expect you to be data scientists – we apply ours to the task, to leverage the right components. Be it machine learned models for separating the signal from the noise (either by culling irrelevant data or making positive inclusions) or for accelerating review with CAL (Continuous Active Learning), we can advise clients on the relevance and timing for deploying these capabilities.
And with the emergence of ‘Reveal Ask’, the native GenAI tool, we’re seeing huge potential as an aid to searching and assimilating information from extensive datasets in a fraction of the time a more traditional human-led approach to Early Case Assessment or exploring investigative pathways would take.
eDiscovery expertise and experience that shines through
When considering the best eDiscovery service for a long case or complex dataset, having the experience to devise an appropriate strategy is as important as the tools and techniques. We’re trusted by large organisations such as state-owned enterprises, international corporates and large law firms, who rely on us to do a good job. When you consider that the responsive material in any case will very likely be a tiny fraction of the total collection, having confidence in a partner who can help you navigate the challenge is essential. Experience has told us that a phased approach to an investigation will often yield results faster than trying to wade through a morass of data, irrespective of how good your technology is!
Perverse though it might seem, we try to minimise the volume of data we even ingest into our platform by fully understanding each client’s needs and the allegations under investigation. By so doing, we can focus in on the main protagonists and deploy the technology to better understand the fact patterns of the case, in-so-doing providing valuable insights that will inform subsequent activity. This will likely reduce the volumes of case data that even needs ingesting and thereby helps keep a lid on costs.
Fair and predictable costs when time-scales are out of your control
When you consider the lifecycle of large matters, most of the value in an eDiscovery service for a long case will be realised in the earlier stages, locating potentially relevant material, perhaps followed by a lengthy review process. However, even when the case for prosecution or defence is made, it may be quite some time before the case comes to court, throughout which time the data and work product (tagging, commentary, production) must be preserved.
Salient recognises this and models costs accordingly, effectively amortising the costs of the higher value functionality together with the lower value storage/preservation phase over the anticipated duration of the case. This means that these longer duration, larger matters are priced very cost-effectively and clients are not unduly penalised for timescales often beyond their control.
Couple this with our inclusive eDiscovery services model and there will never be any nasty surprises when it comes to unexpected costs.
In conclusion: A lengthy or complex eDiscovery case needn’t be an expensive one
If you’re facing a complex or lengthy eDiscovery challenge, we have the experience, the expertise and the technology to help you find the relevant evidence quickly and efficiently, while keeping costs under control.
Contact us today to find out how we can help you with your eDiscovery needs.
