Reed Smith's Records & E-Discovery (RED) Team focuses on two specific areas. We assist clients with electronic discovery, and also counsel clients with regard to implementing effective records management practices.
From initial preservation, through custodian interviews, document collection, filtering, review, analysis and production, Reed Smith has experienced e-discovery attorneys who can assist and provide guidance. Even in cases where Reed Smith is not primary litigation counsel, members of the team can serve as Special Discovery Counsel or National Discovery Counsel to help clients achieve quality, cost savings and consistency in their discovery practices. Electronic discovery is a significant concern in litigation and government investigations. If not properly controlled, the costs, burdens and risks surrounding e-discovery can overshadow the substantive issues involved. Regardless of the size and scope of the litigation, we collaborate with our clients and their primary counsel to develop a tailored, cost-efficient, reasonable and defensible plan to respond to the discovery needs of each matter, including the efficient use of technology tools, tested workflows, and specially trained, low-cost, e-discovery attorneys to efficiently perform both electronic and hard copy reviews. We also can assist clients and primary counsel in other phases of discovery and case preparation, ranging from initial party and court conferences, to written discovery, motions practice, depositions and trial.
We provide in-depth analysis, advice and assistance with information management to aid compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, preservation for operational needs, and proper disposal of records that are beyond their useful life. We also assist with employee training to educate employees about best practices in regard to records management, electronic communications and legal holds. The proliferation of electronic information, the cost and complexity of information management, evolving legal obligations, and risks relating to non-compliance, combined, make it critical to implement effective and efficient records management. We work with clients to develop and implement information management policies and procedures to meet business, compliance and litigation-readiness needs. We assist with record retention policies, retention schedules, backup and disaster recovery strategies, hard copy document archiving, electronic communication and social media policies, cloud computing issues, legal hold procedures, and evaluation of technology options to assist in both records management and litigation.
As the discovery on each case progresses and as strategies mature, Reed Smith remains attentive, responsive and agile. Our experience with work product, privilege, and case issues is applied to the benefit of our clients to provide both strategic and economic advantages. Our depth of knowledge and understanding of various litigation support systems allows us to tailor our approach to the specific needs of each individual matter. This customized approach results in increased efficiency and significant cost savings for our clients.