SAN FRANCISCO, CA, January 6, 2014 – Complex litigation firm Edlin Gallagher Huie + Blum is on the cutting edge of legal technology with its e-discovery program. As Big Data – data sets of 1 terabyte or more – increasingly dominates the e-discovery process, legal teams need strategies that go beyond traditional search functionality and do more than business intelligence tools that work with standard databases. One compelling solution comes from the emerging field of predictive coding, a process by which electronically stored information (ESI) is coded, organized, and prioritized according to a series of rules carefully designated by an e-discovery team.
Reliability and efficiency increase when using predictive coding in conjunction with traditional e-discovery methods to review enormous document caches. Law firms that bring the technology in-house can cut client costs by eliminating the need to hire an outside vendor and reducing the amount of time it takes to complete the e-discovery process. Predictive coding is also beneficial because it works well for handling photos, videos, email, and other correspondence – the types of unstructured data becoming more prevalent in e-discovery.
“When it comes to managing e-discovery in the era of Big Data, the old analog method just doesn’t work for many cases anymore, especially in environmental and toxic tort litigation,” says Edlin Gallagher Huie + Blum Managing Partner Noel Edlin. “But make no mistake – smart lawyers still need to be the driving force behind the technology. What we are doing by bringing predictive coding in-house is expanding our tool-kit to give our clients a competitive edge and reduce litigation costs.”
It makes particular sense to use predictive coding in environmental litigation because most cases are data-driven with large document troves, time spans are extremely long, there are various strict liability laws that attorneys must observe, multiple parties are involved, and due to high costs there is a premium placed on early settlement. There is also an emerging trend in federal courts of accepting – and even encouraging – the use of predictive coding where its use has been at issue in environmental litigation.
About Edlin Gallagher Huie + Blum
Founded by trial lawyers, Edlin Gallagher Huie + Blum attorneys have deep subject matter expertise in toxic tort, environmental law, business litigation, product liability, employment law, and other complex legal matters. The firm’s Law & Motion Department produces work that is hard-hitting and persuasive. With more than 100 trials to verdict, over 100 appeals, and thousands of mediations, EGHB offers the unique combination of large firm experience and small firm agility. Serving a diverse nationwide clientele from its offices in San Francisco and Los Angeles, EGHB is committed to exceeding clients’ expectations by achieving successful and cost-effective case resolution. Visit www.behblaw.com for additional information about the firm.