Slack, the collaborative workspace designed to streamline real-time communications between business teams, poses some challenges in the eDiscovery context (see our prior blog post). This blog post discusses a recent decision that explores the proper scope of discovery regarding Slack messages – specifically, whether each individual Slack message should be treated as a discrete
5 Trends to Watch: 2024 eDiscovery and eRetention
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) will increasingly be used for eDiscovery, but results could be a double-edged sword. The consensus within the eDiscovery community is that AI is a useful tool that attorneys should not fear. In fact, AI-based tools, such as predictive coding, privilege reviews, early case analysis, and incoming production analysis, provide vital support to
Preservation of Text Messages and Personal Devices
Facts
In Miramontes v. Peraton Inc., an employment discrimination case, plaintiff moved for sanctions against defendant for its failure to preserve text messages and a skills assessment related to plaintiff’s performance. Plaintiff – a senior supply chain business partner manager – was a 27-year employee of Prospecta when the company was acquired by defendant…
The Importance of Attorney Oversight in ESI Collection; Dangers of Client Self-Collection
In litigation, allowing a client to handle the process of collecting its electronic discovery without adequate attorney oversight of quality control validation can lead to serious trouble for all concerned. Courts throughout the country have repeatedly held that attorneys have professional and ethical duties to ensure the adequacy of their clients’ actions in identifying, preserving…
Greenberg Traurig’s eDiscovery Team Wishes Our Clients and Colleagues Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year
Failure to Comply with Discovery Obligations Can Lead to ‘Case-Killing’ Sanctions
Factual Background
Plaintiffs are former employees of Federal Reserve Bank of New York (Federal Reserve) whose employment was terminated when they refused to comply with Defendant’s requirement that its employees be vaccinated against Covid-19. Dkt. No. 24. Plaintiffs alleged that their terminations violated the Religious Freedom Restoration Act; the Free Exercise Clause of the First…
Spoliation and the Evolution of Case Law
In Seattle Tunnel Partners v. Great Lakes Reinsurance (UK) PLC, __ P.3d __ (Wash. Ct. App. Mar. 27, 2023), the Washington Court of Appeals, Division 1, discusses the evolution of Washington case law on spoliation of evidence and details the circumstances justifying the imposition of spoliation sanctions in the jurisdiction. Interestingly, the parameters…
Current Approaches to ‘Discovery on Discovery’ Part II
Courts have recognized the perils of discovery on discovery and have sought to regulate the practice to prevent the “danger[s] of extending the already costly and time-consuming discovery process ad infinitum.” Am. W. Bank Members, L.C., 2021 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 218480, at *5. As a baseline, many courts have held that failure to show…
Current Approaches to ‘Discovery on Discovery’ Part I
“We can’t go on together with suspicious minds”—that is the premise of “discovery on discovery.” With suspicion on the mind, a party may believe that its opponent has wrongfully withheld information, documents, or other materials in discovery, and therefore may seek to have discovery on discovery. Discovery on discovery, also referred to as…
Emojis in eDiscovery
Emojis Pose Challenges to Lawyers, Juries & Discovery Specialists
We have all used emojis. Whether in our text messages or in our IMs, these wordless communications are commonplace. In fact, by some estimates, more than 10 billion emojis are sent every day in various electronic messaging mediums. With the use of chat and mobile platforms…