Do it Yourself E-Discovery
Are you facing a need for ediscovery? Have you seen the fees that are involved in collection of electronic data? Should you attempt do-it-yourself ediscovery? This is a tricky question but one that many people may ask since fees that go into ediscovery practices can be very high.

There are some questions you should ask yourself first:

• Why do you need ediscovery?
• What type of files and data are you trying to discover?
• Are you involved in a lawsuit?
• Do you have the tools to do it yourself?
• Do you have the time and the knowledge to do it yourself?

If you do decide to do it yourself, there are many tools that are available- usually for a price- that can help make the job easier for you. There are software programs and tools as well as advice and instructions that you can find to help you but in some cases, doing it yourself may not be the best option for you. You or your staff might have the technical skills needed to collect the data but you might not have the tools or the resources to manage the evidence in a manner that will hold up in court as a defense. If you or your staff do not collect the data in the proper way, it can lead to:

• Increased litigation fees
• Problems with processing and/or production
• Risk that the evidence will not be admissible in court
• Having to defend your collection methods in court

When it comes to legal issues, you might be best off hiring a professional that is certified to collect the electronic data, especially if you will be using that data as a defense.