As the economy recovers and companies settle into the “new normal,” a tectonic shift in the relationship between corporations, law firms and e-discovery vendors is taking place. Today’s sophisticated corporate clients are looking for partners—law firms and e-discovery service providers—with demonstrated expertise in the broad, related fields of data management, data security and e-discovery. They increasingly demand that their partners foster structural innovation around the e-discovery process and apply technology in creative ways to help solve their unique data challenges, They also want to take a more active role in important decisions throughout the e-discovery process.
On the law firm side, corporations want partnerships with outside counsel that have dedicated practice groups focusing on e-discovery law, document review and legal project management. Although outside e-discovery counsel may make its own significant, ongoing investment to internalize the support infrastructure and absorb some of these costs, they are now expected to form strategic relationships with e-discovery service providers when dictated by cost as part of the overall value proposition. Whether managed directly or through a law firm partner, corporations expect an e-discovery service provider to come to the table offering value independent of e-discovery counsel.
