A recent issue of New England In-House features Stephen Riden in an article about a survey of in-house counsel on ediscovery issues. The article is by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly’s Managing Editor, David E. Frank.
The article focuses on a survey conducted by BTI Consulting Group, in which 350 general counsel and other “legal decision makers” were asked to evaluate their outside attorneys’ management of ediscovery. The survey reveals widespread dissatisfaction with law firms’ handling of the phase of litigation involving the production of electronically stored information.
In the article, Steve Riden acknowledges the frustration felt by in-house counsel and describes the source of aggravation with the ediscovery process:
‘So much of the frustration in-house lawyers are experiencing is inherent in the process,’ said Stephen D. Riden of Beck, Reed, Riden in Boston. ‘Even the best positioned law firm is still going to find itself on the receiving end of complaints about the hassles associated with e-discovery. I don’t see that changing any time soon.’
Riden said he is not surprised by the results, given the time and money that goes into producing electronic data and the lack of experience many practitioners have dealing with e-discovery.
‘There is always going to be tension between what the client wants, which is minimal cost and hassle, and what the courts require, which can often be expensive and onerous,’ he said. ‘That tension isn’t going to go away any time soon. But this survey should be a wake-up call for law firms in Massachusetts and across the country that there is an area of client services that’s badly in need of improvement.’
Steve Riden frequently writes and speaks about commercial litigation issues, including social media and electronic discovery.
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