As we continue celebrating 15 years of ACEDS, we’re shining a spotlight on the people who’ve helped shape our vibrant community—professionals whose careers reflect the growth, evolution, and future of the eDiscovery field.
This week, we’re proud to feature Joseph A. (Joe) Massicotte, an accomplished attorney whose path into eDiscovery bridges the worlds of law, technology, and lifelong learning. From launching his own legal practice in Virginia to managing complex review projects as a vendor and now advising clients directly as a Staff Attorney at Day Pitney, Joe’s journey is a testament to adaptability and innovation.
Armed with both CEDS and Relativity Certified Administrator (RCA) credentials, Joe brings a thoughtful, tech-forward perspective to legal discovery—and a deep belief in the value of continuous education and professional community.
Maribel: Reflecting on your journey and ACEDS’ 15th anniversary, what initially motivated you to earn the CEDS certification, and how has it proven valuable throughout your career, particularly during your transition between roles?
Joe: In 2011, I had moved from my own small legal practice based in the Hampton Roads region of Virginia, into e-Discovery, initially as a contract attorney doing French-language document review. With my background as a teacher, a lifelong affinity for technology, and my relatively new career as an attorney, I moved into Project Management with a Legal Service Provider here in DC. This was a great career fit for my skill set and I quickly wanted to bolster my credentials for my new role, which was quickly evolving from an administrative position that did not require a legal background, to a more complex role as more of a legal and technology consultant. I worked very hard to get my Relativity Certified Administrator certification in 2015, which set me apart from many of my colleagues at the time. Around that same time, my company made a concerted effort to get our entire team ACEDs certified. Having the RCA and ACEDs certifications helped me become a leader within our company and provide greater expertise to our client base, which was primarily major law firms in the DC area.
Maribel: Over your extensive career spanning both vendor and law firm environments, what do you consider the most significant evolution or paradigm shift in the eDiscovery landscape (whether in technology, process, or strategy) since you first earned your CEDS?
Joe: There have been many jumps in the technology and broader legal culture over the last ten years. The ubiquity of tools such as email threading and technology-assisted review in its various forms, as well as their sometimes begrudging acceptance by the major government agencies that deal with e-discovery, really impacted what discovery, document review, and document production looked like. All of those were evolutionary steps that can be thought of as somewhat linear in their progression. Admittedly, it’s become cliché to say in a mere eighteen months, but what we’re seeing with Generative AI and its ability to replace human reviewers is the paradigm shift that will forever change this field. As the costs continue to go down and the technology becomes more accessible the world of e-discovery will continue to change in ways we haven’t seen since the cellar-dwelling review of paper documents in bankers boxes went away.
Maribel: Your career path involved moving from your role as a Project Manager at Cimplifi to your current position as a Staff Attorney at Day Pitney, assisting clients directly with eDiscovery matters. This offers a valuable perspective, especially since movement is often seen in the opposite direction (firm-to-vendor). Could you share key insights or unexpected challenges encountered when transitioning from that specific vendor Project Management role into your current client-facing law firm position?
Joe: The biggest and most difficult challenge for me has been letting go of the technical tasks and delegating those to our outside vendors or internal paralegals. As I mentioned, I have a lifelong affinity for tech and its implementation, so stepping back into a more consultative and advisory legal role, which has its own challenges and rewards, and letting go of the technical minutia of things like setting up search terms sets, review workflows, or an active learning model has proven a little bittersweet.
Maribel: How did your eDiscovery training and CEDS foundation help navigate any differences in priorities, pressures, or perspectives?
Joe: My background with e-Discovery and CEDS has helped provide me with a ready set of tools in the toolbelt that allows me to quickly analyze and resolve e-discovery issues whether they implicate client data hosting and preservation issues, the best document review workflows to implement, or the best way to cull data to reduce volume and cost. This facility allows me to engage more deeply with our litigation teams efficiently and expertly, focusing on their needs and those of the client and particular matter, knowing that we are in good shape on the data and e-discovery side.
Maribel: For professionals aspiring to build a long-term, successful career in eDiscovery like yours, what core skills or mindsets do you believe are most crucial for navigating the complexities of the field today and in the near future?
Joe: The best advice in this field is to always try the new thing, get the new certification, learn the new tool. In every field, there are best practices and we learn from our experience to get better and better. In eDiscovery, the technology continually evolves more quickly than the full-time litigators and judges can keep up with. It is our role to be the bellwether, the consultant and advisor, who can help leverage the latest technology while avoiding the pitfalls (such as GenAI hallucinations).
Maribel: Looking ahead, what excites or concerns you most about the future trajectory of eDiscovery (e.g., AI, data privacy, new data sources)? How do you see the role of certifications like CEDS and communities like ACEDS evolving to meet these future needs?
Joe: Working in-person in DC in the eDiscovery arena for so long, I am sad to see the era of the human document review attorney die. I met many wonderful people in that very unique professional world. I am concerned with where those attorneys from so many different walks of life will end up. That said, certifications like CEDS and our eDiscovery communities are vital and vibrant pathways to develop a fairly unique set of tools among barred attorneys and will enable these professionals a pathway to leveraging their experience in new ways.
Joe’s story reminds us that successful careers in eDiscovery are built not just on knowledge but on curiosity, courage, and a commitment to growth. His journey underscores how certifications like CEDS empower professionals to take on new roles, lead with confidence, and drive meaningful change in a rapidly evolving industry.
As we continue our 15-year celebration, we’re honored to highlight community members like Joe who exemplify the spirit of ACEDS: resilient, resourceful, and ready for what’s next.
Do you have a story about how ACEDS has helped shape your career or expanded your networking opportunities? We’d love to hear from you! Share your experiences with us by reaching out directly—and don’t forget to send any photos or videos from ACEDS events or milestones over the years.
We’ve already received some amazing stories and encourage everyone to keep submitting. Join the celebration on social media using the hashtags #WeAreACEDS and #ACEDSTurns15 to share your memories and connect with others in the community.
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