#eDiscoveryRockstars Converge on LegalWeek
While Booth 1601 was not where you might have expected it to be, #eDiscoveryRockstars found their flag and represented our community with joy and elation. People from all over the globe converged to find ACEDS and take their selfies. We met a world traveling camel from Australia and his owner who brings him everywhere, new CEDS, wannabe a CEDS, and two beloved and respected Judges, Peck and Hedges, getting their #eDiscoveryRockstar selfies done. We had many luminaries stop by, including Mike Quartararo, author of the eDiscovery for Project Management, signing his books and taking pictures with the community. Friends Chris Dale, Craig Ball, Tom O’Connor and more joined our community for #eDiscoveryRockstar selfies. Our affiliate BINGO card game generated a chance to win a daily drawing for a CEDS training package. We met new friends and connected with old and are so grateful to those who came and made our booth time so much fun!
Bloggers Brunch at LegalWeek
Forty prolific bloggers gathered at Ruth’s Chris Steak House for conversation and an invitation to contribute to the ACEDS and Relativity community blogs. Bob Ambrogi and Dennis Kennedy 
were among those who attended both the very first Blogger Breakfast years ago and attended ours in 2018. Attendees included David Horrigan, Shawn Gaines, Ralph Losey, Craig Ball, Kelly Twigger, Amy Bowser-Rollins, Dave Cowen (the forensic), Jennifer Johnson, Jan Scholtes, Annelore van der Lint, Josh Gilliand, Kevin O’Keefe, Tim Rollins, Kristin Kolasinski, Debbie Reynolds, Greg Buckles, Suzanne Clarke, Michele Lange, Ari Kaplan, David Kinnear, Zach Warren, Doug Austin, Barry Schwarz, Tricia Johnson, Jared Coseglia, Mark Yacano, Jennifer Brookman and Cash Butler. Guests were given a special blogger journal from ACEDS and custom blogger pen from Relativity. Great turnout and special event which will have a second annual event next year at LegalWeek! Thanks to our fabulous sponsor, Relativity.
Back to the Future: Predictions from the Bench and Beyond
Federal civil practice is still struggling with volume, cooperation and scope according to a three-judge panel hosted by Thomson Reuters and ACEDS.
Moving proportionality up in the process may have inadvertently introduced accessory motions before surfacing the facts of the case needed to support those motions. While FRCP 37(e) has dampened the effect of the most severe sanctions motions with the very high bar of “intent to deprive,” there are other avenues including 26(g) and inherent authority for judges to address improper behavior.
Three judges, important to eDiscovery jurisprudence and practice, took a quick look back at the events of 2017 and shared their predictions from the bench for 2018. ACEDS Executive Director Mary Mack moderated the panel discussion with Honorable Judges James C. Francis IV, David Waxse and Xavier Rodriguez. Edward Sohn, VP of Product & Partner Management for Thomson Reuters, introduced the event by celebrating the 2018 edition of the treatise, eDiscovery for Corporate Counsel, written by Mary Mack, co-edited by Carole Basri and Greg Bell, and published by the event sponsor, Thomson Reuters. The event was held in the Thomson Reuters Customer Experience Center overlooking Times Square and the New Year’s Eve Ball.
The judges were unanimous in their prediction that “loser pays” rule changes were dead for the present. The judges discussed criminal eDiscovery issues like encryption and the fourth amendment. The panel discussed the Microsoft case that the Supreme Court will address in February of this year. Judge Francis, while on the bench, quashed a warrant for data held by Microsoft stored in Ireland at the beginning of the case.
Rys Dipshan, LegalTech news, covered the event here
NYC Metro Chapter Meet and Greet
Over fifty New Yorkers joined ACEDS for an informational meet and greet at Ruth’s Chris Steak House. The ACEDS NYC Metro chapter is seeking new board members to grow our community. Mary Mack and Kaylee Walstad introduced David Kinnear, Maribel Rivera and Mike Quartararo as the champions of the chapter. The first chapter event will be held at Cardozo to celebrate the retirement and jurisprudence of the Honorable Andrew Peck, Frank Maas and James Francis. Thanks to everyone who took the time to join us and show interest in our NYC chapter community!
Drinks with Doug and Mary
Drinks with Doug and Mary is an annual gathering hosted by the Association of Certified E-Discovery Specialists, and sponsored by Compliance Discovery Solutions, and CloudNine, for information technology, legal, and eDiscovery professionals in New York City during Legaltech® 2018. Featuring discussions on all things information and technology over a few drinks with eDiscovery experts Doug Austin (CloudNine and The eDiscovery Daily blog), Mary Mack (Executive Director of ACEDS), and Marc Zamsky (ComplianceDS), over 200 ACEDS members and friends shared some great food, enjoyed some great drinks and participated in great conversation. The pictures say it all.Educational Panel
The Legal Week panelists, moderated by David Horrigan, E-Discovery Counsel and Legal Content Director for Relativity, held a spirited conversation about the tension between teaching law students the theory and practice of the law.
Panelists included:
- Honorable Xavier Rodriguez, US District Judge (W.D. Tex.) and Adjunct Professor of Law, St. Mary’s University School of Law
- Mary Mack, Executive Director, Association of Certified E-Discovery Specialists (ACEDS)
- Daniel Martin Katz, JD, PhD, Associate Professor of Law and Director, The Law Lab, IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law
- William Hamilton, Legal Skills Professor and E-Discovery Project Executive Director, University of Florida Levin College of Law
- Laura Norris, Assistant Clinical Professor, Santa Clara University School of Law and Director, Entrepreneurs’ Law Clinic
Emphasizing the business of law, Daniel Katz reiterated the necessity of quantifying the impact of improvements. Professor Norris explained how students were getting interview and counseling experience in the Entrepreneurs’ Law Clinic. Professors Hamilton and Rodriguez spoke about the balance between theory and practice, with ideas on shifting to more of the practical and leaving some of the historical underpinnings less emphasized. Mary Mack spoke about the certificates, certification and mentorship programs ACEDS provides.
Tim Rollins from Exterro covered the panel here
Kaylee Walstad live streamed the panel here
