Extract from H5’s article “How Name Normalization Accelerates Privilege Review”
A time-saving tool that consolidates different names for the same entity can make all the difference.
One of the many challenges of electronic information and messaging rests in ascertaining the actual identity of the message creator or recipient. Even when only one name is associated with a specific document or communication, the identity journey may have only just begun.
The many forms our monikers take as they weave in and out of the digital realm may hold no import for most exchanges, but they can be critical when it comes to eDiscovery and privilege review, where accurate identification of individuals and/or organizations is key.
It’s difficult enough when common names are shared among many individuals (hello, John Smith?), but the compilation of our own singular name variations and aliases as they live in the realm of digital text and metadata make life no less complicated. In addition, the electronic format of names and email addresses as they appear in headers or other communications can also make a difference. Attempts to consolidate these variations when undertaking document review is painstaking and error-prone.
