Extract from Rhys Dipshan’s article “Remote Document Review Is Here to Stay. But Legal Departments Aren’t Ready”
In the pre-pandemic past, the notion of letting document reviewers work from home was nothing short of unthinkable. “I have been a proponent of remote document review for a number of years prior to COVID, and I will say when talking to sales people about this as a possibility, I was generally told, ‘Please don’t ever mention this in front of any of my clients, they will think you’re crazy,’” recalled John Reikes, vice president at alternative legal service provider Elevate Services.
What a difference a year makes. Far from being a pariah, remote document review has now become a fundamental part of discovery—and it’s unlikely to fade away anytime soon. In fact, given the cost savings it affords, and the current stresses on the job market, there’s a high chance it could become even more prominent in the months and years to come.
But that doesn’t mean legal departments are embracing it with open arms—at least not yet.
While remote document review increased during the pandemic, many in-house clients didn’t notice. Not all, therefore, have had enough time or experience to become comfortable with the process.
