Managed Review

Managed Review eDiscovery is a specialized process where electronic data is sought, located, secured, and searched with the intent to use it as evidence in a legal case. The process involves skilled professionals using advanced technology and proven methodologies to expedite and manage the document review process.

In managed review, the service provider not only takes over the responsibility of executing the document review but also strategizing the most effective and cost-efficient way to conduct it. The provider utilizes advanced technologies such as Technology Assisted Review (TAR), predictive coding, and eDiscovery document review software to sift through large volumes of data and prioritize review of relevant documents. Everest Discovery provides top-tier managed review services, which include these state-of-the-art techniques.

While often used interchangeably, eDiscovery and document review serve distinct roles in the legal sphere. eDiscovery is a broad term that encompasses the entire process of identifying, collecting, and producing electronically stored information (ESI) in response to a request for production in a lawsuit or investigation.

On the other hand, document review is a specific stage within the eDiscovery process. It involves the detailed examination of documents (which can be emails, word processing files, spreadsheets, and other forms of ESI) to determine their relevance to the case, identify privileged information, or flag confidential data. Essentially, document review helps legal teams discern which documents should be turned over to opposing counsel and which should be withheld.

Document review is not a one-size-fits-all process. It can take several forms, each suitable for different scenarios or objectives. The main types of document review include:

1. Linear Review: Also known as manual review, this is the traditional form where each document is reviewed sequentially, one at a time.
2. Technology Assisted Review (TAR): This employs advanced analytics to sort and categorize documents. It involves machine learning algorithms learning from reviewers’ coding decisions and applying them to the remainder of the document set.
3. Privilege Review: This process involves identifying and withholding privileged documents, like communication between attorneys and clients, which are exempt from discovery.
4. First Pass Review: This is the initial round of review where the main goal is to eliminate clearly non-relevant documents and identify potentially relevant ones.

Quality Control Review: This is the final review stage where a subset of documents is examined to ensure that coding and redaction have been done correctly, and no privileged or irrelevant documents have been inadvertently included.

First Pass Review, also known as first-level or preliminary review, is the initial phase of the document review process. During this stage, the review team goes through the collected documents, aiming to remove clearly non-relevant documents and flagging those that could potentially be relevant to the case.

The first pass document review is crucial because it significantly reduces the volume of documents that need to be reviewed in later, more detailed stages, thereby saving time and reducing review costs. During this stage, reviewers often employ review software to facilitate coding, tagging, and organizing documents for further analysis. It is the starting point of a well-structured document review project.