As with any public sector entity, local and state government bodies are increasingly grappling with the demands of managing eDiscovery in response to Access Requests and Data Subject Access Requests (DSARs). Evidently, sizable data management challenges coincide.
State and local groups generate and store copious volumes of data, spread across a myriad of departments, committees and systems – a reality hinted at by Catherine Ostheimer of CloudNine. The task of managing and processing such large quantities of data, whether for the purpose of eDiscovery, litigation, investigation or public records requests, can prove tremendously complex and overwhelming.
With this in mind, several strategies can be considered to mitigate associated risks and improve efficiency.
- Prioritize Using a Tiered System: The broad range of stored data should be organized and allocated according to relevance and importance. This prioritization can potentially lessen the burden on resources dedicated to eDiscovery, enabling a more focused approach to data handling.
- Invest in Data Management Solutions: As the volume of data proliferates, investment in technologically advanced solutions for data management becomes an imperative for governments. Such a proactive approach can streamline the process of sorting and scanning document volumes for eDiscovery requests.
- Establish Strong IT and Legal Team Ties: To avoid miscommunication and ensure effective eDiscovery, a strong relationship between IT professionals and the legal team is essential. Shared understanding of objectives and legal requirements can foster better, more compliant data processing practices.
- Continual Training: As laws and technologies advance, ongoing team education remains vital. Such exercise helps staying abreast with the latest regulations, ensuring the legal team complies effectively.
- Establish and Implement Comprehensive Policies: Clear policies on data handling, retention, and destruction could provide guidelines to tackle eDiscovery requests. Such policies should be frequently updated and strictly enforceable.
- Engage Expert Consultants: Enlisting the services of third-party consultants specialized in eDiscovery can be beneficial for the government bodies. These experts bring a wealth of knowledge and experience in field, and can provide guidance for more intricate issues.
In the ever evolving legal and technological landscape, effective management of eDiscovery remains a crucial task for all public-sector bodies. By implementing these six strategies, organizations could turn in more agile, efficient, and legally compliant eDiscovery operations.