A new legal technology product, eDig365, made its debut at the CLOC Global Institute in Chicago, promising to revolutionize the way legal teams approach e-discovery within the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. Developed by Five Star Legal, the product aims to provide a much-needed layer of reporting and visibility over Microsoft Purview eDiscovery, which is often shielded by IT-controlled permissions.
In large organizations, e-discovery processes are typically carried out through Microsoft Purview eDiscovery, a tool renowned for its robust capabilities in managing legal holds, conducting searches, and exporting data. However, the intricate permissions required for access mean that legal and compliance teams often lack direct oversight, leading to a cumbersome reliance on IT teams for manual documentation and reporting. This can be inefficient and fraught with potential risks, such as the short lifespan of Microsoft’s audit logs and the complexities that arise during litigation or compliance reviews.
Microsoft Purview eDiscovery audit logs expire after 12 months, leaving organizations vulnerable if disputes arise years later without systematic records of activities like holds and exports. Moreover, obtaining detailed processing reports is contingent upon having a Microsoft 365 E5 license, yet many enterprises operate with hybrid E3/E5 environments, or exclusively on E3, creating further barriers to comprehensive oversight.
In a demonstration, cofounders Don and Hunter Swanson outlined how eDig365 functions. The product does not perform searches or place holds; instead, it connects to Microsoft Purview eDiscovery through the Microsoft Graph API to present a web-based dashboard offering nuanced insights into e-discovery activities. It enables users to view active cases, holdings, and data volumes with the ability to drill down to individual custodians and their data whereabouts.
Its snapshot report aggregates data, offering year-over-year trends in legal activities. Importantly, the product provides a unique feature relevant to GDPR compliance by delivering an abstract reporting layer that allows legal teams to investigate certain aspects of a custodian’s data without directly accessing it.
Available through the Microsoft Azure Marketplace, eDig365 benefits from operating within an enterprise’s existing Azure tenant, thus offering seamless integration with guaranteed data security. Priced at $2,500 per month, it provides unlimited user access and reporting, potentially appealing to organizations already committed to Microsoft Azure’s ecosystem. Current SOC 2 Type 2 certification is pending, which will enhance its attractiveness to compliance-conscious entities.
Despite the presence of other e-discovery platforms, eDig365 founders claim the product addresses a niche in Purview-native reporting that was previously unfulfilled. As companies seek to maximize their investments in Microsoft Purview, eDig365’s value lies in enhancing rather than replacing existing workflows. This is especially pertinent for legal operations striving for greater autonomy and efficiency in e-discovery without encroaching on IT domain.
More details on the product and its unique offerings can be read on the original article at LawNext.