Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/25416
A REGIONAL LOOK AT THE EVOLUTION OF LITIGATION SUPPORT WHEN YOU STARTED, WHAT DID YOUR DAY LOOK LIKE? WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE NOW? Jonathan (U.K.): My work in 1982 essentially consisted of a nine-to-five day, five-day week with pub sessions most evenings with colleagues. I went through phases where most of my week was spent in the office with no social life, but that schedule has settled down. Before we had the technology, I could only work at the office; now I am available via various mechanisms, so my day has also gone from a strict start and stop to being enormously fluid. Kelly (Canada): My early days were spent juggling traditional law clerk work, technical exercises like creating export files out of Summation for document production, management duties, and being a crazed cheerleader for the use of technology. Now I spend my time looking at litigation support from a business perspective — maintaining processes and procedures, recruiting talent, researching current tools and trends, and engaging in strategy meetings for significant clients. I’m still a crazed cheerleader, but I’ve learned to tone down my approach because my audience has become more receptive. Scott (U.S.): When I started I was very tactical and focused on tasks and operations. I’m much more business-focused and strategic now. Michelle (Australia): In the early days there were no iPods; rhythm was provided by Bates stamping, and the ability to reink a Bates stamper with minimal smudges on your fingers was an envied skill. Days were often planned around moving, logging and copying documents, folders and pages. Today less www.iltanet.org Litigation and Practice Support 17 time is spent on operational issues and I have a greater focus on strategy and business. Location is now non-restrictive with productivity being driven by Internet access. THE EVOLUTION OF LITIGATION SUPPORT CONTINUES While our four experts come from different countries and firm cultures, it’s easy to glean how much they have in common. They have experienced the dramatic transition from physical to electronic management of evidence, and the progression continues with the evolution of corporate business records and the increased use of social media, databases and the creation of real-time information. Skills in these fields are increasingly being extended into legal practices in areas including banking and finance, real estate, mergers and acquisitions, and antitrust. More recently, the skills of litigation support professionals are being applied to knowledge management, library, records management and matter intake. For those of us who chose a profession in litigation support, there are endless opportunities in the future. ILTA