Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/25416
very specific technology, very complex document collection or cases where you’re dealing with forensic preservation because there are criminal or fraud allegations. In those kinds of circumstances, Thompson & Knight directs that kind of work to third-party service providers. We need to prove to the court and opposing parties that all the work done to that data was done in an unbiased and forensically sound manner. REFERRING BACK TO THE DATABASE YOU CREATED FOR YOUR REAL ESTATE PRACTICE GROUP, CAN YOU GIVE US A LITTLE MORE DETAIL ABOUT THE KINDS OF CUSTOMIZED APPLICATIONS THAT YOU’RE ABLE TO CREATE ON THE FLY? Danny: Absolutely. The real estate example that I gave you was based on a transactional business model for the attorneys. They are receiving a fixed fee or very limited budget per transaction for this particular client. So, for them, the driving factor is how efficient can they be in handling each transaction? That means we need to have very efficient communication between the various trial team members and to the client, and we need to show the client that we’re really driving value for them using technology and through this kind of efficiency. In that context, the tool has been really helpful for us. Outside clients are able to see the progress that’s happening on various files and our attorneys are able to work across multiple offices using the dynamic application that we built in-house. Outside of that circumstance, in the trial department we’ve started developing templates that give trial attorneys standard workflows. Because this tool is in-house, we’re able to open a case years in advance of where a case would traditionally be 36 Litigation and Practice Support ILTA White Paper opened when it’s hosted with a third-party provider. If I were to start a case and leave it open with a vendor, I would be incurring costs month after month, even early on in a case where it may only include a few pleadings and correspondence with the client. Now, by doing case management in Relativity’s Dynamic Objects (RDO) environment that we’ve built, we’re able to put data out there much earlier in the life cycle, the attorney starts using the data and they start collaborating much earlier. I WOULD BELIEVE THAT THIS HELPS MANAGE EFFICIENCIES AND CONTROL THE COST ON THESE CASES. Danny: Yes, exactly. A scenario that we’re also looking into is driving down review costs for clients by allowing clients or paralegals into our environment where they can do some of the preliminary coding. This means that a lot of cost in the coding and review process can be cut down for the client. DO YOU SEE RDO HAVING THE POTENTIAL TO EXPAND LITIGATION SUPPORT’S ROLE AT YOUR FIRM? Danny: It already has. Litigation support in many firms is expanding beyond the litigation department into more practice support. With the use of Relativity, I’m getting more and more projects from practice areas like real estate, bankruptcy and different transactional practices. I have the tools giving me the flexibility to accommodate their needs. IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE US TO KNOW ABOUT RDO OR LITIGATION SUPPORT? Danny: Well, I think the process that’s going on at Thompson & Knight is a process that’s going to be happening in many firms around the country. The