'e-Discovery Helps Navigate Universe Of Data'

Electronic discovery (or e-discovery) refers to discovery in civil litigation, which deals with information in electronic format also referred to as Electronically Stored Information (ESI). Examples of the types of data included in e-discovery include e-mail, instant messaging chats, documents (such as MS Office or OpenOffice files), accounting databases, CAD/ CAM files, websites, and any other electronically-stored information, which could be relevant evidence in a lawsuit. Matthew Banks, senior vice president, Legal KPO Services, Integreon, talks about the various parameters of e-discovery in a one-on-one with Biztech2.com, with a special focus on the Indian market.

What is the purpose and procedure of e-discovery?

The basic purpose of e-discovery is to identify documents relevant to a particular case. Steps that are an inherent part of the e-discovery process include:

- Electronic Discovery Reference Model (EDRM)

- Managing electronic information

- Collecting electronic information from disparate sources

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- Processing, filtering and streamlining electronic documentation for review in the pursuit of getting the relevant documents.

What are the tools available to aid this?

The tools that are used for e-discovery basically sport features that help in processing and hosting data. These tools load all the data in soft applications and then process it, leading to removal of duplicate copies and factoring in of search terms for the purpose of filtering. This ultimately leads to a scenario where information is available for relevant viewing.

Is there a judicial body in India that is supporting the concept of e-discovery for jurisdiction?

e-Discovery is in a very nascent stage in India. The global market is dominated by the US followed by UK and Europe. At this point in time, India is almost non-existent on the e-discovery map. Legal rules are in place for discovery litigation and handling volumes of electronic data.

How is e-discovery beneficial to an enterprise?

e-Discovery significantly contributes to cost reduction and efficiency of an enterprise. The technology in e-discovery is speeding up the process of identifying documents. Overall, there is a reduction in the universe of data.

Where is the market headed as of now?

The trend is towards increasing development and deployment of technology. Technology will advance, which in turn will improve efficiency in processing and identification. The current trend is of integrating different components.