Chocolate lovers and people who like to say “aar!” have their national days. So too do E-Discovery practitioners. I can’t guarantee delicious confectionery and buried treasure is decidedly out of scope. Nonetheless, our annual industry celebration has its own charms. Here are five reasons to love E-Discovery Day.
1. It’s About Community
E-Discovery Day is an annual industry-wide event for lawyers and legal professionals to celebrate the vital, growing and evolving role of E-Discovery. Started in 2015 by Exterro, it was too good an idea not to catch on. The official 2022 edition is co-sponsored by Electronic Discovery Reference Model (EDRM), Association for Certified E-Discovery Specialists (ACEDS), eDiscovery Today and Exterro. Participating in E-Discovery Day is an opportunity for all of us to come together and support the mission of building up the E-Discovery community.
Participating in E-Discovery Day is an opportunity for all of us to come together and support the mission of building up the E-Discovery community.
Helen Geib, Hoover Hull Turner LLP
2. Top-Notch Free Education
E-Discovery is a complex, high-tech and rapidly developing area of the law. Simply put, there’s a lot to keep up with. The E-Discovery Day program includes a judges roundtable focusing on defensibility plus panel presentations on the most important cases of the year, the hot topic of ESI sourced from collaboration tools and the role of special masters and mediators in discovery. Add in a speakers’ lineup filled with big names in E-Discovery and legal tech and this is an educational program not to miss. Read more about the presentations and register here.
3. Virtual Networking with Like-Minded Professionals
Sad to say, most people just don’t take much interest in E-Discovery. Even many litigators prefer to leave the whole enterprise to others. E-Discovery Day is a rare opportunity to network with fellow devotees in a niche industry.
An effective way to network during an online event is to post questions and comments in chat rooms. After the event message the speakers on LinkedIn to thank them for their presentations and follow up with attendees you met virtually. Finally, join in the conversation on LinkedIn by posting about the presentations and commenting when people in your network post E-Discovery Day previews and highlights.
4. Opportunities for In-Person Networking
Maximize the networking value of E-Discovery Day with an in-person gathering. Check with your local professional groups first; there may be something on the calendar already. If not, how about putting on your organizer hat? Reserve the conference room, order lunch and invite colleagues, clients and friends to join you for a viewing party.
If you live in central Indiana, then you should definitely come downtown to IndyBar HQ for the IndyBar E-Discovery Day program on December 2. We’re extending our local celebration into a second day with a six-hour CLE program culminating in a networking reception. All interested lawyers and legal professionals are invited to join us for the full program or to just stop by for the reception (IndyBar membership not required).
5. Stay on Top of Industry Trends
December 1 was selected for E-Discovery Day because the first ESI-related amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure went into effect on that date in 2006. While the date commemorates a milestone, the program content is forward-looking. Attend E-Discovery Day to stay on top of trends in law and practice.
Community, education, networking or something else entirely – whatever your reason I hope you’ll join in the fun. After all, E-Discovery Day only comes around once a year.
