July 1, 2009 – Electronic discovery is an evolving issue for lawyers and their clients. Many have read about the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure e-discovery rules, data retention, Internet-based evidence (e.g. social networking sites), and third-party vendors. This article highlights a few Web sites and blogs that monitor these subjects and electronic discovery cases.
Blogs and newsletters
There are numerous blogs that focus specifically on electronic discovery. Authors include lawyers, professors, and vendors. Most write about new case law, ethical considerations, practice tips, trends, and rule changes. Some of these sites offer email or Twitter updates, and all can be added to an RSS feed.
Electronic Discovery Law – Written by K&L Gates, this blog provides a thorough summary of new cases. Each decision includes a detailed analysis along with citation information. A searchable database of all cases reviewed is also available.
e-discovery Team – This blog addresses all aspects of the e-discovery process. It is written for lawyers, IT personnel, corporate counsel, and staff. The author, Ralph Losey, has written several books on the topic and injects personal ideas and opinions.
LegalEthics.com – Ethical issues involving technology and law is the subject of this blog. Broader than just electronic discovery, topics include metadata, confidentiality, and rules of conduct.
Electronic Discovery Blog – The author is an attorney and former IT manager. Posts focus on news, data issues, and recent decisions. A nice feature is the link to the actual opinion in addition to any analysis.
Kroll OnTrack – Kroll is a third-party vendor offering various computer and legal technologies. Its monthly “OnTrack” newsletter discusses recent decisions and provides practice tips.
Online guidance and treatises
Web sites dedicated to e-discovery create a central location for online research. Each provides unique information to educate and guide lawyers.
The Sedona Principles (2nd Ed.): Best Practices Recommendations & Principles for Addressing Electronic Document Production – This is just one of the many online publications available from the Sedona Conference Web site. The Sedona Conference gathers lawyers, judges, experts, and others to discuss legal issues including electronic discovery.
Discovery Resources – Discovery Resources incorporates several blogs, links to “best practice” information, white papers, and glossaries. The site is sponsored by Fios, an e-discovery vendor.
Applied Discovery Online Law Library – The library covers topics ranging from the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure to model orders and motions to helpful fact sheets. Access to material on the website varies. Many items can be accessed directly; however, some information requires registration (free). Certain material (e.g. full-text case law) is only available to Lexis subscribers.
Law Technology: Electronic Discovery – Part of Findlaw, the technology center offers several features. One is the “E-Discovery Guide,” which is an interactive educational tool based on the Electronic Discovery Reference Model. Another is the “Electronic Discovery Rule Wizard.” The wizard outlines the various e-discovery rules and includes checklists and discussion.
e-law Exchange – Registered users have free access to several useful tools. “Litigation Intelligence” is a database of relevant Web sites. The user can search by keyword or by subject area to locate resources. The site also features an online version of Michael Arkfeld’s, “The Digital Practice of Law.”
Bev Butula is the manager of library of services at Davis & Kuelthau, Milwaukee. She is a past president of the Law Librarians Association of Wisconsin. Bev has written articles and spoken to numerous groups on issues such as effective Internet research, evaluation of websites, and legal research. Prior to obtaining her Master's Degree in Library Science from UWM, Bev was a litigation paralegal.
Bev Butula is the manager of library services at Davis & Kuelthau.
