Recommind and End to End eDiscovery
March 9, 2011
“Recommind Advances End-to-End eDiscovery” explores the value of an eDiscovery implementation that relies on a single vendor’s solution. The idea is that an organization like Cisco can standardize on Recommind’s solution and reduce costs and get a boost in efficiency.
This is an interesting idea and one that has fueled many enterprise software vendors over the years. The key point of the write up, in my opinion, was:
eDiscovery…is a term that I have seen used both narrowly and broadly. Craig [Carpenter, Recommind executive] said it was initially used in a more narrow sense to refer to the process of preserving, collecting, reviewing, analyzing and producing relevant documents after a legal process has begun. Now, it generally extends to include information management in anticipation of possible legal issues, as well as during them, while also addressing regulatory needs. This reflects a more proactive approach that is being adopted by many Recommind customers. This broader approach means that content collection is not an isolated activity but one that is integrated into an enterprise’s total information management system on an ongoing basis.
This point was followed by this passage:
Cisco is using Axcelerate to take a more proactive, strategic approach to eDiscovery. One of the drivers of increased eDiscovery costs is the explosion of enterprise content, which ironically Cisco is helping facilitate with its technology that simplifies the creation and transfer of large files, such as videos. Cisco wanted to have its own enormous stores of enterprise data easily accessible ahead of any legal issues that might arise. They also wanted greater cost containment and predictability so that legal costs do not dictate when they settle and when they fight a legal challenge. Axcelerate offers customers like Cisco a comprehensive, end-to-end platform for eDiscovery management…This greatly reduces the amount of expensive manual labor by legal experts as they decide which documents are relevant and/or privileged in a case.
We think this is a good idea and a solid example. However, in many firms there are numerous legal matters underway at any one time. Not all firms operate from a single geographical location or rely on a single law firm. As a result, some organizations have no choice but use a variety of eDiscovery systems. Costs are important but there are other considerations as well, including the time available to the legal team and the preferences of outside counsel.
One other point is that there is often more to eDiscovery than processing digital content. Companies like Brainware and ZyLAB have gained traction with their ability to manipulate hard copy documents. Both of these companies assert an end to end capability as well. To be fair, Recommind may be focusing more on a narrower definition of the work flows in a legal matter.
We find the positioning of the firm’s technology interesting and will continue to monitor the firm’s description of its technical and marketing approach to a big and growing market.
Stephen E Arnold, March 9, 2011
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