Corporate legal teams often face significant financial challenges, particularly when preparing for litigation. One of the most pressing issues is the concept of “sunk costs” associated with eDiscovery. 

In light of Proteus Discovery Group’s recent acquisition of Novitas Data, we’ve brought together Ray Biederman, Co-Founder and CEO of Proteus, and Rob Oliver, Co-Founder and former CEO of Novitas (and current Vice President at Proteus) to chat about their backgrounds, the evolution of eDiscovery, and the acquisition that’s staged to propel Proteus to new heights.

I’m excited to share some significant news with our clients, partners, and eDiscovery friends: Proteus Discovery Group has officially acquired Novitas Data. It’s an important step for us, doubling our size and greatly enhancing our ability to provide top-tier eDiscovery solutions coast-to-coast.

“We’re not trying to replace anybody,” Jon Mattingly told the Indiana Lawyer back in 2015. At the time, he and three other litigators had recently left an AmLaw 100 firm to launch two ventures: an Indianapolis-based litigation boutique and an eDiscovery services company. “We’re coming in and... handling some very complex issues in terms of eDiscovery. We’re a partner for the client and their law firm managing the case.”

In professional services, distinguishing yourself from the competition can be daunting. Whether you're in legal, accounting, consulting, or another field, where skills and knowledge are often replicable, differentiation is both crucial and challenging. Here’s a closer look at how to stand out in a crowded market.

Short message data is an increasingly important source of evidence in litigation and investigations because so much communication takes place through sources like SMS and MMS texts and platforms like WhatsApp, Slack, and Teams.

Mobile devices like cell phones and tablets are a potential treasure trove of evidence. But conducting data collection and digital forensics from these devices may prove challenging, and the two most popular platforms in the world, Apple and Android, offer divergent challenges.

The landscape of eDiscovery is evolving rapidly, driven by the proliferation of short message data. This type of data encompasses messaging platforms beyond traditional email, such as texts, Teams, Slack, and many others. As these forms of communication become increasingly dominant in both personal and professional contexts, they bring unique challenges and considerations for litigation and investigations.

Americans love social media - about 9% consider themselves to be an influencer! In January 2024, the Pew Research Center reported that 83% of American adults use YouTube, 68% use Facebook, and 47% use Instagram. Most users have accounts on multiple platforms and many actively create content.

That all adds up to a whole lot of potentially discoverable data. 

Nor should they. No individual can possess mastery over every function of a large, complex organization. Ideally, people with complementary skillsets and dispositions are recruited, developed, and provided sufficient leeway (in the form of decision making and funding) to contribute to the mission of the organization.