Every litigator has felt it: that moment when a case budget starts slipping – and you know exactly where the dollars are going. It’s not flashy technology or forensic imaging that breaks the bank. It’s document review. Because if you truly want to turn litigation support into a profit center, pricing cannot be an afterthought. It must be intentional, defensible, and built around real value, for both the client and the firm.

 In parts 1 and part 2 of this series, we discussed auditing your current eDiscovery reality and building a scalable, hybrid model supported by trusted vendor partners. Now it’s time to address the final – and often most sensitive – part of the journey: how to price your services. 

 Last week, I co-hosted a webinar called “How to Turn eDiscovery Cost into eDiscovery Profit,” all about how to bring your eDiscovery into your Litigation Support department and create a profit center for your law firm. It’s a topic I’m passionate about because I’ve done it (successfully) before. And I know the impact it can have, not just on the bottom line, but on how Litigation Support is perceived within the firm. 

At most small and medium law firms, you won’t find a litigator who is truly well-versed in the minutiae of eDiscovery from a legal and/or technical perspective. Typically, I’ve seen that eDiscovery (and anything “legal tech” in general) goes to a younger associate who is savvy with computers. But if you are leading complex litigation cases, it probably means you are being asked to manage a complicated discovery process that spans multiple platforms and data types. 

In the legal industry, trust extends to every partner, platform, and provider in your litigation ecosystem. As law firms handle more confidential client data, robust internal controls are crucial, and the security of third-party vendors is equally essential to maintaining data integrity and confidentiality.

Time and efficiency are vital in litigation, and eDiscovery processes are complex. Particularly when preparing for litigation, every moment spent negotiating contracts is time not spent building their case. That’s why some firms work smarter by turning to their trusted eDiscovery Services vendor to develop a Master Service Agreement (MSA).

eDiscovery is a complex and sometimes complicated field, but one thing remains constant: the demand for skilled professionals who can guide lawyers and legal teams through the intricate challenges of the process. These individuals ensure compliance with legal obligations while delivering exceptional results. 

Litigation is a relatively common occurrence in the construction industry. Whether it’s related to disputes, delays, or mishaps, legal battles are an evergreen concern. And one significant challenge associated with construction litigation is the volume of data involved – specifically, electronically stored data (ESI).

Law firms are increasingly recognizing the value of building in-house eDiscovery intelligence. By creating internal teams or departments capable of processing and culling data, running searches, and producing documents, law firms can build a profit center and improve cost-recovery efforts while creating fast turn-times for case teams.

When preparing the often vast amounts of ESI for litigation, utilizing technology can be essential. And legal teams have two options for support: in-house or outsourcing to a vendor partner. Oftentimes, when technology is needed, the only real answer is with outsourcing as most law firms and companies don’t have internal eDiscovery resources.