The duty to preserve potentially relevant evidence – documentary or electronic – arises when a lawsuit is reasonably anticipated. Although this is a subjective standard, Parlux Fragrances, LLC et al v. S. Carter Enterprises, LLC et al. illustrates a recent decision where a court imposed sanctions and an adverse inference because the defendants failed to preserve information after receipt of
Continue Reading “You Can’t Heal What You Never Reveal”: Plaintiffs Are Entitled to Sanctions and Adverse Inference at Trial Because Jay-Z and S. Carter Enterprises Destroyed Emails After Litigation Was “Reasonably Anticipated.”
The City of Chicago Employs “TAR” to Facilitate Review, But Doing So Is Not Without Issue
In today’s “e”-dense world, attorneys often look to leverage technology to facilitate production of electronically stored information (“ESI”) during the discovery process. We do so in an effort to streamline the collection, review and production process whereby containing costs. However, as recent decisions demonstrate, parties often disagree on what methodology to use and which analytic tools are best. Livingston v
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If the Proportionality Doesn’t Fit, Courts May Cost-Shift
Generally, the party producing discovery bears the costs of production. But, shifting to the non-producing party the costs of production is sometimes warranted. This issue was recently tackled by a Kansas District Court in the matter Lawson v. Spirit AeroSystems, 2020 WL 3288058 (D. Kan. June 18, 2020).
Background
Following his retirement from Spirit AeroSystems, Inc.’s (“Spirit”), plaintiff Larry
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No Internal Investigation Is Complete Without ESI
When allegations of employee misconduct are alleged, companies must respond swiftly. Indeed, “insider threats” can cause significant damage to a company. These threats come in many different forms, including:
- Accounting fraud;
- Theft of assets;
- Unauthorized access to or manipulation of data; and
- Threats, sexual harassment or other inappropriate forms of behavior or communication.
And so, when a threat is perceived
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Can the Content of My Privilege Log Jeopardize My Privilege Claim?
Rule 26(b)(5) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure provides that, when a party withholds information otherwise discoverable by claiming the information is privileged or subject to protection as trial-preparation material, the party must:
(i) expressly make the claim; and
(ii) describe the nature of the documents, communications, or tangible things not produced or disclosed—and do so in a
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Self-Collecting ESI Can Be a Dangerous Game
The Honorable Shira Scheindlin once opined against allowing custodians of ESI to collect their data stating “[s]earching for an answer on Google (or Westlaw or Lexis) is very different from searching for all responsive documents in the FOIA or e-discovery context…” and “most custodians cannot be ‘trusted’” to effectuate a legally sufficient collection. National Day Laborer Org. Network v US
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Spoliation of Evidence: When a Litigation Hold is no Longer Privileged
In New York, it is widely recognized that the duty to preserve documents arises once a party “reasonably anticipates litigation” (see Voom HD Holdings LLC v EchoStar Satellite, 93 AD3d 33, 41-42 [1st Dept 2012]). And so, issuing timely a litigation hold notice is critical for preserving information relevant or potentially relevant to an actual or threatened litigation.
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Federal Judge Finds it is Counsels’ Absence of Good Faith and Cooperation Causing an Increase in Duration and Expense of Litigation
Aldinger v. Alden State Bank is a good reminder of counsel’s obligation to be cooperative in the discovery process.
Aldinger, an employment discrimination case pending in the United States District Court for the Western District of New York, involved a series of discovery disputes including Plaintiff’s motion to compel Defendant to respond to her First Request for the Production of
Continue Reading Federal Judge Finds it is Counsels’ Absence of Good Faith and Cooperation Causing an Increase in Duration and Expense of Litigation
Hey Google: Are You Alone?
Smart speakers – like Google Home and Amazon Echo – have changed the way our homes/offices function. Indeed, these voice-activated speakers execute simple commands provided by voice or smartphone application. With nothing more than a question, one can direct the smart speaker to, among other things, play music and podcasts, provide a weather forecast, or set an alarm.
The technology
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What do Lady Gaga, LeBron James and the Texas Courts Have in Common?
Give up? Each recently made headlines in connection with ransomware — a form of malware that encrypts a victim’s electronic files. The attacker then demands a ransom – typically payable in bitcoin – from the victim to restore access to the data upon payment.*
In fact, in the span of one week, the Texas Office of Court Administration announced
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