Swimming in the Blender: How to Forge and Maintain a Career in E-Discovery

Transcription

1 How to Forge and Maintain a Career in E-Discovery

2 Our panelists Swimming in the Blender: Nick Reizen Vice President of ediscovery Xact Data Discovery Matthew Levy VP, Legal & Compliance Solutions HP Richard Smith Director ediscovery AT&T Michael Simon Principal Seventh Samurai Jared Michael Coseglia Founder & CEO TRU Staffing Partners

3 What we promise to cover Protecting yourself and advancing in a field marked by rapid change Cultivating professional habits that promote stability and mobility Knowing what it means to be a consultant Building out the right contacts and networks Moving on to the next opportunity, gracefully Controlling your professional destiny based on your desires

4 What are the professional habits needed to survive?

5 What are the professional habits needed to survive? Comfortable with change Adapts quickly Responsiveness Flexible with time and schedule Technology savvy Discipline Resourcefulness

6 Why and how do I break into ediscovery?

7 Forging a career in ediscovery Volumes of jobs are increasing for entry level talent Rapid salary increase potential between years 3-5 Location of jobs is increasing geographically across the country More avenues for education and training than ever before Broader middle-market jobs for advancement Various background disciplines welcome (para, compsci, atty, IT, programmer, more )

8 Obstacles for newcomers in ediscovery Getting the tech-chops Knowing the lingo Stamina, resilience Cultivating communication skills Knowing the case law Sacrifices in order to reinvent (comp, time, status)

9 How do I accelerate my career ediscovery?

10 Maintaining a career in ediscovery Cost Effective Are you counting the beans? Do you know how to price for profitability? Current: Social Media, BYOD, Case law, Technology Relevant: Cybersecurity & InfoSec, Privacy, Legal Data Analytics, Information Governance

11 Obstacles for veterans in ediscovery No more vertical mobility, concrete ceiling Pricing out of jobs due to compensation requirements Inability to reinvent/stay relevant In-house jobs being replaced by vendors Geographically locked down (San Diego, Portland, Denver, Kansas, Detroit, Seattle, Boston) Converting from Project Manager to Consultant, Consultant to Sales

12 What does it mean to be a consultant?

13 What it does (and does not) mean to be a consultant It means elevated expectations of quality of services rendered It means elevated expectations of subject matter expertise It means close monitoring of time and cost It means delivering a technical plan to a non-technical audience It means empowering people to make decisions, not taking orders It does NOT mean you are no longer hands-on and technical It does NOT mean you avoid responsibility to drive revenue aka SELL

14 At what point in your career did you know you needed to SELL?

15 At what point did you know you needed to SELL? Desire to increase compensation exponentially Desire to go out on my own or become an owner Catastrophe in the hands of others Inevitable evolution In-house: The need to dynamically effect change and get resources Self-awareness of relationship ownership Brand awareness as a true consultant within the EDRM

16 How do I form relationships professionally?

17 How do I form relationships professionally? Conferences ACEDS, ILTA, LTNY, LTW, BlackHat, ACC, ARMA, ABA Tech, Ing3nious, Fest Professional Organizations WiE, ALSP, ECALSM, CEDS, ILTA, ARMA Continued Education & Certification CISSP, CFE, CEDS, RCA, Georgetown, LitWorks, CEH, PMP Mentorship White Knights, maintain former bosses, inspirations turned to colleagues SOCIAL FUNCTION, not a SPECTATOR SPORT

18 What are the tactical skills needed to survive?

19 What are the tactical skills needed to survive? Understanding your client Understanding the legal process Lingo Ability to develop workflow QC of data Relativity SQL Written and verbal, separates the doers from the influencers

20 What makes a superstar in ediscovery?

21 What makes a superstar in ediscovery? Tenure Promotability Technical diversity Tenacity Inquisitiveness Sociability Articulate Approachable The Triple Threat : firm, vendor, corp

22 How do I move on to the next opportunity, gracefully?

23 How do I move on to the next opportunity, gracefully? Always give two weeks notice, minimum Always give notice in writing and in-person Notice is NOT the time to voice your dissatisfactions, even if asked Praise on the way out for the company Don t gossip after you exit Do not entertain or ask for a counteroffer

24 Questions from you!!! Swimming in the Blender:

25 Thanks to our panelists Swimming in the Blender: Nick Reizen Vice President of ediscovery Xact Data Discovery Matthew Levy VP, Legal & Compliance Solutions HP Richard Smith Director ediscovery AT&T Michael Simon Principal Seventh Samurai Jared Michael Coseglia Founder & CEO TRU Staffing Partners