The Challenge
A client requested an estimate of fees associated with the production of a chronological ordered, hard copy version of the email data that had been provided to them by their client. The client needed to review the material and provide a hyperlinked list of the most relevant documents to their barrister.
We essentially broke down the required work into three simple steps:
Task 1 – Produce the email data.
Task 2 – Review the email data in the manner in which it had been produced.
Task 3 – Provide a refined list of relevant documents, along with the documents themselves, with a supporting index for review by their Counsel.
The Solution
Workflow Options
Following our initial consultation with our client we identified three separate workflow options to complete the Production tasks identified, which also had varying degrees of benefit in terms of the Legal Review. Those workflow options were:
1. Internal Hardcopy (Time = 8 Weeks*)
Our client could print the email data using their available internal resources, manually converting each of the 23,000 documents to printable format. Review all 60,000 pages and select which of those will form part of the brief to Counsel. Once the relevant documents have been identified an index could be dictated, transcribed and a manual hyperlinking process completed using internal resources.
2. Outsourced Hardcopy (Time = 1 week*)
Our client could engage us to de-duplicate the data, print in chronological order and provide a technically extracted index of all emails from which the relevant documents can be identified. Once the relevant documents have been identified they can be hyperlinked in a semi-automatic manner.
3. Outsourced Electronic (Time = 2 Days*)
Our client could engage us to de-duplicate the data and upload to an electronic review platform. Using the platform, and its data analytics (like email threading), they could identify the relevant documents and have a hyperlinked index of those relevant documents exported automatically, or allow Counsel access to the platform through their own secure login.
* excluding review
The Comparison
Set out below is a comparison of the fees/costs for each of the three tasks, using each of the three workflows identified previously.
Please note that the relevant workings for Production and Review figures can be provided on request.
The Outcome
In this instance our client opted for the Outsourced Electronic workflow as it presented the best immediate value for them and their end-client because of the following benefits:
- they could begin reviewing documents almost immediately;
- duplicate documents could be removed;
- email conversations could be organised and “threaded”;
- the review platform gave short, and long-term efficiencies in respect of the review; and
- some of the fees could be passed directly to their client.
The client also opted to have a copy of the final relevant set of documents produced by our team as it represented a saving to them as compared to the cost (both tangible and intangible) of using their internal resources.
