Demand for eDiscovery stands at an all-time high. In fact, the overall market is expected to keep growing at a CAGR of 10.9% through 2026. In large part, this is due to increasing civil litigation and skyrocketing data volumes.

Legal firms and corporations are facing rising pressure to make electronic information more discoverable and accessible for use in court cases. As such, there’s an urgent need within the legal industry for certified eDiscovery specialists who know how to properly compile, organize, and present electronic information for use in court while adhering to federal regulations and court procedures.

This post explores why eDiscovery training and certification are important and how to get your foot in the door in this evolving field. 

How to Pursue eDiscovery Certification 

You may be wondering why you’re just learning about eDiscovery now after years of education and professional development. 

This may be because eDiscovery is still a relatively new area of focus. To illustrate, the term was first introduced in the 2006 amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (FRCP).

Many law schools are still catching up with eDiscovery education. And some are just starting to implement related courses and certification programs. 

Unfortunately, due to the lack of formal education programs in colleges and universities, aspiring legal professionals typically need to pursue alternative methods of education and training through private organizations and industry groups.

If you’re just entering into the legal industry, you may choose to pursue a career in the eDiscovery space. Or if you’re already with an established firm or corporate legal department, you may find it beneficial for you and your team members to participate in training and get up to speed with the latest standards.

Why eDiscovery Training and Certification Is Important 

There are no formal requirements mandating that legal professionals go through eDiscovery training and certification. However, there are some important reasons why you may consider doing so. Let’s briefly examine these next.

Streamlining eDiscovery Management

Now that eDiscovery is a formal requirement for the civil court system, legal teams need to move quickly through the process. The FRCP now requires organizations to be ready for litigation and capable of handling eDiscovery requests within 99 days of the filing date. 

That doesn’t leave much time for legal teams to go through the four-step eDiscovery process, which involves compiling data, completing an early case assessment (ECA), analyzing and reviewing data, and producing a chain of evidence for electronic information.

This is especially difficult in large cases with significant volumes of data. It’s therefore vital to have a robust eDiscovery pipeline in place. Legal professionals need to thoroughly understand how to go through the eDiscovery process and best practices for expediting it. 

Winning More Cases

Electronic information can make or break a court case. Without a proper plan in place for collecting and managing data, it’s possible to overlook, delete, or misplace information that could have an influencing factor in court.

Going through proper eDiscovery training can transform eDiscovery from a liability into a game-changing strategy, resulting in more legal wins. In turn, this increases your organization’s success while protecting your bottom line.

Enhancing Your Team

Legal professionals have an opportunity to create value by studying the latest eDiscovery practices. After they’ve learned them, they can then impart that wisdom to their teams, helping them remain on the cutting edge of electronic information management. 

As an added bonus, law firms that complete training can showcase eDiscovery compliance for clients. They can demonstrate they’re using the latest recommendations for managing, securing, and presenting electronic data, driving competitive advantage. 

Earning a Competitive Salary 

Since eDiscovery positions are now in high demand, certified professionals in this space have a chance to potentially earn a competitive salary.

As of February 2021, the average pay for an eDiscovery analyst in the US is $93,126 per year or about $44.77 per hour. According to ZipRecruiter, annual salaries run as high as $181,000 per year.

How to Become a Certified eDiscovery Specialist

Thinking about a career in eDiscovery? That’s great news. Let’s look at some things to keep in mind as you begin launching your career.

1. Figure Out What eDiscovery Means to You

Before you get started, think about your role in the eDiscovery industry and how certification could potentially benefit you. 

For example, you may decide to learn eDiscovery to help your team or client improve their eDiscovery method. Or you may decide to move into the eDiscovery provider space. 

Consider how you fit into eDiscovery before training. By doing this, you can ask the right questions and get the most out of the experience while going through certification.

2. Look Around for Training and Certification Programs 

Suffice it to say, there are a variety of programs offering eDiscovery certification. 

For example, the Association of Certified E-Discovery Specialists offers the Certified E-Discovery Specialist (CEDS) Certification. This consists of a multiple-choice exam and requires participants to demonstrate proficiency in areas like data culling, ethics, and international discovery.

Additional programs to consider include the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law’s eDiscovery professional certificate program and the Paralegal Association’s eDiscovery program.

For the best results, look around and find a program that best aligns with the needs of you and your team.

3. Complete the Required Training

Make the most out of whatever eDiscovery training session you participate in. It pays to take courses that have robust and interactive lessons. That way, your team can get a solid sense of the eDiscovery process and practice going through real-life collection, extraction, and review processes.

Certification is important. But the real value ultimately comes from the training that you receive. In fact, you may even consider going through multiple training sessions with various providers. And you can ask various team members to participate in sessions too so that you can come back to the table and compare notes.

As you begin researching your options, you’ll find that educational resources, tips, and strategies tend to vary from provider to provider.

4. Keep Learning

The most important thing to remember about eDiscovery is that the field is constantly evolving. Electronic information is always changing as new technologies, trends, and regulatory policies are introduced.

Make it a habit to keep up with the latest eDiscovery updates so that you’re always ahead of the curve. Training and learning should be a regular part of your routine.

Venio’s Approach to eDiscovery Certification

Legal professionals can now receive eDiscovery certification through Venio. The company now offers the VenioOne Certified Administrator eDiscovery certification program for qualified individuals.

Completion of this course signifies that the VenioOne Certified Administrator understands VenioOne’s capabilities and has the ability to apply them across all levels of the eDiscovery process. 

The program requires three days of intensive training with Venio’s team. During training, administrators are provided with a complete rundown of the eDiscovery workflow, including the following: 

  • Loading data
  • Exception handling 
  • ECA
  • Review 
  • Production

In order to take Venio’s certification course, you must have a minimum of three months of experience using the VenioOne Desktop Console and VenioOne Web solution. You also need one year or more of on-the-job eDiscovery experience and to have participated in at least one VenioOne Certified Administrator workshop.

To get started, email certification@veniosystems.com. 

For more information on the easiest way to get eDiscovery certifications, contact us.

This post was written by Justin Reynolds. Justin is a freelance writer who enjoys telling stories about how technology, science, and creativity can help workers be more productive. In his spare time, he likes seeing or playing live music, hiking, and traveling.