Top 5 Takeaways from Relativity Fest 2019 in Chicago

Members of Capsicum’s team had the privilege of spending three days this past week in Chicago, Illinois attending the 10th Annual Relativity Fest.

In excess of 2,000 attendees from across the globe participated in this event comprised of speakers, demonstrations, panels, and networking opportunities. This festival was informative, educational, and allowed for members of the eDiscovery community to interact and share their views on the current as well as future states of the eDiscovery industry.

Below are Capsicum’s Top 5 takeaways from Fest 2019:

1. Innovate! Innovate! Innovate!:

Innovation is and will continue to be key in today’s ever-evolving global marketplace, and particularly in the eDiscovery Industry.

Whether it be technology or processes, those who continuously improve will lead. New technologies for discovery, hosting, and processing will drive efficiency as well as competitiveness in the eDiscovery Industry.

It is very clear from Relativity Fest 2019 that both Relativity as well as Capsicum Group, a Relativity Partner since 2009, are in lockstep as it relates to innovation. We are committed to delivering the best client-focused end-to-end eDiscovery solutions and services worldwide.

2. Biometric data and it’s uses, have just begun to scratch the surface:

After attending several sessions throughout Relativity Fest it became increasingly clear that Biometric data, it’s collection as well as its protection, is a front and center concern. Though you may not give it much thought, devices which require the use of Biometric data such as cell phones, tablets, and the like are ingrained into our everyday lives.

As we continue to use devices that are accessed through fingerprint, retina scanning, as well as other forms of Biometric data we must take a step back and think about its potential impact. As one panelist put it, “This information is not like a credit card or even Social Security Number, which you can have changed. The only way you are changing your fingerprint is to burn it off and I personally don’t want to do that.” It is difficult to argue with that reasoning.

When it comes to Biometric data, we must take into consideration the reality of what we don’t know. Capsicum realizes, like all data, Biometric data must be handled securely and with the utmost care.

3. Communication is key:

While the above may seem an obvious statement, aside from situations related to eDiscovery, communication remained a key theme across multiple panels.

Often throughout the discovery, hosting, and production phases of engagement several individuals across multiple organizations become involved. Whether you are the individual handling data or not, clearly defining project guidelines (keywords, redaction instructions, Quality Check standards, production responsibilities, etc.) is key to a successful eDiscovery engagement. Attorneys and service providers alike recounted several engagements where a case or relationship had a make-or-break moment that hinged on the effective (or ineffective) communication of its team members.

As Capsicum collaborates with our clients on eDiscovery projects, we do so knowing that clear and concise communication is the key to an effective and productive relationship.

4. Relativity is a cutting-edge eDiscovery tool, but the platform is seeing new effective and creative use cases:

Never has it been clearer that Relativity, our partner, is committed to delivering the best end-to-end eDiscovery solution in the world. However, this powerful tool has many other creative uses and applications which members of the community have been employing.

One interesting session demonstrated how Relativity can be used as a tool to assist with building a case for the admissibility of electronic evidence. By using Relativity to illustrate and emphasize certain elements of the data, advocates can effectively convince a judge of the authenticity and reliability of electronic evidence.

Whether for compliance, monitoring, or even reuniting families, Relativity as a tool continues to demonstrate its power and versatility.

5. Great community and great conversation:

What is most striking about Relativity Fest is the breadth of our robust community of eDiscovery professionals. Seeing everyone from diverse industries and backgrounds joined to learn and grow from one another is an exciting event.

Capsicum’s team had the great fortune of enjoying thought-provoking conversations with others in the industry about how they’re coping with and capitalizing on the fast rate of change in law, technology, and business. We look forward to harnessing the information we learned with the Relativity community to create a more innovative and efficient experience for our clients.

We look forward to seeing you at Relativity Fest 2020!

About Capsicum’s eDiscovery Capabilities:

Capsicum’s electronic discovery experts are a rare and powerful combination of knowledge and authority, providing both legal and technology perspectives. Our goal is to develop solutions tailored to your organization.

We work with you through the entire life cycle of your project—from data preservation and acquisition to reviews using methods such as predictive coding and early case assessment to culling, searching, and document hosting. And we’ll testify in court when our processes and procedures necessitate.

Check out additional details on Capsicum’s eDisovery capabilities. If you have additional questions regarding any of our services, please do not hesitate to contact us either by phone or email.