Challenge:
eDiscovery expert David Shin was hired by a company that faced significant challenges within its digital forensics and eDiscovery teams.
Exponential growth in both personnel and the volume of internal investigations, litigations, and regulatory requests led to inconsistent, ad-hoc workflows across team members; inefficient utilization of disparate hardware and software devices; lack of scalability in their existing digital forensic lab infrastructure; and a critical need for standardized, defensible processes for data identification, preservation, collection, processing, and early-stage hosting, ensuring all team members operated cohesively.
CRA approach:
David led a comprehensive digital forensics and eDiscovery operational assessment, meticulously mapping existing data sources, retention policies, legal hold procedures, and current hardware/software inventory.
Monthly digital collection volumes (Windows, Mac, Linux/Unix, mobile, external storage) were analyzed to strategically consolidate and optimize collection hardware/software, transitioning from physical dongles to electronic licenses.
He engineered and executed a Physical to Virtual (P2V) migration to a robust VMware farm, centralizing server infrastructure for digital forensic analysis and eDiscovery processing. This enhanced compute resource sharing added flexibility/redundancy and streamlined server administration.
David evaluated and implemented a leading evidence management platform, facilitating strict chain-of-custody and defensibility throughout the data lifecycle, with ongoing maintenance support. He also led the design and implementation of standardized eDiscovery workflows and Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) playbooks for consistent, defensible data handling from identification and collection through processing and limited hosting.
Furthermore, he enhanced Nuix server performance and workflows to efficiently manage exponential data growth in processing. This included integrating Early Case Assessment (ECA) and advanced analytics into the intake process for rapid matter triaging and accurate scope estimation.
Client impact:
David capped his efforts with customized, hands-on training for the in-house digital forensics and eDiscovery teams, driving effective adoption of new tools and processes. This transformation not only elevated the company’s platform, but also empowered teams to handle complex demands with efficiency, defensibility, and scalability—turning operational chaos into a strategic powerhouse and positioning the client for sustained success in high-stakes legal environments.
