Guest Details:

Leah Bays, e-Discovery Attorney at Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP, a plaintiff’s firm in San Diego that focuses on securities class actions, antitrust, and consumer fraud cases.

Key Takeaways:

1. Career Journey and Passion for Plaintiffs’ Work: Leah’s transition from the defense bar to the plaintiff’s side was driven by her desire to protect and advocate for those with less power, particularly against large corporations. Her work in e-discovery at Robbins Geller allows her to fight for justice, leveraging technology to find critical facts that shape her cases.

2. The Role of Process in e-Discovery: Leah emphasizes the importance of setting up robust e-discovery processes, including ESI protocols, to avoid disputes and ensure that discovery is handled efficiently and fairly. She believes in clear communication and the necessity of both sides understanding and respecting the process.

3. Challenges in the Plaintiff’s Bar: Unlike the defense side, plaintiffs rely entirely on the information provided by their opponents, often leading to a contentious and obstructive discovery process. Leah discusses the strategic advantages and unique challenges of working on the plaintiff’s side, including the need for thorough analysis and quick evaluation of received documents.

Action Items:

1. Develop Clear ESI Protocols: Attorneys should establish clear and detailed ESI protocols early in the discovery process to minimize disputes and streamline information exchange.

2. Foster Open Communication: Legal teams should focus on transparent and collaborative communication, explaining the rationale behind discovery requests to facilitate a more efficient and less adversarial process.

3. Invest in e-Discovery Education: Legal professionals, especially those in the plaintiff’s bar, should continue to enhance their knowledge and skills in e-discovery to effectively manage and utilize technology in their cases.

Chapters with Timecodes:

• 0:00 – 5:15: Introduction and guest background.
• 5:16 – 15:30: Leah’s career path from defense to plaintiff’s bar.
• 15:31 – 25:00: The importance of process in e-discovery and setting up ESI protocols.
• 25:01 – 35:00: Challenges and strategic advantages in plaintiff-side e-discovery.
• 35:01 – 45:00: Collaboration
• 45:01 – 50:00: Leah’s involvement with the National eDiscovery Leadership Institute (NeLI) and her perspectives on education in the legal field.

Resources:

• Visit the NeLI's website at: www.ediscoveryleadership.org
• Visit UMKC School of Law: law.umkc.edu
  
• Lea Bays: https://www.rgrdlaw.com/attorneys-Lea-Malani-Bays.html - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lea-malani-bays-a274a8b
• Daniel Gold: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielegold
• Brandon Mack: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonmack

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The latest episode of NeLI Pod is here! On this episode, Daniel and Brandon sit down with Tessa Jacob, partner at Husch Blackwell in Kansas City. Tessa leads the firm's industry-leading eDiscovery Solutions team and has multiple awards and accomplishments in the field, including an appointment to a three-year term on the Sedona Conference's Working Group 1 Steering Committee. Listen to Tessa's insights on the present and future of e-discovery and her practical tips for attorneys on how to effectively and efficiently manage an e-discovery process. No matter your experience with e-discovery, you will find Tessa's remarks informative and inspiring!

Resources:

• Visit the NeLI's website at: www.ediscoveryleadership.org
• Visit UMKC School of Law: law.umkc.edu
• Tesa Jacos: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tessajacob - https://www.huschblackwell.com/professionals/tessa-jacob
  
• Daniel Gold: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielegold
• Brandon Mack: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonmack

Our Social Media:

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In this inaugural episode of NeLI Pod - the official podcast of the National eDiscovery Leadership Institute - join co-hosts Daniel Gold and Brandon Mack as they welcome Robin Perkins, Partner at Kutak Rock and Founder of NeLI. As you'll hear in their discussion, Robin's passion for the eDiscovery field and especially for educating lawyers about the field is so strong that 10 years ago, she started a conference! The NeLI Conference 2024 will be September 19-20 in Kansas City. Robin also shares about her latest personal endeavor: buying a ranch!

Resources:

• Visit the NeLI's website at: www.ediscoveryleadership.org
• Visit UMKC School of Law: law.umkc.edu
• Robin Perkins: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robin-perkins-1a267232
• Daniel Gold: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielegold
• Brandon Mack: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonmack

Our Social Media:

• LinkedIn
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• Facebook