Joint Workshop for Corporate Counsel and IT Executives

8:30am Speaking the Same Language

Harold J. Ruvoldt, Nixon Peabody LLP

What’s Required, What’s at Stake — Case Law Since December 1st

Ronald J. Hedges, Nixon Peabody LLP
Ron Hedges was perhaps the most prolific author on discovery while on the bench and his compendiums on discovery case law are the “golden source” for many expert practitioners. He will provide an update on key cases since December 1st and their importance to corporate practices and processes.

The Accessibility Questions

Facilitated Roundtable Discussion with US Magistrate
Judge Paul W. Grimm and Ronald J. Hedges from
Nixon Peabody

Many corporate attorneys complain that judges don’t understand the true volume and complexities of managing data and the costs of accessing in litigation, and given their respective day jobs that should come as no surprise. This roundtable discussion is intended to bridge that understanding gap, identify some of the toughest issues, and exchange perspectives and rationale.

Preservation: Methods, Risks, Costs

US Magistrate Judge Paul W. Grimm, Ronald J. Hedges from Nixon Peabody and Eric Schwarz from E&Y

Preserving vast amounts of data in multiple hold environments is difficult and can be very expensive. The open dialogue with Judge Grimm continues with the audience facilitated by Eric to elicit issues and views on preserve in place, pre-emptive collections, reliance on employees, and other approaches to the preservation obligation. The key question: What’s reasonable and are there thresholds that can be clearly identified?

Lunch — Traveling the Long Hallway between Legal and IT

Kevin Esposito, Pfizer

In some companies, this hallway is rarely traveled but the new Federal Rules are forging — or forcing — new communication paths between legal and IT. Today, litigation staff must have accurate, reliable information on the systems and data sources for litigation and they can’t get that without a good IT partnership. Kevin will discuss how the Rules have changed the level of dialogue for all companies and offer his views on how to strengthen partnerships between legal and IT.

Data Sources — Do We See the Same Thing?

Miles O’Meara from Merrill Lynch and Cynthia Bateman from Georgia-Pacific

Many litigation teams are working with consultants to map out the data sources in existing or potential litigation, but are there ways to better integrate IT teams who actively manage these systems and stores so the map is sustainable and reliable over time? This session will compare different approaches, provide guidance on best practices, and capture and compare approaches among attendees.

Virtuous Circle or Vicious Cycle: How Retention and Preservation Mesh

Deidre Paknad, PSS Systems

This session takes a close look at how retention practices and programs directly impact the burden of preservation and production. When retention is viewed beyond the narrow prism of paper and “records” to include information retention practices, it provides a very powerful mechanism for stemming the ever-rising tide — but only when practiced in concert with a robust preservation program. Deidre will offer provocative examples of what’s at stake and how to avoid the vicious cycle.

Considerations for Bringing New Systems Online, Retiring Old Ones, and Expiring Their Data

Tom Lahiff, Citigroup

The choices you make — or forget to make — before systems come online and communication slip ups between legal and IT as you retire systems can have horrific cost and risk impact. A common understanding of the issues, obligations and significant opportunities for real savings will be outlined in this session. Tom will offer practical models for a policy-driven approach for managing structured and unstructured data with synergy between legal, IT and the line of business.

If Only They Knew...

Moderator: Reza Memar, PSS Systems

Speakers: Tom Morrissey from Purdue Pharma, Kathy Hogy from First Data and Cathy Muir from Sprint

In many ways, legal and IT are polar opposites and this difference in organizational charter and personality leads to miscommunications, unmet expectations, and unfortunate surprises. This panel of IT and litigation execs will discuss what they wish the “other half” knew about their challenges and frame of reference – a funny and insightful way to end the day!