What is the EDRM: The EDRM refers to both the Electronic Discovery Reference Model designed to govern the lifecycle of data within electronic discovery and litigation, as well as the community of industry professionals who collectively make up the EDRM Organization and the greater legal community. The EDRM is an industry-standard when it comes to how data is handled in all stages of litigation.
The EDRM is a collection of nine stages; information governance, identification, preservation, collection, processing, review, analysis, production, and presentation. It’s important to note that the flow of data through the EDRM doesn’t necessarily have a starting or ending point. Once data goes through the final stage of Presentation, then it moves back into Information Governance for actions such as archiving, disposition, or re-cycling for data re-use.
With that in mind, it’s important to look at the stages of the EDRM as independent but connected stages that seamlessly come together to create one fluid workflow.
Stages of the EDRM
Information Governance: “Getting your electronic house in order to mitigate risk & expenses should e-discovery become an issue, from initial creation of ESI (electronically stored information) through its final disposition” [1]
Identification: “Locating potential sources of ESI & determining its scope, breadth & depth” [1]
Preservation: “Ensuring that ESI is protected against inappropriate alteration or destruction” [1]
Collection: “Gathering ESI for further use in the e-discovery process (processing, review, etc.)” [1]
Processing: “Reducing the volume of ESI and converting it, if necessary, to forms more suitable for review & analysis” [1]
Review: “Evaluating ESI for relevance & privilege” [1]
Analysis: "Evaluating ESI for content & context, including key patterns, topics, people & discussion” [1]
Production: “Delivering ESI to others in appropriate forms & using appropriate delivery mechanisms” [1]
Presentation: “Displaying ESI before audiences (at depositions, hearings, trials, etc.), especially in native & near-native forms, to elicit further information, validate existing facts or positions, or persuade an audience” [1]
One major goal of the EDRM is to reduce the overall volume of data while increasing the relevance of the remaining data. The EDRM leverages its stages to defensibly reduce data so that what you're left with is only the most relevant information to your case.
Document Review is generally considered the greatest cost in litigation. By leveraging the EDRM to reduce data prior to review you can uncover relevant case facts quicker and more efficiently, saving valuable time and money getting to those insights.
[1] The Electronic Discovery Reference Model. (2020, April 6). EDRM model. EDRM. Retrieved August 25, 2022, from https://edrm.net/resources/frameworks-and-standards/edrm-model/.
[2] The Electronic Discovery Reference Model. (2020, August 22). EDRM model. EDRM. Retrieved August 25, 2022, from https://edrm.net/edrm-model/.
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