ComplexDiscovery Backgrounder
Double eDiscovery Vision? New Specification Helps Solve Longstanding Email Deduplication Problem #
ComplexDiscovery Staff
For years, a major pain point has plagued eDiscovery professionals – the inability to efficiently identify duplicate emails across different platforms. While deduplicating data within a single system was achievable, performing cross-platform deduplication remained an unsolved challenge without a clear solution.
That frustrating status quo may now change thanks to a new innovative specification developed by a standards body devoted to advancing the industry.
The Electronic Discovery Reference Model (EDRM) is an organization that has established itself as a leader in eDiscovery best practices since 2005. With members around the world, EDRM serves as a neutral body where competitors come together to collaborate on projects that tackle common problems holding the industry back.
One such nagging issue was the lack of options for cross-platform email deduplication. When Beth Patterson, an EDRM member and Director at consultancy ESPconnect, flagged this persisting problem, she knew EDRM’s unique position could help drive an answer.
EDRM pulled together a project team from its extensive membership network. It included eDiscovery experts like Craig Ball, product developers like Stephen Stewart of Nuix, technologists like Murali Baddula of Law In Order, and lawyers determined to find an efficient and workable approach.
The team conceived a simple but effective solution – using the hash value of an email’s Message ID metadata field, called the EDRM MIH. This new approach would not replace but rather complement existing vendor email deduplication methods by enabling cross-platform duplicate identification.
After intense work over 18 months, the project team finalized the specification. It provided a common framework for implementing the EDRM MIH approach that could integrate with existing vendor tools and workflows.
With the specification complete, EDRM encouraged platforms to adopt it. Leading the charge were top vendors Reveal, Relativity, EDT, and Nuix, competitors who had collaborated within EDRM on developing the spec.
George Socha, VP at Reveal, noted they were proud to be the first to implement the specification, helping improve eDiscovery. Cristin Traylor, a director at Relativity, touted the project as an excellent example of cooperation driving positive change.
The ability to solve a longstanding struggle through collaboration earned praise across the sector. Jo Sherman, CEO of EDT, highlighted that it was rewarding for competitors to jointly achieve a tangible outcome benefiting everyone.
For EDRM’s CEO and Chief Legal Technologist, Mary Mack, the project showcased EDRM’s power to drive real progress through neutral standards development. She said EDRM is encouraging widespread adoption of the specification.
With the new specification now a reality thanks to EDRM’s determined working group, eDiscovery professionals finally have an efficient way to tackle the cross-platform duplicate identification challenge. It represents a triumph of cooperation and community to solve an entrenched issue holding the industry back.
Read More on the New Specification #
Assisted by GAI and LLM Technologies
Additional Reading
- An Abridged Look at the Business of eDiscovery: Mergers, Acquisitions, and Investments
- eDisclosure Systems Buyers Guide – Online Knowledge Base
- A Running List: Top 100+ eDiscovery Providers
Source: ComplexDiscovery
