ComplexDiscovery findings, data points, and tracking information that may be useful for understanding M&A+I activity patterns in the eDiscovery ecosystem from October 1, 2019, through December 26, 2019.
From Tech to Reality: Deep Truths About Deepfakes
As shared by Steve McNew, an MIT trained blockchain/cryptocurrency expert and senior managing director at FTI Consulting, “Online videos are exploding as a mainstream source of information. Imagine social media and news outlets frantically and perhaps unknowingly sharing altered clips — of police bodycam video, politicians in unsavory situations or world leaders delivering inflammatory speeches — to create an alternate truth. The possibilities for deepfakes to create malicious propaganda and other forms of fraud are significant.”
Pivotal Completes Merger with KLDiscovery
Pivotal Acquisition Corp. and KLDiscovery announced today the closing of their previously announced merger and the issuance of $200 million in convertible debentures. In connection with the consummation of the merger, the combined company was renamed KLDiscovery Inc.
Schrems 2.0: European Court of Justice Advocate General Renders Opinion
On December 19, 2019, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) Advocate General, Henrik Saugmandsgaard ØE, provided his opinion on the validity of Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) adopted by the European Commission for the transfer of personal data from controllers to processors. The rendered opinion confirms that companies relying upon SCCs do not need to consider changing their approach at this time.
Five Great Reads on Data Discovery and Legal Discovery for December 2019
May the peace and joy of the holiday season be with you throughout the coming year! Please enjoy our December selection of five articles shared to inform and update legal and information technology professionals on the art and science of data discovery and legal discovery. Happy Holidays!
A Commitment to eDiscovery? Pivotal Announces Additional Backstop Commitments
Pivotal and KLD have received binding commitments from Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan and another large global financial institution pursuant to which such parties have committed to making an investment of $100 million in the form of one or more debentures to be issued in connection with the closing of the transaction between the Company and KLD.
The Power of Three? A Short Look at eDiscovery Pricing Over Time
First administered in December of 2018 and conducted three times during the past calendar year with 229 individual responses, the semi-annual eDiscovery Pricing Survey highlights eDiscovery pricing on selected collection, processing, and review tasks. The aggregate results of all surveys as shared in comparative charts may be helpful for understanding pricing and its impact on purchasing behavior on selected services over time.
Norton Rose Fulbright Releases 2019 Litigation Trends Annual Survey
Released in December of 2019, Norton Rose Fulbright’s 2019 Litigation Trends Annual Survey highlighted that a majority of corporate counsel respondents foresee an economic downtown that will lead to a rise in disputes. Additionally, the number of in-house counsel who rated cybersecurity and privacy as the most important litigation issue facing them doubled from 2018 to 2019. Respondents said worries over cybersecurity and data protection risks are rooted in the volume of such threats, the creativity of cyber criminals, the sensitive nature of some data content and some jurisdictions’ enactment of stringent data privacy laws.
Is Legal Tech Dead? Considering the Law Element of Legal Technology
In his excellent overview on the state of the legal technology industry, Hyperscale Group Limited Founder Derek Southall shares that unless lawyers begin to focus on the element of law in the development of legal technologies, they may miss an opportunity to capitalize on their legal expertise and cease being the driving forces in the development of technologies to support their legal efforts.
Size Does Matter: Considering the Great Value of Small Data
As highlighted by analytics professor Jonathan Choi, just because datasets may be small doesn’t mean that they are not valuable. In the age of big data influenced eDiscovery, we often neglect the power of small data. However, if considered and used effectively, even the smallest of datasets may provide great value.