Best Practices for Litigation Records Management

Good records management is more than tabs and crates. Follow these Best Practices for litigation document support.

Timely responses to litigation scanning and copying requests have never been more critical to law practices and litigation specialists today. But as the costs, frequency and risk associated with the discovery process continue to rise, many organizations struggle to contain their trial preparation expenditures.

Document management tools are available to help you review hard copy records; locate and digitize relevant documents, and securely store them so your records are easily accessible and always ready to retrieve. High-volume scanning technology and quality control measures must be deployed to create a comprehensive and legally defensible document management program.

Defining and consistently enforcing records management policies based on a good retention schedule, coupled with a dynamic document preservation strategy, is crucial to the integrity of all businesses.

Working with a knowledgeable litigation copying and scanning partner that provides the right balance of litigation support software, services and expertise can guarantee a much stronger, defensible records management program than one you could create on your own.

Here are some best practice tips for containing the cost of litigation preparation and response, while minimizing your legal practice exposure to potential risk:

Audit Your Records Online & Off

Companies of all sizes (and within all industries, not just litigation) are creating and storing more documents in more formats than ever before. Controlling your information has always been a mainstay of business operations. But given the increasing regulatory and compliance environment, it’s never been more important to serve as an active gatekeeper of your information.

Know Your Records Lifecycle

Every document has a lifespan, some longer than others. The first step toward records management is knowing just how long to keep each one. Reduce your data storage needs by disposing of certain items on schedule. Refer to your state, local and Federal representatives for guidance.

Trust Certified Experts for Outside Help

Records management tasks that were once traditionally performed by outside counsel, like the conversion of physical records to digital for review purposes, can be more efficiently handled by a locally-owned and managed litigation scanning and copying services partner. These providers can achieve greater cost savings and deliver consistent service versus larger national vendors. If the provider already duplicates, scans or shreds your physical records, all the better. A tighter chain of custody assures you always know where your information is.

Digitize and Dispose

Many organizations have begun digitizing their physical records to streamline storage and access processes. The benefits of data management vs. paper shuffling are better management, greater levels of compliance and less risk;Â not to mention faster access to information. Again, an outside firm with specialized experience in litigation support and document management can speed up the process of digitizing your records.