E-Discovery Certification: A Must for Legal Professionals
One of the fastest growing professions in the legal services industry is that of E-Discovery professionals. E-discovery refers to the process by which electronic documents such as emails, word documents, spreadsheets, and audio and video files are admitted as legally acceptable evidence for use in litigation cases.
While it may be simple enough for litigants to produce electronic documents to support their cases, the actual federal requirements, issued by the United States Supreme Court in 2006, are quite stringent and as such, many may find their electronically documented evidence actually being deemed inadmissible and subsequently tossed out. It therefore takes an e-discovery professional, versed in the various nuances of federal requirements for submission of electronic documents, to ensure successful document submission.
In today’s technologically driven world where more and more persons are choosing to communicate electronically, the issue of electronic documents being used as evidence in court cases is becoming increasingly prevalent. As such, the need for e-discovery professionals is growing. In Addition, this need is predicted to continue growing in leaps and bounds over the coming years.
The increase in the demand for e-discovery professionals has led to a demand for programs that are geared towards providing persons with the requisite knowledge and skills needed to operate in this capacity. These programs are called e-discovery certification programs and the number of programs available for industry players to choose from has been increasing steadily across the nation.
These programs are necessary because they bridge that all-important gap between modern technology and the rendering of vital legal services. As such, they serve to assist attorneys and those who work in the legal industry in the process of updating themselves and their firms so that they are able to function in this technology-driven world.
It is therefore very important for legal industry professionals to enroll in an e-discovery certification course and undergo some level of training in the process of e-discovery. In fact, certification in e-discovery may soon prove to be the deciding factor between attorneys who are able to effectively represent their clients in cases featuring electronically documented evidence, and those who cannot because of their inability to adequately handle the e-discovery process.
With the importance of training in the e-discovery process so clearly established, legal professionals should be happy to know that finding a certification program to enroll in is quite simple. One resource that may be utilized by persons seeking to enroll in e-discovery programs in their ‘neck of the woods’ is the internet. The internet is a great tool that can provide persons with information on countless available programs. Those interested in becoming certified may also seek referrals from other legal professionals who have already enrolled in a local program. With so many programs to choose form there really is no excuse for persons working within the legal industry not to get certified in the process of e-discovery.
