'Do I Need eDiscovery Software?' Your Small Law Firm's Journey from 'No' to 'Yes.'

03 April 2019 by Anith Mathai eDiscovery small-law-firm

Takeaway: It’s almost impossible to take on eDiscovery without the right eDiscovery software. But luckily, you can get affordable, easy-to-use, and safe software that can handle even the largest cases. Try the eDiscovery application GoldFynch and see for yourself.

Small law firms need eDiscovery. But they’re skeptical about eDiscovery software.

They wonder if they can do without it. If they can afford it. If they’ll need to be tech-savvy to use it. And so on. After all, why throw money at a problem, when there’s a better, cost-effective alternative.

But, there’s an inevitable journey from ‘No, I don’t need software’ to ‘Yes, I do.’

It’s what happens when you truly understand the power of good eDiscovery software. And how it can transform your business.

So, let’s take a look at what this journey often looks like.

And the questions that pop up along the way.

1. “Can I make do without eDiscovery software?”

You can get your work done without eDiscovery software. But it’s so much more complicated.

For example, say you’re reviewing your case files.

You first want to see what you’ve got. So, you start opening documents. You start Microsoft Word for the Word documents, Adobe Reader for the PDFs, and Outlook for the emails. And you keep switching between these 3 windows as you look at your files.
You now want to search your files for keywords. Say you’re searching for the ‘Anderson meeting.’ Well, you’ll first search your Word documents in their window. Then you’ll search the PDFs. And finally the emails. Three separate searches for related documents. And you’re switching back and forth between windows again, as you start threading these files together to build your case.

With specialized eDiscovery software, things are so much simpler.

To see what you’ve got, open your eDiscovery window. You can open all files (Word, PDF, email, etc.) from that same window. No back-and-forths.
To search your files, you use a single search bar. So, in one shot, you’ll pull up all ‘Anderson meeting’ Word documents, PDFs (scanned files included), and emails. And you’ll review them all from the same window. It’s that simple.

Learn more about why you need eDiscovery software.

2. “So, perhaps I do need the software. But can I afford it?”

Absolutely. You can now get eDiscovery software for as low as $27 a month. That’s because,

It’s easier to design your software now than it was 10 years ago. Since the technology powering it has got more efficient.
It’s cheaper to store your data, too. Instead of storing it on private servers, you’ll now be storing it on Cloud servers. That is, a vast network of interconnected computers that form a virtual Cloud. You’ll be leasing space on those servers. And you’ll be splitting the bill with the millions of other users sharing those same servers.

Learn more about storing eDiscovery data in the Cloud.

3. “What about setting everything up? Who’ll help me with that?”

You won’t be setting anything up. That’s because, instead of buying eDiscovery software, you’ll be subscribing to an eDiscovery service. Your eDiscovery provider will set up and run their eDiscovery software in the Cloud, and you’ll access it via your web browser. This is called Software as a Service (SaaS), and it’s transformed eDiscovery. With SaaS, you won’t need any equipment or an IT team to keep the software going. And you’ll never lose data since it’s backed up on multiple Cloud servers. So, even if a few go down, it won’t affect you. Plus, your data is protected by bank-grade security. So it’s safe from theft and natural disasters.

4. “Will I get enough storage space? Some of my cases won’t stay small for long.”

You’ll get as much space as you need. Because all your data is in the Cloud. And the Cloud keeps expanding. So, the best eDiscovery providers can give you 100+ GB of storage and still keep costs down.

5. “But, will my eDiscovery data be safe?”

Yes. Cloud providers protect your data on many fronts.

They protect your data from physical damage (fires, floods, etc.). And they have generators to make sure their servers never go offline.
They protect your data from intruders and hackers. They do rigorous background and security checks for employees and IT professionals that can access their servers. They use technology like encrypted biometric identification to make sure only authorized vendors are connecting to their servers. And they regularly test their software and hardware to make them hack-proof.
They encrypt your data. And when you want to delete it, they use crypto-shredding to delete the encryption keys. This guarantees that your data is wiped thoroughly. Also, they mask (i.e., hide within random characters) vital information like credit card numbers.
They have advanced data recovery tools to retrieve your data if it gets lost. And they make sure your data doesn’t get mistakenly corrupted, edited, or mixed up with other users’ Cloud data.

6. “Okay. I’m in. But how do I choose my eDiscovery software?”

Here’s what to ask.

Does it look easy to use? You’re looking for a simple, uncluttered interface. Basic actions should be intuitive, and it shouldn’t take more than a few minutes to get going.
Does it store your data in the Cloud? As we’ve seen, your data is safer there. Plus, you save money and can work from anywhere. Also, make sure you’re subscribing to an eDiscovery service, not buying eDiscovery software.
Is the pricing system simple? It should be clear and up-front. If you can, choose fixed-volume pricing with a per-GB rate for reference.
Does it do the basics well? Custom-made eDiscovery software with artificial intelligence sounds fancy. But does your firm need ‘fancy’? Or does it need powerful, dependable software that gets the job done, for less?

Need an affordable eDiscovery service? Try GoldFynch.

It’s a next-generation eDiscovery application that prioritizes things that matter to small law firms. That’s why:

It costs just $27 a month for a 3 GB case: That’s significantly less–every month–than the nearest comparable software. And hundreds of dollars less than many others. With GoldFynch, you know what you’re paying for exactly – its pricing is simple and readily available on the website.
It’s easy to budget for. GoldFynch has a flat, prorated rate. With legacy software, your bill changes depending on how much data you use.
It takes just minutes to get going. It runs in the Cloud, so you use it through your web browser (Google Chrome recommended). No installation. No sales calls or emails. Plus, you get a free, fully-functional trial case (0.5 GB of data and processing cap of 1 GB), without adding a credit card.
It can handle even the largest cases. GoldFynch scales from small to large, since it’s in the Cloud. So, choose from a range of case sizes (3 GB to 150 GB, and more) and don’t waste money on space you don’t need.
You can access it from anywhere. And 24/7. All your files are backed up and secure in the Cloud. And you can monitor its servers here.
You won’t have to worry about technical stuff. It’s designed, developed and run by the same team. So, its technical support isn’t outsourced. Which means you get prompt and reliable service.

Want to learn more about GoldFynch?

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