'Can My Small Law Firm Afford eDiscovery?' 4 FAQs Answered

09 June 2019 by Anith Mathai eDiscovery small-law-firm

Takeaway: You can’t handle eDiscovery without the right software. But luckily, the best eDiscovery applications are (1) Affordable – as low as $27 a month, (2) Easy to use, and (3) Travel-friendly – you can use them from home, at the airport, or on-the-go.

Four frequently asked questions that will change your mind about eDiscovery.

Small law firms assume that eDiscovery is too complicated and expensive for them. But this isn’t true. And they usually realize it when we answer their top 4 questions.

1. “Do I really need eDiscovery software? Can’t I make do with what I already have?”

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 have Word Documents, PDFs, and emails. So 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 the different 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, just 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. “We don’t have much of an eDiscovery budget. How much will we have to spend on eDiscovery?”

Not that much. The best eDiscovery applications (like Goldfynch, introduced below), are very cost-effective. You don’t have to install anything, so it’s free to set up. And you pay as little as $27 a month for a 3 GB case. That’s for your eDiscovery provider to process your files and store them in the Cloud. And of course, your software will let you search, tag, redact, and produce your files. Learn more about eDiscovery pricing.

3. “I’m not good with technology. Will eDiscovery software be complicated to use?”

Legal technology has become far more intuitive than it was a decade ago. The best eDiscovery applications take just minutes to figure out.

Load the software as you do with email. No need to download and install anything. Just go to the website, sign in, and start working. It’s like checking email.
Move files around like in Windows. Drag-and-drop them into your eDiscovery browser.
Search as you do with Google. Type your keywords into the search bar. Even with ‘advanced’ searches that have many interrelated keywords, you’ll be giving commands using simple drop-down bars.
Let someone else sort out technical issues. You’ll be using the software via the internet. So your eDiscovery provider handles software updates and bugs that might pop up.

4. “Where will our eDiscovery data be stored? Will it stay private?”

The best eDiscovery applications store your data in the Cloud. What’s the Cloud? Well, software giants like Amazon and Google lease storage and computing power to businesses all over the world. And their thousands of interconnected servers form a public ‘Cloud.’ If you use Dropbox, Google Drive, or any Apple product, then you’re already in the Cloud. Here’s why it’s significant:

You can work from anywhere. All you’ll need to access your data is a laptop and an internet connection. Which means you can work from home, the airport, wherever.
It’s easy to collaborate. Multiple users can access the data at the same time, so it’s perfect for a team working on the same case.
Your data is safe. The beauty of Cloud servers is that they come with bank-grade security. Which means your data is as safe with them as online banking information is with a bank. Learn more about how well-protected your data is.
You save money. It takes a lot of know-how, cash, and maintenance to keep computer servers going. So, you’re usually left with a hefty bill. The beauty of the Cloud is that you’re splitting that bill with other people storing their data on your Cloud provider’s servers.

Learn more about the Cloud.

Need affordable eDiscovery software designed for small law firms? 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 much 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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