Blog Post

E-Discovery Vendors: What To Look For In A Pricing Model

June 12, 2017

Pricing models among e-Discovery vendors vary and, in addition to the cost of storing your data, can include fees for setup, loading, training or support, predictive coding, exporting fees and/or production fees. Control the costs of your next e-Discovery matter by confirming your preferred vendor’s fees – and any other costs applicable in special circumstances. Establishing a transparent and predictable pricing model will allow you to accurately project your e-Discovery expenditure.

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While estimating your e-Discovery costs with your e-Discovery vendor, keep in mind the following:

  • The format of your ESI (Electronically stored information) will have a big impact on e-Discovery costs. If your ESI has already been processed into images and text, then it will likely be much easier to load it on to a review platform with no additional costs. However, receiving your data in native format means you will need a detailed assessment of your e-Discovery vendor’s charges.
  • When calculating e-Discovery costs, the size of your database is the biggest factor. A hard-drive containing 20GB of native files sounds very manageable, but taking into account zipped files and the need to extract text and image documents, could result in more data than initially envisaged. Ideally, your e-Discovery vendor will give you best advice on this aspect.
  • Most e-Discovery vendors charge on a per GB basis; however, there will probably be additional fees for a variety of other services including user access licenses, loading of data, analytics, training or support. These services are commonly required on most e-Discovery matters and they can have a significant impact on your e-Discovery costs.

Tips

1. Compare e-Discovery vendor pricings.
2. Know the format of your ESI.
3. Beware of misleading estimates regarding the volume of your ESI
4. Pay attention to detail and look out for hidden costs.
5. Pick an e-Discovery service provider that will be able to provide you with an efficient tool/review platform.
6. Make use of integrated tools that offer solutions for all phases of e-Discovery.

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