SmartReview from Ryley Carlock's Document Control Group -   Call For Immediate Service 1-877-9-RCALAW

Our core team consists of licensed lawyers who are employees of the firm,
and who have largely been working together on discovery matters for several
years. They are hired by the law firm and are vetted just as any law firm
associate or shareholder would be. We follow modern project management
processes, which enable this qualified team to add value along the way of
each review under the direction of the litigation team. The review team can
prepare litigation and deposition notebooks or provide whatever support
best serves the litigators. We find this "Smart" approach improves the
accuracy of time estimates, builds stronger cases, and eliminates waste and
excessive spend.

Here is how we do it:

Project understanding / planning:

• Meet with litigation counsel, inside counsel, and IT to identify custodians and data sources
• Strategize to create useful, defensible data filters that help eliminate irrelevant data
• Assemble background information on the litigation or potential litigation, or inquiry
• Create a detailed project memo that incorporates pertinent documents, including copies of complaint, answer, requests for production, interrogatories, etc.
• Facilitate extensive training between litigation counsel and review team

• Work with vendors to ensure all data processing reports are consistent with the data collection reports
• Ensure document production meets requirements of court orders and/or party agreements 

• Designate a team of fully trained, experienced review attorneys
• Match individual attorney subject matter expertise with each case profile
• Meet deadlines
• Comply with budgetary obligations
• Achieve utmost quality
• Offer competitive pricing with no hidden costs

COST SAVINGS ILLUSTRATED - a Hypothetical Illustration

Total Cost and Time Savings Using SmartReview

Here's a typical example of how SmartReview reduces legal spend - a critical factor in today's economy.

Using the RC&A team in the example of a typical project below (based on scenarios we have seen consistently over 6 years) will result in a savings of $182,625 (31% less).

Using the RC&A team, the project will be completed 21 days faster (38% faster).

I. Traditional Model Seems Less Expensive on 'First Pass,' But It Isn't

Traditional document review processes anticipate a first level review by temporary attorneys for potential responsiveness, followed up by a second review (responsiveness, privilege, issue tagging/coding) by litigation firm associates. Here is an example of a typical project:

Project Cost:

Assumptions: 300,000 key word positive documents to be reviewed by temporary attorneys at $50 per hour (no overtime); reduced to 150,000 potentially "responsive / relevant" documents subsequently reviewed for accuracy and privilege, and issue tagging by a level 2 review team - all of which is project managed and overseen by an associate from the litigation law firm at $300 per hour:

Traditional Model Total Review Costs:    $ 582,000

Under a Traditional Model:  55 Days

Level 1 Review = 34 days (15 reviewers at 8 hours per day)
Level 2 Review = 21 days ( 15 reviewers, 8 hours per day )

II. The SmartReview System from Ryley Carlock - How Doing It Right the First Time Saves Money:

The DCG SmartReview Model integrates a high quality, trained review team, utilization of project management principles, work flow, sound issue tag structure, intense upfront and ongoing training, and utilization of project managers to perform systematic quality control. The more sophisticated the review team, the better the end product - meaning there will be fewer errors along the way (reducing costs), and a level of trust in the final product that eliminates the need for the litigation law firm to conduct a second review. Perhaps most importantly, because we are a 60-year old established law firm, there is very little need for oversight.

Project Cost:

Assumptions: A document set of 300,000 key word positive documents to be reviewed by DCG attorneys at $67.50 per hour (never any overtime); review team performs all substantive issue tagging and privilege review with appropriate redacting; project management at $85 per hour; and integration of a litigation firm associate for training and general strategic guidance. There is no need for a level 2 review:

Total Costs for Same Project using SmartReview: $ 399,375

300,000 documents / 60 per hour = 5,000 review hours x $67.50 per hour
$337,500
Project Management Cost (375 hours x $85 per hour)
$31,875
Law Firm Associate Consultation (100 hours x $300 per hour)
$30,000

Project Duration:

Total Review Time Using SmartReview 34 days
(15 reviewers at 10 hours per day)