The Electronic Data Extraction Network (EDEN) announces new dates for its Computer Forensics First Responder Certification Course.

On October 12-15, 2010, EDEN will hold its three-day, intensive certification program designed to instruct attendees on best practices for e-discovery investigation first responders. The course provides a comprehensive overview of forensic data extraction, combining discovery and evidence theory with hands-on training in proper procedures, record-keeping, and testimony.

Over the last 10 years, EDEN’s founding company (Blank Law + Technology), has taught certification courses to dozens of high-level information security professionals, attorneys, and paralegals.

“Wonderful seminar – I enjoyed it very much.  Gave me a lot of good ideas to share at work!”

- Course Attendee from the Bellevue City Attorney’s Office

The course brochure is available here.  Discounts are available for early registration (by September 1, 2010) and if multiple attendees register from the same office.

Questions?  Wish to register?  Please contact Cathy Lopez at: (206) 256-9699 or clopez@edenhub.com.

EDEN Standard No. 4: E-Discovery Chain of Custody

EDEN announces the release of its fourth Standard: EDEN Standard No. 4: E-Discovery Chain of Custody, requiring EDEN members providing e-discovery services to maintain strict, documented chain of custody protocols to ensure the integrity of evidence placed under their control.

EDEN members are encouraged to submit comments and suggestions regarding EDEN Standard No. 4 to:standards@edenhub.com.

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EDEN is developing its EDEN Standards to provide members and electronic discovery vendors best-practices guidance in the identification, extraction, preservation, processing, search, review and production of electronically stored information.  The EDEN Standards are presented from the viewpoint of the technical personnel supporting electronic discovery in litigation.  They are designed to be practical in nature, and include forms, templates and record-keeping details.  EDEN Standardsare properly crafted if EDEN members perceive them to be sensible – even obvious – and in line with what most of our community would consider reasonable practices.

Ultimately, EDEN Standards will help EDEN members and others in the computer forensics and electronic discovery communities to produce defensible, industry-supported work product and documentation – securing the functions and processes of electronic discovery.  We hope that you will join us in their development.

Please submit comments, suggestions, and inquiries regarding the EDEN Standards to:standards@edenhub.com.

EDEN announces the new EDEN Developer Program, offering e-discovery hardware and software developers the opportunity to introduce their unique products by providing special discounts to EDEN members.

The Developer Program helps to fulfill one of our core missions: to educate members and encourage them to provide cost-effective e-discovery services utilizing the best technology available.

Participation in the Developer Program is open and free of charge to all e-discovery hardware and software developers. For more information, visit: www.edenhub.com/developer.html.

EDEN members are encouraged to check our Developer Program webpage regularly as we welcome new developers to the Program.

The Developer Program currently includes the following companies:

• DataLifter (www.datalifter.com)

DataLifter offers products specifically designed to assist with Computer Forensics, Information Auditing, Information Security, and Data Recovery.

EDEN Members receive 25% off the Forensicware Software Solutions Suite provided by DataLifter!

• MacForensicsLab (www.macforensicslab.com)

MacForensicsLab is a full computer forensic suite that offers examiners everything they need from acquisition to data recovery.

EDEN members receive a $100 discount on the MacForensicsLab!

• Logicube (www.logicube.com)

Logicube is a recognized world leader in hard drive duplication and computer forensics systems, and their hard drive cloning systems are used in thousands of IT departments around the world.

EDEN members receive 7% off all Logicube products!

• Pinpoint Labs (www.pinpointlabs.com)

Pinpoint Labs offers several software solutions for e-discovery professionals, including One Click Collect, SafeCopy2, and PG Pinpoint.

EDEN members receive 5% off any software provided by Pinpoint Labs!

EDEN is now accepting submissions for our Slack Space blog.  Submissions should be about e-discovery trends or new technology related to computer forensics and e-discovery.  Our Slack Space audience includes IT professionals, legal professionals, and developers of hardware and software.

EDEN and its members recognize the importance of a broad membership base to share ideas, experiences and foresight. EDEN also understands that the challenges of electronic discovery are addressed best by a community of interested members with the widest possible range of expertise. For this reason, EDEN welcomes submissions from technicians, attorneys, experts, paralegals, litigation support professionals, developers, and law enforcement.

A few guidelines: submissions should be educational and not sales-oriented.  Slack Space posts will be limited to 750 words and will include a byline for the author.

Have a news story? Have a unique perspective on an e-discovery trend?  Please contact clopez@edenhub.com with your submission or any questions.

Thank you!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Electronic Data Extraction Network (EDEN) celebrates one year anniversary

SEATTLE, Wash. – April 26, 2010 – EDEN, a national electronic discovery nonprofit community, celebrates its one year anniversary.  EDEN’s announcement to the greater e-discovery industry shares EDEN’s first year success, membership information, and upcoming news.

EDEN Success
With the help of EDEN members, EDEN has:

• Grown to include 200 information technology consultants in every major city and every state in the US and Canada;
• Grown to include members in diverse industries, such as legal, education, law enforcement, and hardware and software developers;
• Continued coordinating  projects for law firms and clients who require electronic discovery preservation and collection on a national scale;
• Launched the critically necessary best practices and standards for the technical requirements of electronic discovery; and
• Incorporated member feedback into valuable new training programs and webinars.

EDEN Members
EDEN members include IT professionals, lawyers, paralegals, litigation support professionals, and computer forensics developers.  EDEN continues to diversify membership to encourage differing viewpoints of e-discovery.

EDEN News
Some exciting announcements as EDEN enters its second year:

• EDEN offers free monthly live webcasts on the Fundamentals of Electronic Discovery.  Attendees learn each stage of the e-discovery lifecycle and hear important “tips for success.”
• EDEN hosts educational tutorials and webinars.  Visit the Training page of www.edenhub.com to keep up-to-date on e-discovery best practices.
• EDEN sets technical standards and e-discovery best practices.  These standards are presented from the viewpoint of the technical personnel supporting e-discovery in litigation, and can be found on the Standards page of www.edenhub.com.  EDEN invites members to comment, question, and provide feedback about these standards.

About EDEN:
The Electronic Data Extraction Network (EDEN) was established as a vehicle for coordinating a national community of members involved in e-discovery. We provide national preservation and collection services to law firms, corporations, and government agencies.  EDEN clients are rewarded with a unified group of educated members who have been trained in the latest technologies and methodologies.

Contact:
Cathy Lopez  (clopez@edenhub.com | 877-837-7147 | 206.256.9699)
157 Yesler Way, Third Floor – Seattle, Washington 98112

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EDEN is excited to invite e-discovery hardware and software developers to participate in our new Developer Program.

The Developer Program is a win-win for our members and developers.  Members receive discounts and stay current on cutting-edge technology and developers gain a focused audience of e-discovery professionals.

- Cathy Lopez, EDEN National Project Manager

EDEN Developers are companies who offer e-discovery hardware and software, such as: data processing software, data review and hosting platforms, data collection devices, and forensic preservation and investigation tools.  Developer Program benefits include:

• Access to EDEN’s growing membership base, currently consisting of hundreds of IT service providers located in every state and Canada and professionals working in a wide range of e-discovery related industries, including information technology, law enforcement, legal services and government groups.

• Participation in EDEN membership, which includes access to training and resources and ground-level involvement in development of practical e-discovery standards.

• Opportunities to present seminars, webcasts and tutorials about products and services to a targeted audience of industry participants, and featured placement on the “Developer’s Corner” page on the EDEN website.

EDEN Members receive the latest information on new technologies available to the e-discovery industry and discounts on products and services offered by Developer Program participants.

Interested in learning more about EDEN’s Developer Program?  Please contact Cathy at: clopez@edenhub.com or 877-837-7147.

EDEN representatives will be attending the American Bar Association’s (ABA) 2010 TECHSHOW in Chicago at the end of March!

With more than 1,500 conference attendees – including lawyers, paralegals, IT managers, firm administrators, and legal assistants – and 100+ participating e-discovery vendors, the ABA Techshow is the premier legal technology conference and expo.  The 2010 Techshow will be held at the Hilton Chicago from March 25th to 27th.

The ABA TechShow is always a great opportunity to learn about cutting edge e-discovery products and services and new developments in how members of the legal profession are managing e-discovery processes – knowledge that we can then share with our members.

- Cathy Lopez, EDEN National Project Manager

EDEN representatives are excited to be meeting with many of our members in the Chicago area during our ABA TECHSHOW visit.  If you haven’t already scheduled a meeting with EDEN, please contact Liz Jones at: ejones@edenhub.com for more information and available times.

On Wednesday, March 3, 2010, at 9am PST, EDEN will present the first in a new series of monthly, 30-minute webcasts on the Fundamentals of Electronic Discovery.

Presented by attorneys and project managers at EDEN and Blank Law + Technology P.S., the monthly webcasts will feature in depth exploration of the Electronic Discovery Funnel, illustrating and providing Tips for Success for each step of the e-discovery lifecycle from Early Case Assessment to Document Management and Production.

EDEN’s Fundamentals of Electronic Discovery webcasts are designed to help EDEN members and others working in e-discovery to understand the industry jargon and to navigate the basic steps of the e-discovery process, enhancing situational awareness and providing practice tips gleaned from real-world experience as well as practical tools for achieving time and cost efficiency.

Conceived as an interactive educational forum, EDEN’s Fundamentals of Electronic Discovery webcasts are open to the public and all webcast attendees are encouraged to ask questions throughout the presentation via live instant messaging.  A brief question-and-answer session will also close each session.

EDEN’s Fundamentals of Electronic Discovery webcasts will be offered monthly.  Future dates include: Tuesday, April 6, and Thursday, May 8.

There is no cost to attend, but space is limited and advance registration is required.  To register, please contact: clopez@edenhub.com and include the word “Register” in your email subject line.

LIVE WEBCAST DETAILS:

Title:     FUNDAMENTALS OF E-DISCOVERY
Date:     Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Time:    9am PST
Cost:      Free

Since the launch of the Electronic Data Extraction Network (EDEN) in mid-2009, EDEN’s membership base of Outsource IT vendors has grown to more than 150 companies located in all 50 states and in every major city in the United States.

As many of EDEN’s Outsource IT members know from personal experience over the past nine months, our ability to use the network’s reach to perform litigation-related data imaging and extraction services nationally is unparalleled.  We continue to add Outsource IT members every week and our goal is to have 300 such members by the end of 2010.

Achieving our initial goal of 150 Outsource IT members in all 50 states (plus Canada), is an important milestone for EDEN.  It means that we are now in a position to welcome other members who are not service providers but who have an interest in taking advantage of EDEN’s resources, standards, and community reach.

We already have dozens of non-vendor members who have contacted us and insisted on early membership, but we have deferred many more inquiries while waiting for our performance base to be established.  Starting today, we will actively offer the full range of membership privileges to qualified applicants.

For EDEN to maintain its standards and best practices leadership, the points of view of manufacturers, legal counsel, in-house IT personnel, law enforcement, the judiciary, and others are all important.  We want to encourage communication about the practical challenges of electronic data extraction, processing, search, and utilization in the context of civil and criminal litigation.

As listed at the membership information page of the EDEN website, the EDEN member categories are:

• IT SERVICES – OUTSOURCED.

This membership category forms the core of the Electronic Data Extraction Network.  These organizations (they are nearly all organizations, and not individuals) are available to undertake EDEN projects based on their geographical reach.  Organizations and individuals can “specialize” by obtaining one or more certifications in the following areas: Computer Forensics First Responder; Early Case Assessment; Extraction and Preservation; Processing and Macrosearching; Litigation Document Hosting; Document Production; E-Discovery Review Team Provider; Computer Forensics Expert; E-Discovery Expert; Data Mapping/Electronic Document Management; and Privacy Ombudsman.

Most of these members are professional services firms who take the place of all or a portion of their customers’ information services staff.  However, organizations providing electronic discovery services specifically (and not network or security services, for example) also fall into this category.

The remaining membership categories are open to qualified persons who have an interest in electronic discovery, including e-discovery standards, methods and best practices.  These members do not provide EDEN services; they support EDEN and each other by being part of the EDEN community, benefiting from the information and experience shared across the network.

• IT SERVICES – IN-HOUSE

This membership category is for organizations and individuals who provide information technology services to a single client or client group, and who are not available for EDEN data extraction projects.  This category is best suited to IT personnel who do not wish to make themselves available for outside projects, but who desire the advantages of EDEN standards, best practices, and community.

• LEGAL/SECURITY – IN-HOUSE

This membership category is for attorneys, paralegals, legal secretaries, and litigation support professionals who work for, and provide services to, a single organization.  EDEN distinguishes “in-house” legal personnel from private practice personnel because the in-house perspective is often distinct.  Corporate security officers also join within this category.

• LEGAL/SECURITY - PRIVATE PRACTICE
  

This membership category is for attorneys, paralegals, legal secretaries, and litigation support professionals who provide services to clients.  Usually, this means that these members work for large or small law firms.  This category also includes private investigators and security consultants.

• GOVERNMENT & LAW ENFORCEMENT

This membership category covers all branches of government (including the judiciary), along with law enforcement specifically and persons primarily interested in e-discovery policy.

• EDUCATION/NON-PROFIT

Educators, education administrators, full-time students and employees of nonprofit organizations may join this membership category in order to receive discounts against EDEN training programs.

• FORENSICS/E-DISCOVERY HARDWARE & SOFTWARE

This membership category is for developers of hardware and software solutions to e-discovery.

There is some overlap between membership categories; we generally suggest that organizations and individuals select a category that most closely matches their respective interests.  The only exception to this is that if a member desires to be contacted for EDEN projects, the member should join as an “IT Services—Outsourced” member.  For example, an attorney who wishes to be available to perform Early Case Assessment services should join as an IT Services—Outsourced member and indicate a willingness to provide ECA services.

Finally, there are a few membership categories in addition to those listed above that are not open to general membership—they are by invitation only.  These include Board of Governors, Privacy Ombudsman, and Standards Council.  If you have an interest in serving in these membership capacities, contact EDEN for more information.

Thank you for your interest in membership.  Call or email us if you have any questions.  We look forward to welcoming you to EDEN!

By: Eric Blank

In recent years, there has been a great deal of discussion about standards in electronic discovery, most of which has focused on the big-picture issues of scope, cost and cost shifting.  These are important questions eloquently argued in the courts.  Teams of attorneys and e-discovery support organizations are also making headway against the most pressing e-discovery concerns, such as when, if ever, to search backup tapes.

In my view, though, what has been noticeably missing from this debate is discussion of the mundane, pick-and-shovel e-discovery concerns that affect every case.  I mean the elementary technical issues and practical challenges involved in extracting data from electronic storage media, processing the data and its metadata into document review software applications, and supporting the review and production of the data as discovery or evidence.  We need to agree on the best way to do all of these, with the equipment available to us today.  We also need to agree on the best way to document the process.

To address this need, EDEN is developing its EDEN Standards to provide members and electronic discovery vendors best-practices guidance in the identification, extraction, preservation, processing, search, review and production of electronically stored information.  The EDEN Standards are presented from the viewpoint of the technical personnel supporting electronic discovery in litigation.  They are designed to be practical in nature, and include forms, templates and record-keeping details.  EDEN Standards are properly crafted if EDEN members perceive them to be sensible – even obvious – and in line with what most of our community would consider reasonable practices.  No e-discovery support technician should be surprised by any Standard.

If our national EDEN community agrees on best-practices approaches to execution and documentation, we all benefit.  First, we will do our jobs well.  Second, we and our clients will know that the data extracted or processed by us has been handled in a safe and reasonable manner.  Our standardized records-keeping processes will reflect the quality of our work.  When an attorney or judge asks how we can be confident that we have taken the right course of action, we can point to the backing of an organization with members in every state.

Nothing like this exists at present.  E-discovery vendors are mostly on their own, or supported by fragmented, informal groups.  Recordkeeping is learned by experience, or from others who learned the same way.  No one can point to a formalized process or an accepted best practices standard.  Does this mean that today’s practices are poor?  Not necessarily.  It means only that practices are diverse.  Many in the e-discovery community are doing a terrific job.  Some are in over their heads.

What a lack of standards does mean is that we are challenged to defend our work piecemeal when it is subjected to scrutiny.  How many copies did we make during our single opportunity to create an image of a contested hard drive?  Why did we image some drives, and merely copy others?  How did we decide to approach extraction efforts from a mail server, and why?  Our answers may all make sense, but it would be far more comforting to call on the additional support of an established standard -  a practical, sensible guideline developed with the input of a nationwide community of e-discovery service providers.

The ongoing development of standards will also help our community keep up to date on the ever-evolving and emerging technical and legal challenges of e-discovery by keeping us engaged in dialogue about recent developments in our industry and our responses.  This is always beneficial, and we want to do all that we can to support such communication.

Ultimately, EDEN Standards will help EDEN members and others in the computer forensics and electronic discovery communities to produce defensible, industry-supported work product and documentation – securing the functions and processes of electronic discovery.  We hope that you will join us in their development.

Please submit comments, suggestions, and inquiries regarding the EDEN Standards to: standards@edenhub.com.