Tag Archives: Electronic Discovery

A Complete Victory for Multi-Office Team as the U.S. Department of Justice Dismisses Billion-Dollar False Claims Act Case

On November 8, 2017, following many years of investigation, the U.S. Department of Justice dismissed a billion-dollar False Claims Act (FCA) case against our long-standing client HCR ManorCare, the industry leader in post-acute rehabilitation care. The DOJ alleged that HCR ManorCare delivered unnecessary therapy to patients covered under Medicare Part A in its skilled nursing … Continue Reading

Effective Today: New Federal Rules Of Civil Procedure Regarding Discovery And Electronically Stored Information

​In changes that have been five years in the making, amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure go into effect today, December 1, 2015. Two major amendments have received much attention and analysis.  The first is the addition of an express proportionality requirement to Rule 26(b)(1) regarding the Scope of Discovery, and the second … Continue Reading

Understanding of Global Data Privacy Regulations Helps Avoid Conflicts in Cross-Border Discovery Disputes

InsideCounsel recently published, "E-discovery: The need for a transnational approach to cross-border discovery disputes," an article on international discovery issues and the benefit of a respectful approach to document productions outside of the U.S. Written by Reed Smith Records & E-Discovery Group members David R. Cohen, Regis W. Stafford, Jr. and Caitlin R. Gifford, the piece notes that proposed EU Data Protection Directive regulations have the potential to subject multinational companies to sanctions of up to two percent of annual worldwide revenue for serious breaches, including unlawful data transfers to the U.S. In addition, although not binding on U.S. courts, the ABA recently issued a resolution and recommendation that states in part that U.S. courts should "consider and respect the data protection and privacy laws of any foreign sovereign..." This article underscores the importance of a comprehensive global approach to document production in cross-border litigation.… Continue Reading

Changes to Rule 26 Make It Easier To Work With Experts

Recent changes to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (FRCP) Rule 26 make it easier to communicate with expert witnesses and to prepare them for deposition and trial testimony while still protecting attorney work product. While expert discovery has been a part of federal practice since 1993, the period dedicated to the discovery of attorney-expert communications and draft expert reports has become increasingly time consuming during pre-trial preparation. The amendments to Rule 26 address this development and attempt to create an atmosphere that encourages better communication between attorneys and their experts.… Continue Reading

California E-Discovery Act Signed into Law

California's tireless Civil Justice Association of California sponsored an electronic discovery bill that was signed into law on June 29, 2009 by Governor Schwarzenegger. The Electronic Discovery Act ("the Act") establishes procedures for litigants when obtaining discovery of electronically stored information in California. The Act amends the California Code of Civil Procedure, effective immediately, by adding provisions specifically related to electronic discovery. Modeled after similar electronic discovery rules in the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, the Act strives to strike a balance between making ESI available to a requesting party without over-burdening a responding party who utilizes mass quantities of ESI in its normal course of business.… Continue Reading

Can I Get Those Privileged Documents Back? E-Discovery Ruling in Victor Stanley Inc. v. Creative Pipe Inc.

This post was also written by Steven B. Roosa. On May 29, 2008, the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland issued a lengthy and noteworthy ruling regarding the discovery of “electronically stored information” or “ESI.” The court held that the defendants waived the attorney-client privilege and work-product doctrine with respect to 165 separate … Continue Reading
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