Taking Stock
I have published 34 blogs and 49 news commentaries since relaunching the eDiscovery Journal six months ago. That exceeds my weekly goals of 1+ blogs and 1-2+ commentaries. The weekly digest gets a 40% read rate with a constant trickle of new subscribers. I am happy with the volume of feedback, even if it is mostly on LinkedIn rather than direct comments on the site. I did not expect the wave of positive notes, calls, briefing inquiries and more from new and old peers. After my hiatus in the eDiscovery trenches to restore my savings (building dream houses always breaks the bank), I expected to slog along for a couple quarters to regain momentum. I am humbled at the deluge of well wishes, welcome backs and other kind words on my new ‘unfiltered’ style. Thank you, kind readers, for inspiring me to keep my research/writing schedule even as my consulting engagements have restarted with a bang.
The Pandemic Market
If my inquiries are any indicator, the eDiscovery market is back in gear and laser focused on how to do more with less going forward. The volume of unemployed peers looking for job prospects has declined (yes, I get a lot of these and always try to help). We all lost revenue, gigs and belt notches during Q2-Q3, but I like the new attitude I am seeing from GC’s and execs as we review their overall policies and practices. Professional employees working remotely is here to stay. The days of ‘let the firms handle discovery’ seem to be fading. I am supporting corporate attorneys and paralegals doing their first in-house reviews using analytics and TAR for massive cost savings. CIO’s who migrated to M365 have woken up to the dark side of Microsoft’s ‘unlimited mailboxes’ and are asking about enterprise level classification and retention management systems. Legal departments want to understand how to leverage M365 eDiscovery or Google Suite for in-place holds and direct collections.
Keeping It Real
As good as it feels to be busy putting out eDiscovery/IG fires again, it feels better to be interacting with friends old and new. So please forgive my occasional typo or run on sentence from the midnight keyboard sessions. My friend Jay Leib said something like, “So your new style seems to be quite edgy. More opinion and less newsy.” Exactly. Doug Austin, Rob Robinson and many other friends have the eDiscovery news covered. No one needs another curated news feed. I wanted to reclaim the first-person unfiltered perspective that Barry Murphy and I launched the Journal with in 2008. I wanted to keep it real and practical, even if I occasionally ruffle some feathers. That just tells me I am speaking my personal, professional truth. Providers do not hesitate to send me corrections or their own opinions. My editorial policy is to supplement the original piece with their input and own any errors on my part instead of making them disappear.
Going Forward
Besides wanting more hours in the day, I am watching this new ‘virtual conference’ reality and still trying to decide if it is worth giving up billable time for the ad hoc interaction. Love to hear your experiences about them as I consider whether to accept speaking requests again. You can expect to read a LOT of pieces on M365 eDiscovery and content management over the next six months. I have had a couple inquiries on migrating or partnering on a new eDJ Matrix model. I hope to have the bandwidth to dive into that project because ten years of content deserves a new life. If my favorite island ever allows Americans again you will be subjected to my turtle and reef pictures while I decompress. Most of all, you can count of me to keep it real and keep writing. So thanks again and keep the feedback coming!
Greg Buckles wants your feedback, questions or project inquiries at Greg@eDJGroupInc.com. Contact him directly for a free 15 minute ‘Good Karma’ call. He solves problems and creates eDiscovery solutions for enterprise and law firm clients.
Greg’s blog perspectives are personal opinions and should not be interpreted as a professional judgment or advice. Greg is no longer a journalist and all perspectives are based on best public information. Blog content is neither approved nor reviewed by any providers prior to being posted. Do you want to share your own perspective? Greg is looking for practical, professional informative perspectives free of marketing fluff, hidden agendas or personal/product bias. Outside blogs will clearly indicate the author, company and any relevant affiliations.