Nathan Roberts – National eDiscovery Manager

Q  – Hi Nathan, thanks for this opportunity to catch up and find out more about the world of eDiscovery?

NR– No worries, it is not the most talked about industry in the world so any opportunity to shed some light on the mystery and magic of eDiscovery is always welcome. And the crowd goes wild, Nathan laughs, arms waving.

Q  – Can you tell us how you got started in the IT/tech industry ?

NR –  I have always had an interest in IT and knew that I wanted to pursue a career in that field. I started my professional career working for a data management company, where we were managing client data in a variety of formats ranging from microfiche, to CD’s and DVD’s, and then eventually Hard Copy Digitisation. After 8 years in that line of work, in 2010 an opportunity came up as an eDiscovery Project Co-ordinator. I had no clue what eDiscovery was at that point, but the job description sounded a lot like what I was doing already, so I took a chance and have been doing it ever since.

In the following years, I gained experience in the eDiscovery life cycle, learning about processing electronic evidence, legal document review and document production. I also got invaluable experience with industry leading products such as Nuix, Ringtail and Relativity among others.

Q  – And tell us, when did you TIMG chapter begin?

NR – In 2017, I joined TIMG as the National eDiscovery Manager where my focus was the rebuilding of the eDiscovery practice. I was aware of managing a balanced changing of the guard, whilst trying to improve the bottom line for eDiscovery services, including data processing and digital print. It’s never easy being the instigator of substantial change but to the credit of the team, we were able to adjust quickly and professionally. For us, it is all about compliant processes and reliable systems that lean on solid logistics when dealing with client’s sensitive and confidential material.

Q  – Any advice for someone starting out in eDiscovery and data management?

NR – Become a certified specialist as soon as possible. Whilst the business of eDiscovery is niche, the application is limitless. Because data volumes can be unruly, it really does take a team of specialists to manage discovery processes properly and securely. I would advise anyone starting out to identify one or two key peripheral elements related to data management and data processing and to invest in their own training and education. Once you feel you have a good understanding of your chosen area, contact companies like TIMG and look for opportunities to join a team that values knowledge and the old “can-do” attitude. Once an electronic data discovery project kicks off, it can quickly become a high-pressure environment where time is critical for the successful management of what usually is a significant workload. Learning on the job is priceless – just jump in and get going.

Q  – Thanks for your time Nathan. Always good to talk to an expert, especially when they’re a TIMG expert.

NR – My pleasure. It’s been quite refreshing for me to have to think about the industry objectively, no pun intended. Now if you can excuse me, I have work to do (we shake hands, and he walks off with a cheeky grin).