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EARLY DATA ASSESSMENT · A GUIDE FOR UK LAWYERS Early Data Assessment Before Disclosure Costs Escalate Estimate First, Commit Second COMPUTER FORENSICS LAB

§ ABOUT THE AUTHOR PREPARED BY COMPUTER FORENSICS LAB E-DISCOVERY TEAM RELATIVIT Y-READY HOSTED REVIEW FULL CHAIN-OF-CUSTODY DOCUMENTATION

§ CONTENTS In this guide 01 Executive summary 02 The problem in plain English: decisions made blind 03 Why early assessment matters legally 04 What early data assessment actually is 05 Estimate 1 · Volume 06 Estimate 2 · Custodians 07 Estimate 3 · File types 08 Estimate 4 · Duplication 09 Estimate 5 · Communication patterns 10 Estimate 6 · Privileged material 11 Estimate 7 · Potentially relevant data set s 12 The ten-day EDA workflow and the assessment report 13 The post-assessment decision tree 14 Worked example: Marwell v Casterbridge, with numbers 15 Data protection, privilege and the assessment itself 16 Common mistakes and technical limitations 17 Questions to ask · Suggested wording for instructions 18 Checklist and red flags · When to involve a digital forensic expert 19 Frequently asked questions 20 Glossary · References · Disclaimer · How a specialist laboratory can assist

§ 01 · ORIENTATION Executive summary THE HEADLINE POINT: WHY EARLY DATA ASSESSMENT MATTER S

§ 02 · FIRST PRINCIPLES The problem in plain English: decisions made blind

§ 03 · WHYITMATTERSLEGALLY Why early assessment matters legally