Initial Disclosure What Should Be Provided And What Should Be Preserved

INITIALDISCLOSURE · AGUIDEFORUKLAWYERS Initial Disclosure: What Should Be Provided and What Should Be Preserved? The Small Bundle and the Vast Universe COMPUTERFORENSICSLAB § ABOUTTHEAUTHOR PRE PA REDBYCOMPUTERFORENSICSLABE - DISCOVERYTEAM FULL CHAIN-OF-CUSTODY DOCUMENTATION § CONTENTS In this guide 01 Executive summary 02 The problem in plain English: two circles, two scales 03 The legal framework 04 What should be provided: the Initial Disclosure bundle 05 What should be preserved: the whole universe 06 The relationship: how the bundle and the universe interact 07 Assembling Initial Disclosure defensibly 08 Reading an opponent's Initial Disclosure 09 Worked examples 10 Common mistakes and technical limitations 11 Questions to ask · Suggested wording 12 Checklist and red flags · When to involve a digital forensic expert 13 Frequently asked questions 14 Glossary · References · Disclaimer · How a specialist laboratory can assist § 0 1 · ORIENTATION Executive summary THEHEADLINEANSWER : PROVIDELITTLE , PRESERVEEVERYTHING § 0 2 · FIRSTPRINCIPLES The problem in plain English: two circles, two scales CONFUSING OUTWARD (OVER-PROVIDING) CONFUSING INWARD (UNDER-PRESERVING) § 0 3 · THELAW The legal framework § 0 4 · THEINNERCIRCLE What should be provided: the Initial Disclosure bundle § 0 5 · THEOUTERCIRCLE What should be preserved: the whole universe § 0 6 · THECOREOFIT The relationship: how the bundle and the universe interact INITIAL DISCLOSURE (PROVIDE) PRESERVATION (KEEP) § 0 7 · METHOD Assembling Initial Disclosure defensibly § 0 8 · ACROSSTHETABLE Reading an opponent's Initial Disclosure § 0 9 · INTHEWILD Worked examples EXAMPLE1 · THEBUNDLEWITHOUTAUNIVERSE EXAMPLE2 · THEDUMP EXAMPLE3 · THERELIED - ONDOCUMENTTHATCOULDNOTSTANDUP § 1 0 · WHEREITGOESWRONG Common mistakes and technical limitations Common mistakes Technical limitations § 1 1 · INTERROGATORIES & DRAFTINGAIDS Questions to ask · Suggested wording Ask your client Ask your opponent Ask an eDiscovery / forensic provider SUGGESTEDWORDING · CLIENTLETTER PA R AG RAPHONTHETWOOBLIG AT IONS SUGGESTEDWORDING · INITIALDISCLOSUREC OV E R PA R AG RAPH § 1 2 · QUICKCONTROL Checklist and red flags · When to involve a digital forensic expert The provide-and-preserve checklist Red flags When to involve a digital forensic expert § 1 3 · COMMONQUESTIONS Frequently asked questions Is Initial Disclosure "our disclosure done"? Do we have to include documents that harm our case? What if our key documents exceed 1,000 pages or 200 documents? Can we agree to dispense with Initial Disclosure? What format should we serve in, and must we give natives? Does the preservation duty ever relax as the case narrows? § 1 4 · REFERENCE Glossary Sources and authoritative references DISCLAIMER § HOWASPECIALISTLABORATORYCANASSIST Working with Computer Forensics Lab Speak to a forensic examiner, not a salesperson. INSTRUCTTHELAB NEWENQUIRIESEMAILE - DISCOVERY