Opportunity Knocks : Litigation Support Staffing : The Cowen Group : Ediscovery Recruiters, Candidate Search, Practice Support, Position Placement

In these tough economic times, the job market is less fluid than a year ago.  If you are looking for that perfect fit for a new opportunity, you need to sharpen your strategy.  One of the best ways to up your game is to carefully choose who represents you in the job market.

With fewer spots to fill, human resources departments will be cutting the search firms they use by up to 70% in the coming year.  Since HR no longer needs the incremental candidate flow, the bottom half of their agency roster will be eliminated.  They will only retain top-notch agencies who demonstrate the greatest degree of success.

Here’s my advice to both job candidates and hiring managers:  you need to be very selective in choosing the firm you work with today.  All search firms and recruiters are not created equal. Your resume and successful placement represent between $15,000 and $30,000 to a recruiter. You want to work with a top-notch firm that has exclusive access to the greatest selection of positions in the litigation support/e-discovery market.

 

How do you choose a search firm?  Here are some savvy questions to ask:  

1. What is your referral-to-hire ratio? Any search firm worth their salt will be able to tell you their referral-to-hire ratio.  This ratio refers to the number of candidates referred for a position in relation to the number of employees hired. The Cowen Group’s ratio is 2.8 to 1. 

2. Do you specialize in litigation support and e-discovery?  Many search firms place a wide range of legal candidates from attorneys to paralegals; litigation support is only a small portion of their business.  Search firms that specialize solely in the litigation support/e-discovery space will have a greater understanding of client needs, firm culture and overall market conditions within the space.
    
3. Do you place candidates in all three litigation support/e-discovery silos?  If the search firm has access to AmLaw 200 firms, corporations and vendors, you will have a wider selection of opportunities.

4. Where were your last three successful placements?  Make sure the organizations in which they are placing candidates are the types of firms you want to work for. (HR Managers, does the recruiter place excellent candidates that can appeal to your exacting standards?)

5. Do you have access to opportunities from coast to coast?  The best jobs and the best people come from all across the country. Does your recruiter have the extensive network you need?

6. How will you market me?  Here’s a dirty little secret:  many search firms will simply send resumes out in an e-mail blast to employers. Make sure the recruiter you choose will work hard for you.  At the very least, they should draft a customized bio, actively pitch skills and assist with interview preparation.

7.  Do you understand the client?  Make sure the recruiter understand the client’s needs and culture and what it takes to forge a successful ongoing relationship.

A recruiter should be able to answer all of the above questions to your satisfaction.  In this economy, you shouldn’t settle for anything less.

 

__________________________________________

Q:  Need the number of a recruiter who "gets it?"

A:  Download David's contact info for further reference  

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With layoffs being at an all-time high… You might find yourself among the many people with time on their hands.

Job hunting is obviously your priority, but there are only so many hours you can spend a day trying to get your foot in the door...

Beyond obvious networking the most valuable thing you can do in this economy and times is to take whatever steps you can to stay relevant!

A great way to achieve both is to register for courses like the ones at PLI. Here you can be taking the steps to fulfill your CLE as well as surround yourself with people who are looking for or working with people like you and might have a lead on an open position etc…

Visibility is key and what could be a better way than this to gain that exposure, networking within your field, as well as furthering your education.

Of course right now wallets are tight and savings is priority… however one must consider the value in these seminars and courses and see if this might be just the right time to explore it…

A course may cost a few hundred dollars now but if the contacts you make bring you a full time salary within a few months then the investment you made in yourself may have just paid itself back and then some…

And if you are in a situation where you can’t afford to lay out the tuition…. Institutions such as PLI offer scholarships and other financial options.

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With growing job opportunities and salaries ranging from $75,000 to $150,000+, the exploding litigation support field is attractive to many paralegals and IT professionals (for more information on litigation support salaries see The Cowen Group Litigation Support Salary Survey).  I receive, on average, three to five calls a week from professionals who would like to get into this space but don’t know where to begin.

When the litigation support field began to grow, it seemed logical that AmLaw 200 firms would aggressively train their paralegals, para-technical and IT staff for much needed litigation support positions coast-to-coast.

That is just not happening.

Law firms and vendors are too busy to train.  They want seasoned talent who can hit the ground running.  They want knowledgeable professionals who are already up to speed on best practices and technology.

So how can a paralegal or IT professional break into this space? By reading prolifically.

By getting educated. By investing time and money to learn this business.

Below are six steps you can take today to position yourself for a lucrative career in the litigation support industry.

1.      Remain Current on Industry News.  Set your Google news reader for e-discovery and litigation support and read for 10 to 15 minutes every day.

2.      Read Prolifically.  Review litigation support websites, blogs and webinars.  A great place to begin is Litigation Support Today and Legal Technology News.

3.      View Webinars.  Sign up for webinars such as those offered by The Association of Litigation Support Professionals (ALSP)  and those your learn of through your Google news reader.

4.      Attend Industry Conferences.  The litigation support/e-discovery industry offers many conferences throughout the year including LegalTech in February; the ABA Tech Show in March; Litigation Support Today’s Leadership Conference in May; and ILTA in August.  These conferences are usually one to five days in length and cost between $500 and $3,000. Yes, you may have to pay your own way but it is certainly worth the investment. (Stay tuned for next week’s blog on how to get the most out of every conference).

5.      Attend Networking Events.  Attend industry events offered by organizations such as ALSP and Women in eDiscovery to forge new contacts and learn more about opportunities in this space.

6.      Join Online Social Networking Sites.  Join LinkedIn and other web-based social networking groups.  Participate in the discussion groups or just listen and watch the dialogue.

Breaking into litigation support is not easy.  You will need to invest both time and money in educating yourself for this career. The good news is, you don’t need three years of law school to break into this space.  Follow the steps above and start working towards your future today. 

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Law Firm is currently seeking an experienced individual to fill the Litigation Technology Specialist position. The firm is devoted exclusively to the resolution of complex commercial disputes. It was formed with a singular goal: to serve clients in significant, disputed matters that involve substantial dollar or business exposures, cutting-edge legal issues or significant policy questions. The firm employs nearly forty full-time attorneys, nine partners and eleven litigation consultants. The partners, consultants, and associates have been trained at the finest law and business schools in the country and come from over twenty states and several foreign countries. Legal matters assigned to the firm are handled and directed by its partners.

• Monitor and continually improve "Best Practice" guides that streamline case management processes through use of litigation technology support applications. The candidate will be responsible for overseeing existing litigation systems and to recommend proposed modifications and improvements to keep the firm's systems and processes at and beyond industry standards.

• Contribute to deployment efforts of the Firm’s technology group. Maintain databases, upgrade and configure litigation support software applications. Identify, evaluate and develop new litigation technology products and capabilities.

• Develop and maintain budgets applicable to practice support software purchasing and licenses.

• Monitor and manage case-specific litigation support projects. Work extensively with attorneys and paralegals on case related projects using technology solutions. Troubleshoot issues with case teams, systems personnel and technology providers.

• Provide training and support to attorneys and paralegals concerning continual development and improvement of litigation support databases and applications.

• Coordinate projects and liaison with outside litigation support vendors and internal support teams.

• Oversee and manage electronic data productions.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree required.

• Proficient with litigation software applications including: LAW, eScanit, IPRO, Summation, Concordance, Live Note, Trial Director, Sanction, CaseMap, SQL (query & reporting), MS Access, MS Office Suite Applications. Summation or Concordance certifications are a plus.

For immediate consideration, please send your resume to Jared Coseglia at jared@cowengroup.com For more information on how to grow your career in Litigation Support/eDiscovery visit www.cowengroup.com

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Currently seeking a Practice Support Analyst. This position is responsible for promoting the effective use of Practice Support applications by providing user support and technical assistance with designing, developing, implementing and maintaining databases in the various imaging and database retrieval packages currently issued by the Firm. This is a non-exempt position and reports to the Practice Services Manager. Work hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; must be flexible to work overtime when needed.

Responsibilities include, but not limited to:

• Assisting with performing all database administrative functions associated with the implementation of iConect and LiveNote, such as creating databases and assigning user accounts;
• Assisting legal teams with litigation document management;
• Designing and maintaining customized Concordance databases and linking same to Opticon;
• Providing on-going technical support and training to all legal team members using practice support applications; and
• Assisting legal teams with preparation of courtrooms for electronic trial preparations, and gathering, processing and production of electronic data and documents (therefore, strong Electronic Discovery experience is preferred.)

Bachelor's Degree preferred. A minimum of three to five years of practice support experience required. Course work in computer science or related field, or experience in Practice Support with Paralegal background preferred. Must be able to travel.

For immediate consideration, please send your resume to Jared Coseglia at jared@cowengroup.com For more information on how to grow your career in Litigation Support/eDiscovery visit www.cowengroup.com

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Seeking a Project Coordinator to provide day-to-day (tactical) project support for large and/or complex client matters. To be a part of the Project Management Team and work on multiple matters at any given time. For any specific client matter assignment, they will take direction from a Senior Project Manager or Project Manager.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

Media/Data Management:
- Track, report and reconcile client media/data.
- Complete chain of custody documentation.
- Maintain logs/inventories.
- Coordinate transfer/processing of media/data.

Review Support:
- Provide review set-up and support (coordinating with review team, IS, vendor, etc.).
- Add shortcuts to desktops.
- Test Citrix, IDs, hardware, etc.
- Provide Concordance/database support (tags, imports, etc.)
- Coordinate review database requirements/imports/modifications.
- Compile/consolidate data review statistics.

Vendor Management:
- Coordinate day-to-day tasks.
- Matter Documentation Support
- Draft, edit and/or finalize matter-related documents.
- Help to create organized and complete client matter binders to ensure a clear audit trail.

Controls:
- Perform quality control, e.g., productions.

QUALIFICATIONS
Strong communication, coordination and organizational skills.
Able to work effectively with people at all levels both within and outside the firm.
Attention for detail and able to exercise good judgment in a fast-moving environment.
Proficient with Excel and Word.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE
College degree with 3-5 years of experience in litigation/litigation support, data discovery and/or project coordination.

WORK ENVIRONMENT
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

 

For immediate consideration, please send your resume to Jared Coseglia at jared@cowengroup.com For more information on how to grow your career in Litigation Support/eDiscovery visit www.cowengroup.com

 

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An exciting opportunity for a Litigation Support Analyst in Philadelphia. The primary responsibility of this position is to provide project management in supporting the attorneys and paraprofessionals in the use of litigation support technologies and best practices to deliver the highest quality client services.  Direct and assist on larger litigation projects.  This position will be responsible for providing senior level consultative services internally at this firm.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Consult and educate case teams on defensible best practices pertaining to the management of electronic evidence (including identification, preservation, collection, processing, and review (linear & conceptual analytics throughout Discovery).
• Serve as single point of contact to attorneys and paraprofessionals in the use of litigation support tools throughout the litigation life cycle.
• Meet with case teams to determine the complexity and scope of each project.
• Determine the necessary resources needed (software, hardware, alternative workspace, vendors, etc.).
• Develop recommendations, cost estimates, budgets, procedures, vendor recommendations and specifications for scanning, coding or e-discovery processing.
• Manage expectations and develop general timeline for meeting project goals.
• Participate in vendor project design meetings with litigation team leads.
• Prepare required project documentation to include database design specifications, vendor processing, delivery specifications and metrics reporting.
• Write Requests for Proposals (RFPs) to vendors, analyze resulting proposals and make appropriate recommendations to the case teams.
• Manage vendors to assure that high quality work product deliverables and services are provided within the negotiated schedules and budgets.
• Oversee, coordinate and track project progress and workflow.
• Define and manage custom solutions for specialized project needs.
• Proactively apply quality management techniques to ensure client satisfaction.
• Maintain project files and documentation.
• Review and approve vendor invoices.
• Provide feedback for meet and confer conferences to our attorneys, and participate as needed.
• Provide or coordinate with outside vendor the adequate training to case teams on the proper use of Litigation Support applications.
• Provide backup support to Litigation Support Analysts in the creation and maintenance of document and transcript databases in Concordance, Summation, Microsoft Access, iConect, Introspect, Livenote and like litigation support applications. 
• Use the company’s preferred vendor listing of equipment rental and litigation support service vendors. 
• Stay current on litigation support and courtroom presentation tools and technologies. 
• Become certified in one of the primary litigation support categories or database technologies (e.g., eDiscovery, Summation, Concordance).
• Serve as the point person in resolving issues relating to the supported litigation support tools. 
• Provide training in classroom settings, with litigation teams and one on one, in the use of litigation support tools.
• Provide feedback to enhance department best practices and procedures.
• Provide regular status reports to attorneys and Manager.
• Provide feedback in preparing annual performance evaluations for the Litigation Support Analysts.
• Monitor and document performance problems and assist with metric reporting.
• Assist management with department hiring process and provide new hire orientations.
• Charge all billable time to appropriate client matters.  A minimum of 1200 billable hours are required per year.

JOB REQUIREMENTS:

• College degree in relevant field of study or system-related technical certification required.
• Administrative experience with one or more of the following applications: Concordance, LiveNote, Summation, Microsoft Access, CaseMap, Adobe Acrobat, IPRO, Opticon, (or other similar viewer), iConect, Introspect, and Trial Director.  Experience with courtroom presentation tools is a plus.  One to two years of law firm experience.
• Ability to work effectively with others under short deadlines in high pressure situations. 
• Ability to exercise independent judgment within broad parameters as determined by the attorneys managing the cases. 
• Ability to coordinate resources to meet competing demands. 
• Ability to interact with vendors. 
• Strong oral and written communications skills.
• Posses the ability to act and work independently, be able to handle interruptions, and manage multiple tasks and deadlines. 
• An ability to understand and follow specific and detailed instructions. 
• Must display a professional manner with attorneys, paraprofessionals and other staff members. 
• Working knowledge of personal computers and the Microsoft Office suite.
•  Familiarity with Citrix and network operating systems a plus.

For immediate consideration, please send your resume to Jared Coseglia at jared@cowengroup.com For more information on how to grow your career in Litigation Support/eDiscovery visit www.cowengroup.com

 

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Global eDiscovery firm seeks Chief Technology Officer New York City for an immediate hire. The CTO is responsible for managing the daily operations of the Technology Team and for ensuring the effective strategy, planning, implementation, maintenance and operations of information systems to support the company’s business functions. The CTO manages a technical staff responsible for network engineering and administration, technical service support, EDD Service Delivery, business systems analysis, New Product development and deployment as well service delivery, project delivery, operational continuity, and execution of IT governance.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
•    Analyzes and restructure the team and technology within the available budgets and resources
•    Works with offshore team to connect the technology platforms to make sure the offshore office functions seamlessly
•    Plans and directs the daily operations of the department. Serves as an escalation point for the IT Managers. Assists with the planning, development, implementation and management of technology assets and resources in different global locations.
•    Tracks and manages IT initiatives. Ensures priorities remain on-track and resolves any exceptions or issues related to their effective delivery.
•    Evaluates technology and recommends both hardware and software requirements for planned projects and initiatives.
•    Reviews statements of work, conducts feasibility analysis and implements new procedures to improve effectiveness and efficiency of the department.
•    Responsible for implementing security/compliance functions. Coordinates the team in preparing documentation and implementing processes related to established standards.
•    Manages enterprise systems, hardware, software, processes, procedures and documentation to maintain currency with technological progress and business needs.
•    Serves as a liaison to multiple administrative departments to resolve service escalations, communicate key issues, and acts as a departmental advocate to internal customers.
•    Manages service delivery of outside agencies, consultants and vendors.
•    Manages customer relations and delivers IS/IT services to customers.
•    Assists with contract negotiation and general administration as and when needed.
•    Directs business analysts efforts and ensures effective solution delivery to administrative departments.

For immediate consideration, please send your resume to David Cowen at david@cowengroup.com
For more information on how to grow your career in Litigation Support/eDiscovery visit www.cowengroup.com

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We’re instilled with the belief early on that we can accomplish anything as long as we work hard, work long, and work to deadline. However, in this more service-oriented work environment, understanding and incorporating the thought processes of those above you is just as important to the future of your career your own production.

If you are one of our clients or candidates you have heard this from us on an ongoing basis. Relationships are the fuel powering every day transactions. Developing alliances throughout your firm, not just your direct departmental contacts, will provide you the support you need to learn and master the political climate that you’ll navigate. But the most powerful and influential compatriot to have on your side is your boss. By understanding your boss’s point of view, as well as assimilating it into your style, you are signaling to them that you’re ready for advancement. What will come across is that you have the ability to think and strategize beyond your current position.

This is the process of Managing Up.   

Here are some helpful questions you can ask yourself to assist yourself into isolating what exactly is imperative to your boss:

• What details does your boss pay attention to first and foremost?
• What is expected from the people in positions you want to move into?
• What questions do they ask of their direct reports and why?
• What is their leadership style and how do they make decisions?
• By which methods do they prefer to be informed of status updates (email, phone, in-person, etc.)?
• How does your boss’ management style differ from yours? And what can you utilize in your own dealings?

The last query is the most critical. The real test to pass for the promotion you desire is if you are flexible and perceptive enough to adapt to your boss’ needs. What is important here is to remember that it is your job to develop a relationship with your boss, not the other way around, while demonstrating to them that you have the ability to function at a higher level...

…their level!  

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