Proactive Perspectives: Navigating the Challenges of Alternate Data Types in eDiscovery

As a Customer Success Director at Onna, Pedro advises legal departments on how to govern data, mitigate risk and ensure compliance using Onna’s API-driven connections to today’s most used cloud-based applications such as Slack, G-Workspace, and O365.

Pedro’s career has been focused on making legal professionals' lives easier. He has over 15 years experience partnering with law firms, legal departments, of Fortune 500 companies, government agencies and law schools on leveraging legal technology to alleviate their problems so that they can focus on high-value work.

Before Onna, he led a Data Collections/ Forensics department at Daegis and managed a Customer Success team at Thomson Reuters.

He is passionate about aligning with customer needs and business objectives. Pedro leverages his legal experience and focus on customer challenges to be the voice of his customers internally, and collaborates with product development and Professional Services to find innovative solutions.

Pedro holds a B.A. from McGill University in Montreal and graduated with a J.D. cum laude from American University, Washington College of Law. Pedro was admitted to the NY bar and is a certified E-Discovery Specialist (CEDS). Pedro recently participated in Catalyst Software’s Fall 2022 Coaching Corner as a Customer Success Coach. He serves on the Board of Trustees for cureCADASIL, a rare disease advocacy non-profit. He is currently based in New York City.

Kelly Twigger is a practicing attorney, software developer, consultant, writer, and speaker on issues in electronic discovery, the development and implementation of legal technology, and how to effectively use data in planning for and during litigation.

She is a co-author of Electronic Discovery and Records and Information Management and host of Case of the Week at eDiscovery Assistant. As Principal at ESI Attorneys, Kelly manages the boutique eDiscovery and information law firm that acts as operational business partners with its clients to advise law firms, corporations, and municipalities on all areas of electronic information including eDiscovery, privacy, cybersecurity, and information governance.

Kelly is also the CEO of eDiscovery Assistant — a SaaS-based practical resource for litigators handling eDiscovery — that curates discovery decisions, rules, and additional content. She is developing an online academy to provide on-demand education for lawyers and legal support professionals to stay abreast of changes in the law and technology that affect litigation and clients’ obligations to respond.

Sharika de Freitas is a legal technology executive with over 18 years' experience spanning both law firms and in-house work. Currently, she serves as the head of Paramount Global's Information Governance and eDiscovery group and her focus remains on managing and advancing technology to best support legal needs.

James Sherer is a Partner in the New York office of BakerHostetler, where he co-chairs the Information Governance practice team and serves as part of the E-Discovery and Management and Privacy and Data Protection groups. James assists with oversight of discovery and Electronically Stored Information issues for firm clients. James is also tasked with “deep dive” technological and case law-related assignments for omnibus motions and case strategy. James’s work focuses on advising on merger & acquisition due diligence; information governance practices and policies for clients; and client corporate structure and business offerings regarding international data privacy requirements.

Prior to joining BakerHostetler, James worked as an in-house litigator with a Fortune 500 company and previously practiced litigation in New York. James holds the CIPP/US, CIPP/E, CIPM, and FIP data privacy credentials, the CIP and IGP designations, and the CEDS eDiscovery specialist credential.

James attended the University of Michigan, Central Michigan University for his MBA in finance, and Columbia Law School. James is a member of The Sedona Conference? Working Groups One, Six and Eleven and served on the Search, Achieving Quality, and Data Privacy and Security Drafting Teams. He is also a member of the New York State Bar Association EDiscovery Committee as well as the New York eDiscovery Counsel Roundtable. James writes, speaks, and lectures on ediscovery, information governance, privacy, investigation and merger and acquisition issues.