In-house counsel spend a lot of time talking to a lot of key people in the company, but typically avoid the door to the IT department. In a recent blog post, “Hey Legal, It’s Time to Update Your Facebook Status to ‘In a Relationship . . . With IT,’ ” Elizabeth Fogerty of Controle, a company specializing in the management of electronically stored information (ESI), suggests that in the current climate of ESI chaos and the increasing prevalence of e-discovery requests, it is more important than ever for the legal and IT departments of a corporation to have a solid bond.

It’s an essential relationship for attorneys to cultivate, but it may not always be the easiest match to make. As Fogerty, a former trial lawyer, notes, the employees that staff these two departments are so different they “probably never even took a class together after freshman year of college.” But that doesn’t mean they can’t be friends—or at least connected colleagues—right? Fogerty breaks down how and why it’s imperative for in-house counsel and corporate IT folks to work together:

Communication, Communication, Communication

When Fogerty consults with companies on ESI issues, often the first thing she’ll do is come in and meet with the IT and legal departments. “I’ve been in meetings where everyone is going around the room and introducing themselves” to each other, she told CorpCounsel.com. “I literally make intros to people within their own companies all the time,” she said. The issue is compounded by the distinct jargon in which these two groups communicate, Fogerty explains in her blog: Legalese plus tech-talk makes a lethal combination for communication.

She suggests simplifying language and making early introductions between these two departments.

Data-Mapping as Preventative Strategy

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