If you missed the first two steps for choosing a technology provider to assist you with your e-discovery needs, please be sure to check out the important considerations— which I wrote about last month (Daily Report, Feb. 9)—that should occur before you jump to the last three steps. Short version: make sure you understand the scope and nature of services that you need from a technology partner, and do your due diligence in vetting appropriately qualified providers of such services.

Steps 3 through 5 follow the same theme and include assessing potential providers' data security measures, pricing and value—and validating your decisions. Full disclosure: I have the unique perspective of being both a consumer and provider of these services.

Step 3: Evaluate Data Security Measures Provided by Technology Providers to Protect Client Data