Organizations building defensible, in-house e-discovery processes quickly learn that their success requires people, well-documented processes and technology. Whatever is driving the request for collecting and producing electronically stored information (ESI), the goal is to provide responsive information in a consistent, timely and cost-effective manner. This effort takes a discovery response team (DRT) that is staffed with the right kind of people.

Every organization is different and there is no standard when it comes to creating a DRT—it should be shaped by the needs and resources of the company. Large, multi-national companies will require a larger and more geographically diverse team than smaller, national or regional organizations. However, certain universal roles are important for a successful DRT, and it is important that each team member's role is well-defined, documented and recognized by the organization.

The primary players on a DRT should come from legal, IT and/or IT security and records management. Optimally, the team also should include representatives from HR, audit and outside vendors providing related technology, consulting or services, as well as a senior executive sponsor with the pull to ensure that the team has organizational buy-in and is well-resourced.