Duke University Law School in Durham, N.C.

In 2016, the non-profit Electronic Discovery Institute (EDI) introduced a program called the Distance Learning Initiative. Aimed at promoting general e-discovery awareness, the initiative focused on providing introductory-level modules for new practitioners at a $1 price point, with a certificate of completion at the end.

But a year into the program, EDI wanted something a bit more in depth, and a partner in exploring that advanced learning. Enter an organization that has placed a lot of emphasis on e-discovery itself in recent days: Duke Law School. On Wednesday, the two announced that they were partnering on an “Advanced eDiscovery” curriculum, aimed at legal and other professionals seeking deep mastery of eDiscovery strategy and best practices in litigation.

The program mixes EDI's online courses with Duke Law's in-person instruction. It will ask enrolled registrants to complete a set of ten online courses, focusing on advanced defendant and plaintiff litigation strategy. At the end of those courses, those in the program will participate in an in-person workshop on Duke Law School's campus, with a Duke Law “Advanced eDiscovery” certificate awarded upon successful completion.

The program is set to begin during 2018, and EDI and Duke Law are still in the process of developing the program curriculum. The two organizations are also in the process of seeking volunteers to help develop this curriculum, as well as be a part of the program's faculty.

According to Patrick Oot, co-founder of EDI and a partner at Shook, Hardy & Bacon, the goal is to build upon the Distance Learning Program, offering more advanced classes for practitioners that already have baseline e-discovery knowledge. Of course, that knowledge will come at a cost. While the Distance Learning program is practically free, the new program will cost “something to the effect of what a CLE would look like,” Oot explained.

But he believes the program will draw interest, particularly given the rarity of this type of instruction in the current marketplace. “Maybe a few law schools have done it, but I haven't heard of it yet. Our goal is really to take it to a separate level than where we're at now,” Oot told LTN.

John Rabiej, director of the Duke Center for Judicial Studies, concurred, saying in a statement, “Electronic discovery has become a mainstay in litigation practice. It constantly evolves, and the bench and bar need continual guidance and education. The Center looks forward to deploying its EDRM expertise and resources in developing with EDI an outstanding discovery curriculum that both new and experienced lawyers will find valuable.”

Oot explained that he and Rabiej have known each other for a while, and when EDI was looking at partners for an advanced curriculum, Duke Law School was a natural fit. He also pointed to Duke's recent integration of EDRM as an example of its commitment to e-discovery education specifically.

Ultimately, he said, talks between the two developed “an idea of putting the credibility of a top-regarded law school with an existing e-discovery organization under its umbrella, through EDRM, partnering with us on a more advanced program where the students would get a substantive credential from an amazing school like Duke Law School.”

A program such as this illustrates the growing, yet still nascent, nature of e-discovery education at many law schools. Alongside Duke, Georgetown Law hosts a widely-known e-discovery conference just wrapping up this week, with University of Florida Law and University of Texas Law among others that have made e-discovery education a priority.