Connecting puzzle pieces

Just like seemingly everything else these days, the e-discovery industry is creeping closer to Washington, D.C. Not only are U.S. government entities increasingly focused on e-discovery for both litigation and internet matters, but corporate legal departments and law firms are focusing more on how legal technologies intersect with government regulations and data transfer and privacy statutes.

That focus on D.C. was an impetus for e-discovery technology and legal consulting company CertaTech Solutions in its latest acquisition. Wednesday, the company announced the acquisition of Clearwater Legal, a managed document review services and legal staffing specialist based in Washington, D.C.

Through the acquisition, CertaTech says it will be better able to offer end-to-end e-discovery coverage with “one premier service partner for collection, processing, hosting and document review.” No financial details were announced for the transaction, and CertaTech said it did not anticipate any staff reductions or changes to clients as a result of the transaction.

Speaking to Legaltech News via email before the transaction was announced, John E. Tober, CEO of CertaTech Solutions, told Legaltech News that the addition of D.C.-based resources, along with Clearwater's legal staffing expertise in particular, were focuses during the acquisition.

“D.C. has become a Mecca of legal expertise in defending and prosecuting matters concerning government regulation and oversight,” he explained. “More and more law firms and corporations are looking for local support and expertise in D.C. on such matters. That presents an exciting litigation support opportunity to CertaTech and its seasoned support teams, who have already worked with major law firms and their clients on such matters throughout the U.S.”

And according to Tober, those clients are continuing to look for complete solutions, from collection to production, rather than relying on siloed services. He said the goal of a complete solution relies heavily on the people part of the people, process and technology equation, which will be augmented by the Clearwater acquisition.

Speaking on the company's M&A strategy, he added, “The real fuel is people. Good, competent people who are professionals in their disciplines. Professionals who are solution-oriented and can add value to technology. The demand for these kind of professionals exceeds supply. So you will see CertaTech seeking out opportunities to look for acquisitions in attractive markets of companies and people who are respected by corporations and law firms for their expertise and professionalism and who add value to the services they provide.”