Veristar Logo

The newest entrant to the e-discovery market comes with familiar names: Veristar is launching today with services spanning the EDRM, helmed by leaders that were previously from document and managed review services company CertaTech and the company formerly known as Franklin Data.

Along with the public launch, Veristar announced it has acquired select services from Nexem Legal, including its full suite of data management and managed review services. These services include past acquisitions Nexem Legal had made, such as Franklin Data, Scarab Consulting, VE Discovery and LIT Group.

In total, Veristar founder, president and CEO Rick Avers said the company will offer core services including forensic collection, data processing, document hosting, analytics and metrics, workflow review and production.

The terms of the M&A deal were not made public, but Avers told Legaltech News that the company is funded with a mix of owner/employees and "private investors who have had successful careers in the legal services industry," ranging from "Am Law 100 retired partners to current entrepreneurs and executives."

Especially given the past e-discovery experience of a number of the company's founders (Avers himself is previously from CertaTech), it's perhaps no surprise that experience and collaboration with clients is how Veristar hopes to set itself apart in the increasingly crowded e-discovery marketplace. Avers noted that the company will be handling matters in a "consultative approach," with a "focus is on building partnerships."

"We recognize that all matters are not the same, so while we may use some of the same software solutions as our competition, we are differentiated by using the tools smarter through deeply experienced staff," he explained.

The company will be based in Chicago, but also have a footprint in Atlanta, Cleveland, D.C., Houston, Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco. Avers said international expansion is expected in the coming year, with London, Paris and Singapore as the initial targets. Including contractors and forensic staff, Avers said Veristar has a 200 person staff at its peak.

This expansive reach, Avers added, is a key part of the company's strategy to bring quality and efficient discovery and litigation services.

"Offering both a wide geographic reach and a large, talented team is something I've been wanting to do. Sometimes you just have to be patient and wait for the right timing," he noted. "Over my 32 years in this space, I've always said, 'Clients need verifiable results, even if it means working under a star's light,' and that reality inspired the name Veristar."