One of the top trends and biggest secrets in the e-discovery industry from 2014 to the present is the dynamic shift from full-time permanent to contract and temporary staffing. With changes in pricing models squeezing margins, continued consolidation and the ongoing attempt to combat business cycles that spike erratically with the ebb and flow of litigation, hiring authorities at corporations, firms and service providers are turning to contract staffing options to solve many of their profitability and scalability problems.
There are numerous advantages and challenges facing companies and employees when considering contract staffing as an option, as well as reasons why contract staffing has begun to permeate the e-discovery job market more meaningfully in recent years. The primary reasons for the dynamic shift toward contract e-discovery staffing come from both the interests and motivations of the talent pool as well as the changing needs of the employers. (And to be clear: This does not mean contract attorney reviewers, but rather technical and consultative e-discovery talent with advanced to expert-level experience in the identification, preservation, collection, processing, hosting and analysis stages of the EDRM.)
