Document review, production and privilege redaction have become a way of life in defending complex litigations and regulatory investigations. Corporate litigation teams now brace themselves for the inevitable challenge of sifting through tens—and often hundreds—of thousands of emails and attachments under tight deadlines. Because e-discovery can be so daunting, many attorneys shy away from the underlying technical intricacies.

Yet, lawyers are gaining increasing responsibility for being well-versed in legal technology. The recent Alex Jones e-discovery mishap has highlighted the pressing need to implement thoughtful quality control checks to minimize the risk of inadvertent disclosures.

Below are practice pointers for avoiding common e-discovery pitfalls and tips for planning ahead. With these general principles in mind, you will be better prepared to streamline e-discovery and to enhance your factual development as you go along.