For our first customer spotlight series, we are thrilled to welcome Jim Gardner, an eDiscovery consultant at Consilio. Jim has been using Onna for six months, and we are delighted that he is a part of our Onna Connect community!
Welcome, Jim! How did you get your start in the eDiscovery industry?
Hi, Michelle! I got started on the Helpdesk with a large Boston law firm and transitioned into Litigation Support. I liked the idea of working with databases and large data sets, being technical in nature, I felt that fit my personality and interests the best. When I was first introduced to eDiscovery via Z-Print, and the processing of PST files into individual documents and attachments, I was really impressed and wanted to continue learning more about how those processes worked.
What are your day-to-day responsibilities?
I spend my days assisting clients with finding the best ways to perform their current jobs. I also help clients find new and efficient ways of doing things they didn't know yet. Many people do not like to document their processes and build a standard to base all of their work off of. While every case is different and you cannot always apply the same logic to everything, it really helps to have a baseline to start from for everybody, especially when you have larger teams performing the same tasks.
What have you been able to achieve since using Onna?
I helped a mutual client learn how to use Onna and created a playbook for them to follow for all Onna work. This client is a start-up who doesn't have the size or budget for dedicated litigation support personnel. The playbook has allowed them to put their IT department in charge of setting up Legal Holds effectively whenever it comes up, and it ensures that whoever runs the process is doing it the same way every time.
If you could choose anyone as a mentor, who would you choose and why?
Lewis Hamilton. Nothing work-related; he just seems like a cool guy and has overcome a lot of adversity growing up and becoming the best in his field. He has a much different perspective on life than I do, and he could teach me a lot, I'm sure.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to enter your field?
Learn the technology piece first, and then the rest becomes a lot easier to learn and understand. If you like the idea of holds, collections, and processing, I think learning whatever you can from the forensic level up to file and database design would be beneficial. If you're only interested in review management and workflows, I think an understanding of databases, both SQL and NoSQL, would be extremely valuable.
What's one thing — industry-related or not — you learned in the last month?
Due to a project I'm working on, I've learned a lot more about the conflict check process within law firms and corporations and how they are often run.
What compelled you to join Onna Connect, and what would you like to see explored or discussed in the future?
I have been designated the Onna expert on our consulting team, and I want to make sure I have access to as much relevant information as possible.
Jim, as a Customer Spotlight series participant, you'll receive a $50 gift card to donate to a charity of your choice. What charity will you be choosing?
I have selected the clean water fund. With climate change causing more droughts worldwide, sufficient drinking water is already becoming a problem for far too many, and it's only getting worse.
A big thanks to