E-Discovery for the HR Professional

E-Discovery, or electronic discovery, is the process of reviewing a large amount of data and finding any pieces that may be relevant to a specific legal action or dispute. This process is called upon when electronically stored information (ESI) must be provided for use in litigation, a lawsuit, or an investigation, such as the alleged unlawful firing of an employee. E-Discovery may also be used to find data related to suspected employee misconduct. When potential or actual litigation arises, it is important for the HR department, as the primary caretaker of ESI, to understand how and where the data is stored. The goal is to allow the company to identify and access relevant data as fast and efficiently as possible. The key is for HR professionals to work together with the IT departments of a company in the e-discovery process. In this course, students will learn the basics of state and federal law concerning E-discovery; the importance of social media in E-discovery; working with employees in preserving and organizing electronically stored information in addressing potential and actual legal disputes; and practical exercises in how HR professionals can be effective in the E-discovery process before and during the litigation process.