Document Review Attorney Job Description

Document Review Jobs in the Era of E-Discovery

Most documents reside in computer databases due to the advances in technology. Document reviewers spend most of their days in front of a computer screen, instead of sifting through paper documents. The document reviewer's role has expanded due to the advent of e-discovery.

A document reviewer's salary is dependent on a number of factors. Document reviewers can make more money by working overtime. Large cities like New York, Washington D.C. and Los Angeles pay the highest rates.

Foreign language fluency projects may pay more. The document review world is evolving as a sub-specialties and a career path within the document review industry begins to emerge. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says that the outlook for legal support workers is faster than average because of the pressure to become more efficient and to keep costs lower for clients.

Document review has been criticized as tedious, mind-numbing, sweatshop work with little chance for advancement, low prestige, a lack of steady work, stigmand a work atmosphere where breaks are limited and speed is monitored. The status of document review work is changing. Roles have become more complex as a result of e-discovery.

Automated First Pass Review of Legal Documents

Attorneys who understand the legal and factual issues in the litigation can make the necessary judgment calls as to privilege and responsiveness. Contract attorneys or paralegals are often employed to help reduce cost. The review process can be lengthy.

The legal team can conduct a first pass review to analyze documents for relevance and code. The data is loaded into a database that allows litigation teams to easily locate key documents at every stage of the litigation process. Is the information responsive to the requests of the opposing parties?

Is the information responsive to the request for production? Document reviewers might also tag documents that contain crucial information to the case and are responsive. The document must be kept out of production.

The legal team is not obligated to turn over a document that discusses a trade secret if it discusses a chocolate bar recipe. The document reviewer will look at the document to see if it contains confidential information. The reviewer will decide if the document should be redacted to protect the client's confidential work product or if it should be excluded from production altogether.

The review team can also look at the information to see if it relates to legal issues in the case. Key documents may be related to key players who may testify about the documents or identify other subjective information. The legal team can begin to gain a better understanding of the factual issues in a case, formulate legal theories and identify key witnesses to be deposed or called to testify based on the review and analysis of the documents in the collection.

How to Prepare for a Document Review

Many people know when document review is needed. Do you know how to prepare for a review? It is important to prepare your process and stick to guidelines that can inform and expedite it.

Is it a standard document review? Is it a review for an investigation? Is the case team looking at something that is not allowed?

Is the case team preparing witnesses or experts? The end goal for the document review will determine the legal teams' needs. Document review can take a long time.

It is the most expensive part of the process. The data volume should be kept in mind before and during the review to help reduce costs. Don't be afraid to use experienced Managed Document Review consultants who can give you guidance from beginning to end.

Document Review Attorney Resume

A document review attorney is able to inspect many different kinds of records. Everything from emails, memos, PowerPoint presentations, and witness interviews must be checked. A document review attorney will work with other attorneys who will try the case in court.

They will give specific directions and give some training. The document review attorney needs to be able to take direction, communicate with other attorneys, and remain focused on the task. Today's records are mostly digital, so the day of a document review attorney is mostly spent in front of a computer.

Records are often loaded with software that allows the reviewer to sort documents and focus on a smaller subset of them. When a record is relevant, it is flagged. A document review attorney resume must include all of the education required for an attorney, which includes a bachelor's degree and a Juris Doctor degree.

The candidate must pass the state bar exam after earning their degrees. More firms are relying on document review attorneys, especially those with a high number of cases. The job growth for attorneys in general is expected to increase by 4% by 2029.