At LitWorks, we believe in adult education in a classroom setting that offers training and curriculum designed to elevate a legal professional’s knowledge, skill, career track or current position in their organizational structure. In addition, the goals of our program and curriculum assist the legal professional in demonstrating their technology proficiency as it relates to ediscovery and trial thereby also increasing their earning potential regardless of where they are on the bell curve. We have a strong conviction to give back to the legal community which is why we participate in an annual scholarship program and offer 6-12 scholarships per year to legal professionals who are trying to grow in their current position and advance their careers.
Provide a brief overview outline of your curriculum/program:
Course 101 - Litigation Support Professional Training $2,200.00 per attendee
This 5-Day course provides litigation support professionals with a unique opportunity to learn industry best practices through hands-on experience, networking with other litigation support specialists, and a review of software tools used in the marketplace. Litigation support professionals are equipped with the skills they need to effectively review a case, assess its needs and make a comprehensive recommendation on how best to manage a case from start to finish. This course is designed for anyone with 1–5 years of litigation support experience. Litigation paralegals, document review attorneys and IT professionals are also excellent candidates for this training program. The courses build subject matter expertise for the litigation support professional; therefore, we strongly recommend taking this course before taking the Project Management Course or any other course. Students receive their own individual cases to read (e.g., JPMC v. Liberty Mutual, et al, Zubulake V, Coleman v. Morgan Stanley, etc.) and discuss their implications for ESI issues. From the case the student is given, he or she will develop two processing options for ESI and a budget for the case then deliver a presentation on the final day of class.
Course 201 - Litigation Support Project Manager Training $1,950.00 per attendee
This 3-Day course focuses on sharpening litigation support/project management skills. Attendees will receive practical resources & tools such as checklists, job aides and templates that they can immediately apply to their daily work as a litigation support project manager. This course discusses the advantages to using the EDRM framework as a means to legal project management and takes a deep dive into Agile/SCRUM, Lean Six Sigma and other project management methodologies. This course is designed with the experienced litigation support professional in mind (five years or more experience) as participants learn how to navigate the rough waters of today’s high-risk and fast-paced litigation environment.
Course 301 - eDiscovery Specialist Boot Camp Training $2,500.00 per attendee
This advanced 5-Day “Top Gun” program provides attorneys, paralegals and litigation support professionals with a unique opportunity to learn litigation technology. The course is designed for anyone with five or more years of paralegal or litigation support experience. Litigation associates, document review attorneys and IT professionals are also excellent candidates for this training program. Upon successful completion of our tests/projects and the LitWorks program, participants would be designated as “eDiscovery Specialists” and become the firm’s A-Team with respect to eDiscovery work.
Workshops Include 30 Hours in many of the following areas depending upon the course:
- Discussion – A Case Assessment
- eDiscovery challenges
- The Evolving Role of the Legal Professional as an eDiscovery Project Manager
- Coordination with Litigation Support
- Role of LSPM
- Evolution – Industry and Technology Moving Forward
- Best Practices in Case Management
- Training by Attorneys
- History of eDiscovery (26A, SOX)
- Federal Rules of Civil Procedure re: ESI
- Overview of Federal Amendments (2006)
- Selected Local Rules [Local Rules & ESI Statutes – District of Kansas, Maryland, N. Dist. of Calif. ]
- Case Law –(ESI and Predictive Coding Cases)
- Recent rulings
- Understanding Reasonableness and Proportionality – Big concern in Florida as more states are adopting the F.R.C.P.2006 Amendments Law
- eDiscovery Industry Standards
- eDiscovery Guidelines
- Forms of Production
- 34 (b) – Inadvertent Production of Privileged Materials
- Claw Back Agreements - FRE 502 Discussion
- Processing Data – eCapture/IPRO
- Corporate and Law Firm IT Infrastructure
- Types of Personal Storage Devices
- Encryption
- Preservation and Collection of ESI
- Forensics
- Discussion of Off-Shore Data Collections
- Discussion- Big Case Collections –Judge Facciola Rulings
- Acquiring Social Media – Review of Social Media Cases (Facebook, Linkedin, My Space)
- Database Design Methodology –Relativity, Concordance or Summation
- Best Practices in Document Search
- Understanding Attorney Document Review
- Prepare a Document Production
- Data Analytics – Early Case Assessment Tools (Nuix Presentation)
- Technology Assisted Review (Equivio Core Presentation)
- The 26(f) Meet & Confer Conference
- Relativity End User Training
- Foreign Data Laws – U.K. Perspective
- The Role of the Specialist as a Consultant
- Budgeting
Describe your faculty and representative credentials and backgrounds.
At Litworks, we have attorneys and subject matter experts that assist with creating and vetting our curriculum. Our faculty and staff have years of experience (over 25) in litigation, discovery, ediscovery, trial, attorney document review, and forensics, etc. Our attorneys are licensed to practice law and carry many credentials in addition to being an attorney and subject matter expert.
What are the associated costs?
Costs for in classroom training range from $495.00 - $2500.00 per attendee in a public class setting. Custom in-house trainings range from $5,000.00 - $20,000 per class and depending upon the curriculum. Government employees and agencies are eligible for a 20% discount.
What is the end result?
Professionals who attend and perform the assessment/certification will pass with a Certificate from LitWorks. Our pass/fail rate is 70%. Those who pass are able to leverage their training and certification through elevating themselves in their career and current position at law firms, corporations, government entities or service providers. This credential has been obtained by over 2,000 legal professionals to date. LitWorks is typically contacted by employers seeking references and verifying that the applicant has completed and passed the course work in order to be hired.
What other benefits come with the above?
- Elevated career options
- Increased earning potential
- Value by the law firm, corporation or government agency as a trusted advisor and subject matter expert
- Increased visibility within their organizational structure
- Credibility with a law firm’s client (in-house counsel) with respect to their technical prowess and understanding of technology, case law, EDRM, F.R.C.P and the overall management of ediscovery.
- Professional development
- Industry recognition as a subject matter expert in eDiscovery
Are there renewal pre-certification requirements?
As the industry technology and rules change, we modify and renew our course curriculum. Students are eligible to return to LitWorks in order to maintain their certification after completing the courses.
Do you have any metrics or other information to quantify the value of the program/certification in the marketplace?
LitWorks has taught and certified over 2,000 Legal Professionals in the United States, the EU and Middle East. LitWorks has an Alumni membership that is highly recognized and regarded throughout the industry.
Xerox Litigation Services (Viewpoint)
Response Submitted By:
Rachel Teisch, Vice President of Marketing (Xerox Litigation Services)
Rachel.Teisch@xls.xerox.com
Describe the certifications offered.
We offer certification at both the organizational and individual professional levels.
At the organizational level, there are three tiers: Viewpoint Premium Certified, Viewpoint Premium Silver Certified, and Viewpoint Premium Gold Certified. An organization’s certification level is based on a point system that takes into account the level of infrastructure to support and scale Viewpoint, experience running Viewpoint projects, as well as the number of individual employees certified within that organization.
Individual certification is a rigorous process that demonstrates that professionals have demonstrated Viewpoint expertise in one or more of the following areas: sales, processing administration, and review and analytics administration, including Viewpoint Assisted Review, the platform’s integrated technology-assisted review module.
Who is your target audience? Is the certification limited to existing clients?
Individual certification is intended for legal technology professionals who wish to demonstrate Viewpoint platform expertise to the market. It is offered at no charge for employees that work for an organization that has licensed Viewpoint. Individuals who are not employed by Viewpoint licensees may also become certified for an administrative fee. Currently, only organizations that license Viewpoint may achieve organizational certification.
What are the goals of the certification program?
There is still room for improvement when it comes to ensuring that professional standards, processes and best practices are not only in place but also adhered to. Our primary goal in designing the certification program was to establish professional standards in how Viewpoint is utilized in the marketplace, whether delivered as a service or used internally to manage an organization’s own e-discovery business. There are standards in infrastructure that is needed to support and scale the platform, as well as essential product expertise, to be successful. Certification also allows end clients consuming Viewpoint to make a more informed decision when faced with various choices.
What are the benefits of Viewpoint certification?
Organizations that achieve Viewpoint certification are recognized by their clients as having Viewpoint product expertise and enhanced organizational ability to service Viewpoint. Individuals are recognized by their peers and clients as Viewpoint experts in specific functional areas.
How much does the certification cost?
There is currently no fee for organizations (and their employees) that have licensed Viewpoint. There is a fee for professionals not associated with Viewpoint licensee organizations that desire to attain individual certifications.
What is required to achieve the certification(s)?
The requirements depend on the level of certification. At the organizational level, there are three tiers. Viewpoint Premium Certified organizations meet the established standards in infrastructure, experience and individual employee certifications. Premium Silver certified organizations make additional investments in infrastructure, experience and individual employee certifications. At the Premium Gold level, organizations have invested in the highest levels of infrastructure and have the most experience and number of individual employee certifications.
At the individual level, professionals must undergo an in-person training lab as part of the Viewpoint training program, take the prep review courses available on the online certification portal, and demonstrate through online exams that they have attained Viewpoint expertise in a specific functional area.
Are there renewal or re-certification requirements?
Individual professional certification is valid for one year. In order to remain current after individual certification expires, you must re-certify on an annual basis. To re-certify, you can view the annual re-certification webinar and pass an online exam. Organizational certification status is audited on an annual basis.
Do you have any metrics or other information to quantify the value of the certification in the marketplace?
Since we launched the certification program last year, we have had more than 300 individuals certified. According to many of our clients, certification has given them an edge over non-certified Viewpoint providers when it comes to winning new business, giving their end users confidence that they have the expertise and bench strength in Viewpoint administration. Also, certification is portable, so if an individual leaves his or her company, he or she can take their certification with them. We also hear it’s a hiring differentiator in the market, especially as the number of Viewpoint clients grow. Certifications brought by an individual to a new company will also count as points towards that company’s organizational certification. There’s a lot of value in that.
kCura (Relativity)
Response Submitted by:
kCura Certification Team
certification@kcura.com
Describe the certification avenues offered.
We have several options for certification, discussed below, but always feel free to check out our website for more information and FAQs.
Relativity Certified Administrator (RCA) – This certification validates case administrators in Relativity who fully understand the software’s capabilities and can effectively use it. Litigation support managers, case administrators, and service providers that administer Relativity should take this exam.
Relativity Review Specialist – This specialty certification validates knowledge in the area of review. This exam is ideal for contract attorneys, project managers, and law students who want to be recognized for their Relativity expertise. Previous experience is not required, however, we recommend reviewing the provided study materials before attempting this exam.
Infrastructure Expert –This specialty certification validates those who have extensive experience with Relativity’infrastructure. This should be attempted by those who are masters at the backend of Relativity; we definitely recommend having experience in that role before attempting this exam. Individuals must be an RCA to take this certification exam.
Analytics Expert – This is another specialty certification, for those who want to validate their knowledge of both Relativity Analytics and Assisted Review. We strongly recommend experience running a computer-assisted review project before attempting this one. Individuals must be an RCA to take this certification exam.
Relativity Certified Sales Professional (RCSP) – This certification is designed to help sales professionals discuss the advantages of Relativity, both inside and outside of their organization—great for anyone who wants to speak intelligently about the software to prospective clients.
Relativity Analytics Certified Sales Professional (RACSP) – This certification is designed to help sales professional discuss Relativity Analytics with prospective clients. The goal of this certification is to ensure sales professionals are able to speak intelligently to the benefits of our analytics and computer-assisted review features.
Relativity Best in Service – This is an organizational certification—awarded on a data center basis—for Relativity Premium Hosting Partners that provide an exceptional end user experience.
Who is your target audience? Is the certification limited to existing clients?
The target audience varies for each certification. With each exam, however, there are a number of prerequisites that are required. As long as a person meets those prerequisites, they are eligible to take the exam. A person does not have to be an existing client to take the exam; however, hands-on experience with Relativity is a requirement for the RCA and Expert certifications.
Are certifications offered for both organizations and individuals?
Yes. Certifications are offered for both organizations and individuals. Individuals can register and pay for themselves, or register through their employer.
For organizations, the Relativity Best in Service designation is valid for one year. Once awarded Best in Service, organizations will be required to maintain their high levels of achievement throughout the year and will be assessed through mandatory audits. Achieving Best in Service gives clients and their prospective customers assurance that the team managing their project in Relativity is knowledgeable and committed to servicing and supporting the software. The program also provides a way to distinguish organizations among Relativity service providers.
What are the goals of the certification program?
The goals of the certification program are to validate knowledge and certify expertise of the product. We want those certified—and also those who hire certified users—to feel confident in their ability to navigate the product and perform specific tasks. For example, RCAs are already up to speed on the interface and are confident working their way through the software. They also have learned best practices and are likely familiar with kCura’s documentation to better prepare themselves for completing tasks as an administrator.
What are the benefits of Relativity certification?
We feel that—and we hear in the field that—RCAs are recognized as e-discovery industry experts when it comes to managing cases in Relativity. Certification also helps with job recognition and promotional opportunities. We’ve also heard that some lit support hiring managers will only hire RCAs.
The specialty exams validate an individual’s understanding of Analytics and running a case using Assisted Review. In the case of infrastructure, certification can help ensure familiarity with the back-end of Relativity, particularly when it comes to optimizing an environment and determining server scalability—which ultimately leads to better, faster projects. We also often hear that certified professionals get the most value out of the studying process, when they dive in deeply and get a thorough understanding of our software’s features—to help make their jobs easier and more efficient.
How much does the certification cost?
The RCA, Infrastructure Expert, and Analytics Expert exams cost $250. Retakes are also $250. There is no charge for the sales exam and for applying to Best in Service. Our newest certification, the Review Specialist, is $150.
What is required to achieve the certification(s)?
All individuals must meet the exam prerequisites to register for any certification exam. For the RCA, this means individuals must have had training in Relativity, either from kCura or on-the-job, and must have at least three months’ experience using Relativity. For the Infrastructure and Analytics Expert exams, an exam attendee must be an RCA. These prerequisites are in place to make sure attendees have the foundation to be successful, as we work to ensure the exams are highly challenging and meaningful. There are no prerequisites for the Review Specialist Certification.
Meeting the prerequisites, of course, does not guarantee passing the exam. A deep understanding of workflow is required. We have a certification workbook and other study materials—as well as plenty of documentation on Relativity—that exam attendees should work through prior to taking the exam.
Each certification has different requirements for a passing score, but we do maintain high standards across the board.
Are there renewal or re-certification requirements?
Currently, to maintain RCA status, individuals must accrue 20 of what we call Relativity Continuing Education (RCE) credits within the first certification year. Individuals can accrue RCEs by participating in live webinars, completing a remote lab, or attending an industry event such as Relativity Fest or LegalTech New York.
For the Analytics and Infrastructure Expert exams, individuals must earn 6 RCEs by attending webinars, events, or sessions related to analytics or infrastructure, respectively. We recently introduced new Ask the Expert webinars where our subject matter experts present on different features of Relativity, including a number on infrastructure or analytics features, like email threading or de-duplication.
The renewal process for the Review Specialist Certification differs slightly from the others. The certification will be good for two years, and individuals will not be required to maintain it with RCEs. After two years, individuals must retake the full exam.
Do you have any metrics or other information to quantify the value of the certification in the marketplace?
For the RCA, we have 540 existing RCAs—716 if you include our own team. So far, in 2014, we’ve given 114 RCA exams and certified 63 new first-time RCAs. It’s a challenging exam, as we mentioned, and our pass rate is less than 50 percent—so it’s impressive that so many folks have put in the effort to achieve the designation. For the RCSP, we have 215 certified professionals, with 20 new first-time RCSPs this year. Currently, 52 users are certified as both RCA and RCSP.
Additionally, users are always looking to recertify. We gave out 9,766 RCE credits last year alone, for a total of 19,868 credits given out since we introduced the program two years ago.
We just introduced the Review Specialist exam on April 8, and the first exam is scheduled for April 28.
What comprises the exams?
The RCA exam is made up of two parts—an online quiz and a hands-on project. The quiz is 150 questions, attendees have 90 minutes to complete it, and it is worth 40 percent of the overall grade. Sample hands-on projects are given to attendees prior to the exam so they can study from a simulation based on a work request from a client. These tasks must be completed within 75 minutes and is worth 60 percent of the overall grade. Passing score is 80 percent combined.
The Analytics Expert exam is also two parts—an online quiz and a hands-on project. The quiz is 75 questions, attendees have 35 minutes to complete it, and it is worth 40 percent of the overall score. The hands-on piece is made up of two projects—an Analytics and an Assisted Review component. Attendees have 75 minutes to complete both projects which are worth 60 percent of the overall grade. A combined 80 percent is a passing score.
Not all of our exams have a hands-on portion. The Infrastructure Expert exam is an online quiz, 100 questions, and attendees have 60 minutes to complete it. Passing is an 80 percent score or higher. And the RCSP exam is completely different—it has a demonstration component and, after passing that portion, a quiz.
The Review Specialist Certification is also an online quiz with 100 questions. Attendees have 60 minutes to complete it. Passing is an 80 percent score or higher.
The sales certifications are a little different as well—both are two parts, including a demo or presentation and an online quiz.
What study materials do you offer?
When you’re first studying, it’s hard to know where to begin. Because of that, we created a roadmap for test takers to follow and gain insight into what we recommend studying—and the order of doing so—to prepare for the exam.
We also offer a certification workbook, which takes you through exercises like workspace creation to production. This self-paced workbook is updated with each version of the exam to include tasks similar—although not identical—to those required in the hands-on portion of the exams. We also offer a prep Relativity environment to anyone registered for the exam, so participants can work through the workbook with sample data.
Our newest certification, the Review Specialist, also offers a workbook. We recommend reviewing the end user tutorials, kCura documentation, and doing the review questions to prepare.
For any questions that come up while studying, we have a weekly Q&A webinar where we review the recommended study materials and answer any questions.