Building on the first
and second
posts in this series, our next collection of interviews is with another set of
important voices in this larger conversation: those offering talent
development, recruitment, and placement services within the E-Discovery
industry.
Collectively, those in
this space are in a unique position, allowing them to both see and measure
market trends – and, in the best cases, helping their clients capitalize upon
them.
We asked them to share
their thoughts with the ILTA audience – all in furtherance of our goal to
provide members with as much information as possible on this topic.
As with all things ILTA -
your voice and input is crucial – please comment with your thoughts.
Steve Clark
Director of
Litigation Support,
Lathrop & Gage LLP
Joy Holley
Director of
eDiscovery Services and Litigation Support, Bryan Cave LLP
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TRU Staffing Partners
Response Submitted By:
Laney Altamar, Senior Vice President
laney@trustaffingpartners.com
Describe your placement services and any specialties.
TRU Staffing Partners is an award-winning national search
firm representing talent and opportunities at the intersection of law and
technology. TRU’s direct hire and temporary placements focus on E-Discovery,
Information Governance, Forensics, Managed Review, IP Technology, and
Litigation Support staffing. Our depth of expertise in these areas is a point
of pride and differentiation in the market. TRU was founded with a mission of
bringing unparalleled personalized career consulting and staffing services to
the growing community of professionals working in E-Discovery.
Have you seen a rise in candidates with industry or technical
certifications? If so, why?
We are seeing a modest
year-over-year increase in candidates with e-discovery and/or technical
certifications, but it is still a minority of candidates that fall into this
category. The legal industry is built on credentials and certifications so
there should be no surprise that the market is responding with options in the
niche of e-discovery. Both clients and candidates are seeking an identifying
seal of approval for knowledge and competence, but the range of technology and
scope of work make it difficult if not impossible for a single certification to
gain universal consensus of its value. Candidates often pursue the
certification with the expectation that it will open doors they feel are closed
to them or at least give them a distinct advantage among peers. But the
reality is that experience continues to carry more weight and certifications
that complement degrees remain a nice to have, not need to have, criteria for
hiring. They can be a competitive advantage in building a career trajectory,
but it is rare that they are a primary determinant in promotion and hiring
decisions.
Are hiring decision-makers looking for these types of certifications as
part of their list of qualifications?
Technical certification, with a
heavy emphasis on RCA, is a front runner in terms of acceptance and value
for highly technical roles. PMP certification is being included as a
“Preferred” certification for a growing number of roles, but not a bright line
distinction in the hiring process. The PMP certification also is secondary
to the far more regular interest in hiring attorneys so the J.D. remains among
the most persuasive credentials for those making hiring decisions for
e-discovery roles that are not purely or predominantly technical.
If so, do you anticipate this trend continuing? If not, why not?
I expect to continue to see
certifications included among preferred qualifications, but I do not expect the
current certifications in the market to shift to the required
category. They will be one factor in a broad and varied range of talents
that will open new doors within and outside of a current role.
Do you feel that the certification process is a sound investment?
The answer to this question is highly individualized
and has to begin with a personal assessment of the motivation behind the
pursuit of certification. Career stage and area of specialization will also
impact the value as candidates starting out in the field or those focused on
highly technical roles will derive the greatest benefits. Competence,
confidence and success in the field are influenced by myriad factors and each
individual has to make a genuinely honest assessment of their strengths and weaknesses. If
the certification will give you greater confidence in your role based on the
knowledge gained, then there is value in that. If you are looking for the
market to accept the certification alone as a measure of ability, you will be
disappointed. The investment in certification reflects commitment to the
field, a willingness to invest in yourself, discipline to complete the process
and other intangibles beyond the curriculum or verification that comes with the
certification process. These are all valuable, but hard for others to
quantify. The onus will remain on individuals to demonstrate the benefits
and apply them in a manner that brings the benefits to life.
LTS-Legal Technology Solutions
Response Submitted By:
Richard Covarrubias, Executive Recruiter
richard@lts-inc.com
Describe your placement services and any
specialties.
LTS is dedicated exclusively to
recruiting talent within the Electronic Discovery, Litigation Support and
Computer Forensics industry. Our highly specialized talent acquisition process
has played a critical role in helping numerous Fortune 500 Corporations, Top AM
Law 250 Firms, and Service Providers build extremely formidable Litigation
Technology teams. Additionally,
as a GSA Schedule 70 Award
recipient, LTS is authorized to provide Federal, State, and Local Government
Agencies with access to our global network of qualified talent.
Have you seen a rise in candidates with
industry or technical certifications? If so, why?
Yes, we have
seen a definite rise in candidates with industry/technical certifications. Recently, an influx of new
eDiscovery Certification programs have surfaced, and are catching the attention
of many career-focused professionals within the legal technology community. As
the eDiscovery market continues to grow, candidates are seeking new ways to
differentiate themselves within the marketplace, and participating in these
certification programs has become increasingly popular. Such certifications are Relativity Certified
Administrator (RCA), Association of Certified eDiscovery Specialists (ACEDS),
Bryan University Certificate in eDiscovery, EnCase Certified Examiner (EnCE),
Certified Records Manager (CRM), Georgetown Law’s eDiscovery Training Academy,
DTI LitWorks (CLSP, CLSPM), and Kroll Ontrack eDiscovery Certification.
Are hiring decision-makers looking for
these types of certifications as part of their list of qualifications?
From a hiring manager’s perspective,
and comparatively speaking, a certification is generally considered a “nice to
have” rather than a “must have”. The most valuable attribute a
prospective job seeker can possess is the hands-on experience and real world
exposure to specialized technology tools and specific practice areas. For
example, a Labor & Employment law firm may have a large case load requiring
the expertise of someone versed in dealing with the collection of large data
sets typically involved in class action matters, while an Intellectual Property
law firm may require individuals with knowledge of complex documents, such as
code or design specs associated with copyright and trademark infringement
matters. From a technology experience perspective, both of the aforementioned
environments may also simultaneously require individuals to have prior
experience utilizing the pre-existing review and processing tools already
implemented within each of their respective infrastructures. Hiring
decision-makers may find certifications beneficial, but having the type of
substantive experience described above is the main qualifying characteristic
that is being sought out.
If so, do you anticipate this trend
continuing? If not, why not?
As the market
continues to get inundated with new candidates who are using these
certifications to break into eDiscovery, it can be assumed the value of
the certifications will decrease, as they do not represent individuals with
real world experience.
Do you feel that the certification process
is a sound investment?
The certification process can be
a sound investment if you are prudent in researching the organization and
setting realistic expectations. Obtaining a certification WILL NOT guarantee a
job offer, especially without any hands-on experience. Getting this real world
exposure should be a candidate’s first priority, after which getting an
industry-relevant certification can be the “icing on the cake” when exploring
new opportunities.
Glenmont Group
Response Submitted By:
Geoffrey Zodda, Managing Director
geoff.zodda@glenmontgroup.com
Describe your placement services and any specialties.
Our firm is nationally-ranked as
one of the top legal staffing firms and three years running as the “Best of
Staffing”. We’ve specialized within the Legal Technology industry since 2001,
working with top law firms, consulting firms and software/service vendors
within the space.
Have you seen a rise in candidates with industry or technical
certifications? If so, why?
I have seen a rise in
management/director level candidates pursuing and obtaining their PMP (Project
Management) Certification from the PMI. This is a certification that helps
prepare candidates for managerial and project-based positions.
Are hiring decision-makers looking for these types of certifications as
part of their list of qualifications?
Generally speaking,
decision-makers are not looking for these certifications, with exception of
Project Management roles, though it tends to be a plus for those
candidates with this certification. In part, it shows the commitment to
further education, and it also gives them tools to become a more refined
manager.
If so, do you anticipate this trend continuing? If not, why not?
While I’ve seen the pursuit of
other certifications within the industry slowing down a bit, I do not see the
PMP being one of those. It serves as a bridge for those that do not have time
to get an MBA or a Master’s degree.
Do you feel that the certification process is a sound investment?
I do still feel that most
certifications are a sound investment, especially those that deal with a large
subject matter rather than a particular eDiscovery software or application.
The Cowen Group
Response Submitted By:
Jennifer Schwartz, Senior Director Market Research & Advisory
Services
jennifer@cowengroup.com
Describe your placement services and any specialties.
The Cowen Group is a premier provider of staffing and recruiting services
for eDiscovery, litigation technology, information governance, forensics, and
compliance professionals. Our clients include 85 of the AmLaw 200 law firms as
well as 125 Fortune 500 companies and over 20 of the most prominent service
providers in the industry. We believe focus drives results, and by specializing
in this area, we have placed over 500 professionals with our clients since 2004
– amounting to approximately 50 hires per year.
Have you seen a rise in candidates with industry or technical
certifications? If so, why?
We have seen a slight increase in candidates with industry or technical
certifications over the past year, particularly with Project Managers
specializing in particular technologies. We asked about certification for the
first time in our 2013 salary survey; based on participants’ self-reporting, both
the Relativity Certified Administrator and the Certified eDiscovery Specialist
(CEDs) programs are the most common across the various titles. In addition, it
is almost universal that a CEDs certification is paired with other
technology-specific education as well.
Although there are a variety of reasons for earning further education in
the field, we primarily see certifications as a way for people to continue
their professional development and learn/grow skills and competencies, whether
in technology or project management principles. In addition paying for
professional certification courses is a way for employers to train and retain
top talent – another benefit they can offer employees that makes them more
valuable and marketable to clients.
Are hiring decision-makers looking for these types of certifications as
part of their list of qualifications?
The answer to that is a qualified yes. While demand is currently
exceeding supply when it comes to employers seeking candidates with specific
certifications – especially for their particular technology platforms or PMP
designations – this is still a “nice to have” rather than a “must have.”
Employers still prefer qualified candidates with real world, quantifiable
experience, rather than those who have simply logged “class room time.” We
don’t anticipate that will change any time soon.
In addition, over the past 4 months, we have been working with 25 of the
hiring manager and directors from top law firm and corporations to define the
skill sets and competencies necessary to fill the role of a successful Project
Manager. This group of thought leaders is in agreement that Professional Intelligence
is just one of the competencies required of truly excellent talent, and is
actually one of easier ones to identify at the time of hire. Skills such as
business savvy and political IQ are valued just as much, and are much more
difficult to learn and identify.
Do you feel that the certification process is a sound investment?
Yes, certainly. Certifications are definitely a worthwhile way to
continue down the path of professional education and career development.
Especially as data, information, technology, and efficiency become ever more
prevalent in our lives, being able to demonstrate specialization or continuing
education in related courses will help distinguish the value a person has to
offer current and future employers.