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E-Discovery/Litigation Support Certifications – Shedding Some Light (Part 3)

By Steven Clark posted 04-22-2014 11:31

  

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.

 

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04-22-2014 13:38

PMP, RCA and other software-specific certifications aside, possibly the only effective way that industry-wide certifications will carry any weight will be for all the various organizations and groups offering certifications to come together. They will need to at least attempt to develop a course/curriculum/test that encompasses everything we do...which is going to be VERY difficult! Trying to be the "first organization to offer a certification of this kind" is becoming counter-productive and causing everyone to discount all the certifications that are available. It is funny/ironic that the groups that initially discounted certifications are now the ones coming out with their own. I'm proud of my CEDS certification, but I like to think that my work ethic, work product and reputation will get me farther than any certification ever will...