CLE - Analysis Paralysis

Austin Hagen

Vice President, Operations
austin.hagen@proteusdiscovery.com

Austin leads the client services team, overseeing the strategy and execution of forensics, ESI hosting, and managed review. His 15 years of eDiscovery experience include project management, training, and consulting. Austin is responsible for process creation and documentation, workflow automation, and ensuring Proteus’ growth is geared to maintain the white-glove service Proteus clients have come to expect.

B.S., Computer Systems, University of Wisconsin-Superior, 2005
Brainspace Certified Analyst
Brainspace Certified Specialist
Reveal Review
Reveal Administrator
Relativity Analytics Specialist
‍Relativity Review Management Specialist
Relativity Certified Administrator (RCA)
Relativity Expert

Ryan Rieff

Director, eDiscovery Services
ryan.rieff@proteusdiscovery.com

Ryan leads our core eDiscovery services, including ESI processing, productions, and database administration. He is a Relativity Master, a feat achieved by only about 250 of Relativity's 250,000 global users.

Prior to joining Proteus, he worked as a document review attorney, becoming proficient in platforms including Relativity, Viewpoint, and Nuix and working extensively in first pass, QC, and privilege reviews.

B.A., History, Indiana University, 2007
J.D., Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, 2015
Relativity Review Management Specialist
RelativityOne Certified Pro (ROCP)
Relativity Certified Administrator (RCA)
Relativity Master

Gary Smith

Senior Project Manager
gary.smith@proteusdiscovery.com

Scott Collins

Senior Project Manager
scott.collins@proteusdiscovery.com

Scott has honed his eDiscovery skills while managing projects at Proteus since 2015. Prior to joining the team, he was a document review attorney with Black Letter Discovery, and a staff attorney in Barnes & Thornburg LLP’s litigation department from 2012 to 2014. Scott has also worked as a law clerk and associate attorney for other Indianapolis-area firms practicing in the areas of personal injury, criminal defense, family law, and property law.

Scott’s practice involves regular management and delivery of eDiscovery and Information Governance services to a wide variety of local, regional, and national clients. He enjoys serving as an intermediary between clients, outside counsel, eDiscovery vendors, and document review teams. For over five years, Scott has engaged in various high-profile document review projects, including as a first line reviewer, a QC reviewer, a team leader, and a project manager. He has worked on projects ranging from medical device litigation for a Fortune 100 subsidiary to contract litigation for a multinational chemical corporation.

B.A., Mass Communications and History, Anderson University, 1999
J.D., Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, 2010
RelativityOne Certified Pro (ROCP)

Sarah Barth

Senior Project Manager
sarah.barth@proteusdiscovery.com

Sarah draws on a decade of legal experience to help her clients navigate large-scale discovery matters. She brings her affinity for detail-oriented work to each stage of the process, leveraging her background as first pass reviewer, quality control reviewer, compliance counsel, project attorney, and project manager to ensure her clients' needs are translated and implemented throughout the project lifecycle.

Prior to joining Proteus, Sarah's background included facilitating large commercial real estate transactions, global enterprise regulatory compliance, and class action settlement administration.

B.A., Social Sciences, Washington State University, 2010
J.D., Environmental and Natural Law Certificate, University of Denver Sturm College of Law, 2013

Sarah Whitney

Project Manager
sarah.whitney@proteusdiscovery.com

B.A., International Studies, Bradley University, 2008
J.D., Western Michigan University Cooley Law School, 2012

Darryl Durham

Associate Project Manager
darryl.durham@proteusdiscovery.com

B.A., Journalism, Columbia College Chicago, 1982

Travis Morgenstern

Associate Project Manager
‍travis.morgenstern@proteusdiscovery.com

B.A., Business Administration, Fort Hays State University, 2022

Ryan Short

Vice President, Revenue
ryan.short@proteusdiscovery.com

Ryan leads business development and consults with clients to design engagements that are right-sized with respect to services, software, and cost. He is a Certified eDiscovery Specialist and holds certifications from multiple hosting and review platforms.

He also leads commercialization efforts for DiscoveryMaster, a Relativity integration developed by the Proteus leadership team, now licensed to law firms, managed services providers, consulting firms, and corporate legal teams across the globe.

B.A., Telecommunications, Indiana University, 2011
M.B.A., Kelley School of Business, Indiana University, 2020
Certified eDiscovery Specialist (CEDS)
Relativity Certified Sales Professional
Reveal Sales Certified
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Overcoming eDiscovery Overload

As the volume of electronically stored information (ESI) continues to skyrocket, legal teams face a daunting challenge—how to efficiently sift through massive amounts of data without getting stuck in the weeds. The sheer scale of modern document review can be overwhelming, leading to analysis paralysis, where too much data stalls decision-making and drives up costs. That’s why Proteus Discovery Group offers Analysis Paralysis: Sifting Through ESI During Litigation and Investigations, a Continuing Legal Education (CLE) course designed to help legal professionals streamline the eDiscovery process.

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Why eDiscovery Can Be Overwhelming

Litigation today involves an unprecedented amount of digital evidence, including emails, text messages, cloud-stored documents, collaboration platform data, and even Internet of Things (IoT) records. With discovery costs making up the majority of litigation expenses, legal professionals need effective strategies to manage data efficiently without losing sight of what truly matters in a case.

Course Overview

Analysis Paralysis equips attorneys, corporate legal teams, and litigation support professionals with practical tools to cut through the noise of excessive data. Key topics include:

• The Electronic Discovery Reference Model (EDRM) – Understanding the full lifecycle of ESI, from identification to production.
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• The Role of Counsel in eDiscovery – Ethical and strategic considerations, including case law such as Pension Committee of the University of Montreal Pension Plan v. Banc of America Securities.
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• The Importance of the Rule 26(f) Conference – How early collaboration with opposing counsel can help narrow discovery scope and reduce costs.
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• Strategies for Requesting and Responding to ESI – Best practices for drafting discovery requests and avoiding common pitfalls such as non-searchable document productions.
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• Technology-Assisted Review (TAR) and AI in Document Review – How predictive coding and Continuous Active Learning (CAL) can reduce manual review time and improve accuracy.
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• DIY vs. Partnering with a Vendor – Weighing the costs and benefits of handling eDiscovery internally versus working with a specialized provider.

Cutting Through the Data Deluge

With courts increasingly sanctioning parties for poor eDiscovery practices, it’s more important than ever to adopt defensible workflows. The course explores landmark cases such as Da Silva Moore v. Publicis Groupe, which validated predictive coding as a defensible method for document review. Legal professionals will gain insight into:

Early Case Assessment (ECA)

How to prioritize key custodians and issue tags to streamline document review.

Cost Drivers in eDiscovery

How data volume, custodian count, and review methodology impact the bottom line.

Emerging Challenges in Document Review

The role of emojis, collaboration apps like Slack, and deepfake technology in modern litigation.

Who Should Take This Course?

This CLE is ideal for anyone involved in litigation or investigations, including:

• Attorneys managing civil or regulatory matters
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• In-house legal teams handling compliance and internal investigations
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• Litigation support professionals overseeing document review
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• Paralegals and eDiscovery specialists looking to enhance their expertise

Gain Control Over Your eDiscovery Process

The exponential growth of digital evidence requires legal teams to be more strategic, tech-savvy, and proactive in their discovery approach. Proteus Discovery Group’s Analysis Paralysis CLE provides the tools needed to navigate the challenges of large-scale ESI review and avoid the delays and costs of inefficient discovery.

Interested in scheduling this course for your firm or legal department? Contact us today to learn more!

CLE – Analysis Paralysis