CLE - Social Media Discovery

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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Social Media Discovery

As social media continues to shape communication, it has also become a critical source of electronically stored information (ESI) in litigation. Posts, comments, direct messages, and even ephemeral content can serve as key pieces of evidence—but collecting, preserving, and reviewing this data presents unique legal and technical challenges. That’s why Proteus offers a Continuing Legal Education (CLE) course on the topic, designed to help legal professionals understand the nuances of this rapidly evolving field.

Why Social Media Discovery Matters

Social media evidence is increasingly used in disputes ranging from employment litigation and personal injury cases to intellectual property disputes and criminal investigations. Information shared on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X (formerly Twitter) can reveal a person’s state of mind, location, relationships, and even intent—potentially making or breaking a case.

However, unlike traditional ESI, social media data is dynamic and ephemeral. Content can be deleted, modified, or lost due to platform limitations, making defensible collection and preservation essential for legal teams.

Course Overview

The Social Media Discovery CLE course provides attorneys, investigators, and legal professionals with a structured approach to handling social media evidence, covering:

• Legal Precedents & Case Law – Learn from cases like Lester v. Allied Concrete, where improper deletion of social media evidence resulted in hefty sanctions.
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• What Is Discoverable? – Understand how courts determine what social media data can be requested and used in litigation, including privacy concerns and legal thresholds for admissibility.
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• Challenges of Ephemeral Data – Discover how disappearing messages from apps like Snapchat, Signal, and Telegram impact discovery obligations, as seen in cases like Waymo v. Uber.
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• Collection & Preservation Best Practices – Explore different collection methods, from basic screenshots (and their limitations) to forensic preservation tools like Cellebrite and Magnet Axiom.
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• Processing & Reviewing Social Media Data – Learn how eDiscovery platforms, including Relativity’s Short Message Format, structure and analyze social media content.

• Proactive Steps for Clients – Gain insights into drafting policies for corporate social media use, legal hold notices, and data retention schedules.

Real-World Lessons: The Risks of Mishandling Social Media Data

One of the most compelling aspects of the course is its real-world case studies. In Lester v. Allied Concrete, a plaintiff deleted Facebook photos at the direction of his attorney. This led to $542,000 in sanctions against the lawyer and an additional $180,000 penalty for the client. This case, along with others, highlights the severe consequences of failing to properly handle social media evidence.

Who Should Take This Course?

Whether you are a litigator, in-house counsel, or an eDiscovery professional, understanding social media discovery is essential. This course is particularly valuable for:

• Attorneys handling civil litigation, criminal defense, or regulatory investigations
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• Corporate legal teams managing compliance and data governance
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• Paralegals and litigation support professionals involved in eDiscovery
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• Investigators and forensic specialists working with digital evidence

Stay Ahead of the Curve

Social media is constantly evolving, and so are the legal challenges associated with its discovery. Proteus Discovery Group’s Social Media Discovery CLE provides the tools and knowledge needed to confidently navigate this complex landscape, ensuring compliance and defensibility in litigation.

Interested in learning more about this course or scheduling a CLE session? Contact us today to learn more!