Duke University School of Law acquires EDRM

Global News

24
Aug
2016

Editor

EDRM (Electronic Discovery Reference Model), the leading standards organization for the e-discovery market, announced today that Duke University School of Law has acquired EDRM. The move advances the missions of both organizations. For EDRM, Duke provides an institutional home with a large and respected organization, ensuring the continued vitality of EDRM.

Duke Law and its Center for Judicial Studies gain resources that expand the center’s involvement in electronic discovery and information governance in support of its mission to promote better understanding of the judicial process and to generate ideas for improving the administration of justice.

 “This agreement sets the stage for an expansion of EDRM efforts in industry education and standards,” says Dean David F. Levi. “E-discovery is a major component of today’s litigation practice, and EDRM provides valuable resources to educate not only experienced practitioners, but also law students and new lawyers about practical discovery problems they will encounter. This acquisition is also an important step in Duke’s continued efforts to bring together the judiciary, legal practitioners, educators and government organizations to advance the understanding of the judicial process and improve the complex processes in the administration of justice.”

“We are proud of the significant impact EDRM has made on education and practices in electronic discovery and information governance since 2005,” says George Socha, co-founder of EDRM. “The achievements of EDRM are a direct result of the hard work of many legal and technology practitioners whose efforts and expertise have improved e-discovery and information governance practices and ultimately the judicial process. Tom Gelbmann and I extend to each of them our sincere appreciation, and we encourage continued participation in this exciting next phase with Duke Law.”

Socha adds, “We are excited that this arrangement will provide the growing EDRM community – working groups, sponsors, providers and legal professionals – a connection with a greatly admired and respected organization. I am personally excited about the opportunity to work with the Center for Judicial Studies staff at Duke.”

Socha will remain with EDRM after the acquisition. EDRM co-founder Gelbmann plans to work with Duke Law for the transition of EDRM programs and will retire later this year. “We are fortunate,” says Levi, “that Tom Hnatowski, former chief of the Magistrate Judges Division of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts, agreed to join the Judicial Studies Center to manage day-to-day operations running EDRM. Tom brings a wealth of experience and a unique perspective to the improvement of the administration of justice with his many years working with U.S. magistrate judges, the front-line judicial officers who handle discovery issues on a daily basis.” 

EDRM member, sponsor and affiliate benefits will continue uninterrupted as EDRM operations transition to the Duke Law management team. An email providing details was sent to all EDRM members on August 23, 2016.