"What You Need to Know About the Use of E-mail and Other Electronic Data in Litigation"
Thursday, February 8, 2001

Speaker: Kenneth R. Shear, Vice President
Electronic Evidence Discovery, Inc.

Sponsored by ARMA
The Information Management Professionals
Wyoming Chapter
Co-Sponsored by Wyoming State Archives

Kenneth R. Shear has been the Vice President of Electronic Evidence Discovery, Inc. of Seattle since September of 1993. He enjoys a worldwide reputation as the leading legal authority on electronic evidence. Mr. Shear has published several articles on legal aspects of electronic evidence and delivered presentations to many groups, including the Electronic Mail Association, Harvard Law School, meetings of the ABA, American Corporate Counsel Association (ACCA) and the Association of Records Managers and Administrators (ARMA), among others. Mr. Shear moved to EED after twelve years of litigation practice. At EED he has done extensive work in assisting large and small corporations in dealing with the emerging issues involved with electronic evidence in litigation, particularly in the discovery phase. Mr. Shear heads EED\'92s Technology and Law Division, which develops and tests new automated proprietary discovery tools. Mr. Shear is originally from St. Louis and spent some time clerking for Judge Theodore McMillian of the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals after graduating from Rutgers Law School with high honors.

Our usage of electronic data, particularly e-mail, has exceeded our ability to manage and control of this information. A gold mine of evidential opportunity has been opened to attorneys.  In recent years, electronic data has been scrutinized in litigation at unprecedented levels and some attorneys specialize in the discovery of electronic information.  Computers and servers within Wyoming have already been the target of such discovery.  While our increased use of technology provides great benefits, we must be more keenly aware of the accompanying and increasing risks.