Innovating Justice: How DiCello Levitt Is Redefining Plaintiff-Side Ediscovery
In a rapidly evolving legal landscape that’s marked by an explosion of data and an ever-increasing demand for efficiency, law firms are increasingly recognizing that embracing advanced legal technology isn't just an option—it's a necessity.
Among the firms leading this charge is DiCello Levitt, a plaintiff-focused powerhouse that has seamlessly integrated technology into the very fabric of its operations. Its unwavering commitment to representing plaintiffs, even against the nation's most formidable corporations, is just part of what sets them apart in the field. Their diverse case portfolio spans medical malpractice, mass torts, and complex class actions.
DiCello’s unwavering commitment to innovation, coupled with the right technological partnership, has revolutionized the landscape of plaintiff-side law, and empowered legal teams to achieve unprecedented outcomes for those they represent.
At the forefront of this technological approach is Mark Abramowitz, a distinguished partner and the head of DiCello Levitt's ediscovery department who’s been practicing law for nearly 15 years. He’s made it a point to incorporate technology into his practice from the beginning of his legal career, and now brings that expertise to his work at DiCello.
"Being a technology-forward firm is part of the core of what makes DiCello Levitt special," Abramowitz said. “Utilizing every tool we have to help bring justice to those we represent is paramount to what we do. If you are not utilizing every tool at your disposal, you're failing in that mission.”
Taming the Data Deluge
The sheer volume of data in contemporary legal matters presents an unprecedented challenge for today’s legal professionals.
Not only is the amount of data growing at a seemingly exponential rate, but so too are the channels and places on which it's housed. The shift to remote work has led to an abundance of structured communication that was previously uncaptured.
Email chains have given way to constant streams of text messages, Microsoft Teams chats, and Slack messages, making it challenging to contextualize conversations. However, the responsibility remains to locate and produce all relevant information.
“At the heart of what we do, whether on the plaintiff side, like we are, or the defense side, is looking for the truth,” Abramowitz said. “That truth might be in those Teams messages or Slacks, and being able to find ways to connect that together to get the context needed out of those chats without being too invasive is a task we're all trying to tackle as best as we can.”
The non-traditional channels this data is now coming from is overwhelming for legal teams that are trying to process and search through it to find what’s useful to their case.
“Some of the most surprising devices we've started collecting from have been shocking to me,” Abramowitz said. “Things like Ring cameras, which record what's going on around them when somebody triggers it, or thermostats that are triggered to go on or off depending on the time of day. These types of devices are now becoming part of the repertoire of things that we're looking into and gathering from on a normal basis.”
A Strategic Shift to the Cloud
Foreseeing this explosion in data years ago, DiCello Levitt recognized the need for a robust ediscovery solution as early as 2018. Following a rigorous evaluation of various cloud-based platforms, DiCello chose Everlaw based in part on their willingness to partner with DiCello from the outset.
“Everlaw allowed us to have complete and unfettered access to our own databases so we could handle every part of the ediscovery process,” Abramowitz said. “Whether it's ingesting documents from the defense or uploading a native production from our clients, I’m able to be very hands-on.”
The intuitiveness of the Everlaw platform also played a pivotal role in its rapid adoption within DiCello Levitt. Bringing new software into a firm can often be met with resistance and require extensive training. However, Everlaw proved to be remarkably user-friendly.
"It was amazing how intuitive it was to so many of our attorneys and paralegals," Abramowitz said. “Other programs we tried would take weeks and weeks of learning, but with Everlaw, all it took was about 10 to 15 minutes of training to get to a place where you could start reviewing documents. Everyone from our paralegals to one of our founding partners picked it up so easily.”
The Power of Partnership
A recurring theme in Abramowitz’s experience with other ediscovery platforms was the frustrating response of "No" to feature requests or specific needs.
“As we were changing through the different ediscovery platforms trying to find the right one for our firm, we kept on being disappointed by hearing the word, ‘No,’” Abramowitz said. “I understand that ediscovery companies are businesses, but as a user, hearing that ‘Yes’ is really important. Everlaw was one of the only companies that consistently worked with us and partnered with us to get us to yes. The other companies did not do that.”
This commitment to partnership, rather than just providing a product, has been a cornerstone of the successful collaboration between DiCello and Everlaw. As part of this relationship, which Everlaw has with all of its customers, Abramowitz and his team have been instrumental in providing feedback on features and improvements to the platform.
"There are times I've brought up feature requests, and within three months, I see those requests appear in Everlaw," Abramowitz said. “One of the most exciting things for me is seeing one of the feature requests that I asked for. It is unbelievable to have that sort of interaction with a company. Some people call them vendors, but Everlaw to me, is a partner.”
Accelerating Truth with EverlawAI
DiCello's commitment to innovation is perhaps most evident in its eager adoption of generative AI. As one of the early testers of Everlaw's generative AI tools, Abramowitz has been amazed by the rapid growth and capabilities this technology offers. Generative AI is fundamentally transforming how legal organizations process and analyze data, allowing them to uncover the truth of a matter faster and more effectively than ever before.
“One thing in the law that has never changed is the mantra of doing more with less,” Abramowitz said. “But, until now, we've never really had a way to actually accomplish that. With these generative AI tools, Everlaw has essentially provided an extra set of hands that are at the ready all the time. They allow you to do analysis and track down thoughts or hunches that you would not have been able to do before. “
That extra help is not only vital to the attorneys doing the work, but it also offers a competitive advantage over the other side. Abramowitz even goes so far as to compare it to having another attorney on your team.
"It’s like having a young associate who is ready, willing, and able to help you, on your schedule, with whatever you need," Abramowitz said of Everlaw’s suite of generative AI tools, EverlawAI Assistant. "Limitations as to how much time was in a day versus when a deadline was have been radically altered with this technology. That extra help is giving us a leg up. Without Everlaw's generative AI tools, we simply wouldn't be as effective.”
As data continues growing in both volume and complexity, generative AI is going to be crucial to the success of firms like DiCello Levitt.
“Integrating AI into your firm is not happenstance,” Abramowitz said. “It takes work and dedication. You have to be willing to put the time in to do the research, testing, and understanding to figure out which AI is best for you and your firm.”
Creating a Technology-Forward Practice
In a legal world where continuous evolution is not a luxury but a necessity, firms like DiCello Levitt are setting the standard. By strategically integrating advanced legal technology and fostering genuine partnerships with innovators like Everlaw, they are not only streamlining their operations but also fundamentally changing how justice is pursued and achieved in the digital age.
This approach allows DiCello Levitt to cut through the noise of burgeoning data, accelerate discovery processes, and focus more intensely on the core legal arguments and client needs.
"The faster a group can get in and start using a software like Everlaw to find the truth of a case, the faster it can get resolved," Abramowitz said. “At the end of the day, we all want justice for our clients, regardless of what side of the V you're on.”
