It seems that we're right on track with our predictions and insights about the growing need for qualified professionals in the Litigation Support and eDiscovery fields. In months past, we reported that there simply are not enough experienced professionals to go around according to the most recent Socha-Gelbmann Report. Recently, The Cowan Group has published a recent survey that indicates hiring is up for litigation and eDiscovery professionals. Is it time to expand your career into one of the hottest arenas in the legal field?Hours are Up
* 69 law firms have reported an increase in hours worked by their litigation support departments.
* 22 corporations reported an increase in hours worked by their litigation support departments.
Work on New Matters is Up
* 58 law firms reported an increase in litigation support and eDiscovery workload from new case matters
* 15 corporations reported an increase in litigation support and eDiscovery workload from new case matters
Work on Existing Matters is Up
* 59 law firms reported a new increase in litigation support and eDiscovery workload from existing case matters
* 16 corporations reported a new increase in litigation support and eDiscovery workload from existing case matters
Hiring Plans are Up
* 51 law firms reported plans to add to their litigation support and eDiscovery staff
* 12 corporations reported plans to add to their litigation support and eDiscovery staff
Training Budgets are Up
* 22 law firms reported increases in their budget for training their litigation support staff
* 7 corporations reported increases in their budget for training their litigation support staff
Technical Investment Budgets are Up
* 26 law firms reported increases in their budget for purchasing new litigation technology
* 8 corporations reported increases in their budget for purchasing new litigation technology
“This is good news for all professionals working in litigation support and eDiscovery,” says David Cowen, Founder of The Cowen Group. “As our industry rebuilds momentum, demand for talent and vendor support will continue to grow. Decision-makers should use this information to plan for the near term and ask themselves whether their internal capacity can handle the rapid acceleration in workload – and what effect it'll have on both the price of talent and vendor services.”
Be sure to check out The OLP's eDiscovery and Litigation Supportonline, interactive courses and webinars for attorneys, litigation support and eDiscovery professionals along with KNOW'swebinars and online courses for paralegals. Don't miss out on education that can further your career and move you up the corporate ladder.
Article by David Kaufer courtesy of Yahoo.com news and LitigationSupportCareers.com