Client Services Review Attorneys

MARY CLIFFORD

Chicago, Illinois ***** 773-***-**** ************@*****.***

LEGAL MANAGEMENT AND CLIENT SERVICES:

Vigilant Legal Solutions, Chicago IL; Director of Managed Review 2022 – 2025

Worked alongside the company founder to build VLS into a sophisticated managed review operation.

Effectively communicated with clients, law firm personnel, vendor partners and review attorneys to ensure that reasonable expectations were established and successfully met.

Worked consistently and successfully with hundreds of review attorneys, giving them the level of respect and engagement that made the most qualified attorneys want to work for Vigilant again and again. This work included:

o Recruiting, identifying and securing the best, most motivated talent. o Onboarding, managing and eventually terminating our teams, employing procedures and an attitude that satisfied all the parties involved.

o Handling the myriad of day-to-day issues that stem from temporarily employing attorneys.

Responsible for the management of review projects on an operational level. This included: o Leveraging extensive Relativity experience and knowhow into training and supervising review managers and team leads.

o Handling the project management and database management for review projects and special projects personally as needed.

o Coordinating with legal technologists, law firms, review teams and clients to ensure that goals were met on time without undue expense.

Responsible for the operation and execution of unique pilot projects, including review technology testing, AI-based contract management, and specialized review, finding new ways to tailor Vigilant’s capabilities and offerings to client needs.

Became intimately familiar with all aspects of running a small legal services company, gaining a significantly heightened understanding of issues surrounding business development, human resources, payroll, billing, finances, labor law and client management. UnitedLex, Chicago, IL; Senior Consultant 2021 – 2022

Responsible for supervising projects from inception to completion in all aspects, including initial conversations with clients/counsel, supervising team kick-offs, monitoring progress and budgets as well as staffing and timekeeping for team members.

Oversaw a wide range of projects, including but not limited to litigation matters, government subpoenas and a variety of investigations. Collaborated with management colleagues for project success. Trustpoint.One, Chicago, IL; Discovery Consultant 2020 – 2021

Specialized in case assessments and data analysis using advanced technology including an interface between NexLP (Reveal) and Relativity to develop creative solutions for clients for their discovery and investigation needs.

Utilized the results of the data analysis to provide cost reduction and additional value for client matters. Clutch Group - a division of Morae Global, Chicago, IL; Associate Director 2012 – 2020

Began working at Clutch Group as a contract attorney; became a permanent employee after acting as lead and manager for numerous projects; continuously advanced and received promotions from Associate to Senior Associate and then Associate Director during a progression of 8 years with the company.

Successfully developed the skills required to maximize success and achieve client satisfaction for law firms and corporations throughout the lifecycle of projects; such skills include superior written and verbal communication.

Consulted with law firms and corporations regarding customized solutions for eDiscovery and document review needs, with an eye towards delivering high-end work within a reasonable budget.

Engaged with clients to provide strategic planning and tailored solutions as an integral part of end-to- end eDiscovery services as an outsourced provider.

Technically proficient on multiple eDiscovery platforms: Relativity, Kroll OnTrack, Eclipse, Clearwell, Viewpoint and Leverage. Adept at learning new platforms and software. Designated as a Brainspace Certified Analyst and Specialist.

Knowledgeable about wide-ranging portfolios of complex matters in the industry including: government investigations of financial services companies, issues involving pharmaceutical and medical device company’s internal company investigations/employment issues, and a variety of litigation for those companies and others.

o Management examples of note: matters for a major Fortune 500 medical device company for over 6 years, including multiple product liability cases involving a specific medical device for 4 years. o Experience resulted in a depth of knowledge of complex privilege and patient/personal privacy issues.

Responsible for budgeting and maintaining cost estimates and projections.

Supervising and prioritizing a wide-ranging portfolio of matters with local, national and international teams as a global manager.

LAW FIRM ASSOCIATE ROLES:

Ruberry, Stalmack & Garvey; Novak Law Offices; Merlo, Kanofsky & Gregg; Newman Raiz Shelmadine; Chicago, IL 2003 – 2011

Concentrating primarily on complex issues relating to insurance coverage including timing of the trigger of coverage and the applicability of various policy exclusions with detailed research and writing of opinions.

Appearing in court for hearings and oral arguments; taking and defending depositions; issuing and responding to discovery requests; preparing various motions; acting as first and second chair at jury and bench trials. o After taking a plaintiff’s deposition testimony for a long-term lawsuit, negotiated a favorable resolution below the settlement demand and below settlement authority. o Successfully defended motions to compel responses to interrogatories and requests for production. EDUCATION:

Washington University School of Law, St. Louis, MO: Juris Doctor Honors: Scholar in Law (3-year Merit Based Scholarship); Dean’s List St. Francis College, Brooklyn Heights, NY: Bachelor of Arts, English, Magna Cum Laude Honors: Presidential Scholarship (4-year Merit Based Scholarship - Full Tuition); Dean’s List; Recognized for Highest Departmental GPA at Graduation

BAR ADMISSIONS:

Supreme Court of the State of Illinois (Active; Good Standing); US District Court - Northern District of Illinois

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