Manager Management

Laura Elwood

eMail: ********@*****.***

Skills Summary:

• Excellent background in project management, out of the box solutions, and organizing complex litigation matters. Exceptional problem resolution skills and solutions for eDiscovery matters of varying sizes.

• Skilled in Summation Enterprise, WebBlaze. CaseMap, Trial Director, Microsoft Office products, familiarity with ClearWell, Relativity, as well as many other litigation management software solutions and data management including but not limited to applications Microsoft Windows and for Mac.

• Experienced in developing and building client and vendor relationships locally and nationally. Including, but not limited to vendor contract negotiations.

• Senior paralegal and case manager with emphasis on litigation case management and eDiscovery including complex matter protocol and process procedures.

Career Experience

Greene Espel P.L.L.P. - Sr. Paralegal/Case Manager October 1998 – March 2012

Minneapolis, MN

• Assist with all aspects of complex litigation:

o Draft pleadings; Exhibit selection; Witness interviews; Establish procedures for document collections, all eDiscovery aspects from collections, to processing and production; assist with the procedures and protocols for the Rule 26 conferences; assist with litigation holds; work closely with corporate IT representatives in collection processes;

• Negotiate contracts with litigation support vendors including engagement terms, billing rates, discounts and alternative fee arrangements, monitor performance, billing and quality control;

• Represent the litigation team as the lead paralegal and case manager. Duties include:

o Development of key protocols and procedures for litigation team to follow during document collection and fact analysis process (lawyers, paralegals, vendors and contract employees);

o Keep clients informed as to the status of the matter and explain any billing questions that may arise;

o Make decisions with the lead counsel on expanding the litigation teams to include additional lawyers, paralegals and litigation support vendors;

o Keep all vendor contacts and follow through on vendor service payment and collection of fees and expenses;

• Create the process for selecting and engaging service vendors in all aspects of eDiscovery;

• Present to clients eDiscovery plans; create strategies and assist with litigation holds and preservation letters;

• Assist with the eDiscovery protocols used in the 26(f) conference and pre-litigation meet and confers;

• Assist with drafting responses to non party subpoenas requesting electronic data;

• Prepare and present new technology and data management practices to the paralegal group;

• Prepare and present eDiscovery document management problem solving to clients;

• Prepare and present case organization techniques using particular software through vendor lunch and learn programs;

• Assist with case and project budgeting analysis for corporate clients;

• Assist with the development, preparation and implementation of internal eDiscovery processes; Monitor the same through various stages of litigation including budget comparisons to actual expenses;

• Assess needs for using early case assessments tools, staffing and other planning for matters;

• Implement an evaluation of service providers and of the vendor relationships,

• Create RFP’s for eDiscovery vendors, review proposals, interview and assist in ultimate decision making on hiring the appropriate vendor for matters;

• Assist with developing coding/training protocols;

• Utilize litigation software and vendor service resources to bring cost savings to clients;

• Work with co-counsel and opposing counsel in negotiating vendor contracts for overall cost savings on document productions and objective database coding;

• Create training materials and train client’s employees for multi-media environmental government inspection of facility and government review of documents at the facility;

• Participate in firm committees including; e-discovery; scholarship; charitable contributions; social; record retention and office space.

Faegre & Benson - Paralegal December 1996 – September 1997

Minneapolis, MN

• Assist with complex construction litigation matters;

• Prepare discovery and pleadings for Federal Courts and for arbitration with American Arbitration Association panel;

• Negotiate vendor services and litigation support services; review vendor bills and client bills to make sure the services delivered adhered to the client billing guidelines;

• Attend and assisted with multi-million dollar arbitration proceedings;

• Manage database documents used in arbitration organization and proceedings;

Austin Carey, Jr., P.C. - Paralegal 1993 - 1996

Hartford, CT

• Assisted with all aspects of small start-up law firm. Including software selections; billing review; vendor negotiations and building client relationships and prepared and assisted with all firm promotional presentations.;

• Develop computer databases and spreadsheets used in litigation and settlement negotiations;

• Use of Decision Tree Analysis in calculating probabilities that were used in Superfund Potentially Responsible Party settlement negotiations;

• Established contacts at governmental agencies for all regulatory work;

• Researched and assisted with interpretation of various local, state and federal permits and regulations;

• Reviewed and tested computer programs for all aspects of the office.

Cohn & Birnbaum - Paralegal 1991 - 1993

Hartford, CT

• Assisted in the Land Use and Environmental Practice Area.

• Prepared exhibits for administrative and State Court hearings;

• Coordination and planning of environmental issue education seminars; attended by several hundred clients;

• Conducted environmental due diligence for corporate clients, for financial institutions and for commercial real estate developers.

Johnson & Richter, PLLP – Landscape Architect 1988 - 1991

Avon, CT

• Assisted with local, state and federal wetland permitting;

• Prepared and assisted with public presentations, presentations to clients and presentations to governmental agencies;

• Designed and managed aspects of the construction of commercial projects and large scale residential projects;

• Prepared planning and zoning applications and wetland and open space applications for submission to various Connecticut municipalities.

Education

B.L.A. in Landscape Architecture

Iowa State University, Ames, IA 1988

• Tau Sigma Delta, Architectural Honor Fraternity;

• Teaching assistant for Grading and Drainage and Architectural Graphic.

Organizations and Seminars

Women in eDiscovery

Minneapolis/St. Paul 2012 Board of Directors, Assistant Director

2009-present

Minnesota Women Lawyers Association

Associate Member 2001-present

Case Organization – managing electronic data

Presented to the University of Minnesota Office of General Counsel/Litigation Department November 2010 and March 2011

CaseMap – You want me to What? Preparing for Trial at the outset of your case

Shepherd Data Lunchtime Learning Series,

Guest Lecturer July 2011

Ramsey County Bar Association – Litigation Holds

For CLE Credit to members of the Ramsey Bar Assn

Guest Lecturer with Larry Espel October 2011

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