Right Discovery Staff Writer
The Masters Conference brought the heat to Atlanta on November 13, and one of the strongest highlights of the day was when our very own CEO of Right Discovery, Kevin M Clark took the stage and was joined by an all-star panel:
Nima Adabi, Kirkland & Ellis LLP
Alex Khoury, Smith Gambrell Russell
Nicole Bass, Hilgers Graben
Elliot Bienenfeld, Beasley Allen
This spirited, funny, and surprisingly human conversation on eDiscovery’s most complicated frontier — early data intelligence. Hosted at King & Spalding, the session “From Chaos to Clarity: Turning Early Data Insights into Strategic Advantage” drew a full room of practitioners, technologists, and curious attendees ready to learn how smarter early-case tactics can completely reshape downstream results. And Kevin did not disappoint — blending humor, insight, and real-world experience to keep the panel lively from start to finish.
Together, this panel set the tone early: eDiscovery isn’t just drowning in data — it’s drowning in complexity. Formats, platforms, AI-generated content, global repositories… the technical landscape has evolved faster than many organizations can track, leaving teams scrambling to make sense of the basics. As Nicole noted, even identifying where data lives is a challenge today, as clients increasingly rely on dozens of tools, apps, and communication channels that often aren’t documented anywhere.
The panel dove into how proactive planning — data mapping, litigation readiness assessments, and meaningful collaboration with clients — can dramatically cut down on chaos. Nima emphasized the dangers of “beautiful policies that no one follows,” explaining how outdated or ignored playbooks lead to confusion, risk, and in some cases, even sanctions. Elliot echoed this sentiment with one of the day’s most memorable lines: the problem often isn’t the plan — it’s the humans. The panel swapped stories of miscommunication, lost data, and the realities of clients who swear they know where their documents are… until they don’t.
But the real heart of the session came through in the discussion on custodial interviews — which Kevin cleverly called “the lost art” of eDiscovery. While the industry often fixates on the latest tools, analytics, and GenAI, the panel reminded the audience that nothing replaces face-to-face human connection. Elliot shared why he still drives hours to meet custodians in person, noting that you discover things you’ll never find over Zoom — from unlabeled binders in an office corner to forgotten drives in a desk drawer.Nicole’s story about a tough seven-hour interview with a volatile CEO had the room buzzing, reminding everyone that rapport, empathy, and curiosity can unlock critical case insights no tool can replicate.
Of course, technology wasn’t off the table. Alex explained how GenAI tools are giving merits counsel earlier access to the story buried inside document sets — allowing them to test theories and explore facts far sooner than traditional workflows allow. Early data intelligence, when paired with thoughtful analytics, can reshape negotiations, narrow the scope of discovery, and help teams anticipate risks long before review begins. Still, the consensus was clear: these tools enhance human judgment, not replace it. The smartest strategies blend early AI-driven insights with old-school investigative instincts.
As the panel wrapped — right before everyone headed upstairs for rooftop cocktails — Kevin emphasized the balance between innovation and humanity. Yes, GenAI can jumpstart case strategy. Yes, ECA workflows can save enormous time and cost. But at the end of the day, success still depends on communication, trust, and relationships — within legal teams, with clients, and with custodians who hold the keys to the narrative hiding inside the data. The message was clear: the future of eDiscovery belongs to teams who can marry technology with human insight.
It was an engaging, funny, and incredibly informative session — one that captured exactly why the Masters Conference is such a staple in the industry each year. And for Kevin, it was another strong moment leading meaningful dialogue in the eDiscovery community.
Key Takeaways
• Early planning beats late scrambling — proactive data mapping and readiness assessments reduce risk and cost.
• Custodial interviews remain one of the most powerful (and underused) tools in eDiscovery.
• Human behavior creates most of the friction in discovery, not the technology.
• GenAI and early analytics help teams understand case facts sooner than ever before.
• Technology should support legal judgment, not replace it.
• Search term battles often drain time without adding value — early intelligence can break the cycle.
• Cross-team collaboration (legal, IT, vendors, custodians) is essential to clarity and strategic advantage.
A special thanks to host, King & Spalding for this great event in Atlanta!
Right Discovery is a proud sponsor of the Masters Conference & Masters Conference Legal Events.
Topics: Masters Conference Atlanta, eDiscovery strategy, early case assessment, early data insights, Kevin Clark Right Discovery, GenAI in legal tech, data mapping best practices, custodial interviews, litigation readiness, AI-driven analytics, discovery cost reduction, legal technology trends, information governance, defensible workflows, strategic discovery planning