What is Document Review?

If you went to law school and are looking for a job outside of a traditional law firm, or need some work while preparing for the bar exam, document review might be for you! Below, a recent law school graduate gives an inside look at document reviewer positions.

What Is Document Review?

1. What exactly is document review?

Document review is a process during discovery where each party reviews documents for relevance. To break it down even more: “Discovery” is a period of time where each party can request documents from the other side. The other side hands over documents. Then the requesting party has to review all of the documents to see if they are relevant to the case. Document reviewers will review documents that are sent or requested to see if they are privileged or confidential.

Document review workers (attorneys, or students studying for the bar exam) will review documents uploaded to a computer software program. A typical day entails the document reviewer clicking on each assigned document and coding it for responsiveness, privilege and confidentiality issues. Specific guidelines detail responsive, privileged and confidential documents. Once a 1st level reviewer codes each document, it is then sent to the Quality control (QC) team of attorneys to review.

2. What does a document reviewer’s day look like?

Document reviewers are glued to the computer for up to 8 hours each day. Reviewers typically code hundreds of documents each day. Reviewers must be fast, yet efficient and accurate so they code correctly. If a document is marked responsive but not privileged, it’s available for the other party to discover and thus could hurt the party’s case.

3. How enjoyable is the work?

Document review can be monotonous because there is no in-depth analysis of the documents. However, doc review is good for those looking for a stress free legal job and a steady income. The pay is good especially for those who have not been able to acquire their bar license or secure a permanent attorney job at a law firm or corporation.

4. Are document reviewer jobs in high demand?

Document review is in high demand. Most law firms are going into e-discovery. Law firms or review agencies hire attorneys on a contract basis. Some projects could last an entire year. Some, however, last only a week to three months. There is great flexibility for document review attorneys to practice law while earning some extra income reviewing documents. On the other hand document review can hurt your chances of working at a law firm. If it is the only legal experience you have, it is easy to be overlooked.

5. What are the pros and cons of document review?

If you are wondering what the pros and cons of document review are, please see this post, where we give you a detailed depiction of both the pros and the cons.

For more posts related to working, please see this link.

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