6 Incredible Litigation Support Tools (and How to Leverage Them)

For busy attorneys and law firms, the best litigation support tools can be a game-changer. From lessening the workload and increasing overall efficiency to strengthening cases and boosting win rates, these tools can greatly improve both a firm’s revenue and results.

But what litigation support tools are best, and which ones should you invest your firm’s hard-earned dollars in? Here are the top six, according to litigation support specialists:

1. FTK Imager — For forensic accounting or any sort of forensic computer imaging, EnCase software is often used. The FTK Imager can help take these image files, analyze them, and extract data and specific file types contained within. You can then pull out any potential files you might need and send them to your technician or support team for processing.

2. Snagit or PicPick — If you’re doing eDiscovery or someone on your team is, both Snagit and PicPick can let you pull out quick and simple screenshots of what they find. You can take shots of the entire window, screen, or small-defined snippets, whatever your case calls for. These tools also let you easily share your screenshots, via email or a file-sharing tool, with others on your team or network.

3. Tableau — You don’t have to outsource every forensic task — at least not with Tableau. The tool lets you DIY your forensic litigation discovery without contaminating evidence. Tableau is a write blocker, meaning it can acquire data from a machine without damaging its contents. It’s best used on SATA or IDE hard drives.

4. Beyond Compare — When you’re dealing with large electronic data files, it can sometimes be hard to keep track of it all, let alone sort through it and spot important trends. With Beyond Compare, you can easily compare data files from one source to another. This can be used 1) to ensure that you’ve properly copied all data from its source to your network or database, 2) help you spot differences in folder or file structures, and 3) notice anything out of place. It makes comparing large amounts of data easy with different colored highlights and filters. Beyond Compare is especially helpful if you’re often getting interrupted during large file transfers and can’t figure out where you left off or what’s missing.

5. 7 Zip — A free program from Windows, this one’s a must-have for anyone in the legal world. It lets you compress large files into smaller, more compact folders that can be attached, emailed, or messaged to other parties. 7 Zip also lets you password-protect your zipped files, a vital feature when the data contains private, confidential details. There are also levels of compression: normal, maximum, and ultra. For extra-large files, ultra will give you the smallest compressed folder in return, making it easier to attach to emails and send to others without fear of bounce-back.

6. Directory Lister Pro — A well-known tool in litigation support services, Directory Lister Pro lets you easily pull out the full file listing of any CD, DVD, server directory, or hard drive. It cuts out a great deal of manual time and can make going through large files and media devices much more efficient. You can even customize how file listings look, export them into handy CSV files, and pull them into Excel for extra organization.

In addition to these tools, strong litigation support services can also improve results. At LORR, we offer everything from electronic file storage and legal videography to subpoena services, citations, and record retrieval.

Contact a litigation support specialist at LORR today to learn more or get the help you need. For record retrievals, fill out our online request form, and we’ll get started right away.