Consilio in Action - Monique Artiles, Meredith Churchwell and Brian Chmura

Consilio in Action: Navigating a Fortune 500 Company’s Complex FTC Second Request

In an impressive display of legal acumen and project management, a Consilio team executed a swift and comprehensive document review in response to the FTC’s second request regarding a Fortune 500 client’s acquisition of another company that would expand its areas of expertise.

Team Composition and Strategy

The Consilio project co-directors were Brian Chmura as the review team lead and project manager and Meredith Churchwell as the lead review manager. Providing strategic oversight was Monique Artiles, Consilio’s review solutions senior director. Under this leadership assembled a formidable team consisting of nearly 250 reviewers and review managers, all based in the United States.

“We quickly put together a team of talented review managers and experts from Consilio’s Analytics group, who were able to jump into the third-party-hosted workspace and help us organize the review as efficiently as possible. We also had 10 review managers over the life of the matter to ensure the large review team was supported and able to complete the work on time,” Brian explains.

With contributions from Consilio’s Antitrust Practice Group, a cross-functional review management team, which included second request experts and analytics team members, assisted with the structure of the review. The team maintained consistent and close collaboration with the client and its Am Law 100 outside counsel firms during the litigation phase. This approach ensured strategic alignment with the client’s evolving needs.

Plethora of Data and Tight Timeline Challenges

Faced with an unprecedented volume of data and an aggressively tight timeline, the team encountered challenges that demanded flexibility and swift adaptation. Dynamic changes in date ranges and custodians required the team to continuously adjust its strategies.

“The quick timelines and large population posed the biggest potential challenges,” shares Meredith, review manager on this and many other of this client’s projects.

High throughput and maintaining efficient communication were also significant hurdles.

Meredith continues, “For this particular matter, constant communication and flexibility to maneuver between competing priorities, while ensuring timelines were met, proved essential.”

The team overcame these obstacles by leveraging Consilio’s advanced analytics capabilities and adapting review strategies in real time. They maintained a strong communication loop with the client and outside counsel, ensuring effective resolution of issues to keep on task with project goals.

The Accomplishment

The team’s effort culminated in the successful completion of the review of 1.5 million documents within the challenging six-and-a-half-week time frame. Effectively managing a large, remotely dispersed team across the U.S. was a significant achievement, underscoring the team’s capability in coordinating complex tasks. Additionally, the team efficiently handled a second phase of review involving 600,000 documents in five weeks. Throughout the project, the team maintained trust and open communication channels with the client, reinforcing Consilio’s role as a strategic partner.

Following the two rounds of review by Consilio, this Fortune 500 company achieved its goal of completing the acquisition.

Critical Success Factors

The project’s success hinged on several key factors. First, the ability to assemble, manage and lead a large working group under strict time constraints was instrumental in achieving results. Also, the long-standing relationship and deep trust between Consilio and this client, which were particularly evident in the teamwork of Brian, Monique and Meredith, facilitated an efficient and collaborative work environment.

“Trust is very important. Having good communication helps us keep that trust,” notes Monique.

The team’s ability to scale operations rapidly and adapt to changing requirements was pivotal in meeting the project’s objectives. Utilizing advanced analytics and technology streamlined the review process, enabling the team to meet challenging deadlines. Lastly, continuous, clear and open communication with the client and counsel ensured alignment with goals and swift problem-solving, which were critical for the project’s success.