Lawrence Peter “Yogi” Berra was a remarkable man. He won 10 World Series championships as a player – more than any other player in MLB history! Take that, Tom Brady! 😉 He even served in World War II and received a Purple Heart! But he’s best known for his quotes, many of which are funny because they’re a tautology or a contradiction, yet they’re smart in their own way. With that in mind, here are ten Yogi Berra quotes and how they can apply to eDiscovery and litigation.

The ten Yogi Berra quotes are in blue below, with the application after each:

“You’ve got to be very careful if you don’t know where you are going, because you might not get there.”

Success in any eDiscovery project or litigation case starts with a well-defined project plan. The more thought out your plan is, the more likely the project will succeed.

“In theory there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice there is.”

Hands-on training is essential to ensuring that you understand how to use the technology, mistakes happen when you assume you understand it based on a demo of the product.

“It was impossible to get a conversation going, everybody was talking too much.”

How many times have we all been in a meeting that has been out of control? Take charge of your meetings, have an agenda (distributed in advance) and step in when needed to keep the participants from talking over each other.

When Yogi was asked about a popular New York restaurant, he said: “No one goes there anymore, it’s too crowded.”

I’ve used this one a lot. We all get so many emails today that people use other forms of communication (texts, chat messages) when they want to reach someone in a hurry. Keep in mind those communications are discoverable in litigation and often relevant.

“I never said most of the things I said.”

Document meetings with your client and follow-up in an email to confirm your understanding of their instructions and what they’re requesting.

When Yogi was receiving a key to the city in New York, Mayor Lindsay’s wife commented on how cool he looked, and he replied: “Thanks. You don’t look so hot yourself.”

Think before you speak (and certainly before you hit “send” on an email or social media post). What you’re saying may be taken differently than you think it will be.

“It gets late early out here.”

Deadlines come quicker than you think they will. Track your progress and adjust if you fall behind schedule.

“It’s like déjà vu all over again.”

How many times have we seen the same mistakes made again and again in discovery? Improperly scoped search terms are one example. Keep yourself educated so that you don’t make the same mistakes everyone else makes.

“It ain’t over till it’s over.”

Sometimes, a ruling can be overturned on appeal, even a case dismissal (like this one, which was overturned twice). Prepare for unexpected contingencies.

And the last of the ten Yogi Berra quotes:

“When you come to a fork in the road, take it.”

Careers (or even life, for that matter) take unexpected turns and the path is not always straightforward. Everything happens for a reason, so enjoy the ride!

Here are more quotes for you to enjoy!

So, what do you think of these ten Yogi Berra quotes?  Can you think of any others that can be applied to the work we do?  Please share any comments you might have or if you’d like to know more about a particular topic.

Disclaimer: The views represented herein are exclusively the views of the author, and do not necessarily represent the views held by my employer, my partners or my clients. eDiscovery Today is made available solely for educational purposes to provide general information about general eDiscovery principles and not to provide specific legal advice applicable to any particular circumstance. eDiscovery Today should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a lawyer you have retained and who has agreed to represent you.