I’ve been a Litigation Support Specialist for almost 20 years. I learned on the job after college in 2005 when the word eDiscovery started to be tossed around. So, you may ask why someone like me would need to go through the time and cost of the CEDS exam. Here’s why.

I would have loved the benefit of a structured certification course to learn about eDiscovery instead of learning it piecemeal. Knowing all the legal terminology better helps you when working with attorneys. Ultimately, I wanted something globally recognized as a stamp of approval, showing I knew what I was doing professionally.

We in the eLitigation world sometimes get stuck in bubbles. Some of us only work on certain portions of the EDRM. I got primarily stuck in processing to presentation (sometimes mostly presentation). However, ACEDS’ certification ensures you understand all phases of the EDRM, how they’re connected, and the rules of discovery.

Signing up

The cost of the standard CEDS prep and exam package is $1495. That comes with access to video modules, a study manual, and one chance to pass the exam. ACEDS offers discounts for these packages throughout the year, usually on major holidays, Cyber Monday, Black Friday, etc. The discount can range from 20% to 30% off. That takes down much of the price, so jumping on those deals is best. I recommend following ACEDS on social media to learn when discounts are offered. A discount can add to less pressure to dive into the certification process. I was worried about spending a lot of money and not passing, which caused me to delay signing up.

Prepping for the exam

So, I purchased and was given one year to study and pass the test. Now, at this point in my life, I’m a 40-year-old with a busy work and family life who hasn’t taken a challenging exam since college. I knew I had to take it slowly to shake off the rust. ACEDS will give you a suggested study schedule for a 3, 6, or 12-week plan, which is good, but I made my own plan.

First, I went through the 11 video modules when I had time. Next, I watched the three recorded prep sessions, which covered everything in the modules but in a much shorter compressed format. Now, why would I rewatch similar content? The key to passing the exam is knowing all the buzzwords and the situations in which they come up. Not only did I watch both sets of videos, I watched them twice. Soon, you will pick up on keywords like TAR, clawback, or spoliation, and when those terms come up in litigation. Pay attention to the example scenarios as well.

Next, I took the practice exam to measure my understanding of the material. The practice exam is comprised of retired questions from the actual exam. It’s a great way to understand the format and questions of the exam. But I gained another great value from the practice exam: It allowed me to know how fast I should work to complete the actual exam.

After that, I dove into what I thought would be the most tedious part of exam prep: the study manual. However, I can’t stress enough how important it is to read through this guide. It is a repeat of the material in the videos but slightly different and sometimes more in-depth. Now, I have always been a visual learner, and that’s why I started with the videos. So, this is how I handled the manual: I converted it to speaking text. You get it as a PDF, so I converted it to Microsoft Word and used the Read Aloud function under the review tab. It will read in a pleasant voice, and the words will be highlighted as you read along. It helped me absorb the information.

I recommend watching the recorded session prep videos and reading/listening to the study manual the week of your exam. The simplest and best advice for taking this exam is to take it immediately after doing the bulk of the prep. I took the exam on a Thursday and did a final set of study binging the three days before. You want it fresh in your mind. I took off the day before and the day of the exam. You don’t want to be distracted by stuff at work, and you should be relaxed.

Another thing you can do to prepare is to read/watch other materials. Sign up for the ACEDS webinars and pay attention to the buzzwords from the lessons. You should subscribe to blogs like eDiscovery Today. Another great resource is eDiscovery Assistant’s case of the week. You will get real-life examples of eDiscovery issues where you can again link what you learned from the prep course and be better prepared for the scenario-based questions.

The Exam

The exam comprises 145 scenario-based questions with a 4-hour time limit. You will not be asked what a load file is or define Rule 34. The questions are also multiple choice but fashioned to pick the very best answer. Some options will look very similar, but you must pick the one that best solves the scenario.

Taking the exam is like running a marathon. Make sure you eat well and are hydrated because you can’t bring anything into the exam room. You wouldn’t think that sitting and answering questions would be a drain on your body, but three hours in, I could feel my energy dropping.

You want to pace yourself but not take too long on a particular question. Stay positive; don’t let doubt pause you. You can tag the questions you are unsure of and go back to them. My method was to give my gut answer, tag it, and return to it if I had time. I didn’t want to gamble having unanswered questions if I ran out of time.

Results

The passing score for the CEDS exam is 69.6%. So, after all my efforts I hit the final submit button on the exam. On the next screen, in tiny font, I read PASS and my grade. I called the ACEDS office to confirm my grade in case my exhaustion was causing hallucinations. What a great feeling to know that all my efforts not only in studying but in my career paid off. I can finally add the prestigious title of Certified E-Discovery Specialist to my name. You can do it too! Good luck, I’ll be rooting for you!

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.