Relativity Fest 2025 is coming up in a week! Here are six Relativity Fest 2025 sessions to check out during next week’s conference!

Relativity Fest is an annual conference designed to educate and connect the eDiscovery community, and it’s taking place this year October 7-9 in Chicago. As usual, there will be over 100 sessions across a variety of session tracks, ranging from Industry Insights to sessions that offer Continuing Legal Education (CLE) to sessions that promote Community & Culture. Not to mention workshops and other sessions for those looking to learn more about Relativity’s capabilities, strategies for using it to address today’s eDiscovery and legal challenges, and more!

There are also 249(!) speakers for this year’s event. And I’m excited to be one of them, as you’ll see below. And it’s really hard to pick just six sessions to check out. Nonetheless, here are six Relativity Fest 2025 sessions you may want to check out.

Tuesday, October 7, 2025

3:00 PM-3:45 PM CT

Exploring EDRM Innovations: Update on EDRM 2.0, Project Team Showcases & Open Calls for Contributors, Grand Hall IJ

We invite you to join EDRM for a dynamic and engaging discussion during Relativity Fest. This panel is designed to highlight the pioneering work being done by various EDRM project teams. The EDRM 2.0 project team is reimaging the modernization of the iconic EDRM model, join in the discussion!

The panel will offer an exclusive look into the latest advancements and accomplishments in eDiscovery, AI, information governance and more. Leaders from EDRM project teams will present their recent work, diving into their processes, methodologies, challenges faced, and their innovative solutions.

But this isn’t just a showcase – it’s also an invitation. Each presenter will also make an open call for new contributors to their project, should they need new contributors- providing a unique opportunity for attendees to get involved in cutting-edge EDRM work. Prospective contributors will gain insights into the specific needs and collaboration opportunities within each project, offering a direct route to meaningful participation in the EDRM community.

This is an exceptional chance to hear from the innovators shaping the future of eDiscovery and beyond, understand the current landscape of eDiscovery, and potentially find a project that aligns with your own professional interests and aspirations. Whether you’re an industry veteran, a novice eager to contribute, or someone interested in the intersection of law and technology, this discussion is sure to inspire and motivate.

Don’t miss the opportunity to be part of this vital conversation, helping shape the future of eDiscovery and beyond. Join us, explore the ongoing projects, and you may just find the perfect opportunity to further engage with the Global EDRM Project Community.

Speakers: David Cohen, CEO, ATJustice; Khryshna McKinney, Principal, K L McKinney; Stephanie Clerkin, Director of Litigation Support, Korein Tillery; Shannon Bales, Senior Manager of Litigation Support, Munger Tolles and Olson; Sheila Grela, Sr. Paralegal | Certified eDiscovery Specialist, Buchalter.

Wednesday, October 8, 2025

10:45 AM-11:45 AM CT

AI in the Courtroom: A Mock Argument on Generative AI for Document Review, Regency C

No court has yet issued an opinion on the use of generative AI for document review and production – what does that mean for its use now? Join us for a mock argument before the court where plaintiff and defense counsel will go head-to-head arguing for and against the use of Relativity aiR for Review in their case. The judge will issue a ruling and then the audience will get a chance to weigh in.

Speakers: Scott Milner, Partner, Morgan Lewis; Honorable Andrew Peck, Senior counsel, DLA Piper; Michelle Six, Gunster; Cristin Traylor, Senior Director, AI Transformation and Law Firm Strategy, Relativity.

1:00 PM-2:00 PM CT

The 12th Annual Relativity Fest Judicial Panel, Grand Ballroom

2025 marks the 10th anniversary of the 2015 e-discovery amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. As we’ve gone from the Era of Electronically Stored Information to the Era of Artificial Intelligence, have the 2015 Amendments stood the test of time?  Has AI made the 2015 amendments obsolete? Join us for our annual gathering of some of the leading jurists in data law, as we examine pressing issues in e-discovery specifically and legal data intelligence generally. What challenges has AI brought to compliance with ABA Model Rule of Professional Conduct 1.1 for technological competence?  How active should judges be in the discovery process? Should judges be referees in ESI protocols or even AI protocols?  What about preserving attorney-client privilege and the protections of the work product doctrine the Era of AI? What are the differences in federal and state court and before tribunals in other nations? Join us for our annual engaging discussion with the judges on these issues and more.

Speakers: David Horrigan, Discovery Counsel & Legal Education Director, Relativity; U.S. Magistrate Judge Allison Goddard, U.S. District Court; Hon. Justice Tanya R. Kennedy, Associate Justice, Appellate Division, First Department; U.S. Magistrate Judge William Matthewman, Chief United States Magistrate Judge, United States Courts; U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez, U.S. District Judge, Western District of Texas.

2:30 PM-3:30 PM CT

The e-Discovery State of the Union, Regency C

A popular program at Relativity Fest for over a decade, the e-Discovery State of the Union brings together the media and the law, where leading journalists, lawyers, judges, technologists, and other industry experts discuss the top e-discovery law and legal data issues affecting your work, your practice, and even your life outside the office. In our traditional game show format moderated by Relativity’s David Horrigan, this CLE class is open to all, and we call the State of the Union “substantive fun” because you’ll come away learning important information from legal experts and legal media leaders.

Speakers: Robert Ambrogi, Publisher, LawSites/LawNext; Meribeth Banaschik, Equity Partner, Europe West Innovation Leader, EY GmbH & Co KG WPG; Greg Buckles, Analyst/Consultant, eDJ Group; Rhys Dipshan, Editor-in-Chief, Legal Technology, Law.com / ALM Media; Jessica Tseng Hasen, Senior Counsel, Head of E-Discovery Practice, Perkins Coie; David Horrigan, Discovery Counsel & Legal Education Director, Relativity; Ryan O’Leary, Research Director, IDC; Joe Patrice, Senior Editor, Above the Law; Emma Young, Regional Manager (APAC) – Electronic Data Management, DLA Piper.

3:30 PM-4:45 PM CT

Case Law Update, Regency C

In the Case Law Update, we’ll examine recent court decisions in data law, including e-discovery and related legal data intelligence areas. With perspectives from the bench, the bar, legal academia, and the legal media, we’ll analyze some of the year’s noteworthy court decisions, examine trends in e-discovery decisions, and continue our tradition of each speaker selecting a “Topic of the Year,” examining cases that illustrate how clients are handling and, on occasion, spoliating data as well as decisions that may have a substantial impact on the law.

Speakers: Doug Austin, Editor, eDiscovery Today; U.S. Magistrate Judge Allison Goddard, U.S. District Court; Professor William Hamilton, Master Legal Skills Professor, University of Florida Levin College of Law; David Horrigan, Discovery Counsel & Legal Education Director, Relativity; Kelly Twigger, CEO and Founder, Minerva26.

Thursday, October 9, 2025

2:45 AM-3:45 PM CT

Navigating the Ethical Maze: Generative AI in e-Discovery, Regency C

When it comes to generative AI in e-discovery, there are so many ways to turn. Add ethics into the equation, and it’s easy to get lost. Watch the discussion on the practical implications of your ethical obligations when using generative AI in e-discovery. We promise to help you make the right choices and escape the maze!

Speakers: Bobby Malhotra, Partner & Chair, eDiscovery and Information Governance Practice, Winston & Strawn LLP; Meredith Perlman, Senior Counsel, Hilgers Graben; Cristin Traylor, Senior Director, AI Transformation and Law Firm Strategy, Relativity.

Those are six Relativity Fest 2025 sessions that I plan to check out (one is obvious). 🙂

The full interactive agenda is here. Even if you can’t make it, Relativity Fest is still one of the few conferences that supports virtual and in-person attendance! Register to attend Relativity Fest 2025 virtually or in-person here.

In addition to speaking, I will be covering the conference as press and will be reporting on notable educational sessions each day. Hope to see you there! And I will have a preview of some notable sessions to check out next week!

So, what do you think? Are you attending any of the six Relativity Fest 2025 sessions I highlighted above? 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.