Class action and multidistrict litigation (MDL) discovery is more complex than ever. Insight Optix discusses rethinking class action & MDL discovery here!

In their two-post series titled (wait for it!) From Overload to Order: Rethinking Class Action and MDL Discovery (available here and here), Insight Optix discusses the financial and operational strain that class action and MDL litigations place on large corporations, especially in discovery. The landscape of class action and MDL discovery has reached a critical inflection point for Fortune 1000 companies. Defense spending on class actions reached $4.21 billion in 2024 – representing 12.5% of total litigation spend – and was projected to rise to $4.53 billion in 2025. This escalation is driven higher by the inherent complexity of discovery in large-scale litigation, which often spans years, involves hundreds of custodians, and generates exponential data growth.

Traditional, reactive discovery methods – characterized by decentralized spreadsheets and inconsistent tracking – are increasingly insufficient for managing the multi-year timelines and parallel proceedings common in modern litigation. To mitigate rising costs and defensibility risks, organizations are transitioning toward centralized discovery governance. By implementing a system of record that utilizes quantitative metrics and standardized workflows, legal departments can transform discovery from a reactive cost center into a strategic advantage, ensuring continuity across staff turnover, multi-party negotiations, and judicial scrutiny.

So, what are the structural challenges of complex discovery? What are the root causes of discovery overload? And how can Evidence Optix provide a centralized system of record for maintaining control over complex, multi-year legal battles? Find out here and here, it’s only one, er two clicks! Rethinking class action & MDL discovery doesn’t just happen, you know! 😉

So, what do you think? How is your organization managing class action & MDL discovery? Please share any comments you might have or if you’d like to know more about a particular topic.

Image created using Ralph Losey’s Visual Muse, using the term “robot lawyer thinking of a great idea”.

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