Do Your Homework. In the increasingly overcrowded E-Discovery community, that is one piece of advice that Brian Dykstra and his partner Keith Jones offer Law Firms looking to hire someone for computer forensics help. There are many firms out there all vying after the same business, and experience really plays a factor in who can get the job done accurately and on time. Brian Dykstra and Keith Jones are no strangers to the E-Discovery/Computer Forensics world; in fact, their firm is a leader in the growing industry. Jones Dykstra & Associates is a consulting firm specializing in E-Discovery, Litigation Support, Expert Testimony, Incident Response, Computer Forensics and Computer Security Training Services.

The need for consulting services in these areas is growing, and the importance of companies like Jones Dykstra & Associates has never been clearer. Law firms need to be aware of the options that are out there, and be more equipped to choose a company when they have this type of computer project on their hands. Brian and Keith offer three important pieces of advice when selecting a company to help with E-discovery or Computer Forensics.

1. Get the answers to your questions. The right firms will be able to give you straight answers to your questions about timing, pricing, software, and planning. Those firms that may end up ripping you off will be the ones that avoid your questions and do not take the time to explain the process to you.

2. Select a software-independent vendor. Do not select a vendor that is attached to a limited spread of software packages because in the long run the software is not nearly as important as the company using it. Many companies will use a variety of software depending on the nature of the project. Experience of the consultant is much more important than the type of software a company will use. 

3. Once you hire a company, bring them in up front. Too many times, a law firm will budget and plan an E-discovery project on their own, without consulting the E-discovery firm. This can lead to gross strategic errors that cannot be changed at a later point. Bringing in the consultant up front can save a lot of unnecessary time and money.

In addition to the experience they bring to the table, Jones Dykstra and Associates has developed a unique pricing strategy that makes budgeting for their clients much easier. Instead of billing per hour or per gigabyte used like most similar companies, they will work with a law firm up front to figure out a fixed cost for the entire project. They find that based on the discussions and details learned in the early meetings, they can get an accurate idea of their cost projections. This helps their clients plan better, and there are fewer surprises when clients get the bills. This has helped them earn a lot of repeatable clients as law firms greatly appreciate the ease and predictability that this practice offers.

More and more, law firms are finding the need to hire outside services to provide computer help. And as competition has grown, so has the need for information. Lawyers and law firms need to know what is out there and spend the time and the money to get the jobs done right.

You can find more information on Jones Dykstra & Associates at http://www.jonesdykstra.com.