Patent ID: 8645401

Claim:
In an automated electronic information management system, a method for preservation and collection of electronically-stored information (ESI) assets, comprising: receiving a triggering event, the triggering event being one or more of an anticipation of litigation, initiation of a lawsuit, or receipt of a legal discovery request, the triggering event requiring at least the preservation and collection of electronically-stored information (ESI) assets that are relevant to subject matter involved in the triggering event, comprising; identifying a scope of information associated with the triggering event; determining one or more custodians that may have ESI assets that are within the scope of information associated with the triggering event; preparing a report providing scope and size of information relating to keywords, date ranges and other limitations on the information associated with the triggering event; receiving a selection of keywords, date ranges and limitations to narrow the information associated with the triggering event based on a nature and bases of the claims and defenses of the triggering event; preserving information concerning the one or more custodians that may have the ESI assets that are within the selection of keywords, date ranges and limitations for the scope of information associated with the triggering event; electronically gathering the ESI assets that are relevant to the triggering event and storing the electronically gathered ESI assets at a specified memory location; and applying a computer-executable formatting to the stored ESI assets for presenting the stored ESI assets for review.