Pharmaceutical Average Wholesale Price Suit
Celerity, a consulting firm specializing in eDiscovery services, worked with a pharmaceutical client facing a legal challenge. The client was accused of reporting inflated average wholesale prices for drugs they manufacture, leading to a lawsuit. Celerity was engaged to provide strategic advice and eDiscovery support to navigate the complexities of the legal proceedings.
Challenges of eDiscovery for Pharmaceutical Wholesale Price Suits
The pharmaceutical client was confronted with a lawsuit alleging the reporting of inflated average wholesale prices for their manufactured drugs. This posed a significant challenge, requiring the client to efficiently manage the discovery process to limit data processing and review costs. Celerity was brought in to guide the initial discovery phase.
Strategy for Price Suit eDiscovery
Celerity formulated a comprehensive strategy to address the legal challenge and minimize costs associated with eDiscovery. The initial step involved providing advice on negotiating search terms to restrict the volume of data processed and reviewed. This strategic approach aimed at focusing on relevant information while avoiding unnecessary expenses.
Celerity further advised on custodian identification and collection methodology. To gather relevant data, a specialized team was dispatched to another state for custodian interviews and collecting both hard copy and electronic data. Targeted and forensic approaches were employed to ensure a thorough and accurate collection process.
Data collected was then loaded into a web-based review platform for relevance and privilege review. In addition, Celerity coordinated the extraction of sales transaction data from SAP and Oracle, loading it into a SQL database. This data was produced to the plaintiffs in a “reasonably usable format” as required by Rule 34 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
Results of eDiscovery for Pharmaceutical Wholesale Price Suits
Celerity’s strategic advice and streamlined approach produced significant results for the pharmaceutical client. By negotiating search terms and implementing an efficient data collection methodology, Celerity successfully limited the amount of data processed and reviewed. This, in turn, resulted in substantial cost savings for the client.
The extraction and production of sales transaction data in a “reasonably usable format” further demonstrated Celerity’s commitment to compliance with legal procedures. The client’s ability to provide relevant information in an accessible format contributed to a smoother legal process.
Key Achievements of eDiscovery
- Cost Savings: Celerity’s advice and streamlined approach estimated to have saved the client hundreds of thousands in processing and review costs.
- Efficient Data Collection: The strategic custodian identification and collection methodology ensured the gathering of relevant information while minimizing unnecessary data processing.
- Compliance and Accessibility: Celerity’s coordination of data extraction and production met legal requirements, providing the plaintiffs with information in a “reasonably usable format.”
Celerity’s expertise in eDiscovery and strategic advice played a pivotal role in helping the pharmaceutical client navigate a challenging legal situation efficiently. The successful negotiation of search terms, streamlined data collection, and compliance with legal procedures not only saved the client substantial costs but also demonstrated Celerity’s commitment to providing effective and tailored solutions in the realm of legal technology and discovery.