Case Study 4: Relevant Data Technologies in the TFT-LCD Panel MDL

Client: Alston & Bird LLP, representing Dell and Nokia
Industry: Legal
Services Provided: Advanced E-Discovery and Data Solutions
Summary: Overcome inadequate data productions in a high-stakes antitrust litigation
Result: Discovery of key evidence leading to significant legal victories, including criminal
Background: The TFT-LCD (Thin Film Transistor Liquid Crystal Display) market faced significant legal
scrutiny when major manufacturers were accused of price fixing, affecting global supply chains and
pricing structures. Alston & Bird LLP, representing major clients like Dell and Nokia, was deeply involved
in this multi-district litigation (MDL) and subsequent criminal cases. The firm faced substantial
challenges due to inadequate and deliberately obfuscated data productions from opposing parties.
Challenge: The data provided by the defendants was primarily in Asian languages, lacked crucial
metadata, and was accompanied by broken load files, complicating the process of evidence discovery.
This led to a broken class database, severely hindering the litigation process. Alston & Bird sought a
robust solution that could handle these complexities and invited 11 companies to propose their
methodologies for managing and analyzing the flawed data.
Engagement: Relevant Data Technologies (RDT) was among the firms invited to present their solutions.
From the outset, RDT distinguished itself not only through its technological capabilities but also through
the interpersonal skills of its representatives, underscoring the importance of professional conduct in
business settings.
Findings: RDT presented a pioneering E-Discovery solution tailored to handle non-standard data
formats without requiring metadata. This innovative approach was designed to reconstruct the broken
databases and extract usable information from the inadequate data files provided by the defendants.
RDT’s solution leveraged advanced algorithms and bespoke software to parse, organize, and analyze
the complex datasets, enabling effective data recovery and analysis.
Outcome: A critical moment in RDT’s engagement came unexpectedly. The simple act of holding an
elevator door open led to a positive initial interaction with a key decision-maker from Dell—one of the
primary clients. This gesture of courtesy, while seemingly minor, helped establish a favorable rapport
before the formal presentation.
During the presentation, RDT successfully demonstrated that their solution could efficiently handle the
problematic data sets, unlike their competitors who relied on the presence of metadata. Their
technology not only met the immediate needs of Alston & Bird but also played a crucial role in
uncovering the “smoking gun” evidence. This pivotal discovery contributed to a significant legal victory,
where a high-ranking executive from a major electronics firm was convicted and sentenced early in the
proceedings.
Conclusion: This case exemplifies the integration of technological innovation with professional integrity
and personal conduct in achieving legal success. Relevant Data Technologies’ commitment to
developing and implementing a custom solution under challenging circumstances showcased their
expertise in E-Discovery, directly impacting the outcome of a major legal battle against corporate
malfeasance. The case also highlights how acts of kindness and professionalism can complement
technical prowess to create lasting impressions and achieve strategic objectives