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e-Discovery Frequently Asked Questions

1. Where did the name MerlinOne come from?

   MerlinOne's name is derived from two sources: the Rolls Royce Merlin aircraft engine used during the World War II era (P-51 Mustang, Spitfire), and Merlin the wizard in tales of King Arthur's court. We wanted to merge the raw symphonic power of the engine that allowed air supremacy in Europe with the wisdom and demeanor of the legendary wizard.
   
   Like the engine, MerlinOne is known to our clients for our exceptional performance and stability in critical situations, as well as the wise application of technology to handle real world challenges.

2. You say your tool is fast. How fast is it?

   We know you need to get through more ESI than ever in a small amount of time. For 20 years we have served demanding customers who are over-tasked and understaffed, and they have no time to wait for results. We have succeeded because we built a system to deliver sub-second results to virtually all queries. Why wait when you don't have to?

3. How much will my case cost?

   Cost is one of the great mysteries of e-Discovery - or so it has been for many years. MerlinOne doesn't believe it's right for you to not know what numbers will be on your invoice before it lands on your desk. We offer all our clients, regardless of size, predictable flat-fee pricing. We even take it a step further and don't hide any fees in the fine print for things like OCR on input, email threading or TIFFing for production. Although this may be a novel concept for some, we believe this is just good, respectful business. For the first time you'll be able to predict e-Discovery costs.

4. What costs aren't you telling me about?

   We really mean it! No hidden fees!
   
   MerlinOne believes that giving you an invoice with a couple unexpected digits is an awful way to get repeat business from our valued customers. We are a trusted partner to our long-term clients because we create fast, intuitive, secure tools with fair, predictable pricing and no hidden fees. Really!

5. How does my data get into your system?

   The MerlinOne Legal system is capable of receiving data directly via secure FTP. We recognize that some datasets are too large for FTP transfer, so you can also send us your drive and we'll input the data into the system for you.

6. Is my data secure with MerlinOne? Will the system always be up when I need it?

   In a word, YES! MerlinOne takes security and reliability VERY seriously. We have designed a fault-tolerant system so that in the event a server experiences an issue, you will be able to continue working without ever realizing anything happened. We can do this because of our three-tiered, real-time redundancy. Your data is stored in a SAS 70 Type-II facility where you will benefit from not only computer hardware redundancy, but also power, cooling and emergency backup system redundancy with onsite guards and biometric locks for extreme security. Want more? Our hosting facility has 6 internet backbones ensuring not only redundancy but efficiency by using the fastest one available for any specific path at that moment.
   
   What does all that mean to you? You can focus on the details of your case and not the security of your hosting, and the e-Discovery system will always be there at your fingertips, day or night.

7. My firm works on a variety of cases. Can MerlinOne handle them all?

   MerlinOne realizes that ESI is finding its way into cases of all types and sizes. Regardless of whether it is 500 megabytes or 500 gigabytes we know it is evidence important to your case. Our e-Discovery system was designed to be flexible and handle all of your cases regardless of size.
   
   Plus with our flat monthly fee you can predict the cost of your e-Discovery needs on both small and large cases.

8. What if my case involves audio or video files?

   Gone are the days when ESI was strictly email and Office files. With the mass consumption of online media and multimedia tools at our fingertips more datasets include audio and video files.
   
   MerlinOne gives you the ability to search, review and tag these files directly in our review platform. With speech-to-text conversion you can search ALL of your data at once. Got a keyword hit on a video? Just click on the file and you can start viewing it from 5 seconds before the word was spoken. Our inline audio and video review will save you time and effort.

9. I travel a lot. Can I get to my data when I'm on the road?

   All you need is an internet connection. MerlinOne created our intuitive Analysis, Review, Processing and Production system so you could get to it when and where you need it. Even on an iPad from the beach!

10. I hated statistics class in college, but now it's a hot topic in e-Discovery. How does your Statistical Sampling tool help me in my cases?

    Simply put, statistical sampling has been recognized by the courts* as an acceptable way to identify characteristics of a large dataset by looking at a random smaller set. The MerlinOne integrated e-Discovery solution has a built-in sampling tool right in the software.
    
    How is it useful? Imagine you received a large document production from opposing counsel and you suspect they may have flooded you with irrelevant documents. With MerlinOne you have the ability to create a small random sample set based on the confidence level and margin of error desired. By reviewing just this small set you can extrapolate out the relevance of the entire dataset, giving you information based on an accepted methodology to approach the judge.
    
    The MerlinOne sampling tool is completely flexible so you can also use it during Early Data Assessment, as well as Review and Privilege and Production QC. With MerlinOne you have powerful tools at your fingertips, and no extra charges!
    
    *(McPeek v. Ashcroft, 212 F.R.D.33, 203 U.S. Dist Lexis172)(Zubalake v. UBS Warburg LLC, 217 F.R.D.309, 318 (D.N.Y. 2003))

11. How do I rely on keyword searches when I don't know all the relevant terms ahead of time?

    Establishing the relevant keywords for your case can be a difficult exercise. To help, MerlinOne gives you an e-Discovery tool that suggests additional keywords to the ones you have already input. Our Suggest More Keywords function uses TF-IDF term frequency statistics to identify other potentially relevant terms in your dataset. This is just another one of the ways MerlinOne helps you to manage your e-Discovery while saving you time and money.

12. Why should I choose Merlin Legal?

    What sets Merlin Legal apart is our fast user interface that is easy to learn and includes all the advanced tools you need with reasonable fixed monthly prices and no hidden fees. We are committed to creating the most innovative and effective solutions to help you tame e-Discovery and win your case. We'd love you give you a free demo to show you the options you have with the MerlinOne integrated e-Discovery solution. Give us a call!