ROBERT KEELING, founder and head of Sidley’s eDiscovery and Data Analytics group, is one of the country’s preeminent authorities on eDiscovery. Keeling serves as global outside discovery counsel for some of the nation’s best known and most technology-focused corporations.
An experienced litigator and white-collar lawyer, Keeling’s practice has long included a special focus on eDiscovery. He regularly serves as coordinating discovery counsel on major litigations, government investigations, regulatory enforcement actions, and internal investigations. Keeling guides clients through every aspect of modern discovery and successfully handles some of the largest, most sophisticated, and most data-intensive matters in the country. Clients benefit from his unique blend of real-world litigation experience and cutting-edge technological skills.
Keeling is consistently ranked by Chambers USA (2021–2023) and Chambers Global (2022–2023) for eDiscovery and Information Governance. The 2022 edition of Chambers notes that Keeling is “an indispensable part” of his clients’ discovery teams. Keeling serves on the Steering Committee of the Sedona Conference’s Working Group 1 on Electronic Document Retention and Production. Keeling also was selected as the inaugural chair of the Electronic Discovery Reference Model (EDRM) Global Advisory Council, a body of distinguished members of the judiciary, the legal profession, industry, and academia.
For more than a decade, Keeling has remained at the forefront of technology in litigation and government investigations. Today, whether working on a matter that has millions of documents or only thousands, Keeling applies a tailored combination of data analytics and machine learning (e.g., “predictive coding”) to quickly identify key evidence, minimize client costs, and synthesize information into compelling legal arguments.
In his eDiscovery counseling practice, Keeling helps highly sophisticated clients across a broad range of industries to:
- effectively manage eDiscovery costs and risks;
- navigate emerging eDiscovery issues, including mobile device management, ephemeral data, collaboration platforms, and data stored in the cloud;
- implement best practices for defensible eDiscovery policies and procedures, including streamlining legal hold processes;
- defensibly remediate and dispose of unneeded data;
- create or improve records retention policies; and
- address records management and information governance issues.
Keeling’s extensive litigation and investigations experience gives him uncommon perspective when advising clients on the practical consequences of the eDiscovery policies, procedures, and practices they adopt.
Keeling is an Adjunct Professor at George Mason University Law School where he teaches a course on eDiscovery. He also has lectured on eDiscovery and technology issues at the nation’s top law schools, including Harvard, Vanderbilt, Georgetown, Fordham, University of Virginia, and American University.