WHY THE LAUNCH OF THE ACEDS BENELUX CHAPTER IS GOOD NEWS
The Association of Certified E-Discovery Specialists (ACEDS) soon launches its Benelux Chapter, the first professional eDiscovery Community in the region.
ACEDS is the member organization for professionals in the private and public sectors who work in the field of eDiscovery. Although the term “eDiscovery” in the Benelux is less common than in the US, the process of eDiscovery forms the basis of every large or international data investigation for compliance, M&A, fraud or regulatory cases.
Increasing importance of eDiscovery in the Benelux
The launch of an ACEDS Chapter in the Benelux marks the growing importance of eDiscovery in Dutch and Belgium corporate business practices. Initially, eDiscovery (the search of large quantities of electronic data for a specific purpose) was mainly used in legal investigations or litigation.
Today, eDiscovery is also used for other purposes. For example, in mergers and acquisitions or in due diligence investigations to check the accuracy of financial, tax and legal data.
The Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg together are large players in heavily regulated industries such as the financial and energy and utilities sector. The Benelux has a large number of important multinationals. Cross-border disputes and the handling of regulatory requests are important reasons to use eDiscovery.
At the same time, eDiscovery gets a more proactive character. Since regulators become increasingly strict and the legislation on the protection of Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and other sensitive data is getting serious, companies are preparing better. The time is right for a real professional community.
First professional eDiscovery Community in the Benelux
The objective of the ACEDS community is to offer eDiscovery specialists a platform for the exchange of ideas, guidance, training and best practices. ACEDS has established the field’s first certification exam. Qualified candidates who pass a rigorous examination will earn the right to use the Certified E-Discovery Specialist (CEDS™) certification.
Membership: “Networking, Education, Career”
To become a chapter member, you must be a member of ACEDS. Annual membership costs $205. The benefits are numerous.
Local Networking
Joining an ACEDS Chapter enables you to build your professional network by attending meetings and making connections with people in your area. Our goal is to bring together those from the practitioner and provider side in a single community where you can identify and address the unique local and regional issues of the e-discovery profession.
Education
In addition to attending conferences and webinars offered at the national level, it is important to gather for regional education. ACEDS Chapters gives members the benefit of in-person educational opportunities and address issues and considerations that are unique to the jurisdiction of the chapter.
Career Advancement and Support
Local chapters often are the best places to find talent and to share information about open positions in your region. Also, whether you want to get feedback on a unique issue you’re facing or are interested in learning new ways to enhance your own skills, you’ll have access to a network of industry professionals who you can go to for support.
And don’t forget, the Chapter gives you access to an entire group of people that potentially need the product or service you offer -- or they can introduce you to their contacts that do. More leads, sales and revenue is often a benefit of being an active member of a community.
More information
For more information about the ACEDS Benelux Chapter, please contact Annelore van der Lint (annelore.vanderlint@zylab.com / T: +31 6 290 73 879).
On Thursday January 25, the Benelux Chapter organizes its informal Launch Party from 5:00 PM CEST in Café Wildschut in Amsterdam. To RSVP please use this link.
