From Burden to Advantage: How Minerva26 Transforms eDiscovery into Litigation Strategy

In a world where "99% of evidence" is now electronically stored information (ESI), the eDiscovery process has evolved from a simple compliance task into a critical component of litigation strategy.

Yet, many legal teams are still forced to navigate this complex landscape without the right tools. We are excited to feature Minerva26, which is pioneering a new approach by providing a strategic command center for eDiscovery. Their goal is to empower litigators, shifting their focus from data management to tactical advantage.

We sat down with CEO Kelly Twigger to discuss how this pivotal shift is reshaping litigation and positioning discovery as the main event.

Minerva26 provides a strategic command center for eDiscovery, moving the focus from data management to tactical advantage. As "99% of evidence" is now electronically stored information (ESI), how do you see the discovery process evolving from a compliance burden into a core driver of litigation strategy?

KT: The evolution to litigation strategy is inevitable. What’s lagging is the legal profession’s response. ESI makes up the vast majority of evidence in litigation today, yet discovery is still treated as a compliance obligation instead of a strategic advantage to be leveraged. That disconnect isn’t just inefficient, it has real, serious ramifications for clients and counsel in terms of cost and risk. Sanctions. Blown budgets. Loss of judicial credibility. Breakdown in client relationships. Discovery decisions now shape case outcomes long before trial. Clients trust their firms know how to handle discovery effectively, yet many do not.

Litigators haven’t failed to adapt because they lack skill. They’ve failed because they’ve been forced to manage a third job: understanding ever-changing technology, interpreting evolving obligations, and navigating complex decisions about scope, proportionality, and preservation, often with no support. You can’t build strategy if you're just trying to keep your head above water.

This is the pivot point. Discovery is no longer the warm-up act—it’s the main event. And the litigators who know how to step back at the beginning of a case and devise a strategy for discovery that helps them tell a story will win. Those that make early, defensible decisions about data are the ones shaping the entire trajectory of the case. That’s what we’re enabling with Minerva26: not just faster access to insight, but a framework that helps teams lead with strategy, not scramble with process.

Your platform gives litigators control over the discovery process. How do you prepare lawyers to handle the ethical challenges that come with this new power, particularly concerning the volume and nature of digital evidence?

KT: Next year marks 20 years since the Federal Rules were amended to address eDiscovery. This year is the 10th anniversary of the last major revision. And yet, most litigators still aren’t fully fluent in the rules that govern how they’re expected to manage ESI.

That’s not because they’re careless. It’s because eDiscovery isn’t taught in most law schools. It’s rarely part of structured training inside firms. And even now, it’s often treated as something you learn on the fly, under pressure, in active matters, with real consequences. Trial by fire is not just stressful. It’s ethically dangerous given the complexity of the discovery of ESI.

What makes it harder is how fast the terrain shifts. Each new data type—Slack, Teams, mobile apps, ephemeral messaging—adds complexity and a new set of obligations for counsel. The definition of what’s “reasonable” or “proportional” keeps changing based on technological capabilities. Litigators are held accountable for decisions about tools and timelines they didn’t choose and don’t always understand.

Minerva26 fills that gap. We built the platform to give litigators real-time guidance on how discovery works today: what the rules require, how courts are interpreting them, and how to connect that to the data realities on the ground. It’s not just about avoiding sanctions. It’s about building confidence, protecting credibility, and enabling lawyers to think proactively about discovery.

Because when you understand the rules, the technology, and the process, you find puzzle pieces to tell your story faster. And you tell it better.

Given that eDiscovery is a key differentiator, what role do you see AI playing in democratizing access to powerful discovery tools for smaller firms, and how does your pricing model support this?

KT: AI is a tool – not a strategy. Its value lies in accelerating insight, not replacing judgment.

For smaller firms, what’s been missing isn’t access to information, it’s the structure to act on it quickly and defensibly. That’s where Minerva26 delivers leverage. We use AI to surface what matters—but more importantly, we organize that guidance in a way litigators already think: by issue, by motion, by jurisdiction, by risk. It’s not another tool to learn. It’s the missing layer between research and action.

We’ve also priced the platform to be accessible without tradeoffs. Flat-rate, scalable access gives teams the ability to move fast, stay defensible and leverage the power of ESI instead of being overwhelmed by it.

Besides exhibiting at the event, which session or topics on the Legal Innovators New York's agenda are you most looking forward to?

KT: Besides exhibiting, I’m really looking forward to the panel “Legal AI is for Real — What Now?” to hear what’s actually working with AI in practice right now. I’m also excited for the fireside chat “The New Legal Professional,” which should be a great conversation about where the industry is headed. Joe’s afternoon keynote is always a highlight — he’s such an engaging speaker. And of course, “Litigation in the Age of AI” feels especially timely given everything happening in the litigation space.

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The key takeaway from Minerva26 is simple: eDiscovery is a strategic opportunity waiting to be unlocked.

Join us at Legal Innovators New York to meet both Kelly Twigger and Daryl Greene at the Minerva26 booth and learn how to put this knowledge to work.

Remember, private practice and in-house legal professionals can attend on a complimentary basis.

Attend Legal Innovators New York

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