American Society of Digital Forensics & eDiscovery
The American Society of Digital Forensics and eDiscovery is a national professional association as a 501c3 not for profit organization.
Overview
The American Society of Digital Forensics and eDiscovery (ASDFED) was founded as a Georgia not for profit corporation. The organization’s mission is to promote the fields of Digital Forensics and eDiscovery. This is accomplished through a series of technical bulletins, newsletters, online news announcements, national meets, seminars and conferences. ASDFED is composed of a conglomeration of professionals from the legal, technology and litigation support professions. The general membership includes attorneys, digital forensics examiners, paralegals, litigation support personnel and technologist. These professionals share a common interest in the convergence of technology as it relates to evidence and the law. Through it’s intense focus ASDFED aspires to set the highest standards within the industry for competency, scholarship and accuracy.
Steering Committee
In order to provide the broadest array of input, ASDFED created a steering committee to chart the organization’s course during its initial year. The steering committee’s purpose was to create an organizational framework, which would represent the entire Digital Forensics and eDiscovery community. To lead this endeavor, Patrick Zeller was chosen. Mr. Zeller was a former Assistant Attorney General for the state of Illinois. In 2000, Mr. Zeller was named Computer Crime Fellow, which was organized by the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG). Mr. Zeller also served as a federal prosecutor with the Department of Justice in the Computer Crimes and Intellectual Property Section. In addition to his extensive experience as a federal and state prosecutor, Mr. Zeller distinguished himself as an is an adjunct professor at John Marshall Law School in Chicago. His primary focus is in the areas of Digital Forensics, eDiscovery and electronic evidence. Another Chicago area attorney Scott Carlson joined the ASDFED steering committee. Mr. Carlson is the cofounder of Seyfarth Shaw's eDiscovery practice and is a nationally known expert within the eDiscovery field. Dr. David Dampier joined this committee shortly thereafter. Dr. Dampier is the Associate Professor of Computer Science and Engineering with the Forensics Training Center of Mississippi State University. Author Shawnna Childress also joined the steering committee. Mrs. Childress is the author of eDiscovery Plain and Simple. Numerous other highly respected industry experts also joined the steering committee to include Ronnie Solomon from King and Spalding ,Mark Gage, Deputy Director of the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C) and Ron Green, Senior Vice President from Bank of America. A complete steering committee list is available from the ASDFED website.
Local Chapters
ASDFED has created a sound and flexible framework for professionals to meeting and pursue the Digital Forensics and eDiscovery professions. This is accomplished by created local chapters across the United States to include: Atlanta, Chicago, San Diego, New York City and Washington D.C. These chapters provide opportunities for professionals within these areas to share the most up to date and current best practices within the fields of Digital Forensics and eDiscovery. ASDFED’s first chapter was in Atlanta, Georgia. These events have drawn such national renowned speakers such as Jason Barron, head of litigation for the National Archive and former Federal Judge Ronald Hodges.
Each chapter’s leadership team is composed of a President, Senior Vice President, at least one Vice President, a Secretary and a Treasurer. In addition to this individuals the chapter’s former year’s President is on the Chapter Board. These continuity of leadership provides a significant advantage to the members of each respective chapter.
Organization
The national ASDFED organization is composed three separate and distinctive entities. The first is the Board of Directors, who is responsible for the overall guidance and direction of the organization as well as fiscal oversight. The second is the Chapter Support Center, which provides the membership packets and support to each chapter. The third is the National Leadership Assembly (NLA). The NLA is composed of the current President and Senior Vice President of each chapter. The NLA is primary charged with updating the revising the ASDFED Common Body of Knowledge.
omains of Knowledge
The American Society of Digital Forensics and eDiscovery embarked on a national strategic initiative to define and document the Common Body of Knowledge for the Digital Forensics and eDiscovery profession. This initiative is still ongoing.