Association of certified E-Discovery Specialists (ACEDS) Certification

ACEDS (A BARBRI Professional Association) is a member organization for e-discovery professionals. The organization is vendor-neutral and has no commercial or financial ties. The membership for eDiscovery professionals includes, among other perks, a mentorship program and live webinars.

The ACEDS Certified E-Discovery Specialist exam is one of the most popular certificates in E-Discovery. For good reasons, as nearly 40 experts have collaborated to construct one of the most challenging exams in eDiscovery! In may 2021, a Canadian version has launched in Beta.

Since 2018, ACEDS offers a new certificate designed for e-Discovery professionals at all levels: The eDiscovery Executive Certificate.

In 2021, ACEDS together with the National Society of Legal Technology introduced a new training and certificate called the “eDiscovery Technology Certificate” (eDTech). This new training program provides law students and legal professionals with an interactive exploration of e-Discovery technology solutions

ACEDS Certified E-Discovery Specialist (CEDS)

The ACEDS 'CEDS' certificate is the first independent e-discovery certification program and covers a wide range of subjects, including: project planning, litigation hold, implementation, processing, and review.

Since 2010 the certificate has been one of the most popular exams to take and is definitely a worthwhile addition to your resume.

The exam is considered quite a challenge, with a passing grade of 66.4%, so make sure to prepare well by studying the materials and following a 12 module asynchronous course.

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Certificate Overview

Pricing
$1,495 for the standard package, and $1,995 for the complete package. For government and non-proft, the pricing is $1,249 and $1,595 respectively
Exam Setup
145 multiple choice questions
Exam Duration
4 Hours
Online or Testing Center?
Online and Testing Center
Mandatory Prerequisites
A. Document at least 40 CEDS credits in e-discovery and closely related fields based on experience, training, and professional certifications in the field. B. Provide two professional references
Recommended Prerequisites
30 to 40 hours of study time and a 12 module asynchronous course.
CLE Credits
CEDS is not pre-approved for CLE credit at this time. Attorneys in self-reporting states may be able to claim credit, depending on their state’s rules.
Maintaining the certificate
40 continuation credits in 2 Years + Renewal fee
Retake Policy
You must pay for each exam attempts, including retakes. You will get two attempts with the complete package

CEDS Canada Certification

Since May 2021, ACEDS is offering its flagship Certified E-Discovery Specialist (CEDS) exam and training program in Canada.

The CEDS Canada program is experiential learning. It is designed for legal professionals working in e-discovery. In addition, training for the exam consists of self-study, a live CEDS Prep Class, study groups, and access to ACEDS’ Mentorship Program.

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Certificate Overview

Pricing
1,395 CAD for the standard package and 1,995 CAD for the complete package
Exam Setup
160-170 multiple choice questions.
Exam Duration
4 Hours
Online or Testing Center?
Online and Testing Center
Mandatory Prerequisites
A. Document at least 40 CEDS credits in e-discovery and closely related fields based on experience, training, and professional certifications in the field. B. Provide two professional references
Recommended Prerequisites
30 to 40 hours of study time and a 12 module asynchronous course.
CLE Credits
CEDS is not pre-approved for CLE credit at this time. Attorneys in self-reporting states may be able to claim credit, depending on their state’s rules.
Maintaining the certificate
40 continuation credits in 2 Years + Renewal fee
Retake Policy
You will get two attempts!

ACEDS EDiscovery Executive Executive (eDEx)

The eDEx exam is a relatively new exam by ACEDS, created in 2018. The exam is obtainable for legal professionals on every level with the intention to educate beginners and professional who wish to broaden their knowledge
The exam includes a mandatory 12-plus hour ‘eDiscovery essentials’ course of interactive online training and several lectures on advanced subjects, offering you an economical way to get your first steps in eDiscovery!

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Certificate Overview

Pricing
$695,00 (bundled with eDTtech for $795,00)
Exam Setup
Knowledge assessment.
Exam Duration
4 Hours
Online or Testing Center?
Testing Center
Mandatory Prerequisites
E-Discoverty Essentials training: 12+ Hours of online training and a lecture Series
CLE Credits
Approved for CLE in all 50 states and all of Canada. 14-16 general credits depending on the state, plus ethics and technology credits, where applicable.

ACEDS EDiscovery Technology Certificate (eDTech)

The EDTech training and certification program is a collaboration of ACEDS, NSLT, and about 9 eDiscovery software vendors.

The training aims to expose the eDiscovery student and professional to a variety of tools and applications, offering a unique hands-on experience.

One of the ideas behind this training is that professionals often don't utilize all the tools available for their craft.

With this practical training you will certainly become a well-rounded eDiscovery professional!

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Certificate Overview

Pricing
$295,00 (bundled with eDEx for $795,00)
Exam Setup
Complete all the modules to get certified!
Online or Testing Center?
Testing Center

EDiscovery Advanced Certificate (EDAdv)

The new eDiscovery Advanced Certificate course builds on ACEDS' foundational programs and is designed for lawyers, paralegals, and litigation support, legal operations and other legal support personnel at law firms, in corporate legal departments, the government, software and service providers, and in academia.

The new 11-module, online and self-paced course provides five hours of in-depth exploration of the e-discovery lifecycle, from information governance, preservation and collection, to the latest techniques in technology-assisted review and international discovery and ethics

The EDAdv includes the following:

Structured Lectures
Online Self-paced Stud
Knowledge Checks
Certificate of Completion
Digital Badge
One-Year ACEDS Membership

More Information

Certificate Overview

Pricing
$695,00
Exam Setup
Complete all the modules to get certified!
Online or Testing Center?
Online