Matthew C.Christoff
Partner
eDiscovery & Information Governance
mchristoff@seyfarth.com
Matt works closely with Seyfarth's case teams and his clients' IT personnel to make strategic recommendations regarding the overall discovery process of electronically stored information.
More About Matt
With the volume of electronically stored information (ESI) skyrocketing, the discovery and production of responsive documents traditionally has become the most expensive line item for clients dealing with potential litigation. Clients look to Matt to identify the most relevant sources of ESI that a client maintains, and ensure the efficient preservation, collection, and production of those documents.
Matt interfaces with members of clients' IT groups, as well as facilitating the use of advanced analytics during the review process, including the application of continuous active learning technologies to dramatically increase the effectiveness of reviewers to identify documents related to the facts and issues of cases and greatly reduce costs for clients.
Matt supports clients' business goals using skills he developed from his background in computer support, network administration, and computer programming. He is an EnCase Certified Examiner (EnCE), and frequently assist clients and Seyfarth case teams with the forensic collection and analysis of electronically stored information. This knowledge allows him to focus investigations and identify potential pitfalls with preservation and collection strategies.
Matt's years of technical and programming experience before going to law school places him in a unique position to interface directly with clients' IT personnel. He also makes legal recommendations to the case team regarding the overall discovery process, including the preservation, collection, review, and production of electronically stored information. This regularly involves discussing clients' systems with multiple representatives to develop a comprehensive top-down view of how data is managed in order to develop effective, defensible strategies to meet their discovery obligations.
Matt commits to developing more efficient methods of identifying and organizing information obtained from his clients, especially when that information can be used to impact other matters. He currently works with the firm's technology innovation team to aggregate and organize questions related to clients' IT systems. Their system not only preserves historical information regarding clients' systems that can be referenced by the clients and Seyfarth alike, but allows the firm to develop metrics regarding the types of platforms that clients use on a regular basis.
Matt enjoys working in Seyfarth's eDiscovery and Information Governance practice group, because he and the team get excited by developments in technology and their impact on existing cases and the law. To quote Matt: "Whether we are dealing with developments in blockchain or the use of collaboration and social media in the workplace, evolving technology always keeps us looking toward the technology of the future, and how we can position ourselves to attack any of challenges head on."
Matt interfaces with members of clients' IT groups, as well as facilitating the use of advanced analytics during the review process, including the application of continuous active learning technologies to dramatically increase the effectiveness of reviewers to identify documents related to the facts and issues of cases and greatly reduce costs for clients.
Matt supports clients' business goals using skills he developed from his background in computer support, network administration, and computer programming. He is an EnCase Certified Examiner (EnCE), and frequently assist clients and Seyfarth case teams with the forensic collection and analysis of electronically stored information. This knowledge allows him to focus investigations and identify potential pitfalls with preservation and collection strategies.
Matt's years of technical and programming experience before going to law school places him in a unique position to interface directly with clients' IT personnel. He also makes legal recommendations to the case team regarding the overall discovery process, including the preservation, collection, review, and production of electronically stored information. This regularly involves discussing clients' systems with multiple representatives to develop a comprehensive top-down view of how data is managed in order to develop effective, defensible strategies to meet their discovery obligations.
Matt commits to developing more efficient methods of identifying and organizing information obtained from his clients, especially when that information can be used to impact other matters. He currently works with the firm's technology innovation team to aggregate and organize questions related to clients' IT systems. Their system not only preserves historical information regarding clients' systems that can be referenced by the clients and Seyfarth alike, but allows the firm to develop metrics regarding the types of platforms that clients use on a regular basis.
Matt enjoys working in Seyfarth's eDiscovery and Information Governance practice group, because he and the team get excited by developments in technology and their impact on existing cases and the law. To quote Matt: "Whether we are dealing with developments in blockchain or the use of collaboration and social media in the workplace, evolving technology always keeps us looking toward the technology of the future, and how we can position ourselves to attack any of challenges head on."
- JD, The John Marshall Law School
Moot Court Executive Board associate justice
The John Marshall Review of Intellectual Property Law staff editor - BS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Computer Forensic Certificates
- EnCase Certified Computer Forensic Examiner (EnCE)
- Computer Forensics I
- Computer Forensics II
- Advanced Computer Forensics
- Illinois
Related Services
Related Key Industries
Blogs
- Testified as computer forensic expert in bankruptcy matter to establish that documents produced by debtor were not original ledger documents maintained over the past three years, but rather, created after the first day of trial. This testimony contributed to the debtor being held in civil contempt.
- Applied Continuous Active Learning to quickly and efficiently identify responsive documents form a population of millions.
- Developed and implemented workflow for the preservation, collection, and production of text message data from personal devices from more than 70 employees located across the US.
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Firm News
08/15/2024
220 Seyfarth Attorneys Chosen as Leaders in Their Fields by Best Lawyers in America 2025
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- Recognized as a Recommended Attorney for Dispute Resolution - E-discovery, The Legal 500 (Legalese Ltd.) (2024)
- Recognized as a "Ones to Watch" lawyer by Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White Inc.) for Commercial Litigation (2024)
- High Technology Crime Investigation Association (HTCIA)
- American Bar Association
- Co-Author, "eDiscovery & Innovation," 2024 Commercial Litigation Outlook, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (February 2024)
- Co-Author, "The Impact of COVID-19 on Cybersecurity," Legal Update, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (March 27, 2020)
- “Court Orders Enterprise to Engage in Forensic Imaging and Analysis,” Carpe Datum Law Blog, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (May 4, 2017)
- “Pacemaker Data May Be Smoking Gun in Aggravated Arson Case,” Carpe Datum Law Blog, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (February 8, 2017)
- "Proposed New York Cybersecurity Bill Requires Increased Protections for Financial Industry," Carpe Datum Law Blog, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (January 13, 2017)
- “Using Metadata Reports and Analytics to Identify Trends in Your Document Population,” Carpe Datum Law Blog, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (November 17, 2016)
- “Sedona Conference Releases ‘TAR Case Law Primer’ ” Carpe Datum Law Blog, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (October 19, 2016)
- “Travel Wi-Fi and Security. You May Not Know Who’s Watching,” Carpe Datum Law Blog, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (June 23, 2015)
- “Unsecured Networks More Susceptible to Data Theft,” Carpe Datum Law Blog, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (June 19, 2015)
- "An Orbit Around Pension Committee," Seyfarth eDIGital Newsletter (January 2011)
- Co-Presenter, “Unveiling Trade Secrets Breaches: Leveraging Forensic Examinations for Robust IP Protection,” Webinar, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (July 24, 2024)
- Co-Presenter, “Commercial Litigation Outlook: Insights and Predictions for Litigation Trends in 2024,” Webinar, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (May 2, 2024)
- Co-Presenter, “Commercial Litigation Outlook - Navigating Legal Minefields: Insights on Restrictive Covenants, eDiscovery, and Privacy Compliance,” Webinar, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (April 11, 2024)
- Co-Presenter, "Best Practices and Considerations for Employee Demand Letters, Charges and Early-Stage Lawsuits," Seyfarth Event, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (September 28, 2022)
- “Paralegal’s Guide to Evidence: Gathering, Protecting and Spoliation,” Presented by Lorman, Webinar (November 20, 2019)
- Panelist, “Using the ESI Agreement Effectively Throughout the Matter Lifecycle,” The Master’s Conference, Chicago, IL (May 16, 2019)
- Presenter, “Dealing with An Internet of Things: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly,” Webinar, presented by International Legal Technology Association (August 7, 2017)
- Speaker, “Dos and Don'ts of Forensic and eDiscovery Handling,” Enfuse Conference, Las Vegas, NV (May 23, 2017)
- “Nothing to Hide? Mobile Device Discovery,” On-Demand Webinar, presented by Clear Law Institute, LLC (November 1, 2016)
- “Paralegal’s Guide to Evidence: Gathering, Protecting and Spoliation,” Lorman Education Services Webinar (December 15, 2015)
- “Don’t Be Caught Off Guard by the Upcoming Changes to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure,” Seyfarth Shaw CLE Webinar (October 28, 2015)
- RelativityFest Corporate Counsel SuperSession on eDiscovery (October 13, 2014)
- “Mobile Device Forensics - ClearLaw Institute Presentation,” (August 22, 2014)
- "Paralegal’s Guide to Evidence: Gathering, Protecting and Spoliation," Lorman Education Services Webinar (July 30, 2014)
- "Paralegal’s Guide to Evidence: Gathering, Protecting and Spoliation," Lorman Education Services Webinar (January 21, 2014)
- "An Introduction to Digital Forensics," Seventh Circuit Electronic Discovery Pilot Program, Webinar (August 30, 2013)
- "An Introduction to eDiscovery: A Guide for Young Lawyers," American Bar Association Webinar (May 31, 2012)
- “Essential Discovery Skills for Paralegals,” Lorman Education Services Webcast (September 15, 2011)
- "Essential Discovery Skills for Paralegals," Lorman Education Services Webcast (March 23, 2011)
Matt works closely with Seyfarth's case teams and his clients' IT personnel to make strategic recommendations regarding the overall discovery process of electronically stored information.
More About Matt
With the volume of electronically stored information (ESI) skyrocketing, the discovery and production of responsive documents traditionally has become the most expensive line item for clients dealing with potential litigation. Clients look to Matt to identify the most relevant sources of ESI that a client maintains, and ensure the efficient preservation, collection, and production of those documents.
Matt interfaces with members of clients' IT groups, as well as facilitating the use of advanced analytics during the review process, including the application of continuous active learning technologies to dramatically increase the effectiveness of reviewers to identify documents related to the facts and issues of cases and greatly reduce costs for clients.
Matt supports clients' business goals using skills he developed from his background in computer support, network administration, and computer programming. He is an EnCase Certified Examiner (EnCE), and frequently assist clients and Seyfarth case teams with the forensic collection and analysis of electronically stored information. This knowledge allows him to focus investigations and identify potential pitfalls with preservation and collection strategies.
Matt's years of technical and programming experience before going to law school places him in a unique position to interface directly with clients' IT personnel. He also makes legal recommendations to the case team regarding the overall discovery process, including the preservation, collection, review, and production of electronically stored information. This regularly involves discussing clients' systems with multiple representatives to develop a comprehensive top-down view of how data is managed in order to develop effective, defensible strategies to meet their discovery obligations.
Matt commits to developing more efficient methods of identifying and organizing information obtained from his clients, especially when that information can be used to impact other matters. He currently works with the firm's technology innovation team to aggregate and organize questions related to clients' IT systems. Their system not only preserves historical information regarding clients' systems that can be referenced by the clients and Seyfarth alike, but allows the firm to develop metrics regarding the types of platforms that clients use on a regular basis.
Matt enjoys working in Seyfarth's eDiscovery and Information Governance practice group, because he and the team get excited by developments in technology and their impact on existing cases and the law. To quote Matt: "Whether we are dealing with developments in blockchain or the use of collaboration and social media in the workplace, evolving technology always keeps us looking toward the technology of the future, and how we can position ourselves to attack any of challenges head on."
Matt interfaces with members of clients' IT groups, as well as facilitating the use of advanced analytics during the review process, including the application of continuous active learning technologies to dramatically increase the effectiveness of reviewers to identify documents related to the facts and issues of cases and greatly reduce costs for clients.
Matt supports clients' business goals using skills he developed from his background in computer support, network administration, and computer programming. He is an EnCase Certified Examiner (EnCE), and frequently assist clients and Seyfarth case teams with the forensic collection and analysis of electronically stored information. This knowledge allows him to focus investigations and identify potential pitfalls with preservation and collection strategies.
Matt's years of technical and programming experience before going to law school places him in a unique position to interface directly with clients' IT personnel. He also makes legal recommendations to the case team regarding the overall discovery process, including the preservation, collection, review, and production of electronically stored information. This regularly involves discussing clients' systems with multiple representatives to develop a comprehensive top-down view of how data is managed in order to develop effective, defensible strategies to meet their discovery obligations.
Matt commits to developing more efficient methods of identifying and organizing information obtained from his clients, especially when that information can be used to impact other matters. He currently works with the firm's technology innovation team to aggregate and organize questions related to clients' IT systems. Their system not only preserves historical information regarding clients' systems that can be referenced by the clients and Seyfarth alike, but allows the firm to develop metrics regarding the types of platforms that clients use on a regular basis.
Matt enjoys working in Seyfarth's eDiscovery and Information Governance practice group, because he and the team get excited by developments in technology and their impact on existing cases and the law. To quote Matt: "Whether we are dealing with developments in blockchain or the use of collaboration and social media in the workplace, evolving technology always keeps us looking toward the technology of the future, and how we can position ourselves to attack any of challenges head on."
- JD, The John Marshall Law School
Moot Court Executive Board associate justice
The John Marshall Review of Intellectual Property Law staff editor - BS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Computer Forensic Certificates
- EnCase Certified Computer Forensic Examiner (EnCE)
- Computer Forensics I
- Computer Forensics II
- Advanced Computer Forensics
- Illinois
Related Services
Related Key Industries
Blogs
- Testified as computer forensic expert in bankruptcy matter to establish that documents produced by debtor were not original ledger documents maintained over the past three years, but rather, created after the first day of trial. This testimony contributed to the debtor being held in civil contempt.
- Applied Continuous Active Learning to quickly and efficiently identify responsive documents form a population of millions.
- Developed and implemented workflow for the preservation, collection, and production of text message data from personal devices from more than 70 employees located across the US.
Related News & Insights
-
Firm News
08/15/2024
220 Seyfarth Attorneys Chosen as Leaders in Their Fields by Best Lawyers in America 2025
-
Webinar Recording
Jul 24, 2024
Unveiling Trade Secrets Breaches: Leveraging Forensic Examinations for Robust IP Protection
-
Blog Post
Jun 28, 2024
Upcoming Webinar! Unveiling Trade Secrets Breaches: Leveraging Forensic Examinations for Robust IP Protection
-
Webinar Recording
May 2, 2024
Webinar Series: Commercial Litigation Outlook: Insights and Predictions for Litigation Trends in 2024
- Recognized as a Recommended Attorney for Dispute Resolution - E-discovery, The Legal 500 (Legalese Ltd.) (2024)
- Recognized as a "Ones to Watch" lawyer by Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White Inc.) for Commercial Litigation (2024)
- High Technology Crime Investigation Association (HTCIA)
- American Bar Association
- Co-Author, "eDiscovery & Innovation," 2024 Commercial Litigation Outlook, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (February 2024)
- Co-Author, "The Impact of COVID-19 on Cybersecurity," Legal Update, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (March 27, 2020)
- “Court Orders Enterprise to Engage in Forensic Imaging and Analysis,” Carpe Datum Law Blog, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (May 4, 2017)
- “Pacemaker Data May Be Smoking Gun in Aggravated Arson Case,” Carpe Datum Law Blog, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (February 8, 2017)
- "Proposed New York Cybersecurity Bill Requires Increased Protections for Financial Industry," Carpe Datum Law Blog, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (January 13, 2017)
- “Using Metadata Reports and Analytics to Identify Trends in Your Document Population,” Carpe Datum Law Blog, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (November 17, 2016)
- “Sedona Conference Releases ‘TAR Case Law Primer’ ” Carpe Datum Law Blog, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (October 19, 2016)
- “Travel Wi-Fi and Security. You May Not Know Who’s Watching,” Carpe Datum Law Blog, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (June 23, 2015)
- “Unsecured Networks More Susceptible to Data Theft,” Carpe Datum Law Blog, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (June 19, 2015)
- "An Orbit Around Pension Committee," Seyfarth eDIGital Newsletter (January 2011)
- Co-Presenter, “Unveiling Trade Secrets Breaches: Leveraging Forensic Examinations for Robust IP Protection,” Webinar, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (July 24, 2024)
- Co-Presenter, “Commercial Litigation Outlook: Insights and Predictions for Litigation Trends in 2024,” Webinar, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (May 2, 2024)
- Co-Presenter, “Commercial Litigation Outlook - Navigating Legal Minefields: Insights on Restrictive Covenants, eDiscovery, and Privacy Compliance,” Webinar, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (April 11, 2024)
- Co-Presenter, "Best Practices and Considerations for Employee Demand Letters, Charges and Early-Stage Lawsuits," Seyfarth Event, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (September 28, 2022)
- “Paralegal’s Guide to Evidence: Gathering, Protecting and Spoliation,” Presented by Lorman, Webinar (November 20, 2019)
- Panelist, “Using the ESI Agreement Effectively Throughout the Matter Lifecycle,” The Master’s Conference, Chicago, IL (May 16, 2019)
- Presenter, “Dealing with An Internet of Things: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly,” Webinar, presented by International Legal Technology Association (August 7, 2017)
- Speaker, “Dos and Don'ts of Forensic and eDiscovery Handling,” Enfuse Conference, Las Vegas, NV (May 23, 2017)
- “Nothing to Hide? Mobile Device Discovery,” On-Demand Webinar, presented by Clear Law Institute, LLC (November 1, 2016)
- “Paralegal’s Guide to Evidence: Gathering, Protecting and Spoliation,” Lorman Education Services Webinar (December 15, 2015)
- “Don’t Be Caught Off Guard by the Upcoming Changes to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure,” Seyfarth Shaw CLE Webinar (October 28, 2015)
- RelativityFest Corporate Counsel SuperSession on eDiscovery (October 13, 2014)
- “Mobile Device Forensics - ClearLaw Institute Presentation,” (August 22, 2014)
- "Paralegal’s Guide to Evidence: Gathering, Protecting and Spoliation," Lorman Education Services Webinar (July 30, 2014)
- "Paralegal’s Guide to Evidence: Gathering, Protecting and Spoliation," Lorman Education Services Webinar (January 21, 2014)
- "An Introduction to Digital Forensics," Seventh Circuit Electronic Discovery Pilot Program, Webinar (August 30, 2013)
- "An Introduction to eDiscovery: A Guide for Young Lawyers," American Bar Association Webinar (May 31, 2012)
- “Essential Discovery Skills for Paralegals,” Lorman Education Services Webcast (September 15, 2011)
- "Essential Discovery Skills for Paralegals," Lorman Education Services Webcast (March 23, 2011)