E-Discovery Today and Tomorrow: Rules, Technology and Ethics 2026 – Lancaster

Nick is an attorney that collaborates with clients to address legal and financial exposure from their information assets through information governance. He develops strategies and policies to enable clients to effectively manage their data in a manner that minimizes costs and allow clients to leverage their data to support their business processes. Nick has experience developing document retention policies, building document retention schedules and guiding clients through the defensible disposition of information assets.
Should an organization face litigation, as a former associate in Cozen O’Connor’s commercial litigation department, Nick draws on his personal experience to help clients navigate eDiscovery in an efficient and practical manner that satisfies their legal obligations.
While in law school, Nick was a summer associate at the firm in 2018. He was a judicial extern for the Honorable Ann Marie Donio, United States Magistrate Judge, for the District of New Jersey. Nick also interned for the Honorable Nelson Johnson and the Honorable Bernard E. DeLury in Atlantic County, NJ.
Nick earned his bachelor’s degree in history from James Madison University. He earned his law degree, magna cum laude, from Rutgers Law School, where he was the Business Editor of Rutgers University Law Review. Upon graduation, Nick was elected to the Order of the Coif.

Chair and Managing Member of CODISCOVR, Nicole Marie Gill works with attorneys and clients firmwide to develop efficient and effective discovery management strategies tailored to the case at hand. Leveraging advanced technologies and analytics, she manages complex and high-profile eDiscovery projects and routinely navigates data and privacy protection laws across many jurisdictions, both domestic and foreign.
Nicole Gill participates in 26(f) conferences; negotiates agreements and stipulations establishing parties’ obligations with respect to preserving, searching, and producing electronically stored information (ESI); directs use of artificial intelligence (AI) in discovery; and negotiates technology assisted review (TAR) and predictive coding protocols. She also advises on collection methodology, search and retrieval methodology, FRE 502(d) orders, and production specifications and develops internal and external discovery guidelines addressing each phase of the Electronic Discovery Reference Model (EDRM). Additionally, Nicole is involved in discovery-related motion practice, including the drafting of affidavits in support of cost-shifting. She also implements quality control procedures to mitigate risk and counsels both clients and colleagues on issues related to eDiscovery, information governance, and data management.
Nicole has written the ABA’s book on eDiscovery – Best Practices for E-Discovery: A Practical Handbook – which has been featured in eDiscovery Today. She is also a regular columnist for Thomson Reuters, where she addresses and navigates novel eDiscovery issues. She is a member of the Sedona Conference and is currently part of the WG6 Drafting Committee focused on exploring data privacy issues related to the exportation of data from the People’s Republic of China. The leading think tank on eDiscovery law and practice, the Sedona Conference’s commentaries are regularly cited by judges and significantly influence the development of rules of evidence and civil procedure for federal and state courts. Nicole has written articles appearing in numerous legal publications, including The Legal Intelligencer, Bloomberg Law, andThe Pennsylvania Bar Association Quarterly. She has spoken on numerous eDiscovery-related panels at the country’s most reputable conferences, including Georgetown Law’s Advanced eDiscovery Institute, the International Legal Technology Association’s EVOLVE conference, the Construction Super Conference, the Sedona Conference, the Master’s Conference, the Association of Corporate Counsel’s Annual Conference, and Law.com’s Women, Influence & Power in Law Conference. Nicole is also a member of the Philadelphia Chapter of Women in eDiscovery and is on the firm’s Women’s Initiative Executive Committee.

Brandon’s passion is finding efficient, tech-savvy solutions to problems at the intersection of law and technology. After graduating from William & Mary School of Law with honors, he clerked for Judge Caputo in the Middle District of the US District Court and honed his skills at Hartman Underhill & Brubaker, LLC and Russell, Krafft & Gruber, LLC. In 2016, he founded Gathering Mist eDiscovery Solutions to provide cost-effective litigation support in the Central Pennsylvania area. In 2022, he established Lancaster Tech Law to combine both his attorney and eDiscovery skills into one comprehensive entity.
Brandon currently serves as a discovery master for the Lancaster County courts, streamlining complex discovery issues in difficult cases. He also serves the Lancaster Bar Association both as the Chair of the Litigation Section and as a member of its Board of Directors at Large. He was awarded the 2022 Community Partner Appreciation Award from SCORE Lancaster Lebanon for his work in helping small businesses and was selected as an eDiscovery Rising Star by Super Lawyers.
A computer aficionado from childhood, Brandon has been building his own PCs for family and friends for over 20 years. The latter both praise and bemoan what they call Brandon’s “tech aura” – when their technology problems spontaneously resolve as soon as he stands near their devices. An avid gamer, Brandon enjoys both complex strategy games like Total War and light-hearted world-building like Timberborn. He also apologizes for any surliness he may display when the Philadelphia Eagles have done something stupid (again).

Aleem is the Director of Practice Support and E-Discovery. In this role, Aleem advises Obermayer clients and attorneys on best practices regarding the management, collection, processing, and production of Electronically Stored Information (ESI) used in litigation and internal investigations.
Working with all departments in the firm, Aleem understands how to bridge the gap between the legal teams and IT personnel to streamline discovery efforts and design cost-effective solutions for clients. Aleem carefully considers each case’s nuances to provide the greatest value and level of service.
In his free time, Aleem is usually outdoors playing golf, fishing, or riding his bike. He also relaxes by playing with his dogs.

Candice Kearney is a seasoned civil trial attorney with a proven record of successfully defending cases through verdict and appeal. She represents businesses, entrepreneurs, and individuals in complex commercial, real estate, employment, and tort disputes. Candice is known for her sharp legal insight, meticulous attention to detail, and genuine commitment to client service. She takes a proactive, strategic approach to litigation, grounded in thorough early investigation and a clear understanding of all perspectives. Approachable and active in the community, Candice brings extensive knowledge and a broad professional network to every matter, building lasting relationships founded on trust.
Ms. Kearney brings significant experience in construction liability, premises liability, automobile liability, and insurance coverage matters. She has taken and defended more than 300 depositions, litigated over 50 arbitrations, and successfully tried jury trials to verdict. Known for her clear and collaborative style, Candice prioritizes open communication to ensure client goals are aligned at every stage of the litigation process.
Ms. Kearney is proud to serve her community through civic engagement, education, and pro bono advocacy. An active volunteer with Ward 39A, she has planned and led numerous voter registration initiatives. She is committed to civics education and regularly works with community members—from elementary students to senior citizens—to promote awareness and understanding of the legal system. Ms. Kearney also volunteers as a judge for mock trial and oral argument competitions at the high school, college, and law school levels. Her pro bono work includes representing individuals through Philly VIP and assisting with pardon applications in partnership with Philadelphia Lawyers for Social Equity.
Ms. Kearney has been recognized as a Pennsylvania Super Lawyers Rising Star since 2022. She earned her undergraduate degree from Rutgers University and her J.D., magna cum laude, from Drexel University’s Thomas R. Kline School of Law. While at Drexel, she served in leadership roles on both the Drexel Law Review and the Moot Court Board, was a national semifinalist in the Jerome Prince Memorial Evidence Competition and provided supplemental instruction to students in Civil Procedure during her second and third years. In her free time, Candice can be found exploring new cultures through travel and food, training kettlebells, and bragging about her dog.

Deborah is the Associate General Counsel at Cozen O’Connor. She advises clients on risk management, ethics, and professional responsibility issues arising within their law firms and practices. Deborah also works with stakeholders within the firm to advise on ethical aspects of pending matters and to assure adherence to ethical standards and compliance with firm policies. In addition, she advises firm management on lateral recruitment and integration. Deborah handles pro bono representations, including representing clients through the Support Center for Child Advocates. Deborah was appointed to the ABA Standing Committee on Public Protection in the Provision of Legal Services in 2023 and is Co-Chair of the ABA Section of Litigation Ethics and Professionalism Committee. Deborah was elected to the Pennsylvania Bar Association House of Delegates and is Vice Chair of the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Legal Ethics and Professional Responsibility and a member of the Women in the Profession and Unauthorized Practice of Law Committees. In addition, she serves as Co-Chair of the Philadelphia Bar Association’s Professional Responsibility and Professional Guidance Committee. She is a lecturer in law and teaches a course in Professional Responsibility and Ethics at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School. Deborah is also a regular columnist for Law360, where she shares her insights on current legal ethics issues. Deborah earned her bachelor’s degree, cum laude, from the University of Pennsylvania and her law degree from Columbia University School of Law.