We are excited to share that two members of our team have achieved Relativity Master status — the highest accreditation available through the eDiscovery market’s leader. This certification is no easy feat; it requires passing the Relativity Certified Administrator (RCA) program as well as four additional certifications. These certifications can take years to complete and fewer than 100 people across the globe have achieved Master status. 

Danny Chan and Joe Evangelista, both Senior Case Managers, are leading our Relativity-accredited team of specialists to new grounds. This exciting development — which was announced at Relativity Fest — will enable us to offer our clients an unparalleled level of expertise.

We sat down with the two Masters and learn about what it takes to become a Master and the impact this will have on their role and Ricoh's clients.

What role does Relativity play in your day-to-day role here at Ricoh eDiscovery?

Danny: Relativity is primarily where I work day-in-day-out.

Joe: It’s everything, I use Relativity every single day. To give you a better idea, out of my three computer monitors, I always have one dedicated to Relativity at all times.

When did you become interested in pursuing your Relativity Certifications?

Danny: I was encouraged as soon as I started at Ricoh. At that time, I hadn’t yet worked in Relativity so it was an exciting opportunity. 

Joe: When I joined, I thought I knew Relativity, then I gained an interest in learning more about the tiny details. I knew the certifications were the stepping stones I needed to fulfill my thirst for knowledge. 

From start to finish, how long did the entire process take?

Danny: About five years. Client work comes first, and it's a tough study load, so it was a challenge to complete all of the certifications quickly. I studied when I could during the day, evening and on weekends. 

Joe: I started in 2016, so roughly three years. I was only one certification away from the Master’s designation for about a year then Danny started to catch up, so I said, “I gotta get on it!” Danny put some pressure on me. There’s a friendly competition between us, which I love. He caught up to me so quickly and I wanted to hit the finish line together.

Danny: For the record, Joe is the first Master… by a day.

Joe: It’s worth noting that Danny and I have known each other for about ten years. Even back when I first met him, I was very impressed by the knowledge he had. When I joined Ricoh, I was really glad to hear he was a part of the team.

What was the most challenging part of the process?

Danny: Writing and passing the exams. The exams test you on the minutia, not only what you do day-to-day. It was a challenge to memorize the many details but it makes it easy to diagnose client issues now that I understand what goes on under the hood.

Joe: That's very true. During certification, I had to come back to all those tiny details and better understand them. It's really helped me with problem solving off the top of my head without the need for additional research.

What does becoming a Relativity Master mean to you?

Danny: Becoming a Relativity Master contributed to my achievement in the 5 C's of presence: composure, confidence, credibility, connection and charisma. With composure comes confidence, with confidence credibility, and credibility allows for that special connection through charisma, because in the end, we all want to work with charismatic professionals. To me, this is what it means to be a true Master. 

Joe: It meant I’d be a Relativity Rockstar! You get this designation that brings you a certain level of confidence. With that confidence comes a lot of respect from people in the industry. It’s what helps separate our team from the competition. It’s validated proof that I know what I’m talking about.

What impact does working with a Relativity Master (or two!) have on clients?

Danny: Out of all the eDiscovery providers in Canada, we have the highest level of expertise. Of the three Relativity Masters in the entire country, we're two of them! My certification also allows me to enhance the teams' knowledge. I'm now paying it forward by helping the other people on our team get certified, which allows us to bring that end-to-end solution building to determine the best course of action for each clients' unique project’s needs.

Joe: We have over twenty years of experience working in Canada. Having a Relativity-trained team, in addition to being ISO-certified, really shows our clients that we know what we're doing — and we're following extremely stringent policies while doing it. Our team is highly-motivated to see our clients succeed. It's the reason we're all eager to come to work each day. 

Thank you Danny and Joe. We couldn't be prouder!