On March 18, 2020 a
Exhibit,Appendix
was filed
involving a dispute between
Ievolve, Inc.,
and
Gerald E. Hickson,
for Commercial Division
in the District Court of Erie County.
Preview
FILED: ERIE COUNTY CLERK 04/27/2023 10:38 AM INDEX NO. 804173/2020
NYSCEF DOC. NO. 121 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 04/27/2023
CLERK 03 01t2023 01417 apsx no, 6041%i2020
[FILED: ¯ERIE COUNTE PM
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FILED: ERIE COUNTY CLERK 04/27/2023 10:38 AM INDEX NO. 804173/2020
NO.INDEX
804173/2020
FILED DOC.
NYSCEF : ERIE COUNTY
NO. 121 CLERK : RECEIVED NYSCEF: 04/27/2023
NYSCEF bOC. NO. 103 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 03/01/2023
Richard A. Clack, Esq. December 9, 2021
Page 2
As counsel for Mr. Natlella, you have agreed to search Mr. Nattella's personal email
account (gnatiella@gmail.com) and produce documents responsive to the subpoena.
I-Evolve demands that supplemental production is made in electronic format with
any
metadata. Please confirm the format of the production.
We had discussed whether defendant could export or convert the OneNote file in a
"static"
format for production. Please advise.
I-Evolve requested that defendant produce (a) text messages between Mr. Hickson and
the agreed-upon list of I-Evolve customers beginning January 1, 2019, (b) text messages
with Mr. Natiella concerning I-Evolve customers or concerning Mr. Natlella's
employment at PC Business [also from January 1, 2019], and (c) text messages with any .
other I-Evolve employees soliciting their employment at PC Business. Defendant has
agreed to produce (a). Please advise whether defendant will produce (b) and confirm
that defendant does not have documents responsive to (c).
B. Defendant's Request for Back-Up Documents
Defendant requested all of the back-up documentation for Mr. Hickson's monthly
commission statements. I-Evolve objected to this request in its Responses and
Objections as overbroad and unduly burdensome, because it would involve thousands
of invoices, agreements, and other documents spanning defendant's entire period of
employment. In response to this request, I-Evolve will produce a detailed report of
sale/charge for Mr. Hickson's customers from its records.
every
C. Defendant's Request for Communications
Defendant requested "all text messages, by any and all employees of I-Evolve, that refer
or pertain to Mr. Hickson in any way, from the inception of his employment through
"
and all text messages between
the present, "any any and employees of I-Evolve and
period,"
Mr. Hickson for the same time and "all e-mails generated between any and all
period."
employees of I-Evolve that refer in any way to Mr. Hickson for the same time
Some of these requests were first made in your November 17, 2021 email.
FILED: ERIE COUNTY CLERK 04/27/2023 10:38 AM INDEX NO. 804173/2020
NO. INDEX
804173/2020
FILED DOC.
NYSCEF : ERIE COUNTY
NO. 121 CLERK : RECEIVED NYSCEF: 04/27/2023
NYSCEF'DOC. NO. 103 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 03/01/2023
Richard A, Clack, Esq. December 9, 2021
Page 3
Defendant repeats and/or incorporates its Responses and Objections that these requests
are overbroad, burdensome, and not material or to the claims or
unduly necessary
defenses in this action. In particular, (a) this request spans the more than four-year
"Jerry"
employment period for Defendant, (b) a search for references to or similar term
over this period will undoubtedly yield countless unresponsive results (for instance,
there is another employee named Jerry); and (c) the request is not tailored to whether
defendant was terminated for cause, or any other claim/defense. Further, there is no
justification for the text messages of I-Bvolve employees; I-Evolve renewed its
searching
request for text messages after defendant admitted to deleting emails.
only
In response to these requests, I-Evolve will search the email accounts of relevant
custodians for communications with defendant, We believe this is a reasonable and
proportionate response to the broad requests by defendant.
overly
We request a response to this letter by close of business on December 13 so that the
parties discuss issues (if any) prior to the December 15 deadline to
may remaining
report to the Court whether the parties intend to make discovery motions.
Very truly yours,
Phillips Lytle LLP
By
Jeffrey D. Coren
Document Filed Date
April 27, 2023
Case Filing Date
March 18, 2020
Category
Commercial Division
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Preview
FILED: ERIE COUNTY CLERK 04/27/2023 10:38 AM INDEX NO. 804173/2020 NYSCEF DOC. NO. 121 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 04/27/2023 CLERK 03 01t2023 01417 apsx no, 6041%i2020 [FILED: ¯ERIE COUNTE PM igsesVboc. Wô. £63 ½ mmsh wsese 03/0172nz3 15 Vin sniah DéeefuseiD2021 F3thardA Qthekflsp 14W Offices oflyÆprd4 Clack 7@ Cathedral Park To er STFranidiltSttfest WhtfaterNew]tk Re: 11hrolve,•ue w4ered%1WAsotvindex N¾ 6#n@~0z0 Dear Dicht suraünstatite ohiddirectidh Atfhe behembet ¼ 502allac6ve conference disgogfstandhydia issues wflkreg yMy W)trespectfgthe di7cussion below concerning elech'onle produedon with anetadatai enè16sâdfraDUopõsedDUotdeolldedeeuwentyrudndtibiiäûdst 8 de êÇft a 8. Defendpnfs inninl documentproductionrconsisted of a borof pU1nted1ernhils uithout sttäcliiitents.. I-Evoltëffëinnndédiliiedeferidäñt fepto uense ëntite pMehttinny any ludIndldgeliattachtnëñte, electMbicely…ithietadatn knfëñdanthmgreed M produce All altachtwen(s townsilei inithi%n intnfiteñ to titefortugWIthat. ' pro4mtiom orwhether w4tÆe xepm4uced± Please adylsewhetlier everyAing dehndant willisprodishithétentire lñÃtiai§aductioñ/…ith all ãttachinenf#dit electrojttshhrmafwith xnstadatat tøfengh4e *pgbysitressiconhruail accountsfo1 e 14 DefendanfRagygree4 Eátlellá;and%eottPetR¼foU ddäúï1iêñtsfenpdhsivà tu14Ev61ve21rp4Máts LEvolV6 dé~ññfidä thithnfsitjÆlexhéñtdyt#ductletigade3h electthliidifõrmhtwillinetadñtd. Flengs c#nfinetheforingf of thkagpylemet$ predgetfetit 45fF55Y9.aannN All eÈHÃj4 it{4 MûNE O I I,LIPS.Lx¶LE 941.4 ATIOtifthY9AMAW 9We AlitÞ$12OlaifSshast BI FÃL VD if t â$"ÃŒiif pildf|n. f) tip itt SAÚj^iO)fat"5tte j PHILLiril.Yt£4066t 90-FEALO.%HAptaWMAr NEW.YoBKs.ALPAtif. 4A401814 eiTY.NEWYo.8KinopHgtTt!Kt'WA9tteterog(y ed.1eÄNA9A.IWA'tem.OO Ng9toN. FILED: ERIE COUNTY CLERK 04/27/2023 10:38 AM INDEX NO. 804173/2020 NO.INDEX 804173/2020 FILED DOC. NYSCEF : ERIE COUNTY NO. 121 CLERK : RECEIVED NYSCEF: 04/27/2023 NYSCEF bOC. NO. 103 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 03/01/2023 Richard A. Clack, Esq. December 9, 2021 Page 2 As counsel for Mr. Natlella, you have agreed to search Mr. Nattella's personal email account (gnatiella@gmail.com) and produce documents responsive to the subpoena. I-Evolve demands that supplemental production is made in electronic format with any metadata. Please confirm the format of the production. We had discussed whether defendant could export or convert the OneNote file in a "static" format for production. Please advise. I-Evolve requested that defendant produce (a) text messages between Mr. Hickson and the agreed-upon list of I-Evolve customers beginning January 1, 2019, (b) text messages with Mr. Natiella concerning I-Evolve customers or concerning Mr. Natlella's employment at PC Business [also from January 1, 2019], and (c) text messages with any . other I-Evolve employees soliciting their employment at PC Business. Defendant has agreed to produce (a). Please advise whether defendant will produce (b) and confirm that defendant does not have documents responsive to (c). B. Defendant's Request for Back-Up Documents Defendant requested all of the back-up documentation for Mr. Hickson's monthly commission statements. I-Evolve objected to this request in its Responses and Objections as overbroad and unduly burdensome, because it would involve thousands of invoices, agreements, and other documents spanning defendant's entire period of employment. In response to this request, I-Evolve will produce a detailed report of sale/charge for Mr. Hickson's customers from its records. every C. Defendant's Request for Communications Defendant requested "all text messages, by any and all employees of I-Evolve, that refer or pertain to Mr. Hickson in any way, from the inception of his employment through " and all text messages between the present, "any any and employees of I-Evolve and period," Mr. Hickson for the same time and "all e-mails generated between any and all period." employees of I-Evolve that refer in any way to Mr. Hickson for the same time Some of these requests were first made in your November 17, 2021 email. FILED: ERIE COUNTY CLERK 04/27/2023 10:38 AM INDEX NO. 804173/2020 NO. INDEX 804173/2020 FILED DOC. NYSCEF : ERIE COUNTY NO. 121 CLERK : RECEIVED NYSCEF: 04/27/2023 NYSCEF'DOC. NO. 103 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 03/01/2023 Richard A, Clack, Esq. December 9, 2021 Page 3 Defendant repeats and/or incorporates its Responses and Objections that these requests are overbroad, burdensome, and not material or to the claims or unduly necessary defenses in this action. In particular, (a) this request spans the more than four-year "Jerry" employment period for Defendant, (b) a search for references to or similar term over this period will undoubtedly yield countless unresponsive results (for instance, there is another employee named Jerry); and (c) the request is not tailored to whether defendant was terminated for cause, or any other claim/defense. Further, there is no justification for the text messages of I-Bvolve employees; I-Evolve renewed its searching request for text messages after defendant admitted to deleting emails. only In response to these requests, I-Evolve will search the email accounts of relevant custodians for communications with defendant, We believe this is a reasonable and proportionate response to the broad requests by defendant. overly We request a response to this letter by close of business on December 13 so that the parties discuss issues (if any) prior to the December 15 deadline to may remaining report to the Court whether the parties intend to make discovery motions. Very truly yours, Phillips Lytle LLP By Jeffrey D. Coren