At CDS, we let the work speak for itself. But behind every result is a team member that made it happen. Real People, Real Results is a monthly series that takes a closer look at the individuals who make up our team, exploring their backgrounds, their expertise, and what drives them.
This month, meet Richard Das, Vice President of Operations. With 21 years at CDS, Richard combines experience, practical expertise, and innovation to deliver measurable results. He specializes in solution-driven operations that support client-focused outcomes, approaching each engagement with a results-oriented mindset and a focus on what will work in practice.
Clients and colleagues rely on Richard for his ability to turn complex challenges into achievable solutions, guided by a belief that what may not seem doable, CDS can accomplish. Known for thriving in CDS’s collaborative, hardworking culture, Richard brings deep institutional knowledge and a practical approach to problem-solving that keeps client outcomes at the center of the work.
Over twenty years at CDS gives you a unique perspective. How has your role, and the way CDS operates, evolved over that time?
I started at CDS in the copy world. That meant paper, toner, Bates stamps, and a lot of late nights making sure boxes went out the door on time. When electronic data started taking over, I moved into processing. Then came hosting, back when putting a review platform in the cloud still made people nervous. Today a big part of my day is AI and how we put it to work for clients in a way that holds up. What I value most about that path is that it’s CDS’s path too. Every time the industry shifted, the company shifted with it, and I grew right alongside it. I didn’t read about those changes. I lived them at ground level, and that gives me real respect for what our teams do every day, because at some point I’ve done it myself.
When a client brings you a challenge that initially seems impossible, how do you approach turning it into an achievable solution?
In this business, “impossible” usually means the deadline is tomorrow and the data showed up today. It’s just the way this industry is. The first thing I do is figure out what the client actually needs at the finish line and work backward from there: what has to happen first, who owns it, and where technology can take hours off the clock. Just as important, I stay in it with the client. Nobody wants to hand off a crisis and hope for the best. They want someone walking hand in hand with them and giving straight answers along the way. A lot of my own growth at CDS came out of those moments. Every tough deadline taught us something, and we came out of each one better prepared for the next.
What does operational excellence mean to you, and how do you make sure it translates into measurable results for clients?
For me, operational excellence starts with people. It takes a dedicated team that cares about getting it right, a commitment to keep growing as the technology and the demands change, and a culture where people want to do their best work. When you have those three things, results follow. Deadlines get met, productions go out clean, and clients stop worrying about the process so they can focus on their case. The real measure for me is the relationship. Many of our clients have been with us for years, and I’ve known some of the attorneys I work with today for most of my career. You don’t earn that with one good project. You earn it by showing up the same way every time.
How do you balance practical, proven processes with innovation when you are looking for a better way to solve a problem?
Every good solution starts with the client’s end goal. Before we talk about tools, I want to know what the expected outcome looks like for them. It might be speed, cost, defensibility, or all three. From there, it’s about knowing exactly what our technology stack can do, from Relativity aiR (Relativity aiR Suite to our own CDS Vision and CDS Convert, and knowing where to adjust it. That’s where experience matters. Most of the time the answer isn’t a brand-new invention. It’s a proven process tuned in the right places for that client and that matter. Innovation for its own sake doesn’t help anyone. Innovation that gets a client to their result faster and with more confidence is the whole point.
What is it about CDS’s collaborative, hardworking culture that has kept you here for more than two decades?
There’s nothing like CDS culture, and I’ve had twenty-one years to think about it. Part of it is that we answer to our clients and to each other. There are no outside voices steering what we do (outside investment), so the people who actually know the work and the clients make the decisions. Part of it is that people here care about you outside the office too. When something is going on in your life, people notice and they show up. And part of it is the everyday collaboration. When someone is buried, someone else jumps in without being asked. Having each other’s back isn’t a slogan here. It’s how the work gets done. That’s hard to find, and it’s why I’m still here. It starts at the top at CDS from Executive management and then throughout every department.
Outside of work, what helps you recharge and come back with a fresh perspective?
Sports, and anything that gets me moving. I love competition in every form. Sometimes I’m a spectator at Knicks/Giants or Yankees game, and often I’m watching my kids compete, which is harder on my nerves than any deadline I’ve ever had at work. The rest is on me: an early run, lifting, or time on the heavy bag. That time clears my head, and I come back sharper and more patient, usually with a better answer to whatever problem I left behind. A good vacation also doesn’t hurt.
We’re glad you took the time to meet Richard Das! Look out next month as we highlight more of the real people driving real results at CDS. To learn more about CDS, reach out to us at .