At CDS, real results matter—but it’s our people who make the real difference. Real People, Real Results is a monthly series that spotlights the individuals behind our work, giving you a closer look at their journey, expertise, and what drives them.
This month, we’re excited to introduce Michael “Mike” Milicevic, Vice President of eDiscovery Products & Solutions. Based in Chicago, Mike has been with CDS for more than 13 years, playing a pivotal role in building the Midwest region and shaping our global client service, operations, and product strategy. With nearly 15 years of experience in eDiscovery and legal technology, he’s led teams through every stage of the EDRM, from data collection to production, and built a reputation for delivering innovative, efficient and defensible eDiscovery solutions. Mike is also a licensed attorney in the state of Illinois, a husband to a supportive and loving wife, and two amazing girls.
In this edition, Mike shares his path into eDiscovery, his perspective on the industry’s challenges, and what continues to inspire him to help clients achieve real results.
Tell us about your role at CDS and the one skill you’ve developed at CDS that you didn’t expect to?
In my role at CDS, I oversee the development, deployment, and support of both our proprietary technologies and third-party solutions. My team is dedicated to enhancing core eDiscovery features within RelativityOne and ensuring clients have access to the best technology and services for their matters.
One skill I didn’t anticipate developing at CDS is product demonstrations. At one point, I was leading nearly 200 demos a year. What surprised me was how much they pushed me outside my comfort zone, in the best way. Those sessions taught me how to translate complex technology into clear, client-focused stories, how to adapt on the fly to different audiences, and how to really listen so that each presentation addressed not just features, but real-world client needs. Over time, what started as a skill I hadn’t expected to use became one of the most valuable parts of my role, because it deepened my ability to connect technology with the people it’s meant to serve.
If we opened your Spotify/Apple Music right now, what would be playing?
I’ve always been told I have a pretty eclectic taste in music, and at one point I even considered majoring in it. I played trumpet growing up and was part of a band that covered everything from Reel Big Fish to Chicago. These days, my playlist bounces all over the place: the last four songs I listened to were Für Elise (which I play every night for my kids at bedtime), Golden by KPop Demon Hunters (a current family favorite), Juicy by The Notorious B.I.G. (a go-to for my commute), and Thunderstruck by AC/DC (which is a must for my morning runs). Honestly, a better question might be what don’t I listen to, because I haven’t found a genre yet that I can’t appreciate at least a little.
How did you find your way into this crazy land of eDiscovery?
How much time do we have…lol. When I was in law school, there were no courses on eDiscovery, and I graduated during the 2008 financial crisis, the worst possible time to be a new attorney. After watching the public sector legal job I had lined up evaporate, I needed to find work to support my crushing law school debt. That’s when I stumbled upon the world of document review. While most of my days were spent coding non-responsive spam emails and the occasional funny cat picture, I became fascinated with the technology running behind the scenes. A junior eDiscovery Project Manager role popped up on Craigslist of all places, so I applied. Thanks to a recommendation from my review director (who, funny enough, now works with my wife in legal staffing), I got the job. And the rest, as they say, is history.
If you weren’t in eDiscovery or tech, what career would you have pursued?
I would be a watchmaker. I’ve always been fascinated with vintage mechanical time pieces, and one of my hobbies is buying and restoring watches that I find at estate sales, or online auctions. My obsession began when I inherited my grandfather’s watch that hadn’t worked in over 30 years. I spent several more years restoring it to better than new condition and then I couldn’t get enough of that experience. I’ve built, restored, or helped repair watches for most of my close friends and colleagues at work, and I love to post stories of watches that I’ve come across on my Instagram page. For me, watches don’t just keep time, they keep memories of the moments we’ve lived and people and places that matter most.
What’s a lesson you’ve learned from working with clients that shaped your approach to your role?
I’ve learned that the most valuable resource our clients have isn’t technology, it’s time. The real challenge is giving them more of it: more time to focus on the complex, high stakes work that truly needs their expertise, and less time spent on the repetitive tasks that tend to drain their days and creep into nights and weekends. That’s why I’ve shaped my approach around building and leveraging tools that give time back. If we can return even a few hours to a client’s day, that can make all the difference.
What advice would you give those entering the eDiscovery field?
Become a watchmaker instead… just kidding! My real advice is to never lose sight of the end user experience. When you’re immersed in legal technology, especially with the rapid integration of Generative AI, it’s easy to focus only on the tools and features. But at the end of the day, every piece of eDiscovery technology we design and deploy exists for one reason, to help legal practitioners and technologists do their jobs more effectively. If you keep that perspective front and center, you’ll always find the right balance between innovation and impact.
We’re glad you took to the time to meet Mike Milicevic! 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 and be sure to catch Mike and other CDS experts at Relativity Fest 2025!
