As part of our Women’s History Month series celebrating the remarkable women who help shape CDS and the broader legal technology community, we’re proud to spotlight Jessica Nesbitt, Senior Project Manager at Complete Discovery Source.
Throughout March, CDS is highlighting five outstanding professionals whose leadership, expertise, and perspective continue to drive innovation in legal tech and eDiscovery. The series recognizes the impact of women across the organization, leaders who are not only delivering results for clients but also helping mentor the next generation of professionals in a fast-evolving industry.
Let us introduce you to our fourth spotlight: Jessica Nesbitt, Senior Project Manager at CDS. Jessica’s path into eDiscovery started unexpectedly at just 19 and quickly evolved into a leadership role, giving her a firsthand view of the high stakes and fast pace of legal work. She has built strong client trust while refining a confident, solutions-driven leadership style. From leveraging AI to streamline complex matters to empowering teams under pressure, Jessica’s journey reflects both growth and impact. Learn more about her experience, insights, and advice below.
What led you into eDiscovery, and what surprised you most when you first started working with legal teams?
At 19, I was attending business classes during the day and bartending at night. That summer, I picked up a second job making copies for a litigation support company—back in the era of paper records, scanning, binders, tabs, and endless staples. By 22, I was the Operations Manager for that office, which is how I unexpectedly built a career working with legal teams.
Nearly everything about working with legal teams surprised me. I was young and brand new to the industry. The level of demand and real‑world consequences behind every task was unlike anything I’d experienced before.
As a woman in a male-dominated field, what perspective or strength has helped you navigate challenges and earn client trust?
The ability to adapt my approach to different personalities and working styles has been one of my greatest strengths. Being able to meet clients where they are, no matter who they are, while bringing a steady, calming presence has helped me build trust and credibility over time. Also, taking pride in consistently showing up and getting the job done, even through the challenges, will ultimately build client trust no matter who you are.
After years in this fast-moving industry, how has your leadership style evolved and how does that help your clients today?
For me, this is all about growth and confidence. My leadership style has evolved because I have, though admittedly confidence is something I am always working on. Over time, experience has helped me build trust in my judgment, and this shows up in how I support clients today. I’m comfortable making decisions, offering guidance, and I pride myself in staying steady on the surface when things get complex or high‑pressure.
Can you share an example of a matter where your strategy made a measurable difference?
What was the challenge?
The client was facing a very tight deadline with a large, complex data set and no clear, defensible way to narrow scope.
What did you change?
We reset the strategy to focus on early case assessment and intentional data targeting. I brought the legal team and CDS Advisory team together to identify areas where we could incorporate advanced AI technologies to reduce the volume of data requiring human review, therefore reducing the overall timeline and costs.
What was the outcome?
The review population reduced significantly, timelines became realistic, and overall costs decreased. Just as importantly, the legal team felt confident explaining and defending their approach, which made the entire matter far less painful.
What do you wish you had known earlier in your career, and what advice would you give women entering legal tech today?
For women entering legal tech today, my advice is to trust your capability and truly know your worth – something I wish I had embraced earlier in my career. Your perspective matters, and your voice belongs in the room.
We hoped you enjoyed getting to know our Senior Project Manager Jessica Nesbitt for our Women’s History Month series spotlighting our female tech experts. Stick around to meet more women driving real results at CDS.
