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 Nicole Guyer, Client Solutions Director 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 final spotlight: Nicole Guyer, Client Solutions Director at CDS. With more than two decades of experience in eDiscovery, Nicole brings a unique blend of technical expertise, strategic thinking, and emotional intelligence. From developing innovative, cost-saving workflows for complex cross-border matters to leading with transparency and purpose, her perspective reflects both the evolution of the industry and the power of reputation-driven success. Read on to learn more from Nicole in her own words.
What led you into eDiscovery, and what surprised you most when you first started working with legal teams?
I fell into eDiscovery over 20 years ago working as a law firm case assistant when I thought I wanted to become an attorney. However, my academic background led me to study international human rights crises. I was mostly surprised by all of the procedural work. Firm life was not like an episode of Law & Order.
As a woman in a male-dominated field, what perspective or strength has helped you navigate challenges and earn client trust?
In my experience, women in this field are often expected to bring both technical excellence and strong interpersonal awareness. I have embraced that as a strength – combining expertise with thoughtful communication has allowed me to build meaningful client relationships and navigate complex challenges effectively. I view this ability to lead with both competence and emotional intelligence as a differentiator, and one that continues to shape how I show up in my work.
After years in this fast-moving industry, how has your leadership style evolved and how does that help your clients today?
When leading a team, I always try to give them the full picture; the what, why, and how. Providing granular details empowers team members to think strategically. I never want someone to simply press buttons to complete a task. If they can understand the broader goals with key details, the experience will cement in their mind and serve as a teachable moment for future projects.
Can you share an example of a matter where your strategy made a measurable difference?
What was the challenge?
The client was conducting a cross-border privacy review with several jurisdictions in play. We needed to ensure country-specific privacy protocols were followed while being mindful of costs and implementing efficiencies.
What did you change?
I suggested a workflow that reduced the processing, hosting, and review footprint by half. This workflow has been used as the standard on most cross-border matters.
What was the outcome?
We established a clear, repeatable process that allowed us to defensibly comply with the country-specific privacy protocols and produce by the deadline.
What do you wish you had known earlier in your career, and what advice would you give women entering legal tech today?
Your reputation is everything. We work in a very small industry. How you conduct yourself, specifically your work ethic, will be remembered. Over the course of my career, I have interacted with industry colleagues I worked with 5, 10, 15, or even 20 years ago. Set the bar high for yourself and do work you are proud of.
We hoped you enjoyed getting to know our Client Solutions Director Nicole Guyer for our Women’s History Month series spotlighting our female tech experts. Be sure to read all of our month’s spotlights on female legal tech experts leading at CDS.
