Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming the legal profession, raising pressing questions about the future role of paralegals. Recent advances -- especially in generative AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Bard -- have led to predictions ranging from enhanced productivity to potential job displacement. In the face of these changes, paralegals are encouraged to view AI not as a replacement but as a tool that can augment their work. Many experts argue that while AI will automate routine tasks, it will also free paralegals to focus on higher-value activities.

In modern litigation and investigations, law firm eDiscovery teams must defensibly collect email and cloud data while preserving its integrity. This guide provides a comprehensive, step-by-step manual for collecting Gmail and other Google Workspace data using Google Vault (for enterprise eDiscovery) and Google Takeout (for user-driven exports). It is written for legal and technical audiences, emphasizing best practices such as maintaining chain of custody, preserving metadata, ensuring data integrity, and obtaining proper user consent.