Fast Cars and Firewalls: Digital Solutions Strategist Rob Phelan Becomes Director of Technical Operations for Dallas Startup
Dallas-based legal technology startup The Discovery Experts announces Rob Phelan, digital solutions strategist and motorsport photographer and racing driver, is taking the wheel as Director of Technical Operations. As part of the organization’s executive team, he will focus on cyber security, data governance and operational resilience in a world of advanced digital threats.
Rob brings his entrepreneurial spirit, passion for high performance and more than 25 years’ experience in enterprise, technology and security to The Discovery Experts, which was founded in Dallas at the height of COVID to disrupt the traditional norms of the eDiscovery field. The firm supplies custom software and eDiscovery guidance for clients across industries, but it has found unusual success in honing its expertise to focus on clients in the construction and energy fields, which tend to have larger datasets and complicated industry jargon that most eDiscovery firms struggle to keep pace with.
“It’s exciting to join The Discovery Experts at the beginning of its journey because the possibilities are wide open for how this firm can impact the legal technology space. When a company finds itself involved in complicated litigation, the current status quo is for legal counsel to hire an eDiscovery firm that positions itself as an expert in all industries – but we know that doesn’t always deliver the best results, and our specialized model proves it. We have a lot of room to set industry standards here,” said Rob.
But long before Rob became an expert in eDiscovery, he was building and racing cars as a teenager. Whether he was at the wheel or teaming with other drivers and engineers, Rob has always been drawn to the engineering and technology challenges the world of motorsports presents. In fact, it’s what drew him to Texas and sparked the idea for his personal venture PhotoMotion Photography, allowing him to travel across the U.S. to capture battles on the track.
A 2014 GTS3 Texas Region Champion, Rob and his team have competed in events with the National Auto Sport Association (NASA), Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) and World Racing League, including 24-hour endurance races. If he’s not in the driver’s seat, Rob can be found writing the software for his racing cars or molding a high-tech upgrade to his classic ride, a 1979 BMW 323.
Rob’s experience in motorsports and his eDiscovery expertise have grown in parallel, creating an unusually exciting and diverse portfolio. Immediately before joining The Discovery Experts, he was the global engineering lead for Ernst & Young’s eDiscovery group for nine years, where he oversaw a team of more than 20 engineers and cut deployment times for business platforms by 98%. Before that, he was Director of Technology at Conquest eDiscovery and Infrastructure Specialist at digital commerce giant Momentum.
“Rob’s track record is nothing short of amazing, and it’s clear he was born to take on some of the most complicated technology curves that exist in today’s world. Whether it’s a car’s performance or cutting-edge AI tools, Rob’s adaptability and his foresight to look beyond the next bend serves everyone around him well. This is great news for The Discovery Experts and our clients as we continue to grow and refine our expertise,” said The Discovery Experts Founder and CEO Brett Lamb.
When Rob isn't protecting technology-dependent companies from cyberthreats or snapping photos of cars zooming by at more than 100 miles per hour, he’s scuba diving in Curaçao, Cozumel, Thailand or Bali.
Having spent two and a half years in Morocco with the Peace Corps engineering clean water projects and portable medical waste incinerators, Rob now spends part of his free time fundraising for current Peace Corps members and participating in community activities with returned Peace Corps alumni in the DFW area. He remains conversational in the Moroccan tribal language of Tamazight.
