How to Handle PII in Investigations

How can your team protect personal data during a legal investigation? Mishandling PII can lead to costly violations, reputational damage, and regulatory fines.

Every email, document, or spreadsheet involved in an investigation could contain sensitive information that must be handled with care. Knowing how to identify and manage PII is key to meeting legal standards and protecting individuals.

Let's take a closer look into how to handle PII in investigations by exploring best practices, redaction tools, and compliance strategies.

Identifying PII During the Investigation Process

During any legal or internal investigation, identifying personal data is one of the first and most important steps. PII can show up in unexpected places, especially when large volumes of documents or communications are involved.

If it's missed or mishandled, the entire process can be at risk. There are three main ways to find PII during an investigation:

• Review emails and attachments closely
• Check chat logs and shared files
• Look for hidden data in file properties

Review Emails and Attachments Closely

Emails often contain names, phone numbers, addresses, and other private details. These might be written in the message or included in attachments.

Personal data can also appear in signatures or forwarded threads. Teams should review these items carefully and use filters or tools to highlight known identifiers.

Check Chat Logs and Shared Files

Instant messaging platforms like Slack or Teams often hold sensitive messages and links to shared content. Chats may contain informal language or shorthand that still counts as PII. Investigators should flag conversations that include customer information, employee records, or internal account numbers.

Look for Hidden Data in File Properties

Documents and spreadsheets can hold personal data in places people often forget to check. Metadata, version histories, and comments may reveal names or dates tied to individuals. It's important to include this hidden information in the review and treat it with the same care as text found in the main content.

Redaction Requirements and Best Practices

Redacting sensitive data is one of the most important steps in protecting PII during an investigation. There are three main areas to focus on when redacting personal information in legal work:

• Use secure tools that can handle redacting legal documents
• Build a consistent process for legal redactions
• Keep track of every redaction step for legal compliance

Use Secure Tools That Can Handle Redacting Legal Documents

The tools used to redact legal documents should do more than just hide text. They need to permanently remove the data so it can't be recovered. Many older tools only cover up words without deleting the information underneath.

That kind of mistake can leave PII exposed. Teams should use software that supports full removal and works across emails, PDFs, excel redactions, Word files, and scanned images.

Build a Consistent Process for Legal Redactions

Redacting personal data shouldn't be left to chance. Teams should have a plan for what to redact, how to confirm it was done right, and who reviews the work.

It helps to use templates and checklists so nothing gets missed. Clear rules lead to better results, and everyone knows what to expect.

Keep Track of Every Redaction Step for Legal Compliance

Documentation matters. If a company is ever audited or questioned about how it handled PII, there needs to be a record of each step.

It includes what was redacted, when it was done, and by whom. Many tools now include audit trails that support legal compliance. These records protect the team and prove that personal data was handled with care.

Handling PII Across Jurisdictions

Not every country treats personal data the same way. In the United States, state laws like CCPA set rules about how companies must handle personal data.

In Europe, GDPR covers data protection across all member countries. Both focus on consent, notice, and the right to be forgotten, but they aren't identical. Investigators should be careful to match their redactions and data handling to the law tied to each data source.

Data from one region might not be allowed to move to another without certain checks in place. Some governments require security steps or contracts before data can leave the country. If a case involves emails or documents from overseas, legal teams need to understand how those rules apply before moving or reviewing the files.

What counts as personal data can vary. In one place, a phone number might need to be redacted. In another, that same number might be treated as non-sensitive. Tools that support legal redactions across different regions can help teams meet these standards without missing key details. Still, a legal review is often needed to confirm what to redact and how.

Maintaining Legal Compliance Throughout the Investigation

Once the data review starts, investigators often need to sift through large sets of emails, documents, and communications. Some of this content will contain sensitive information.

Any personal data collected, reviewed, or shared must follow the rules for that location. If those steps are skipped or handled carelessly, the entire investigation can lose its legal standing.

Even if a team uses strong tools to redact sensitive data, there should still be a final review. Mistakes can happen if a redaction is missed or done the wrong way.

A second set of eyes, or a built-in verification process, can help confirm that all personal data has been removed before anything is shared. These checks should be part of the normal workflow.

Compliance often depends on what teams can show, not just what they say they did. Logs, audit trails, and version histories help track redactions and access. If a question ever comes up, having that proof can make all the difference. Some tools now include these records automatically, which helps reduce the risk of missing documentation later.

Protecting Personal Data

Protecting PII during investigations takes more than good intentions. It requires the right tools, clear processes, and strong legal awareness at every step.

At Reveal, we give legal teams the tools to work faster and smarter through every stage of eDiscovery. Our AI-driven platform combines reusable models, generative AI, and automation to boost performance and reduce costs. With a user-friendly design and deep functionality, we help you uncover insights quickly and stay ahead.

Get in touch today to find out how we can help with your team's PII.