Big data is set to become a pervasive agent for change, helping to fuel a digital industrial revolution. According to the European Commission (the Commission), technology and services that are driven by, or make use of, big data are expected to grow worldwide to $16.9 billion in 2015 at a compound annual growth rate of 40%. Big data will mean big change for businesses, law fi rms and in-house legal teams. It will also mean big opportunities. When adopting this new and potentially disruptive technology, just as with any new venture, both the advantages and the disadvantages need to be considered. Risks need to be identifi ed and managed. As the Information Commissioner recently observed, big data is not a game played by different rules.